New Therapeutic Candidates for the Treatment of Malassezia pachydermatis -Associated Infections

The opportunistic pathogen Malassezia pachydermatis causes bloodstream infections in preterm infants or individuals with immunodeficiency disorders and has been associated with a broad spectrum of diseases in animals such as seborrheic dermatitis, external otitis and fungemia. The current approaches to treat these infections are failing as a consequence of their adverse effects, changes in susceptibility and antifungal resistance. Thus, the identification of novel therapeutic targets against M. pachydermatis infections are highly relevant. Here, Gene Essentiality Analysis and Flux Variability Analysis was applied to a previously reported M. pachydermatis metabolic network to identify enzymes that, when absent, negatively affect biomass production. Three novel therapeutic targets (i.e., homoserine dehydrogenase (MpHSD), homocitrate synthase (MpHCS) and saccharopine dehydrogenase (MpSDH)) were identified that are absent in humans. Notably, L-lysine was shown to be an inhibitor of the enzymatic activity of MpHCS and MpSDH at concentrations of 1 mM and 75 mM, respectively, while L-threonine (1 mM) inhibited MpHSD. Interestingly, L- lysine was also shown to inhibit M. pachydermatis growth during in vitro assays with reference strains and canine isolates, while it had a negligible cytotoxic activity on HEKa cells. Together, our findings form the bases for the development of novel treatments against M. pachydermatis infections.

Characterization of recombinant homocitrate synthase from Candida albicans

LYS21 and LYS22 genes from Candida albicans encoding isoforms of homocitrate synthase (HCS), an enzyme catalyzing the first committed step in the l-lysine biosynthetic pathway, were cloned and expressed as N-oligoHistagged fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. The purified gene products revealed HCS activity, i.e. catalyzed the condensation of α-ketoglutarate with acetyl-coenzyme A to yield homocitrate. The recombinant enzymes were purified to homogeneity and characterized for their physical properties and substrate specificities. As determined by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and native page electrophoresis, both isoenzymes adopt multiple quaternary structures, with the homotetrameric one being the most abundant. The KM (acetyl-CoA)=0.8±0.15mM and KM (α-ketoglutarate)=0.113±0.02mM for His6CaLys21p and KM (acetyl-CoA)=0.48±0.09mM and KM (α-ketoglutarate)=0.152±0.03mM values for His6CaLys22p were determined. Both enzyme versions were inhibited by l-Lys, i.e. the end product of the α-aminoadipate pathway but Lys22p was more sensitive than Lys21p, with Ki (L-Lys)=128±8μM for His6CaLys21p and Ki (L-Lys)=4.37±0.68μM for His6CaLys22p. The isoforms of C. albicans HCS exhibited differential sensitivity to several l-Lys analogues. Most notably, dl-α-difluoromethyllysine strongly inhibited His6CaLys22p (IC50 32±3μM) but was not inhibitory at all towards His6CaLys21p. Differential sensitivity of recombinant C. albicans Δlys21/LYS22, LYS21/Δlys22 and Δlys21/Δlys22 mutant strains to lysine analog, 2-aminoethyl-l-cysteine and biochemical properties of homocitrate synthase isoforms suggest different roles of two HCS isoenzymes in α-aminoadipate pathway.

Characterization of bacterial homocitrate synthase involved in lysine biosynthesis

In Thermus thermophilus homocitrate synthase (HCS) catalyzes the initial reaction of lysine biosynthesis through alpha-aminoadipic acid, synthesis of homocitrate from 2-oxoglutarate and acetyl-CoA. HCS is strongly inhibited by lysine, indicating that the biosynthesis is regulated by the endproduct at the initial reaction in the pathway. HCS also catalyzes the reaction using oxaloacetate in place of 2-oxoglutarate as a substrate, similar to citrate synthase in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Several other properties of Thermus HCS and an evolutionary relationship of the biosynthetic pathway in the bacterium to other metabolic pathways are also described.

Cloning and sequencing of the LYS1 gene encoding homocitrate synthase in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

The alpha-aminoadipate pathway for the biosynthesis of lysine is present only in fungi and euglena. The first step in the pathway is the condensation of acetyl-CoA and alpha-ketoglutarate into homocitrate, and this step is carried out by the enzyme homocitrate synthase (EC 4.1.3.21). In spite of extensive genetic analysis, no mutation affecting this step has been isolated until now in model organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Neurospora crassa, although identification of mutations affecting the structural gene (LYS1) for homocitrate synthase was reported in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica several years ago. Here we used these mutants for the cloning and sequencing of the Yarrowia LYS1 gene. The LYS1 gene encodes a predicted 446 amino acid polypeptide, with a molecular mass of 48442 Da. The Lys1p sequence displays two regions, one near the N-terminal section and the other in the central region, that contain conserved signatures found in prokaryotic homocitrate synthases (nifV genes of Azotobacter vinelandii and Klebsiella pneumoniae), as well as in all alpha-isopropyl malate synthases so far described. A putative mitochondrial targeting signal of 41-45 amino acids is predicted at the N-terminus. The Lys1p sequence shows 84% identity at the amino acid level with the putative product of open reading frame D1298 of S. cerevisiae. Northern blot hybridizations revealed a LYS1 transcript of approximately 1.7 kb in Y. lipolytica. Deletion of the LYS1 gene resulted in a Lys- phenotype. Our results indicate that we cloned the structural gene for homocitrate synthase in Y. lipolytica, and that the enzyme is encoded by a single gene in this yeast.

Occurrence of the general control of amino acid biosynthesis in yeasts

The response of three amino acid biosynthetic enzymes, threonine dehydratase, tyrosine aminotransferase and saccharopine dehydrogenase, to conditions of histidine, tryptophan or lysine limitation was investigated in 15 yeast species. The activities of all these enzymes increased about two- to fourfold as a result of action of the general control of amino acid biosynthesis in Brettanomyces anomalus, Candida maltosa, Hansenula polymorpha, Rhodosporidium toruloides, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Yarrowia lipolytica. No evidence for the existence of the general control was found in Candida brumptii, Candida utilis, Hansenula anomala, Hansenula henricii, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Pichia guilliermondii, Saccharomycopsis capsularis, Trichosporon adeninovorans and Trigonopsis variabilis.

Regulation of the lysine biosynthesis in Pichia guilliermondii

The regulatory properties of four enzymes (homocitrate synthase, alpha-aminoadipate reductase, saccharopine reductase, saccharopine dehydrogenase) involved in the lysine biosynthesis of Pichia guilliermondii were investigated and compared with the regulatory patterns found in other yeast species. The first enzyme of the pathway, homocitrate synthase, is feedback-inhibited by L-lysine. Some other amino acids (alpha-aminoadipate, glutamate, tryptophan, leucine) and lysine analogues are also inhibitors of one or more enzymes. It is shown that only the synthesis of homocitrate synthase is weakly repressed by L-lysine.

Cloning and physical characterization of linked lysine genes (lys4, lys15) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The plasmid pSC4 which carries a 7.8 kb yeast DNA insert at the BamHI site of the Vector YEp13, complemented simultaneously MO-59-13c lys4, LU75 lys15 and LU32 lys4lys15 (double) mutations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The 1.9 kb BamHI-XbaI DNA insert of the subclone pSO51 complemented the LU75 lys15 mutation. The 2.8 kb Xhol-XhoI DNA insert of the pSO52 subclone, like pSC4, complemented all three mutations. The 1.9 kb BamHI-XbaI DNA and the 2.8 kb Xhol-XhoI DNA were 100 bp apart in the pSC4 DNA insert and exhibited no homology with each other upon Southern hybridization. The 1.9 kb BamHI-XbaI DNA insert exhibited homology with the pSC4 and pSO51 DNA as well as the genomic DNA of MO-59-13c lys4, LU75 lys15, LU32 lys4lys15, and RC1 (LYS) when digested with appropriate restriction enzymes. The 2.8 kb XhoI-XhoI DNA insert exhibited homology with the pSC4 and pSO52 DNA as well as MO-59-13c lys4, LU75 lys15, LU32 lys4lys15, and RC1 (LYS) genomic DNA, when digested with XhoI enzyme. The 2.8 kb DNA probe also hybridized with ply(A)+ RNA from RC1 and lys4+ transformant but not that from MO-59-13c lys4 mutant.

Properties of revertants of lys2 and lys5 mutants as well as alpha-aminoadipate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

alpha-Aminoadipate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of alpha-aminoadipate to alpha-aminoadipate-semialdehyde in the biosynthetic pathway of lysine in yeasts and molds. Mutants belonging to lys2 and lys5 loci of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacked the alpha-aminoadipate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase activity. Complementation in vitro was demonstrated by combining the extracts from different lys2 and lys5 mutants. Some of the revertants of lys2 and lys5 mutants exhibited lower specific activity and higher thermolability of alpha-aminoadipate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase than the enzyme from wild-type cells. The enzyme was partially purified from wild-type cells and the molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated on a Sephacryl S-300 column at 180,000. Results from the revertant analysis and in vitro complementation indicated LYS2 and LYS5 as structural genes, each encoding a subunit of this large enzyme.

Auxotrophic mutants of the yeast Trichosporon adeninovorans

We have isolated and characterized auxotrophic mutants of Trichosporon adeninovorans, strain PAR-4 to get genetic markers that cover the entire nuclear genome of this thermotolerant yeast of technological interest. The nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis yielded mutants at a high frequency. We detected a broad spectrum of auxotrophic phenotypes in the random mutant samples. Obviously, strain PAR-4 is a haploid or hyperhaploid yeast. In correspondence we determined a low DNA content per cell. In contrast to NG1), UV light was an inefficient mutagen. UV survival curves were without the typical shoulder indicating suppression of repair of UV-induced lethal lesions. Thus, the response of PAR-4 to UV was different from those of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other yeasts.

Lysine biosynthesis pathway and biochemical blocks of lysine auxotrophs of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

The alpha-aminoadipate (AA) pathway for the biosynthesis of lysine was investigated in the wild type and in lysine auxotrophs of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Of the eight enzyme activities of the AA pathway that have been examined so far, six were present in the extract of wild-type S. pombe cells. Growth response to AA and accumulation studies indicated that three lysine auxotrophs, the lys2-97, lys4-95, and lys8-1 strains, were blocked before the AA step and that four lysine auxotrophs, the lys1-131, lys3-37, lys6-3, and lys7-2 strains, were blocked after the AA step. Among the mutants investigated, the lys2-97 mutant exhibited an enzyme lesion at the cis-homoaconitate hydratase step, the lys1-131 and lys7-2 mutants exhibited lesions at the AA reductase step, and lys3-37 exhibited a lesion at the saccharopine dehydrogenase step. These results demonstrated the basic similarity of the AA pathway in S. pombe and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Cloning and biochemical characterization of LYS5 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the functions of two unlinked genes (LYS2 and LYS5) are required for the synthesis of the lysine biosynthetic enzyme, alpha-aminoadipate reductase. The LYS5 gene of S. cerevisiae was cloned by functional complementation of a lys5 mutant, X4004-3A, using a YEp24 plasmid library. The cloned LYS5 gene was contained within a 7.5 kb DNA insert of the recombinant plasmid pSC5. Cloning of LYS5 gene was confirmed by second cycle transformation of a lys5 mutant with the pSC5 plasmid, growth response studies, and plasmid loss experiments with Lys5+ transformants. Analysis of restriction digests of the pSC5 plasmid revealed 3 EcoRI, 5 PvuII, 1 PstI, 1 BglII and 2 HpaI sites in the 7.5 kb insert. A 3.9 kb internal pSC5 fragment hybridized only to the plasmid pSC5, but no homology was observed with LYS2 DNA or the YEp24 vector. The pSC5 transformed Lys5+ cells and the wild-type strain exhibited same level of alpha-aminoadipate reductase activity, whereas lys5 mutant and plasmid-cured transformed strain exhibited none. Lys2+ transformants consistently had five times greater alpha-aminoadipate reductase activity when compared with the wild-type and the Lys5+ transformant. The alpha-aminoadipate reductase activity was repressed in lysine-grown wild-type and Lys5+ transformed cells but not in Lys2+ transformed cells. A Lys2+ and Lys5+ double transformant exhibited higher alpha-aminoadipate reductase activity than lys2+ or lys5+ transformant.

Identification of a lys2 mutant of Candida maltosa by means of transformation

We have isolated five mutants of Candida maltos, which lack the 2-aminoadipate reductase activity, an enzyme involved in the lysine biosynthesis. By means of complementation analysis using protoplast fusion, the isolated mutants were divided into two complementation groups. Thereof the C. maltosa strain G457 could be transformed by the plasmids pDP12 and pDP13, which contain the LYS2-coding gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. On the basis of our presented results obtained by studies on hybridization, stability, and recovery of plasmids from C. maltosa transformants, we suggest that transformation does proceed integratively.