Metabolic regulation in Pseudomonas oxalaticus OX1. Diauxic growth on mixtures of oxalate and formate or acetate

A New Pathway for Forming Acetate and Synthesizing ATP during Fermentation in Bacteria

Many bacteria and other organisms carry out fermentations forming acetate. These fermentations have broad importance for foods, agriculture, and industry. They also are important for bacteria themselves because they often generate ATP. Here, we found a biochemical pathway for forming acetate and synthesizing ATP that was unknown in fermentative bacteria. We found that the bacterium Cutibacterium granulosum formed acetate during fermentation of glucose. It did not use phosphotransacetylase or acetate kinase, enzymes found in nearly all acetate-forming bacteria. Instead, it used a pathway involving two different enzymes. The first enzyme, succinyl coenzyme A (succinyl-CoA):acetate CoA-transferase (SCACT), forms acetate from acetyl-CoA. The second enzyme, succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS), synthesizes ATP. We identified the genes encoding these enzymes, and they were homologs of SCACT and SCS genes found in other bacteria. The pathway resembles one described in eukaryotes, but it uses bacterial, not eukaryotic, gene homologs. To find other instances of the pathway, we analyzed sequences of all biochemically characterized homologs of SCACT and SCS (103 enzymes from 64 publications). Homologs with similar enzymatic activity had similar sequences, enabling a large-scale search for them in genomes. We searched nearly 600 genomes of bacteria known to form acetate, and we found that 6% encoded homologs with SCACT and SCS activity. This included >30 species belonging to 5 different phyla, showing that a diverse range of bacteria encode the SCACT/SCS pathway. This work suggests the SCACT/SCS pathway is important for acetate formation in many branches of the tree of life. IMPORTANCE Pathways for forming acetate during fermentation have been studied for over 80 years. In that time, several pathways in a range of organisms, from bacteria to animals, have been described. However, one pathway (involving succinyl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase and succinyl-CoA synthetase) has not been reported in prokaryotes. Here, we discovered enzymes for this pathway in the fermentative bacterium Cutibacterium granulosum. We also found >30 other fermentative bacteria that encode this pathway, demonstrating that it could be common. This pathway represents a new way for bacteria to form acetate from acetyl-CoA and synthesize ATP via substrate-level phosphorylation. It could be a target for controlling yield of acetate during fermentation, with relevance for foods, agriculture, and industry.

An ATP and oxalate generating variant tricarboxylic acid cycle counters aluminum toxicity in Pseudomonas fluorescens

Although the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is essential in almost all aerobic organisms, its precise modulation and integration in global cellular metabolism is not fully understood. Here, we report on an alternative TCA cycle uniquely aimed at generating ATP and oxalate, two metabolites critical for the survival of Pseudomonas fluorescens. The upregulation of isocitrate lyase (ICL) and acylating glyoxylate dehydrogenase (AGODH) led to the enhanced synthesis of oxalate, a dicarboxylic acid involved in the immobilization of aluminum (Al). The increased activity of succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS) and oxalate CoA-transferase (OCT) in the Al-stressed cells afforded an effective route to ATP synthesis from oxalyl-CoA via substrate level phosphorylation. This modified TCA cycle with diminished efficacy in NADH production and decreased CO(2)-evolving capacity, orchestrates the synthesis of oxalate, NADPH, and ATP, ingredients pivotal to the survival of P. fluorescens in an Al environment. The channeling of succinyl-CoA towards ATP formation may be an important function of the TCA cycle during anaerobiosis, Fe starvation and O(2)-limited conditions.

Modelling microbial adaptation to changing availability of substrates

In their natural environment microorganisms encounter changes in substrate availability, involving either nutrient concentrations or nutrient types. They have to adapt to the new conditions in order to survive. We present a model for slow microbial adaptation, involving the synthesis of new enzymes, in response to changes in the availability of substitutable substrates. The model is based on reciprocal (or mutual) inhibition of expression of both the substrate-specific carriers and the associated assimilatory machinery. The inhibition kinetics is derived from the kinetics of synthesizing units. An interesting property of the adaptation model is that the presence of a single limiting resource results in a constant maximum specific substrate consumption rate for fully adapted microorganisms. Because the maximum specific consumption rate is not a function of substrate concentration, for growth on one substrate, the Monod and Pirt models for instance are still valid. Other adaptation models known to us do not fulfil this property. The simplest version of our model describes adaptation during diauxic growth, using only one preference parameter and one initial condition. The applicability of the model is exemplified by fitting it to published data from diauxic growth experiments.

Are microbes intelligent beings?:

Microorganisms growing in a multi-substrate medium have different and varying preferences for the various components of the medium. The preferences depend on the operating conditions and the substrates may be utilized sequentially or simultaneously. Sometimes an organism may change its preferences among substrates and/or switch between sequential and simultaneous utilization. These aspects are difficult to describe through models based on chemical and physical laws alone. Cybernetic modeling ascribes to microorganisms the ability to perceive their environment (i.e. the growth medium) and make 'intelligent' choices regarding substrate utilization to maximize an objective, which is usually the growth rate. This article reviews the development of cybernetic modeling since it began in 1982. Different workers have suggested different perspectives of how microbes make optimal use of their resources. These are discussed and future directions for improvement are indicated.

Diauxic growth of Agrobacterium tumefaciens 15955 on succinate and mannopine

Diauxic growth was observed upon incubation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens 15955 on a mixture of succinate and mannopine as the carbon source. Diauxic growth was also observed when either fumarate or L-malate was mixed with mannopine. No diauxie was detectable when A. tumefaciens 15955 was grown on a mixture of mannopine and glucose, fructose, sucrose, or L-arabinose. Preferential utilization of succinate was observed in the initial growth phase of diauxie, whereas the final growth phase occurred at the expense of mannopine. Cells harvested during the initial growth phase exhibited a capacity for uptake of [14C]succinate but not of [14C] mannopine. A capacity for [14C]mannopine uptake was expressed during the final growth phase. Extracts from cells grown on a mixture of succinate and mannopine exhibited a low level of mannopine cyclase activity in the initial phase of diauxie. This activity increased substantially in the final phase of growth. Added succinate had no effect on the rate of [14C]mannopine uptake or mannopine cyclase activities of cells previously grown on mannopine. Diauxie was also observed during growth of strain 15955 on a mixture of succinate and octopine.

Formate dehydrogenase

Formate is a substrate, or product, of diverse reactions catalyzed by eukaryotic organisms, eubacteria, and archaebacteria. A survey of metabolic groups reveals that formate is a common growth substrate, especially among the anaerobic eubacteria and archaebacteria. Formate also functions as an accessory reductant for the utilization of more complex substrates, and an intermediate in energy-conserving pathways. The diversity of reactions involving formate dehydrogenases is apparent in the structures of electron acceptors which include pyridine nucleotides, 5-deazaflavin, quinones, and ferredoxin. This diversity of electron acceptors is reflected in the composition of formate dehydrogenase. Studies on these enzymes have contributed to the biochemical and genetic understanding of selenium, molybdenum, tungsten, and iron in biology. The regulation of formate dehydrogenase synthesis serves as a model for understanding general principles of regulation in anaerobic organisms.

Control of diauxic growth of Azotobacter vinelandii on acetate and glucose

Batch cultures of Azotobacter vinelandii were inoculated with cells pregrown on either acetate or glucose. When they were subsequently grown on a mixture of acetate and glucose, typical diauxic growth was observed, with preferential uptake of acetate in the first and glucose in the second phase of growth. Extracts from acetate-pregrown cells exhibited high acetate kinase activity in the first phase of growth. This activity decreased and activities of the two glucose enzymes glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase increased in the second phase. Extracts from glucose-pregrown cells exhibited high initial activities of the two glucose enzymes, which decreased while acetate kinase activity increased in the first phase of growth. Again, in the second phase, activities of the two glucose enzymes increased and acetate kinase activity decreased. In any case, isocitrate dehydrogenase activity varied only slightly and unspecifically. The differences in enzyme activity and the constancy of isocitrate dehydrogenase were confirmed by experiments with either acetate- or glucose-limited chemostats. In chemostats in which both of the substrates were limiting, all of the enzymes displayed significant activities. Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was inhibited by acetyl coenzyme A and acetyl phosphate but not by acetate. It is proposed that diauxic growth is based on the control of enzymes involved in acetate or glucose dissimilation by which acetate or its metabolites control the expression and activity of glucose enzymes.

Isolation and characterization of ack and pta mutations in Azotobacter vinelandii affecting acetate-glucose diauxie

Azotobacter vinelandii mutants defective for acetate utilization that were resistant to fluoroacetate (FA) were isolated. FA-resistant mutant AM6 failed to transport [14C]acetate and lacked enzymatic activity for both acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase. Growth of wild-type A. vinelandii was sensitive to 10 mM glycine; however, all FA-resistant strains were resistant to glycine toxicity. Isolated mutants that were spontaneously resistant to glycine were also resistant to FA and lacked both acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase activity. The glycine-resistant mutant AM3, unlike mutant AM6, was capable of growth on acetate. The mutant strain AM6 was unable to growth under acetate-glucose diauxie conditions. Glucose utilization in this mutant, unlike that in wild-type A. vinelandii, was permanently arrested in the presence of acetate. Revertants of strain AM6 were selected on plates with acetate or acetate-glucose. Two classes of revertants were isolated. Class I revertant mutants AM31 and AM35 were positive for both acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase activities. These revertants were also sensitive to both FA and glycine. Class II revertant strains AM32 and AM34 still lacked acetate kinase and phophotransacetylase activity. Both of these revertants remained resistant to FA and glycine.

Nature and significance of microbial cometabolism of xenobiotics

Microbial cometabolism, i.e. "transformation of a non-growth substrate in the obligate presence of a growth substrate or another transformable compound" (Dalton and Stirling 1982) is a whole-cell phenomenon physiologically based on coupling of different catabolic pathways at the cellular level. It is frequently observed in transformation of xenobiotic non-growth substrates by individual microbial species. Transformation processes of this type are usually mediated by appropriate non-specific enzymes of the peripheric cellular metabolism able to modify a variety of substances other than their natural substrates. The precise mechanisms of coupling between metabolism of xenobiotic non-growth substrates and of particular additional carbon substrates may be different depending on the substrates and the microbial species involved. However, experimental data indicate that the primary function of the respective additional carbon substrates is to supply either energy, cofactors or metabolites for the different cellular events involved in the transformation process (e.g. uptake of the xenobiotic non-growth substrate, functioning of appropriate degradative enzymes of the peripheric cellular metabolism). Cometabolism of xenobiotics involves nothing special or novel from the standpoint of biochemistry. On the contrary, there are numerous examples where the turnover of particular natural compounds by certain aerobic or anaerobic microorganisms is essentially based on coupling of different catabolic pathways at the cellular level by transfer of hydrogen (i.e. reducing power) and/or energy between two or more enzymatic reactions. Synthetic chemicals which resist total degradation by individual microbial species may undergo mineralization due to complementary catabolic sequences mediated by certain multispecies microbial associations with cometabolic transformations being the initial steps. Although taking place in certain natural habitats (e.g. rhizospheres, sewage), microbial cometabolism of xenobiotics in natural ecosystems occurs with slow rates since the respective cometabolizing populations are generally small and will not increase in number or biomass in response to the introduced chemicals. However, under conditions of axenic microbial cultures, high concentrations of biomass, and appropriate substrate mixtures cometabolism of synthetic chemicals may be a useful technique of considerable practical importance to accumulate biochemical products at high yields. In addition, cometabolic capabilities of wild-type microorganisms may serve as a tool for the construction of microbial strains with a new degradative potential for recalcitrant xenobiotic compounds.