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Sahabudin E, Kubo S, Yuzir MAM, Othman N, Nadia Md Akhir F, Suzuki K, Yoneda K, Maeda Y, Suzuki I, Hara H, Iwamoto K. The cadmium tolerance and bioaccumulation mechanism of Tetratostichococcus sp. P1: insight from transcriptomics analysis. Bioengineered 2024; 15:2314888. [PMID: 38375815 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2024.2314888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) has become a severe issue in relatively low concentration and attracts expert attention due to its toxicity, accumulation, and biomagnification in living organisms. Cd does not have a biological role and causes serious health issues. Therefore, Cd pollutants should be reduced and removed from the environment. Microalgae have great potential for Cd absorption for waste treatment since they are more environmentally friendly than existing treatment methods and have strong metal sorption selectivity. This study evaluated the tolerance and ability of the microalga Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 to remove Cd ions under acidic conditions and reveal mechanisms based on transcriptomics analysis. The results showed that Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 had a high Cd tolerance that survived under the presence of Cd up to 100 µM, and IC50, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration value, was 57.0 μM, calculated from the change in growth rate based on the chlorophyll content. Long-term Cd exposure affected the algal morphology and photosynthetic pigments of the alga. Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 removed Cd with a maximum uptake of 1.55 mg g-1 dry weight. Transcriptomic analysis revealed the upregulation of the expression of genes related to metal binding, such as metallothionein. Group A, Group B transporters and glutathione, were also found upregulated. While the downregulation of the genes were related to photosynthesis, mitochondria electron transport, ABC-2 transporter, polysaccharide metabolic process, and cell division. This research is the first study on heavy metal bioremediation using Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 and provides a new potential microalga strain for heavy metal removal in wastewater.[Figure: see text]Abbreviations:BP: Biological process; bZIP: Basic Leucine Zipper; CC: Cellular component; ccc1: Ca (II)-sensitive cross complementary 1; Cd: Cadmium; CDF: Cation diffusion facilitator; Chl: Chlorophyll; CTR: Cu TRansporter families; DAGs: Directed acyclic graphs; DEGs: Differentially expressed genes; DVR: Divinyl chlorophyllide, an 8-vinyl-reductase; FPN: FerroportinN; FTIR: Fourier transform infrared; FTR: Fe TRansporter; GO: Gene Ontology; IC50: Growth half maximal inhibitory concentration; ICP: Inductively coupled plasma; MF: molecular function; NRAMPs: Natural resistance-associated aacrophage proteins; OD: Optical density; RPKM: Reads Per Kilobase of Exon Per Million Reads Mapped; VIT1: Vacuolar iron transporter 1 families; ZIPs: Zrt-, Irt-like proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eri Sahabudin
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shohei Kubo
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Muhamad Ali Muhammad Yuzir
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nor'azizi Othman
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fazrena Nadia Md Akhir
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kengo Suzuki
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Euglena Co. Ltd, Minato‑ku, Japan
- Microalgae Production Control Technology Laboratory, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kohei Yoneda
- Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Maeda
- Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Iwane Suzuki
- Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Hara
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan
| | - Koji Iwamoto
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Dallinger R. Metals and metallothionein evolution in snails: a contribution to the concept of metal-specific functionality from an animal model group. Biometals 2024; 37:671-696. [PMID: 38416244 PMCID: PMC11101346 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-024-00584-3] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
This is a critical review of what we know so far about the evolution of metallothioneins (MTs) in Gastropoda (snails, whelks, limpets and slugs), an important class of molluscs with over 90,000 known species. Particular attention will be paid to the evolution of snail MTs in relation to the role of some metallic trace elements (cadmium, zinc and copper) and their interaction with MTs, also compared to MTs from other animal phyla. The article also highlights the important distinction, yet close relationship, between the structural and metal-selective binding properties of gastropod MTs and their physiological functionality in the living organism. It appears that in the course of the evolution of Gastropoda, the trace metal cadmium (Cd) must have played an essential role in the development of Cd-selective MT variants. It is shown how the structures and Cd-selective binding properties in the basal gastropod clades have evolved by testing and optimizing different combinations of ancestral and novel MT domains, and how some of these domains have become established in modern and recent gastropod clades. In this context, the question of how adaptation to new habitats and lifestyles has affected the original MT traits in different gastropod lineages will also be addressed. The 3D structures and their metal binding preferences will be highlighted exemplarily in MTs of modern littorinid and helicid snails. Finally, the importance of the different metal requirements and pathways in snail tissues and cells for the shaping and functionality of the respective MT isoforms will be shown.
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Deng S, Zhang X, Zhu Y, Zhuo R. Recent advances in phyto-combined remediation of heavy metal pollution in soil. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 72:108337. [PMID: 38460740 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
The global industrialization and modernization have witnessed a rapid progress made in agricultural production, along with the issue of soil heavy metal (HM) pollution, which has posed severe threats to soil quality, crop yield, and human health. Phytoremediation, as an alternative to physical and chemical methods, offers a more cost-effective, eco-friendly, and aesthetically appealing means for in-situ remediation. Despite its advantages, traditional phytoremediation faces challenges, including variable soil physicochemical properties, the bioavailability of HMs, and the slow growth and limited biomass of plants used for remediation. This study presents a critical overview of the predominant plant-based HM remediation strategies. It expounds upon the mechanisms of plant absorption, translocation, accumulation, and detoxification of HMs. Moreover, the advancements and practical applications of phyto-combined remediation strategies, such as the addition of exogenous substances, genetic modification of plants, enhancement by rhizosphere microorganisms, and intensification of agricultural technologies, are synthesized. In addition, this paper also emphasizes the economic and practical feasibility of some strategies, proposing solutions to extant challenges in traditional phytoremediation. It advocates for the development of cost-effective, minimally polluting, and biocompatible exogenous substances, along with the careful selection and application of hyperaccumulating plants. We further delineate specific future research avenues, such as refining genetic engineering techniques to avoid adverse impacts on plant growth and the ecosystem, and tailoring phyto-combined strategies to diverse soil types and HM pollutants. These proposed directions aim to enhance the practical application of phytoremediation and its integration into a broader remediation framework, thereby addressing the urgent need for sustainable soil decontamination and protection of ecological and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoxiong Deng
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Utilization of Woody Oil Resource, Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha 410004, PR China
| | - Yonghua Zhu
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Rui Zhuo
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Hunan Provincial Certified Enterprise Technology Center, Hunan Xiangjiao Liquor Industry Co., Ltd., Shaoyang 422000, PR China.
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Qin H, Wang Z, Sha W, Song S, Qin F, Zhang W. Role of Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria in Plant Machinery for Soil Heavy Metal Detoxification. Microorganisms 2024; 12:700. [PMID: 38674644 PMCID: PMC11052264 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Heavy metals migrate easily and are difficult to degrade in the soil environment, which causes serious harm to the ecological environment and human health. Thus, soil heavy metal pollution has become one of the main environmental issues of global concern. Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is a kind of microorganism that grows around the rhizosphere and can promote plant growth and increase crop yield. PGPR can change the bioavailability of heavy metals in the rhizosphere microenvironment, increase heavy metal uptake by phytoremediation plants, and enhance the phytoremediation efficiency of heavy-metal-contaminated soils. In recent years, the number of studies on the phytoremediation efficiency of heavy-metal-contaminated soil enhanced by PGPR has increased rapidly. This paper systematically reviews the mechanisms of PGPR that promote plant growth (including nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, potassium solubilization, iron solubilization, and plant hormone secretion) and the mechanisms of PGPR that enhance plant-heavy metal interactions (including chelation, the induction of systemic resistance, and the improvement of bioavailability). Future research on PGPR should address the challenges in heavy metal removal by PGPR-assisted phytoremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Fenju Qin
- School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Wenchao Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
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Virolainen PA, Chekunova EM. GATA family transcription factors in alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Curr Genet 2024; 70:1. [PMID: 38353733 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-024-01280-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
GATA family transcription factors (GATA-TFs) are metalloproteins that regulate many metabolic pathways. These conserved proteins recognize the consensus sequence (A/T)GATA(A/G) in the promoter regions of many genes and regulate their transcription in response to environmental signals. Currently, the study of GATA-TFs is of increasing interest. GATA genes and their proteins are most actively studied in vascular plants and fungi. Based on the results of numerous studies, it has been shown that GATA factors regulate the metabolic pathways of nitrogen and carbon, and also play a major role in the processes induced by light and circadian rhythms. In algae, GATA-TFs remain poorly studied, and information about them is scattered. In this work, all known data on GATA-TFs in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has been collected and systematized. The genome of this alga contains 12 GATA coding genes. Using the phylogenetic analysis, we identified three classes of GATA factors in C. reinhardtii according to the structure of the zinc finger domain and showed their difference from the classification of GATA factors developed on vascular plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel A Virolainen
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation.
| | - Elena M Chekunova
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
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Rivetta A, Slayman C. Electrophysiology of fluoride channels in the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. Methods Enzymol 2024; 696:3-24. [PMID: 38658085 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Tight regulation of molecules moving through the cell membrane is particularly important for free-living microorganisms because of their small cell volumes and frequent changes in the chemical composition of the extracellular environment. This is true for nutrients, but even more so for toxic molecules. Traditionally, the transport of these diverse molecules in microorganisms has been studied on cell populations rather than on single cells, mainly because of technical difficulties. The goal of this chapter is to make available a detailed method to prepare yeast spheroplasts to study the movement of fluoride ions across the plasma membrane of single cells by the patch-clamp technique. In this procedure, three steps are critical to achieve high resistance (GΩ) seals between the membrane and the glass electrode: (1) appropriate removal of the cell wall by enzymatic treatment; (2) balance between the osmotic strength of sealing solutions and cell membrane turgor; and (3) meticulous morphological inspection of spheroplasts suitable for gigaseal formation. We show now that this method, originally developed for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, can also be applied to Candida albicans, an opportunistic human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Rivetta
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
| | - Clifford Slayman
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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Degli Esposti D, Lalouette A, Gaget K, Lepeule L, Chaabi Z, Leprêtre M, Espeyte A, Delorme N, Quéau H, Garnero L, Calevro F, Chaumot A, Geffard O. Identification and organ-specific patterns of expression of two metallothioneins in the sentinel species Gammarus fossarum. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 269:110907. [PMID: 37827361 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2023.110907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Metal pollution is a major concern for aquatic environments. Widespread contamination by various trace metal ions has been described in freshwater streams as well as their subsequent bioaccumulation, potentially leading to toxicity and trophic transfer. Metallothioneins constitute an evolutionary conserved family of low molecular weight, cysteine-rich, metal-chelating proteins, whose known physiological functions are the maintenance of the homeostasis of essential metals, the detoxification of non-essential metals, and the protection against oxidative stress and free radicals. In this study, we identified two metallothionein-coding transcripts, mt1 and mt2, in the transcriptome of the amphipod Gammarus fossarum, a sentinel species widely used to assess the quality of watersheds. For the first time, we investigated the organ-specific patterns of expression of these two mt transcripts at the individual level in the gills and the caeca of this small crustacean. In silico analysis and experimental exposures to environmentally relevant concentrations of cadmium, zinc and silver showed that G. fossarum mt1 induction is stronger after Cd exposure compared to the other tested metals. G. fossarum mt1 was more significantly induced in the caeca than in the gills of exposed organisms for any metal exposure, while G. fossarum mt2 was, at least at the individual level, more inducible in the gills than in the caeca of G. fossarum exposed to Cd and Zn. Our results provide new genetic resources that will help to improve the understanding of metal homeostasis in this sentinel species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Degli Esposti
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Auréline Lalouette
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Karen Gaget
- INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, Université de Lyon, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Louveline Lepeule
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Zineb Chaabi
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Maxime Leprêtre
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Anabelle Espeyte
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Nicolas Delorme
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Hervé Quéau
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Laura Garnero
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Federica Calevro
- INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, Université de Lyon, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Arnaud Chaumot
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Olivier Geffard
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Ecotoxicology Team. Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
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Barroso JP, de Almeida AAF, do Nascimento JL, Oliveira BRM, Dos Santos IC, Mangabeira PAO, Ahnert D, Baligar VC. The damage caused by Cd toxicity to photosynthesis, cellular ultrastructure, antioxidant metabolism, and gene expression in young cacao plants are mitigated by high Mn doses in soil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:115646-115665. [PMID: 37884715 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30561-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Manganese (Mn) is one of the essential mineral micronutrients most demanded by cacao. Cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic to plants and other living beings. There are indications that Mn can interact with Cd and mitigate its toxicity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the action of Mn on the toxic effect of Cd in young plants of the CCN 51 cacao genotype, subjected to different doses of Mn, Cd, and Mn+Cd in soil, through physiological, biochemical, molecular, and micromorphological and ultrastructural changes. High soil Mn doses favored the maintenance and performance of adequate photosynthetic processes in cacao. However, high doses of Cd and Mn+Cd in soil promoted damage to photosynthesis, alterations in oxidative metabolism, and the uptake, transport, and accumulation of Cd in roots and leaves. In addition, high Cd concentrations in roots and leaf tissues caused irreversible damage to the cell ultrastructure, compromising cell function and leading to programmed cell death. However, there was a mitigation of Cd toxicity when cacao was grown in soils with low Cd doses and in the presence of Mn. Thus, damage to the root and leaf tissues of cacao caused by Cd uptake from contaminated soils can be attenuated or mitigated by the presence of high Mn doses in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joedson Pinto Barroso
- State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Biological Sciences, Highway Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Alex-Alan Furtado de Almeida
- State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Biological Sciences, Highway Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil.
| | - Junea Leandro do Nascimento
- State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Biological Sciences, Highway Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Bruna Rafaela Machado Oliveira
- State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Biological Sciences, Highway Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Ivanildes Conceição Dos Santos
- State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Biological Sciences, Highway Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil
| | | | - Dário Ahnert
- State University of Santa Cruz, Department of Biological Sciences, Highway Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Virupax C Baligar
- USDA-ARS-Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Beltsville, Beltsville, MD, USA
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Markitantova YV, Grigoryan EN. Cellular and Molecular Triggers of Retinal Regeneration in Amphibians. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1981. [PMID: 37895363 PMCID: PMC10608152 DOI: 10.3390/life13101981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms triggering the initiation of retinal regeneration in amphibians may advance the quest for prevention and treatment options for degenerating human retina diseases. Natural retinal regeneration in amphibians requires two cell sources, namely retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and ciliary marginal zone. The disruption of RPE interaction with photoreceptors through surgery or injury triggers local and systemic responses for retinal protection. In mammals, disease-induced damage to the retina results in the shutdown of the function, cellular or oxidative stress, pronounced immune response, cell death and retinal degeneration. In contrast to retinal pathology in mammals, regenerative responses in amphibians have taxon-specific features ensuring efficient regeneration. These include rapid hemostasis, the recruitment of cells and factors of endogenous defense systems, activities of the immature immune system, high cell viability, and the efficiency of the extracellular matrix, cytoskeleton, and cell surface remodeling. These reactions are controlled by specific signaling pathways, transcription factors, and the epigenome, which are insufficiently studied. This review provides a summary of the mechanisms initiating retinal regeneration in amphibians and reveals its features collectively directed at recruiting universal responses to trauma to activate the cell sources of retinal regeneration. This study of the integrated molecular network of these processes is a prospect for future research in demand biomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eleonora N. Grigoryan
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia;
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Ma Y, Xue M, Zhang X, Chen S. Genome-wide analysis of the metallothionein gene family in cassava reveals its role in response to physiological stress through the regulation of reactive oxygen species. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:227. [PMID: 37118665 PMCID: PMC10142807 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04174-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is widely planted in tropical and several subtropical regions in which drought, high temperatures, and other abiotic stresses occur. Metallothionein (MT) is a group of conjugated proteins with small molecular weight and rich in cysteine. These proteins play a substantial role in response to physiological stress through the regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the biological functions of MT genes in cassava are unknown. RESULTS A total of 10 MeMT genes were identified in the cassava genome. The MeMTs were divided into 3 groups (Types 2-4) based on the contents and distribution of Cys residues. The MeMTs exhibited tissue-specific expression and located on 7 chromosomes. The MeMT promoters contain some hormones regulatory and stresses responsiveness elements. MeMTs were upregulated under hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment and in respond to post-harvest physiological deterioration (PPD). The results were consistent with defense-responsive cis-acting elements in the MeMT promoters. Further, four of MeMTs were selected and silenced by using the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) method to evaluate their functional characterization. The results of gene-silenced cassava suggest that MeMTs are involved in oxidative stress resistance, as ROS scavengers. CONCLUSION We identified the 10 MeMT genes, and explore their evolutionary relationship, conserved motif, and tissue-specific expression. The expression profiles of MeMTs under three kinds of abiotic stresses (wounding, low-temperature, and H2O2) and during PPD were analyzed. The tissue-specific expression and the response to abiotic stresses revealed the role of MT in plant growth and development. Furthermore, silenced expression of MeMTs in cassava leaves decreased its tolerance to ROS, consistent with its predicted role as ROS scavengers. In summary, our results suggest an important role of MeMTs in response to physiological stress as well as species adaptation via the regulation of ROS homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture for Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization of Cassava, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Maofu Xue
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture for Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization of Cassava, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Xiaofei Zhang
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Cali, 763537, Colombia
| | - Songbi Chen
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture for Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization of Cassava, Haikou, 571101, China.
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Sharma P, Singh SP, Tripathi RD, Tong YW. Chromium toxicity and tolerance mechanisms in plants through cross-talk of secondary messengers: An overview of pathways and mechanisms. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 320:121049. [PMID: 36627046 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Environmental sources of chromium (Cr) such as solid waste, battery chemicals, industrial /waste, automotive exhaust emissions, mineral mining, fertilizers, and pesticides, have detrimental effects on plants. An excessive amount of Cr exposure can lead to toxic accumulations in human, animal, and plant tissues. In plants, diverse signaling molecules like hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and nitric oxide (NO) play multiple roles during Cr stress. Consequently, the molecular mechanisms of Cr toxicity in plants, such as metal binding, modifying enzyme activity, and damaging cells are examined by several studies. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are formed when Cr reacts with lipids, membranes, DNA, proteins, and carbohydrates are all responsible for damage caused by Cr. ROS regulate plant growth, programmed cell death (PCD), cell cycle, pathogen defense, systemic communication, abiotic stress responses, and growth. Plants accumulate Cr mostly through the root system, with very little movement to the shoots. The characterization of stress-inducible proteins and metabolites involved in Cr tolerance and cross-talk messengers has been made possible due to recent advances in metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. This review discusses Cr absorption, translocation, subcellular distribution, and cross-talk between secondary messengers as mechanisms responsible for Cr toxicity and tolerance in plants. To mitigate this problem, soil-plant systems need to be monitored for the biogeochemical behavior of Cr and the identification of secondary messengers in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Sharma
- Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 1 Create Way, 138602, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 CREATE Way, Singapore, 138602, Singapore.
| | - Surendra Pratap Singh
- Plant Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (PG) College, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, 208001, India
| | - Rudra Deo Tripathi
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, 226 001, India
| | - Yen Wah Tong
- Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 1 Create Way, 138602, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 CREATE Way, Singapore, 138602, Singapore; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive, 117585, Singapore
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12
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Borovička J, Sácký J, Kaňa A, Walenta M, Ackerman L, Braeuer S, Leonhardt T, Hršelová H, Goessler W, Kotrba P. Cadmium in the hyperaccumulating mushroom Thelephora penicillata: Intracellular speciation and isotopic composition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 855:159002. [PMID: 36155032 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Thelephora penicillata is an ectomycorrhizal mushroom that can accumulate extraordinarily high concentrations of Cd, As, Cu, and Zn in its fruit-bodies. To better understand its element accumulation ability, we compared the element concentrations in T. penicillata with 10 distinct ectomycorrhizal mushroom species growing at the same site (Karlina Pila, Czech Republic). On average, T. penicillata accumulated 330, 2130, 26, and 4 times more Cd, As, Cu, and Zn, respectively, than other mushrooms. Size-exclusion chromatography and an electrophoretic analysis of T. penicillata cell extracts indicate that intracellular Cd may be present mainly in >1 kDa, presumably compartmentalized, Cd species, and partially binding with 6-kDa cysteinyl-containing peptide(s) resembling metallothioneins. The cadmium isotopic composition of mushroom fruit-bodies, soil digests, and soil extracts was investigated by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) with double spike correction. The isotopic composition (δ114/110Cd) of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms from Karlina Pila varied in a wide range of -0.37 to +0.14 ‰. However, remarkably low δ114/110Cd values were observed in the majority of the investigated mushrooms when compared to the relatively homogeneous Cd isotopic composition of bulk soil (δ114/110Cd = +0.09 ‰) and the comparatively heavy isotopic composition of soil extracts (mean δ114/110Cd values of +0.11 ± 0.01 ‰ and +0.22 ± 0.01 ‰, depending on the extraction method). The isotopic composition of Cd hyperaccumulated in T. penicillata essentially matched the mycoavailable soil Cd fraction. However, most isotopic data indicates isotopic fractionation at the soil/fruit-body interface, which could be of environmental significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Borovička
- Institute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 269, 16500 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Hlavní 130, 25068 Husinec-Řež, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Sácký
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Antonín Kaňa
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Walenta
- University of Graz, Institute of Chemistry, Universitaetsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Lukáš Ackerman
- Institute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 269, 16500 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Simone Braeuer
- University of Graz, Institute of Chemistry, Universitaetsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Tereza Leonhardt
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Hršelová
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Walter Goessler
- University of Graz, Institute of Chemistry, Universitaetsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Pavel Kotrba
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
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13
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The Modular Architecture of Metallothioneins Facilitates Domain Rearrangements and Contributes to Their Evolvability in Metal-Accumulating Mollusks. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415824. [PMID: 36555472 PMCID: PMC9781358 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein domains are independent structural and functional modules that can rearrange to create new proteins. While the evolution of multidomain proteins through the shuffling of different preexisting domains has been well documented, the evolution of domain repeat proteins and the origin of new domains are less understood. Metallothioneins (MTs) provide a good case study considering that they consist of metal-binding domain repeats, some of them with a likely de novo origin. In mollusks, for instance, most MTs are bidomain proteins that arose by lineage-specific rearrangements between six putative domains: α, β1, β2, β3, γ and δ. Some domains have been characterized in bivalves and gastropods, but nothing is known about the MTs and their domains of other Mollusca classes. To fill this gap, we investigated the metal-binding features of NpoMT1 of Nautilus pompilius (Cephalopoda class) and FcaMT1 of Falcidens caudatus (Caudofoveata class). Interestingly, whereas NpoMT1 consists of α and β1 domains and has a prototypical Cd2+ preference, FcaMT1 has a singular preference for Zn2+ ions and a distinct domain composition, including a new Caudofoveata-specific δ domain. Overall, our results suggest that the modular architecture of MTs has contributed to MT evolution during mollusk diversification, and exemplify how modularity increases MT evolvability.
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14
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Brennan HM, Bunde SG, Kuang Q, Palomino TV, Sacks JS, Berry SM, Butcher RJ, Poutsma JC, Pike RD, Bebout DC. Homo- and Heteronuclear Group 12 Metallothionein Type B Cluster Analogs: Synthesis, Structure, 1H NMR and ESI-MS. Inorg Chem 2022; 61:19857-19869. [PMID: 36454194 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c03088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a ubiquitous class of small cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins involved in metal homeostasis and detoxification with highly versatile metal binding properties. Despite the long-standing association of MT with M3S3 and M4S5 metal clusters, synthetic complexes with these core architectures are exceptionally rare. Here, we demonstrate an approach to synthesizing and characterizing aggregates of group 12 metal ions with monocyclic M3S3 cores in acetonitrile solution without the protection of a protein. Multidentate monothiol ligand N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-2-aminoethanethiol (L1H) provided [Cd3(L1)3](ClO4)3 (1), the first structurally characterized nonproteinaceous aggregate with a metallothionein-like monocyclic Cd3S3 core. In addition, [Zn3(L1)3](ClO4)3·4CH3CN (2·4CH3CN) was characterized by X-ray crystallography. The complex cations of 1 and 2 had comparable structures despite being nonisomorphic. Variable temperature and concentration 1H NMR were used to investigate aggregation equilibria of 1, 2, and a precipitate with composition "Hg(L1)(ClO4)" (3). Cryogenic 1H NMR studies of 3 revealed a J(199Hg1H) coupling constant pattern consistent with an aggregate possessing a cyclic core. ESI-MS was used for gas-phase characterization of 1-3, as well as mixed-metal [M2M'(L1)3(ClO4)2]+ ions prepared in situ by pairwise acetonitrile solution combinations of the group 12 complexes of L1. Access to synthetic variants of metallothionein-like group 12 aggregates provides an additional approach to understanding their behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley M Brennan
- Department of Chemistry, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia23187, United States
| | - Sophia G Bunde
- Department of Chemistry, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia23187, United States
| | - Qiaoyue Kuang
- Department of Chemistry, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia23187, United States
| | - Tana V Palomino
- Department of Chemistry, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia23187, United States
| | - Joshua S Sacks
- Department of Chemistry, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia23187, United States
| | - Steven M Berry
- Department of Chemistry, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia23187, United States
| | - Ray John Butcher
- Department of Chemistry, Howard University, Washington, D.C.20059, United States
| | - John C Poutsma
- Department of Chemistry, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia23187, United States
| | - Robert D Pike
- Department of Chemistry, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia23187, United States
| | - Deborah C Bebout
- Department of Chemistry, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia23187, United States
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15
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Cavalletti E, Romano G, Palma Esposito F, Barra L, Chiaiese P, Balzano S, Sardo A. Copper Effect on Microalgae: Toxicity and Bioremediation Strategies. TOXICS 2022; 10:527. [PMID: 36136491 PMCID: PMC9504759 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10090527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae are increasingly recognised as suitable microorganisms for heavy metal (HM) removal, since they are able to adsorb them onto their cell wall and, in some cases, compartmentalise them inside organelles. However, at relatively high HM concentrations, they could also show signs of stress, such as organelle impairments and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes. The main aim of this review is to report on the mechanisms adopted by microalgae to counteract detrimental effects of high copper (Cu) concentrations, and on the microalgal potential for Cu bioremediation of aquatic environments. Studying the delicate balance between beneficial and detrimental effects of Cu on microalgae is of particular relevance as this metal is widely present in aquatic environments facing industrial discharges. This metal often induces chloroplast functioning impairment, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and growth rate reduction in a dose-dependent manner. However, microalgae also possess proteins and small molecules with protective role against Cu and, in general, metal stress, which increase their resistance towards these pollutants. Our critical literature analysis reveals that microalgae can be suitable indicators of Cu pollution in aquatic environments, and could also be considered as components of eco-sustainable devices for HM bioremediation in association with other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Cavalletti
- Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Acton 55, 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanna Romano
- Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Acton 55, 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - Fortunato Palma Esposito
- Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Acton 55, 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - Lucia Barra
- Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Acton 55, 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Chiaiese
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Sergio Balzano
- Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Acton 55, 80133 Naples, Italy
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry (MMB), Netherland Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Landsdiep 4, 1793 AB Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Angela Sardo
- Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Acton 55, 80133 Naples, Italy
- Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti “Eduardo Caianiello” (ISASI), CNR, Via Campi Flegrei, 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
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16
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Sharma P, Parakh SK, Singh SP, Parra-Saldívar R, Kim SH, Varjani S, Tong YW. A critical review on microbes-based treatment strategies for mitigation of toxic pollutants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 834:155444. [PMID: 35461941 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Contamination of the environment through toxic pollutants poses a key risk to the environment due to irreversible environmental damage(s). Industrialization and urbanization produced harmful elements such as petrochemicals, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials, and herbicides that are intentionally or unintentionally released into the water system, threatening biodiversity, the health of animals, and humans. Heavy metals (HMs) in water, for example, can exist in a variety of forms that are inclined by climate features like the presence of various types of organic matter, pH, water system hardness, transformation, and bioavailability. Biological treatment is an important tool for removing toxic contaminants from the ecosystem, and it has piqued the concern of investigators over the centuries. In situ bioremediation such as biosparging, bioventing, biostimulation, bioaugmentation, and phytoremediation and ex-situ bioremediation includes composting, land farming, biopiles, and bioreactors. In the last few years, scientific understanding of microbial relations with particular chemicals has aided in the protection of the environment. Despite intensive studies being carried out on the mitigation of toxic pollutants, there have been limited efforts performed to discuss the solutions to tackle the limitations and approaches for the remediation of heavy metals holistically. This paper summarizes the risk assessment of HMs on aquatic creatures, the environment, humans, and animals. The content of this paper highlights the principles and limitations of microbial remediation to address the technological challenges. The coming prospect and tasks of evaluating the impact of different treatment skills for pollutant remediation have been reviewed in detail. Moreover, genetically engineered microbes have emerged as powerful bioremediation capabilities with significant potential for expelling toxic elements. With appropriate examples, current challenging issues and boundaries related to the deployment of genetically engineered microbes as bioremediation on polluted soils are emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Sharma
- Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 1 Create Way, 138602, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore
| | - Sheetal Kishor Parakh
- Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 1 Create Way, 138602, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore
| | - Surendra Pratap Singh
- Plant Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (PG) College, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur-208001, India
| | - Roberto Parra-Saldívar
- Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias-Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Mexico
| | - Sang-Hyoun Kim
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunita Varjani
- Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gandhinagar 382010, Gujarat, India.
| | - Yen Wah Tong
- Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 1 Create Way, 138602, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive, 117585, Singapore.
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17
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Jan S, Anna C, Antonín K, Jiří Š, Jan B, Tereza L, Pavel K. Intracellular sequestration of cadmium and zinc in ectomycorrhizal fungus Amanita muscaria (Agaricales, Amanitaceae) and characterization of its metallothionein gene. Fungal Genet Biol 2022; 162:103717. [PMID: 35764233 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2022.103717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Amanita muscaria is an ectomycorrhizal mushroom that commonly grows at metal-polluted sites. Sporocarps from the lead smelter-polluted area near Příbram (Central Bohemia, Czech Republic) showed elevated concentrations of Cd and Zn. Size exclusion chromatography of the cell extracts of the sporocarps from both polluted and unpolluted sites indicated that substantial part of intracellular Cd and Zn was sequestered in 6-kDa complexes, presumably with metallothionein(s) (MT). When the cultured mycelial isolates were compared, those from Příbram were more Cd-tolerant and accumulated slightly less Cd and Zn than those from the unpolluted site. The analysis of the available A.muscaria sequence data returned a 67-amino acid (AA) MT encoded by the AmMT1 gene. Weak Cd and Zn responsiveness of AmMT1 in the mycelia suggested its metal homeostasis function in A.muscaria, rather than a major role in detoxification. The AmMT1 belongs to a ubiquitous peptide group in the Agaricomycetes consisting of 60-70-AA MTs containing seven cysteinyl domains and a conserved histidyl, features observed also in a newly predicted, atypical 45-AA RaMT1 of the Zn-accumulator Russula bresadolae in which the C-terminal cysteinyl domains VI and VII are missing. Heterologous expression in metal-sensitive yeast mutants indicated that AmMT1 and RaMT1 encode functional peptides that can protect cells against Cd, Zn, and Cu toxicity. The metal protection phenotype observed in yeasts with mutant variants of AmMT1 and RaMT1 further indicated that the conserved histidyl seems to play a structural, not metal binding role, and the cysteinyls of the C-terminal domains VI and VII are important for Cu binding. The data provide an important insight into the metal handling of site-associated ectomycorrhizal species disturbed by excess metals and the properties of MTs common in Agaricomycetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sácký Jan
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Chaloupecká Anna
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Kaňa Antonín
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Šantrůček Jiří
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Borovička Jan
- Institute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 269, 16500 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Hlavní 130, 25068 Husinec-Řež, Czech Republic
| | - Leonhardt Tereza
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Kotrba Pavel
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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18
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Liu S, Liu Y, Liu C, Li Y, Zhang F, Ma H. Isolation and Characterization of the GmMT-II Gene and Its Role in Response to High Temperature and Humidity Stress in Glycine max. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11111503. [PMID: 35684276 PMCID: PMC9182806 DOI: 10.3390/plants11111503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are polypeptide-encoded genes involved in plant growth, development, seed formation, and diverse stress response. High temperature and humidity stress (HTH) reduce seed development and maturity of the field-grown soybean, which also leads to seed pre-harvest deterioration. However, the function of MTs in higher plants is still largely unknown. Herein, we isolated and characterized the soybean metallothionein II gene. The full-length fragment is 255 bp and encodes 85 amino acids and contains the HD domain and the N-terminal non-conservative region. The subcellular location of the GmMT-II-GFP fusion protein was clearly located in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane. The highest expression of the GmMT-II gene was observed in seeds both of the soybean Xiangdou No. 3 and Ningzhen No. 1 cultivars, as compared to other plant tissues. Similarly, gene expression was higher 45 days after flowering followed by 30, 40, and 35 days. Furthermore, the GmMT-II transcript levels were significantly higher at 96 and 12 h in the cultivars Xiangdou No. 3 and Ningzhen No. 1 under HTH stress, respectively. In addition, it was found that when the Gm1-MMP protein was deleted, the GmMT-II could bind to the propeptide region of the Gm1-MMP, but not to the signal peptide region or the catalytic region. GmMT-II overexpression in transgenic Arabidopsis increased seed germination and germination rate under HTH conditions, conferring enhanced resistance to HTH stress. GmMT-II overexpressing plants suffered less oxidative damage under HTH stress, as reflected by lower MDA and H2O2 content and ROS production than WT plants. In addition, the activity of antioxidant enzymes namely SOD, CAT, and POD was significantly higher in all transgenic Arabidopsis lines under HTH stress compared wild-tpye plants. Our results suggested that GmMT-II is related to growth and development and confers enhanced HTH stress tolerance in plants by reduction of oxidative molecules through activation of antioxidant activities. These findings will be helpful for us in further understanding of the biological functions of MT-II in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushuang Liu
- Department of Life Sciences and Health, Huzhou College, Huzhou 313000, China; (S.L.); (C.L.)
| | - Yanmin Liu
- Department of Life Sciences and Health, Huzhou College, Huzhou 313000, China; (S.L.); (C.L.)
| | - Chundong Liu
- Department of Life Sciences and Health, Huzhou College, Huzhou 313000, China; (S.L.); (C.L.)
| | - Yang Li
- College of Life Science, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China;
| | - Feixue Zhang
- Institute of Crop, Huzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Huzhou 313000, China;
| | - Hao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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19
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Gajewska J, Floryszak-Wieczorek J, Sobieszczuk-Nowicka E, Mattoo A, Arasimowicz-Jelonek M. Fungal and oomycete pathogens and heavy metals: an inglorious couple in the environment. IMA Fungus 2022; 13:6. [PMID: 35468869 PMCID: PMC9036806 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-022-00092-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Heavy metal (HM) contamination of the environment is a major problem worldwide. The rate of global deposition of HMs in soil has dramatically increased over the past two centuries and there of facilitated their rapid accumulation also in living systems. Although the effects of HMs on plants, animals and humans have been extensively studied, yet little is known about their effects on the (patho)biology of the microorganisms belonging to a unique group of filamentous eukaryotic pathogens, i.e., fungi and oomycetes. Much of the literature concerning mainly model species has revealed that HM stress affects their hyphal growth, morphology, and sporulation. Toxicity at cellular level leads to disturbance of redox homeostasis manifested by the formation of nitro-oxidative intermediates and to the induction of antioxidant machinery. Despite such adverse effects, published data is indicative of the fact that fungal and oomycete pathogens have a relatively high tolerance to HMs in comparison to other groups of microbes such as bacteria. Likely, these pathogens may harbor a network of detoxification mechanisms that ensure their survival in a highly HM-polluted (micro)habitat. Such a network may include extracellular HMs immobilization, biosorption to cell wall, and/or their intracellular sequestration to proteins or other ligands. HMs may also induce a hormesis-like phenomenon allowing the pathogens to maintain or even increase fitness against chemical challenges. Different scenarios linking HMs stress and modification of the microorganisms pathogenicity are disscused in this review.
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20
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Balzano S, Sardo A. Bioinformatic prediction of putative metallothioneins in non-ciliate protists. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220039. [PMID: 35414221 PMCID: PMC9006003 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular ligands that bind heavy metals (HMs) and thereby minimize their detrimental effects to cellular metabolism are attracting great interest for a number of applications including bioremediation and development of HM-biosensors. Metallothioneins (MTs) are short, cysteine-rich, genetically encoded proteins involved in intracellular metal-binding and play a key role in detoxification of HMs. We searched approximately 700 genomes and transcriptomes of non-ciliate protists for novel putative MTs by similarity and structural analyses and found 21 unique proteins playing a potential role as MTs. Most putative MTs derive from heterokonts and dinoflagellates and share common features such as (i) a putative metal-binding domain in proximity of the N-terminus, (ii) two putative MT-specific domains near the C-terminus and (iii) one to three CTCGXXCXCGXXCXCXXC patterns. Although the biological function of these proteins has not been experimentally proven, knowledge of their genetic sequences adds useful information on proteins that are potentially involved in HM-binding and can contribute to the design of future biomolecular assays on HM-microbe interactions and MT-based biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Balzano
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli (SZN), Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, via Ammiraglio Ferdinando Acton 55, 80133, Naples, Italy.,NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1790AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - Angela Sardo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli (SZN), Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, via Ammiraglio Ferdinando Acton 55, 80133, Naples, Italy.,Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti - CNR, via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Naples, Italy
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21
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Sarath NG, Shackira AM, El-Serehy HA, Hefft DI, Puthur JT. Phytostabilization of arsenic and associated physio-anatomical changes in Acanthus ilicifolius L. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 298:118828. [PMID: 35031406 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The carcinogenic attribute of arsenic (As) has turned the world to focus more on the decontamination and declining the present level of As from the environment especially from the soil and water bodies. Phytoremediation has achieved a status of sustainable and eco-friendly approach of decontaminating pollutants, and in the present study, an attempt has been made to reveal the potential of As remediation by a halophyte plant, Acanthus ilicifolius L. Special attention has given to analyse the morphological, physiological and anatomical modulations in A. ilicifolius, developed in response to altering concentrations of Na2AsO4.7H2O (0, 70, 80 and 90 μM). Growth of A. ilicifolius under As treatments were diminished as assessed from the reduction in leaf area, root length, dry matter accumulation, and tissue water status. However, the plants exhibited a comparatively higher tolerance index (44%) even when grown in the higher concentrations of As (90 μM). Arsenic treatment induced reduction in the photochemical activities as revealed by the pigment content, chlorophyll stability index (CSI) and Chlorophyll a fluorescence parameter. Interestingly, the thickness and diameter of the xylem walls in the leaf as well as root tissues of As treated samples increased upon increasing the As concentration. The adaptive strategies exhibited by A. ilicifolius towards varying concentrations of As is the result of coordinated responses of morpho-physiological and anatomical attributes, which make the plant a promising candidate for As remediation, especially in wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nair G Sarath
- Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Division, Department of Botany, University of Calicut, C.U. Campus P.O, Kerala, 673635, India
| | - A M Shackira
- Department of Botany, Sir Syed College, Taliparamba, Kannur, Kerala, 670142, India.
| | - Hamed A El-Serehy
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Daniel Ingo Hefft
- Department of Food Science, University Centre Reaseheath College, Nantwich, CW56DF, UK.
| | - Jos T Puthur
- Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Division, Department of Botany, University of Calicut, C.U. Campus P.O, Kerala, 673635, India.
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22
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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.
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23
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Metalloprotein-Specific or Critical Amino Acid Residues: Perspectives on Plant-Precise Detoxification and Recognition Mechanisms under Cadmium Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031734. [PMID: 35163656 PMCID: PMC8836122 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) pollution in cultivated land is caused by irresistible geological factors and human activities; intense diffusion and migration have seriously affected the safety of food crops. Plants have evolved mechanisms to control excessive influx of Cd in the environment, such as directional transport, chelation and detoxification. This is done by some specific metalloproteins, whose key amino acid motifs have been investigated by scientists one by one. The application of powerful cell biology, crystal structure science, and molecular probe targeted labeling technology has identified a series of protein families involved in the influx, transport and detoxification of the heavy metal Cd. This review summarizes them as influx proteins (NRAMP, ZIP), chelating proteins (MT, PDF), vacuolar proteins (CAX, ABCC, MTP), long-distance transport proteins (OPT, HMA) and efflux proteins (PCR, ABCG). We selected representative proteins from each family, and compared their amino acid sequence, motif structure, subcellular location, tissue specific distribution and other characteristics of differences and common points, so as to summarize the key residues of the Cd binding target. Then, we explain its special mechanism of action from the molecular structure. In conclusion, this review is expected to provide a reference for the exploration of key amino acid targets of Cd, and lay a foundation for the intelligent design and breeding of crops with high/low Cd accumulation.
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24
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Liu B, Dong P, Zhang X, Feng Z, Wen Z, Shi L, Xia Y, Chen C, Shen Z, Lian C, Chen Y. Identification and characterization of eight metallothionein genes involved in heavy metal tolerance from the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:14430-14442. [PMID: 34617232 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16776-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are small, cysteine-rich, heavy metal-binding proteins involved in metal homeostasis and detoxification. The increasing numbers of available genomic sequences of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi enable deeper insights into the characteristics of MT genes in these fungi that form the most important symbiosis with the host trees in forest ecosystems. The aim of this study was to establish a comprehensive, genome-wide inventory of MT genes from the ECM fungus Laccaria bicolor. Eight MT genes in L. bicolor were cloned, and the expression patterns of their transcripts at various developmental stages based on expressed sequence tag (EST) counts were analyzed. The expression levels of four MTs were significantly increased during symbiosis stages. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that transcripts of LbMT1 were dominant in free-living mycelia and strongly induced by excessive copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). To determine whether these eight MTs functioned as metal chelators, we expressed them in the Cu- and Cd-sensitive yeast mutants, cup1∆ and yap1∆, respectively. All LbMT proteins provided similar levels of Cu(II) or Cd(II) tolerance, but did not affect by H2O2. Our findings provide novel data on the evolution and diversification of fungal MT gene duplicates, a valuable resource for understanding the vast array of biological processes in which these proteins are involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binhao Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Pengcheng Dong
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xinzhe Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhihang Feng
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhugui Wen
- Jiangsu Coastal Area Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Yancheng, 224002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liang Shi
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yan Xia
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Chen Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhenguo Shen
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Chunlan Lian
- Asian Natural Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-8 Midoricho, Nishitokyo, Tokyo, 188-0002, Japan
| | - Yahua Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- Asian Natural Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-8 Midoricho, Nishitokyo, Tokyo, 188-0002, Japan.
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25
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Thakur M, Praveen S, Divte PR, Mitra R, Kumar M, Gupta CK, Kalidindi U, Bansal R, Roy S, Anand A, Singh B. Metal tolerance in plants: Molecular and physicochemical interface determines the "not so heavy effect" of heavy metals. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 287:131957. [PMID: 34450367 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
An increase in technological interventions and ruthless urbanization in the name of development has deteriorated our environment over time and caused the buildup of heavy metals (HMs) in the soil and water resources. These heavy metals are gaining increased access into our food chain through the plant and/or animal-based products, to adversely impact human health. The issue of how to restrict the entry of HMs or modulate their response in event of their ingress into the plant system is worrisome. The current knowledge on the interactive-regulatory role and contribution of different physical, biophysical, biochemical, physiological, and molecular factors that determine the heavy metal availability-uptake-partitioning dynamics in the soil-plant-environment needs to be updated. The present review critically analyses the interactive overlaps between different adaptation and tolerance strategies that may be causally related to their cellular localization, conjugation and homeostasis, a relative affinity for the transporters, rhizosphere modifications, activation of efflux pumps and vacuolar sequestration that singly or collectively determine a plant's response to HM stress. Recently postulated role of gaseous pollutants such as SO2 and other secondary metabolites in heavy metal tolerance, which may be regulated at the whole plant and/or tissue/cell is discussed to delineate and work towards a "not so heavy" response of plants to heavy metals present in the contaminated soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meenakshi Thakur
- College of Horticulture and Forestry (Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry), Neri, Hamirpur, 177 001, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Shamima Praveen
- Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 012, India
| | - Pandurang R Divte
- Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 012, India
| | - Raktim Mitra
- Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 012, India
| | - Mahesh Kumar
- ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Baramati, Maharashtra, 413 115, India
| | - Chandan Kumar Gupta
- Division of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, 226 002, India
| | - Usha Kalidindi
- Centre for Environment Science and Climate Resilient Agriculture, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 012, India
| | - Ruchi Bansal
- Division of Germplasm Evaluation, ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, 110 012, India
| | - Suman Roy
- ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore, Kolkata, 700 120, India
| | - Anjali Anand
- Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 012, India.
| | - Bhupinder Singh
- Centre for Environment Science and Climate Resilient Agriculture, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 012, India.
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26
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García-Risco M, Calatayud S, Pedrini-Martha V, Albalat R, Dallinger R, Palacios Ò, Capdevila M. Metal-Specificity Divergence between Metallothioneins of Nerita peloronta (Neritimorpha, Gastropoda) Sets the Starting Point for a Novel Chemical MT Classification Proposal. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13114. [PMID: 34884919 PMCID: PMC8658704 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222313114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Metallothioneins' (MTs) biological function has been a matter of debate since their discovery. The importance to categorize these cysteine-rich proteins with high coordinating capacity into a specific group led to numerous classification proposals. We proposed a classification based on their metal-binding abilities, gradually sorting them from those with high selectivity towards Zn/Cd to those that are Cu-specific. However, the study of the NpeMT1 and NpeMT2isoforms of Nerita peloronta, has put a new perspective on this classification. N. peloronta has been chosen as a representative mollusk to elucidate the metal-binding abilities of Neritimorpha MTs, an order without any MTs characterized recently. Both isoforms have been recombinantly synthesized in cultures supplemented with ZnII, CdII, or CuII, and the purified metal-MT complexes have been thoroughly characterized by spectroscopic and spectrometric methods, leading to results that confirmed that Neritimorpha share Cd-selective MTs with Caenogastropoda and Heterobranchia, solving a so far unresolved question. NpeMTs show high coordinating preferences towards divalent metal ions, although one of them (NpeMT1) shares features with the so-called genuine Zn-thioneins, while the other (NpeMT2) exhibits a higher preference for Cd. The dissimilarities between the two isoforms let a window open to a new proposal of chemical MT classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario García-Risco
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; (M.G.-R.); (Ò.P.)
| | - Sara Calatayud
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain; (S.C.); (R.A.)
| | - Veronika Pedrini-Martha
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Ricard Albalat
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain; (S.C.); (R.A.)
| | - Reinhard Dallinger
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Òscar Palacios
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; (M.G.-R.); (Ò.P.)
| | - Mercè Capdevila
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; (M.G.-R.); (Ò.P.)
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27
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Feki K, Tounsi S, Mrabet M, Mhadhbi H, Brini F. Recent advances in physiological and molecular mechanisms of heavy metal accumulation in plants. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:64967-64986. [PMID: 34599711 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16805-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Among abiotic stress, the toxicity of metals impacts negatively on plants' growth and productivity. This toxicity promotes various perturbations in plants at different levels. To withstand stress, plants involve efficient mechanisms through the implication of various signaling pathways. These pathways enhance the expression of many target genes among them gene coding for metal transporters. Various metal transporters which are localized at the plasma membrane and/or at the tonoplast are crucial in metal stress response. Furthermore, metal detoxification is provided by metal-binding proteins like phytochelatins and metallothioneins. The understanding of the molecular basis of metal toxicities signaling pathways and tolerance mechanisms is crucial for genetic engineering to produce transgenic plants that enhance phytoremediation. This review presents an overview of the recent advances in our understanding of metal stress response. Firstly, we described the effect of metal stress on plants. Then, we highlight the mechanisms involved in metal detoxification and the importance of the regulation in the response to heavy metal stress. Finally, we mentioned the importance of genetic engineering for enhancing the phytoremediation technique. In the end, the response to heavy metal stress is complex and implicates various components. Thus, further studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms involved in response to this abiotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaouthar Feki
- Laboratory of Legumes and Sustainable Agrosystem (L2AD), Center of Biotechnology of Borj-Cédria, BP901, 2050, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Sana Tounsi
- Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Laboratory, Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, B.P "1177", 3018, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Moncef Mrabet
- Laboratory of Legumes and Sustainable Agrosystem (L2AD), Center of Biotechnology of Borj-Cédria, BP901, 2050, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Haythem Mhadhbi
- Laboratory of Legumes and Sustainable Agrosystem (L2AD), Center of Biotechnology of Borj-Cédria, BP901, 2050, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Faiçal Brini
- Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Laboratory, Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, B.P "1177", 3018, Sfax, Tunisia.
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28
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Peris-Díaz M, Guran R, Domene C, de los Rios V, Zitka O, Adam V, Krężel A. An Integrated Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics Simulations Approach Reveals the Spatial Organization Impact of Metal-Binding Sites on the Stability of Metal-Depleted Metallothionein-2 Species. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:16486-16501. [PMID: 34477370 PMCID: PMC8517974 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c05495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian metallothioneins (MTs) are a group of cysteine-rich proteins that bind metal ions in two α- and β-domains and represent a major cellular Zn(II)/Cu(I) buffering system in the cell. At cellular free Zn(II) concentrations (10-11-10-9 M), MTs do not exist in fully loaded forms with seven Zn(II)-bound ions (Zn7MTs). Instead, MTs exist as partially metal-depleted species (Zn4-6MT) because their Zn(II) binding affinities are on the nano- to picomolar range comparable to the concentrations of cellular Zn(II). The mode of action of MTs remains poorly understood, and thus, the aim of this study is to characterize the mechanism of Zn(II) (un)binding to MTs, the thermodynamic properties of the Zn1-6MT2 species, and their mechanostability properties. To this end, native mass spectrometry (MS) and label-free quantitative bottom-up and top-down MS in combination with steered molecular dynamics simulations, well-tempered metadynamics (WT-MetaD), and parallel-bias WT-MetaD (amounting to 3.5 μs) were integrated to unravel the chemical coordination of Zn(II) in all Zn1-6MT2 species and to explain the differences in binding affinities of Zn(II) ions to MTs. Differences are found to be the result of the degree of water participation in MT (un)folding and the hyper-reactive character of Cys21 and Cys29 residues. The thermodynamics properties of Zn(II) (un)binding to MT2 are found to differ from those of Cd(II), justifying their distinctive roles. The potential of this integrated strategy in the investigation of numerous unexplored metalloproteins is attested by the results highlighted in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel
David Peris-Díaz
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Roman Guran
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University
in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkynova
123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Carmen Domene
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
| | - Vivian de los Rios
- Functional
Proteomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Proteomic
Facility, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas
(CIB-CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ondrej Zitka
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University
in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkynova
123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Adam
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University
in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkynova
123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Artur Krężel
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
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29
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Calatayud S, Garcia-Risco M, Palacios Ò, Capdevila M, Cañestro C, Albalat R. Tunicates Illuminate the Enigmatic Evolution of Chordate Metallothioneins by Gene Gains and Losses, Independent Modular Expansions, and Functional Convergences. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:4435-4448. [PMID: 34146103 PMCID: PMC8476144 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate novel patterns and processes of protein evolution, we have focused in the metallothioneins (MTs), a singular group of metal-binding, cysteine-rich proteins that, due to their high degree of sequence diversity, still represents a "black hole" in Evolutionary Biology. We have identified and analyzed more than 160 new MTs in nonvertebrate chordates (especially in 37 species of ascidians, 4 thaliaceans, and 3 appendicularians) showing that prototypic tunicate MTs are mono-modular proteins with a pervasive preference for cadmium ions, whereas vertebrate and cephalochordate MTs are bimodular proteins with diverse metal preferences. These structural and functional differences imply a complex evolutionary history of chordate MTs-including de novo emergence of genes and domains, processes of convergent evolution, events of gene gains and losses, and recurrent amplifications of functional domains-that would stand for an unprecedented case in the field of protein evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Calatayud
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Mario Garcia-Risco
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Òscar Palacios
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Mercè Capdevila
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Cristian Cañestro
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ricard Albalat
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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30
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Calatayud S, Garcia-Risco M, Capdevila M, Cañestro C, Palacios Ò, Albalat R. Modular Evolution and Population Variability of Oikopleura dioica Metallothioneins. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:702688. [PMID: 34277643 PMCID: PMC8283569 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.702688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chordate Oikopleura dioica probably is the fastest evolving metazoan reported so far, and thereby, a suitable system in which to explore the limits of evolutionary processes. For this reason, and in order to gain new insights on the evolution of protein modularity, we have investigated the organization, function and evolution of multi-modular metallothionein (MT) proteins in O. dioica. MTs are a heterogeneous group of modular proteins defined by their cysteine (C)-rich domains, which confer the capacity of coordinating different transition metal ions. O. dioica has two MTs, a bi-modular OdiMT1 consisting of two domains (t-12C and 12C), and a multi-modular OdiMT2 with six t-12C/12C repeats. By means of mass spectrometry and spectroscopy of metal-protein complexes, we have shown that the 12C domain is able to autonomously bind four divalent metal ions, although the t-12C/12C pair –as it is found in OdiMT1– is the optimized unit for divalent metal binding. We have also shown a direct relationship between the number of the t-12C/12C repeats and the metal-binding capacity of the MTs, which means a stepwise mode of functional and structural evolution for OdiMT2. Finally, after analyzing four different O. dioica populations worldwide distributed, we have detected several OdiMT2 variants with changes in their number of t-12C/12C domain repeats. This finding reveals that the number of repeats fluctuates between current O. dioica populations, which provides a new perspective on the evolution of domain repeat proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Calatayud
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mario Garcia-Risco
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Mercè Capdevila
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Cristian Cañestro
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Òscar Palacios
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Ricard Albalat
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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31
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Calatayud S, Garcia-Risco M, Pedrini-Martha V, Eernisse DJ, Dallinger R, Palacios Ò, Capdevila M, Albalat R. Modularity in Protein Evolution: Modular Organization and De Novo Domain Evolution in Mollusk Metallothioneins. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:424-436. [PMID: 32915992 PMCID: PMC7826182 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are proteins devoted to the control of metal homeostasis and detoxification, and therefore, MTs have been crucial for the adaptation of the living beings to variable situations of metal bioavailability. The evolution of MTs is, however, not yet fully understood, and to provide new insights into it, we have investigated the MTs in the diverse classes of Mollusks. We have shown that most molluskan MTs are bimodular proteins that combine six domains—α, β1, β2, β3, γ, and δ—in a lineage-specific manner. We have functionally characterized the Neritimorpha β3β1 and the Patellogastropoda γβ1 MTs, demonstrating the metal-binding capacity of the new γ domain. Our results have revealed a modular organization of mollusk MT, whose evolution has been impacted by duplication, loss, and de novo emergence of domains. MTs represent a paradigmatic example of modular evolution probably driven by the structural and functional requirements of metal binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Calatayud
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Mario Garcia-Risco
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Veronika Pedrini-Martha
- Department of Zoology and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Douglas J Eernisse
- Department of Biological Science, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
| | - Reinhard Dallinger
- Department of Zoology and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Òscar Palacios
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Mercè Capdevila
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Ricard Albalat
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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Liu Y, Yang C, Sun L, Wang A, Lan X, Xu W, Liang Y, Ma S, Xia Q. In-depth transcriptome unveils the cadmium toxicology and a novel metallothionein in silkworm. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 273:128522. [PMID: 33066968 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution has gradually become a major global issue. It is so far reaching in part because heavy metals are absorbed by soil and affect almost all species via ecological cycles. Silkworms (Bombyx mori) are poisoned by heavy metals through a soil-mulberry-silkworm system, which inhibits larval growth and development and leads to a decrease in silk production. In the present study, we performed transcriptome sequencing of larval midgut with cadmium exposure to explore the toxicological mechanism of heavy metal, and found that the following potential pathways may be involved in cadmium infiltration: endocytosis, oxidative phosphorylation, and MAPK signaling. Moreover, we identified a novel metallothionein in silkworm, which is inhibited by cadmium exposure and able to improve heavy metal tolerance in B. mori cell lines and Escherichia coli. We also generated a transgenic silkworm strain overexpressing metallothionein and the result showed that metallothionein observably enhanced larval viability under cadmium exposure. This study used RNA sequencing to reveal a mechanism for cadmium toxicology, and identified and functionally verified BmMT, offering a new potential heavy metal-tolerant silkworm variety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Chengfei Yang
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Le Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Aoming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Xinhui Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Yan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Sanyuan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
| | - Qingyou Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericulture, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China.
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Sácký J, Černý J, Šantrůček J, Borovička J, Leonhardt T, Kotrba P. Cadmium hyperaccumulating mushroom Cystoderma carcharias has two metallothionein isoforms usable for cadmium and copper storage. Fungal Genet Biol 2021; 153:103574. [PMID: 34015433 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2021.103574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Cystoderma carcharias is one of the few macrofungal species that can hyperaccumulate Cd. As we have previously documented in C. carcharias collected from a smelter-polluted area, it stores 40% of Cd and nearly 90% of Cu in sporocarps in complex(es) of identical size. In this paper we examined whether metallothionein (MT) peptides that bind Cd and Cu through cysteinyl-thiolate bonds were associated with the metals in these complexes. Screening of a sporocarp cDNA expression library in yeasts allowed the identification of two transcripts, CcMT1 and CcMT2, encoding functional 34-amino acid (AA) MTs sharing 56% identity and appearing to be encoded by duplicate genes. CcMT1 conferred reasonable tolerance to Cu and a substantially higher tolerance to Cd than CcMT2, while CcMT2 clearly protected the yeasts better against Cu toxicity. While size-exclusion chromatography revealed that CcMT1 was contained in all Cd/Cu complexes isolated from wild grown sporocarps, CcMT2 was detected in a much narrower subset of the fractions. The striking difference between the CcMTs is that CcMT1 lacks the third metal-biding cysteinyl (C) within an otherwise highly conserved-in-agaricomycetes-MTs C-AA4-C-AA-C-AA3-C-AA-C-AA4-C-AA-C motif. The elimination of the corresponding cysteinyl in CcMT2 only reduced the Cu-tolerant phenotype in yeasts to the levels observed with CcMT1. Altogether, these results indicate that CcMT2 is rather adjusted to perform Cu-related tasks and point to CcMT1 as the ligand for the storage of both Cd and Cu in C.carcharias, which is the first macrofungal species in which the potential of MT in Cd handling can be seen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Sácký
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiří Černý
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šantrůček
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Borovička
- Institute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 269, 165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Hlavní 130, 250 68 Husinec-Řež, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Leonhardt
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Kotrba
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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Angulo-Bejarano PI, Puente-Rivera J, Cruz-Ortega R. Metal and Metalloid Toxicity in Plants: An Overview on Molecular Aspects. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:635. [PMID: 33801570 PMCID: PMC8066251 DOI: 10.3390/plants10040635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide, the effects of metal and metalloid toxicity are increasing, mainly due to anthropogenic causes. Soil contamination ranks among the most important factors, since it affects crop yield, and the metals/metalloids can enter the food chain and undergo biomagnification, having concomitant effects on human health and alterations to the environment. Plants have developed complex mechanisms to overcome these biotic and abiotic stresses during evolution. Metals and metalloids exert several effects on plants generated by elements such as Zn, Cu, Al, Pb, Cd, and As, among others. The main strategies involve hyperaccumulation, tolerance, exclusion, and chelation with organic molecules. Recent studies in the omics era have increased knowledge on the plant genome and transcriptome plasticity to defend against these stimuli. The aim of the present review is to summarize relevant findings on the mechanisms by which plants take up, accumulate, transport, tolerate, and respond to this metal/metalloid stress. We also address some of the potential applications of biotechnology to improve plant tolerance or increase accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola I. Angulo-Bejarano
- Laboratorio de Alelopatía, Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, 275, Ciudad Universitaria D.F. Circuito Exterior s/n Anexo al Jardín Botánico Exterior, México City 04510, Mexico; (P.I.A.-B.); (J.P.-R.)
- School of Engineering and Sciences, Centre of Bioengineering, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Queretaro 21620, Mexico
| | - Jonathan Puente-Rivera
- Laboratorio de Alelopatía, Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, 275, Ciudad Universitaria D.F. Circuito Exterior s/n Anexo al Jardín Botánico Exterior, México City 04510, Mexico; (P.I.A.-B.); (J.P.-R.)
| | - Rocío Cruz-Ortega
- Laboratorio de Alelopatía, Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, 275, Ciudad Universitaria D.F. Circuito Exterior s/n Anexo al Jardín Botánico Exterior, México City 04510, Mexico; (P.I.A.-B.); (J.P.-R.)
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Biomonitoring of Heavy Metals: The Unexplored Role of Marine Sessile Taxa. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11020580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Coastal areas are known to receive significant anthropogenic inputs, mainly deriving from metropolitan areas, industries, and activities related to tourism. Among these inputs, some trace elements are listed as priority pollutants in the European Water Framework Directive, due to their ability to bioaccumulate in organisms. Many studies have been conducted on heavy metals (HMs) accumulation and on their possible effects on different edible marine species. While the most studied sessile organisms are bivalves, in the current review, we focus our attention on other sessile taxa (sponges, cnidarians, bryozoans, polychaetes, cirripeds, and tunicates), proposed as bioindicators in coastal shallow waters. Although their potential as bioindicator tools has been repeatedly highlighted in the literature, these organisms are still poorly investigated and considered for monitoring. In this context, we analyze the available literature about this topic, in order to summarize the current knowledge and identify possible applications of these organisms in a bioremediation scenario.
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Luo M, Finet C, Cong H, Wei HY, Chung H. The evolution of insect metallothioneins. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202189. [PMID: 33109013 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins that are important in the chelating and detoxification of toxic heavy metals. Until now, the short length and the low sequence complexity of MTs have hindered the inference of robust phylogenies, hampering the study of their evolution. To address this longstanding question, we applied an iterative BLAST search pipeline that allowed us to build a unique dataset of more than 300 MT sequences in insects. By combining phylogenetics and synteny analysis, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of MTs in insects. We show that the MT content in insects has been shaped by lineage-specific tandem duplications from a single ancestral MT. Strikingly, we also uncovered a sixth MT, MtnF, in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. MtnF evolves faster than other MTs and is characterized by a non-canonical length and higher cysteine content. Our methodological framework not only paves the way for future studies on heavy metal detoxification but can also allow us to identify other previously unidentified genes and other low complexity genomic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Luo
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, People's Republic of China
| | - Cédric Finet
- Yale-NUS College, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore 138527, Republic of Singapore
| | - Haosu Cong
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Hong-Yi Wei
- College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, People's Republic of China
| | - Henry Chung
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Grechnikova M, Ženíšková K, Malych R, Mach J, Sutak R. Copper detoxification machinery of the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri involves copper-translocating ATPase and the antioxidant system. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2020; 14:126-135. [PMID: 33096396 PMCID: PMC7578549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Copper is a trace metal that is necessary for all organisms but toxic when present in excess. Different mechanisms to avoid copper toxicity have been reported to date in pathogenic organisms such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. However, little if anything is known about pathogenic protozoans despite their importance in human and veterinary medicine. Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that occurs naturally in warm fresh water and can cause a rapid and deadly brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Here, we describe the mechanisms employed by N. fowleri to tolerate high copper concentrations, which include various strategies such as copper efflux mediated by a copper-translocating ATPase and upregulation of the expression of antioxidant enzymes and obscure hemerythrin-like and protoglobin-like proteins. The combination of different mechanisms efficiently protects the cell and ensures its high copper tolerance, which can be advantageous both in the natural environment and in the host. Nevertheless, we demonstrate that copper ionophores are potent antiamoebic agents; thus, copper metabolism may be considered a therapeutic target. N. fowleri employs the combination of copper efflux and antioxidant system to ensure a high copper tolerance. Copper efflux in N. fowleri is mediated by a copper-translocating P-type ATPase. Copper ionophores have amoebicidal effect against N. fowleri and thus may be potentially used as antiamoebic agents. Iron-binding proteins hemerythrin and protoglobin are highly upregulated in N. fowleri under copper overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Grechnikova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Ženíšková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ronald Malych
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mach
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
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Peris-Díaz M, Guran R, Zitka O, Adam V, Krężel A. Metal- and Affinity-Specific Dual Labeling of Cysteine-Rich Proteins for Identification of Metal-Binding Sites. Anal Chem 2020; 92:12950-12958. [PMID: 32786475 PMCID: PMC7547867 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c01604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Here, using human metallothionein (MT2) as an example, we describe an improved strategy based on differential alkylation coupled to MS, assisted by zinc probe monitoring, for identification of cysteine-rich binding sites with nanomolar and picomolar metal affinity utilizing iodoacetamide (IAM) and N-ethylmaleimide reagents. We concluded that an SN2 reaction provided by IAM is more suitable to label free Cys residues, avoiding nonspecific metal dissociation. Afterward, metal-bound Cys can be easily labeled in a nucleophilic addition reaction after separation by reverse-phase C18 at acidic pH. Finally, we evaluated the efficiency of the method by mapping metal-binding sites of Zn7-xMT species using a bottom-up MS approach with respect to metal-to-protein affinity and element(al) resolution. The methodology presented might be applied not only for MT2 but to identify metal-binding sites in other Cys-containing proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel
David Peris-Díaz
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Roman Guran
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University
in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkynova
123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Zitka
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University
in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkynova
123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Adam
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University
in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkynova
123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Artur Krężel
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
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Chatterjee S, Kumari S, Rath S, Priyadarshanee M, Das S. Diversity, structure and regulation of microbial metallothionein: metal resistance and possible applications in sequestration of toxic metals. Metallomics 2020; 12:1637-1655. [PMID: 32996528 DOI: 10.1039/d0mt00140f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a group of cysteine-rich, universal, low molecular weight proteins distributed widely in almost all major taxonomic groups ranging from tiny microbes to highly organized vertebrates. The primary function of this protein is storage, transportation and binding of metals, which enable microorganisms to detoxify heavy metals. In the microbial world, these peptides were first identified in a cyanobacterium Synechococcus as the SmtA protein which exhibits high affinity towards rising level of zinc and cadmium to preserve metal homeostasis in a cell. In yeast, MTs aid in reserving copper and confer protection against copper toxicity by chelating excess copper ions in a cell. Two MTs, CUP1 and Crs5, originating from Saccharomyces cerevisiae predominantly bind to copper though are capable of binding with zinc and cadmium ions. MT superfamily 7 is found in ciliated protozoa which show high affinity towards copper and cadmium. Several tools and techniques, such as western blot, capillary electrophoresis, inductively coupled plasma, atomic emission spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography, have been extensively utilized for the detection and quantification of microbial MTs which are utilized for the efficient remediation and sequestration of heavy metals from a contaminated environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreosi Chatterjee
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Ecology (LEnME), Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769 008, Odisha, India.
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Wong DL, Yuan AT, Korkola NC, Stillman MJ. Interplay between Carbonic Anhydrases and Metallothioneins: Structural Control of Metalation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5697. [PMID: 32784815 PMCID: PMC7460868 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) and metallothioneins (MTs) are both families of zinc metalloproteins central to life, however, they coordinate and interact with their Zn2+ ion cofactors in completely different ways. CAs and MTs are highly sensitive to the cellular environment and play key roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis. In addition, CAs and MTs have multiple isoforms with differentiated regulation. This review discusses current literature regarding these two families of metalloproteins in carcinogenesis, with a dialogue on the association of these two ubiquitous proteins in vitro in the context of metalation. Metalation of CA by Zn-MT and Cd-MT is described. Evidence for protein-protein interactions is introduced from changes in metalation profiles of MT from electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and the metalation rate from stopped-flow kinetics. The implications on cellular control of pH and metal donation is also discussed in the context of diseased states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Martin J. Stillman
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, ON N6A5B7, Canada; (D.L.W.); (A.T.Y.); (N.C.K.)
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Jia Q, Dahms HU, Wang L. Detection of Metallothionein Proteins by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2020; 21:544-554. [DOI: 10.2174/1389201020666191127124629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are low-molecular-weight, cysteine-rich proteins that bind to heavy
metals. MTs play a key role in the homeostasis of metal ions, maintaining intracellular redox equilibria
and free radical scavenging. In several studies, under different conditions such as cancer development,
drug therapy and heavy metal stress, the unique structural changes and functional effects of MT were
studied. Although several assays are available to monitor the content and type of Metallothionein (MT)
from environmental samples or in biomedical assays, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA)
became the preferred method of MT detection. ELISA is low in cost, specific, simple, and efficient.
This review evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of using different types of ELISA in the
detection of metallothioneins from environmental or clinical samples as well as ways of its validation
and cross-validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyun Jia
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Hans-Uwe Dahms
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - Lan Wang
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
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Yang HZ, Wang L, He YJ, Jing WX, Ma WL, Chen CM, Wang L. Analysis of spectrometry and thermodynamics of the metallothionein in freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense for its binding ability with different metals. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 246:125670. [PMID: 31918077 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The metal binding nature of heterologously expressed metallothionein of Sinopotamon henanense (ShMT) had been demonstrated previously. In this study, we analysed the stoichiometry of ShMT yielded in vivo and exchange reactions of the Zn-ShMT with Cd2+, Pb2+ and Cu2+in vitro via electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS), circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The results of ESI-TOF-MS analyses showed that metal-ShMT synthesized in vivo had three major forms, namely Zn15-, Cd9-, and Pb5-ShMT. The ITC analyses of exchange reactions demonstrated that Zn-ShMT exhibited up to 6, 6, and 7 binding sites for Cd2+, Pb2+ and Cu2+. By the analyses of the UV and CD spectra in the substitution experiments showed that the geometric structural stability of metal-ShMT could be influenced when excess of over 6, 6, or 7 equivalents of Cd2+, Pb2+, or Cu2+ were added into Zn-ShMT. Although both the reconstructed apo-ShMT and substituted Zn-ShMT with three metal ions fitted the same M6Ⅱ- and M7Ⅰ-ShMT binding models for divalent and monovalent metals, the differences in their thermodynamic data suggested that discrepancies exit in their physiological functions. These results suggested that ShMT yielded in vivo had a higher storage capability for Zn2+ and a uptake ability for Cd2+, and Zn-ShMT was more easy to release Zn2+ as well as to uptake Cd2+, Cu2+, or Pb2+. The results presented in this work will be very valuable to understand the function(s) of ShMT not only in a normal physiological condition but also in the presence of non-essential metals in crabs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhen Yang
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030006, China
| | - Lu Wang
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030006, China
| | - Yong J He
- Agricultural Processing Institution, Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Wei X Jing
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030006, China
| | - Wen L Ma
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030006, China
| | - Chien M Chen
- Department of Environmental Resources Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy & Science, Taiwan.
| | - Lan Wang
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030006, China.
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43
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Heaton A, Faulconer E, Milligan E, Kroetz MB, Weir SM, Glaberman S. Interspecific Variation in Nematode Responses to Metals. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2020; 39:1006-1016. [PMID: 32072668 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Performing toxicity testing on multiple species with differing degrees of evolutionary relatedness can provide important information on how chemical sensitivity varies among species and can help pinpoint the biological drivers of species sensitivity. Such knowledge could ultimately be used to design better multispecies predictive ecological risk assessment models and identify particularly sensitive species. However, laboratory toxicity tests involving multiple species can also be resource intensive, especially when each species has unique husbandry conditions. We performed lethality tests with 2 metals, copper chloride and zinc chloride, on 5 different nematode species, which are nested in their degree of evolutionary relatedness: Caenorhabditis briggsae, Caenorhabditis elegans, Oscheius myriophila, Oscheius tipulae, and Pristionchus pacificus. All species were successfully cultured and tested concurrently with limited resources, demonstrating that inexpensive, multispecies nematode toxicity testing systems are achievable. The results indicate that P. pacificus is the most sensitive to both metals. Conversely, C. elegans is the least sensitive species to copper, but the second most sensitive to zinc, indicating that species relationships do not necessarily predict species sensitivity. Toxicity testing with additional nematode species and types of chemicals is feasible and will help form more generalizable conclusions about relative species sensitivity. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1006-1016. © 2020 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Heaton
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Emma Milligan
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Mary B Kroetz
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Scott M Weir
- Department of Biology, Queens University of Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | - Scott Glaberman
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
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44
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Balzano S, Sardo A, Blasio M, Chahine TB, Dell’Anno F, Sansone C, Brunet C. Microalgal Metallothioneins and Phytochelatins and Their Potential Use in Bioremediation. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:517. [PMID: 32431671 PMCID: PMC7216689 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The persistence of heavy metals (HMs) in the environment causes adverse effects to all living organisms; HMs accumulate along the food chain affecting different levels of biological organizations, from cells to tissues. HMs enter cells through transporter proteins and can bind to enzymes and nucleic acids interfering with their functioning. Strategies used by microalgae to minimize HM toxicity include the biosynthesis of metal-binding peptides that chelate metal cations inhibiting their activity. Metal-binding peptides include genetically encoded metallothioneins (MTs) and enzymatically produced phytochelatins (PCs). A number of techniques, including genetic engineering, focus on increasing the biosynthesis of MTs and PCs in microalgae. The present review reports the current knowledge on microalgal MTs and PCs and describes the state of art of their use for HM bioremediation and other putative biotechnological applications, also emphasizing on techniques aimed at increasing the cellular concentrations of MTs and PCs. In spite of the broad metabolic and chemical diversity of microalgae that are currently receiving increasing attention by biotechnological research, knowledge on MTs and PCs from these organisms is still limited to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Balzano
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli (SZN), Naples, Italy
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Netherlands
| | - Angela Sardo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli (SZN), Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Blasio
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli (SZN), Naples, Italy
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Mukherjee A, Reddy MS. Metatranscriptomics: an approach for retrieving novel eukaryotic genes from polluted and related environments. 3 Biotech 2020; 10:71. [PMID: 32030340 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-2057-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Metatranscriptomics, a subset of metagenomics, provides valuable information about the whole gene expression profiling of complex microbial communities of an ecosystem. Metagenomic studies mainly focus on the genomic content and identification of microbes present within a community, while metatranscriptomics provides the diversity of the active genes within such community, their expression profile and how these levels change due to change in environmental conditions. Metatranscriptomics has been applied to different types of environments, from the study of human microbiomes, to those found in plants, animals, within soils and in aquatic systems. Metatranscriptomics, based on the utilization of mRNA isolated from environmental samples, is a suitable approach to mine the eukaryotic gene pool for genes of biotechnological relevance. Also, it is imperative to develop different bioinformatic pipelines to analyse the data obtained from metatranscriptomic analysis. In the present review, we summarise the metatranscriptomics applied to soil environments to study the functional diversity, and discuss approaches for isolating the genes involved in organic matter degradation and providing tolerance to toxic metals, role of metatranscriptomics in microbiome research, various bioinformatics pipelines used in data analysis and technical challenges for gaining biologically meaningful insight of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arkadeep Mukherjee
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, Punjab 147004 India
| | - M Sudhakara Reddy
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, Punjab 147004 India
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46
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Perez JL, Chu T. Effect of Zinc on Microcystis aeruginosa UTEX LB 2385 and Its Toxin Production. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12020092. [PMID: 32019107 PMCID: PMC7076789 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12020092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (CHABs) are primarily caused by man-made eutrophication and increasing climate-change conditions. The presence of heavy metal runoff in affected water systems may result in CHABs alteration to their ecological interactions. Certain CHABs produce by-products, such as microcystin (MC) cyanotoxins, that have detrimentally affected humans through contact via recreation activities within implicated water bodies, directly drinking contaminated water, ingesting biomagnified cyanotoxins in seafood, and/or contact through miscellaneous water treatment. Metallothionein (MT) is a small, metal-sequestration cysteine rich protein often upregulated within the stress response mechanism. This study focused on zinc metal resistance and stress response in a toxigenic cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa UTEX LB 2385, by monitoring cells with (0, 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/L) ZnCl2 treatment. Flow cytometry and phase contrast microscopy were used to evaluate physiological responses in cultures. Molecular assays and an immunosorbent assay were used to characterize the expression of MT and MC under zinc stress. The results showed that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 0.25 mg/L ZnCl2. Flow cytometry and phase contrast microscopy showed morphological changes occurred in cultures exposed to 0.25 and 0.5 mg/L ZnCl2. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis of selected cDNA samples showed significant upregulation of Mmt through all time points, significant upregulation of mcyC at a later time point. ELISA MC-LR analysis showed extracellular MC-LR (µg/L) and intracellular MC-LR (µg/cell) quota measurements persisted through 15 days, although 0.25 mg/L ZnCl2 treatment produced half the normal cell biomass and 0.5 mg/L treatment largely inhibited growth. The 0.25 and 0.5 mg/L ZnCl2 treated cells demonstrated a ~40% and 33% increase of extracellular MC-LR(µg/L) equivalents, respectively, as early as Day 5 compared to control cells. The 0.5 mg/L ZnCl2 treated cells showed higher total MC-LR (µg/cell) quota yield by Day 8 than both 0 mg/L ZnCl2 control cells and 0.1 mg/L ZnCl2 treated cells, indicating release of MCs upon cell lysis. This study showed this Microcystis aeruginosa strain is able to survive in 0.25 mg/L ZnCl2 concentration. Certain morphological zinc stress responses and the upregulation of mt and mcy genes, as well as periodical increased extracellular MC-LR concentration with ZnCl2 treatment were observed.
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Purać J, Nikolić TV, Kojić D, Ćelić AS, Plavša JJ, Blagojević DP, Petri ET. Identification of a metallothionein gene in honey bee Apis mellifera and its expression profile in response to Cd, Cu and Pb exposure. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:731-745. [PMID: 30575191 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Metallothioneins are ubiquitous proteins important in metal homeostasis and detoxification. However, they have not previously been identified in honey bees or other Hymenoptera, where metallothioneins could be of ecophysiological and ecotoxicological significance. Better understanding of the molecular responses to stress induced by toxic metals could contribute to honey bee conservation. In addition, honey bee metallothionein could represent a biomarker for monitoring environmental quality. Here we identify and characterize a metallothionein gene in Apis mellifera (AmMT). AmMT is 1,680 bp long and encodes a 48 amino acids protein with 15 cysteines and no aromatic residues. A metal response element upstream of the start codon, coupled with numerous cis-regulatory elements indicate the functional context of AmMT. Molecular modelling predicts several transition metal binding sites, and comparative phylogenetic analysis revealed five putative metallothionein proteins in three other hymenoptera species. AmMT was characterized by cloning the full-length coding sequence of the putative metallothionein. Recombinant AmMT was found to increase metal tolerance upon overexpression in Escherichia coli supplemented with Cd, Cu or Pb. Finally, in laboratory tests on honey bees, gene expression profiles showed a dose-dependant relationship between Cd, Cu and Pb concentrations present in food and AmMT expression, while field experiments showed induction of AmMT in bees from an industrial site compared to those from an urban area. These studies suggest that AmMT has metal binding properties in agreement with a possible role in metal homeostasis. Further functional and structural characterization of metallothionein in honey bees and other Hymenoptera are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Purać
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Tatjana V Nikolić
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Danijela Kojić
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Anđelka S Ćelić
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Jovana J Plavša
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Duško P Blagojević
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Edward T Petri
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
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48
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Espart A, Artime S, Tort-Nasarre G, Yara-Varón E. Cadmium exposure during pregnancy and lactation: materno-fetal and newborn repercussions of Cd(ii), and Cd-metallothionein complexes. Metallomics 2019; 10:1359-1367. [PMID: 30221266 DOI: 10.1039/c8mt00174j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a non-physiological heavy metal that can be harmful at low concentrations. Increasing anthropogenic activities are incrementing the risk of accumulation of this heavy metal in different organs and tissues of the body. In the case of pregnant women, the threat is more serious due to the implications affecting not only their own health but also fetal development as well. Metallothioneins (MTs), small cysteine-rich proteins, are involved in zinc (Zn) and copper homeostasis in mammals but can, however, also bind with Cd if present. The accumulation of Cd in maternal tissues (e.g. placenta, maternal blood, and mammary glands) induces the synthesis of MTs, preferably MT2, in an attempt to sequester the metal to avoid toxicity. The formed Cd-MT complexes will avoid the Cd transport from the placenta to the fetus and end up accumulating in the maternal kidneys. At the same time, high concentrations of MTs will increase the formation of Zn-MT complexes, therefore decreasing the amount of Zn ions available to be transported to the fetus by means of Zn transporters such as ZnT2, ZIP14 and DMT1. Although MTs cannot transport Cd from the mother to the fetus, the divalent DMT1 transporter is suggested to carry the metal to the fetus. As a consequence, the low levels of Zn(ii) in the fetus, together with the presence of Cd(ii) coming from the mother either via the placenta and cord blood or via breast milk induce changes in the fetal development including fetal growth retardation, and low weight or height of the newborn. Likewise, the concentrations of Cd(ii) in the newborn can cause alterations such as cognitive disabilities. In summary, the presence of Cd(ii) in the maternal tissues will induce MT synthesis in an attempt to detoxify these tissues and reduce the possible toxicity of Cd in fetal and newborn tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Espart
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, c. Montserrat Roig 2, Lleida, E-25198, Spain. and Health Care Research Group (GRECS), Lleida Institute for Biomedical Research Dr PifarréFoundation, IRBLleida, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure 80, Lleida, E-25198, Spain
| | - Sebastián Artime
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Glòria Tort-Nasarre
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, c. Montserrat Roig 2, Lleida, E-25198, Spain.
| | - Edinson Yara-Varón
- Department of Chemistry, University of Lleida, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure 191, E-25198 Lleida, Spain
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Kan G, Ju Y, Zhou Y, Shi C, Qiao Y, Yang Y, Wang R, Wang X. Cloning and functional characterization of a novel metallothionein gene in Antarctic sea-ice yeast (Rhodotorula mucilaginosa). J Basic Microbiol 2019; 59:879-889. [DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201900240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guangfeng Kan
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai; Weihai China
| | - Yun Ju
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai; Weihai China
| | - Ying Zhou
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai; Weihai China
| | - Cuijuan Shi
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai; Weihai China
| | - Yongping Qiao
- Department of Traumatology; Wendeng Osteopath Hospital; Wendeng China
| | - Yu Yang
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai; Weihai China
| | - Ruiqi Wang
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai; Weihai China
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai; Weihai China
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50
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Cry Protein Crystal-Immobilized Metallothioneins for Bioremediation of Heavy Metals from Water. CRYSTALS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst9060287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cry proteins have been the subject of intense research due to their ability to form crystals naturally in Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). In this research we developed a new strategy that allows for the removal of cadmium and chromium from wastewater by using one Cry protein, Cry3Aa, as a framework to immobilize tandem repeats of the cyanobacterial metallothionein SmtA from Synechococcus elongatus (strain PCC 7942). SmtA is a low molecular weight cysteine-rich protein known to bind heavy metals. A series of Cry3Aa-SmtA constructs were produced by the fusion of one, three, or six tandem repeats of SmtA to Cry3Aa. Overexpression of these constructs in Bt resulted in the production of pure Cry3Aa-SmtA fusion crystals that exhibited similar size, crystallinity, and morphology to that of native Cry3Aa protein crystals. All three Cry3Aa-SmtA constructs exhibited efficient binding to cadmium and chromium, with the binding capacity correlated with increasing SmtA copy number. These results suggest the potential use of Cry3Aa-SmtA crystals as a novel biodegradable and cost-effective approach to the removal of toxic heavy metals from the environment.
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