Comparison of the substrate specificity of two ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases from Sphingomonas sp. VKM B-2434 to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Degradation Pathways of the Obligate Marine PAH Degrader Cycloclasticus sp. Strain P1

Bacteria play an important role in the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from polluted environments. In marine environments, Cycloclasticus is one of the most prevalent PAH-degrading bacterial genera. However, little is known regarding the degradation mechanisms for multiple PAHs by CycloclasticusCycloclasticus sp. strain P1 was isolated from deep-sea sediments and is known to degrade naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and other aromatic hydrocarbons. Here, six ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases (RHDs) were identified in the complete genome of Cycloclasticus sp. P1 and were confirmed to be involved in PAH degradation by enzymatic assays. Further, five gene clusters in its genome were identified to be responsible for PAH degradation. Degradation pathways for naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were elucidated in Cycloclasticus sp. P1 based on genomic and transcriptomic analysis and characterization of an interconnected metabolic network. The metabolic pathway overlaps in many steps in the degradation of pyrene, phenanthrene, and naphthalene, which were validated by the detection of metabolic intermediates in cultures. This study describes a pyrene degradation pathway for Cycloclasticus. Moreover, the study represents the integration of a PAH metabolic network that comprises pyrene, phenanthrene, and naphthalene degradation pathways. Taken together, these results provide a comprehensive investigation of PAH metabolism in CycloclasticusIMPORTANCE PAHs are ubiquitous in the environment and are carcinogenic compounds and tend to accumulate in food chains due to their low bioavailability and poor biodegradability. Cycloclasticus is an obligate marine PAH degrader and is widespread in marine environments, while the PAH degradation pathways remain unclear. In this report, the degradation pathways for naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were revealed, and an integrated PAH metabolic network covering pyrene, phenanthrene, and naphthalene was constructed in Cycloclasticus This overlapping network provides streamlined processing of PAHs to intermediates and ultimately to complete mineralization. Furthermore, these results provide an additional context for the prevalence of Cycloclasticus in oil-polluted marine environments and pelagic settings. In conclusion, these analyses provide a useful framework for understanding the cellular processes involved in PAH metabolism in an ecologically important marine bacterium.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Degradation Pathways of the Obligate Marine PAH Degrader Cycloclasticus sp. Strain P1

Bacteria play an important role in the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from polluted environments. In marine environments, Cycloclasticus is one of the most prevalent PAH-degrading bacterial genera. However, little is known regarding the degradation mechanisms for multiple PAHs by Cycloclasticus Cycloclasticus sp. strain P1 was isolated from deep-sea sediments and is known to degrade naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and other aromatic hydrocarbons. Here, six ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases (RHDs) were identified in the complete genome of Cycloclasticus sp. P1 and were confirmed to be involved in PAH degradation by enzymatic assays. Further, five gene clusters in its genome were identified to be responsible for PAH degradation. Degradation pathways for naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were elucidated in Cycloclasticus sp. P1 based on genomic and transcriptomic analysis and characterization of an interconnected metabolic network. The metabolic pathway overlaps in many steps in the degradation of pyrene, phenanthrene, and naphthalene, which were validated by the detection of metabolic intermediates in cultures. This study describes a pyrene degradation pathway for Cycloclasticus. Moreover, the study represents the integration of a PAH metabolic network that comprises pyrene, phenanthrene, and naphthalene degradation pathways. Taken together, these results provide a comprehensive investigation of PAH metabolism in Cycloclasticus IMPORTANCE PAHs are ubiquitous in the environment and are carcinogenic compounds and tend to accumulate in food chains due to their low bioavailability and poor biodegradability. Cycloclasticus is an obligate marine PAH degrader and is widespread in marine environments, while the PAH degradation pathways remain unclear. In this report, the degradation pathways for naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were revealed, and an integrated PAH metabolic network covering pyrene, phenanthrene, and naphthalene was constructed in Cycloclasticus This overlapping network provides streamlined processing of PAHs to intermediates and ultimately to complete mineralization. Furthermore, these results provide an additional context for the prevalence of Cycloclasticus in oil-polluted marine environments and pelagic settings. In conclusion, these analyses provide a useful framework for understanding the cellular processes involved in PAH metabolism in an ecologically important marine bacterium.

Mutation of Phenylalanine-223 to Leucine Enhances Transformation of Benzo[a]pyrene by Ring-Hydroxylating Dioxygenase of Sphingobium sp. FB3 by increasing Accessibility of the Catalytic Site

Burning of agricultural biomass generates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene, of which the catabolism is primarily initiated by a ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase (RHD). This study explores catalytic site accessibility and its role in preferential catabolism of some PAHs over others. The genes flnA1f, flnA2f, flnA3, and flnA4, encoding the oxygenase α and β subunits, ferredoxin, and ferredoxin reductase, respectively, of the RHD enzyme complex (FlnA) were cloned from Sphingobium sp. FB3 and coexpressed in E. coli BL21. The FlnA effectively transformed fluoranthene but not benzo[a]pyrene. Substitution of the bulky phenylalanine-223 by leucine reduces the steric constraint in the substrate entrance to make the catalytic site of FlnA more accessible to large substrates, as visualized by 3D modeling, and allows the FlnA mutant to efficiently transform benzo[a]pyrene. Accessibility of the catalytic site to PAHs is a mechanism of RHD substrate specificity. The results shed light on why some PAHs are more recalcitrant than others.

Characterization of a polycyclic aromatic ring-hydroxylation dioxygenase from Mycobacterium sp. NJS-P

Ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases (RHDs) play a critical role in the biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this study, genes pdoAB encoding a dioxygenase capable of oxidizing various PAHs with up to five-ring benzo[a]pyrene were cloned from Mycobacterium sp. NJS-P. The α-subunit of the PdoAB showed 99% and 93% identity to that from Mycobacterium sp. S65 and Mycobacterium sp. py136, respectively. An Escherichia coli expression experiment revealed that the enzyme is able to oxidize anthracene, phenanthrene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene, but not to fluoranthene and benzo[a]anthracene. Furthermore, the results of in silico analysis showed that PdoAB has a large substrate-binding pocket satisfying for accommodation of HMW PAHs, and suggested that the binding energy of intermolecular interaction may predict the substrate conversion of RHDs towards HMW PAHs, especially those may have steric constraints on the substrate-binding pocket, such as benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[a]anthracene.