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Sikora F, Budja LVP, Milojevic O, Ziemniewicz A, Dudys P, Görke B. Multiple regulatory inputs including cell envelope stress orchestrate expression of the Escherichia coli rpoN operon. Mol Microbiol 2024. [PMID: 38770591 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15280] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The rpoN operon, an important regulatory hub in Enterobacteriaceae, includes rpoN encoding sigma factor σ54, hpf involved in ribosome hibernation, rapZ regulating glucosamine-6-phosphate levels, and two genes encoding proteins of the nitrogen-related phosphotransferase system. Little is known about regulatory mechanisms controlling the abundance of these proteins. This study employs transposon mutagenesis and chemical screens to dissect the complex expression of the rpoN operon. We find that envelope stress conditions trigger read-through transcription into the rpoN operon from a promoter located upstream of the preceding lptA-lptB locus. This promoter is controlled by the envelope stress sigma factor E and response regulator PhoP is required for its full response to a subset of stress signals. σE also stimulates ptsN-rapZ-npr expression using an element downstream of rpoN, presumably by interfering with mRNA processing by RNase E. Additionally, we identify a novel promoter in the 3' end of rpoN that directs transcription of the distal genes in response to ethanol. Finally, we show that translation of hpf and ptsN is individually regulated by the RNA chaperone Hfq, perhaps involving small RNAs. Collectively, our work demonstrates that the rpoN operon is subject to complex regulation, integrating signals related to envelope stress and carbon source quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Sikora
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Max Perutz Labs, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Lara Veronika Perko Budja
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Max Perutz Labs, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Olja Milojevic
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Max Perutz Labs, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Amelia Ziemniewicz
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Max Perutz Labs, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Przemyslaw Dudys
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Max Perutz Labs, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Boris Görke
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Max Perutz Labs, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Gravina F, Degaut FL, Gerhardt ECM, Pedrosa FO, Souza EM, Antônio de Souza G, Huergo LF. The protein-protein interaction network of the Escherichia coli EIIA Ntr regulatory protein reveals a role in cell motility and metabolic control. Res Microbiol 2021; 172:103882. [PMID: 34563668 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2021.103882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The nitrogen-related PTSNtr system, present in many Proteobacteria including Escherichia coli, acts as a phosphorelay cascade composed of the EINtr, NPr and EIIANtr proteins. Phosphotransfer initiates with phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent EINtr autophosphorylation, the phosphoryl group is then transferred to NPr and finally to a conserved histidine residue on EIIANtr. The reporter metabolites L-glutamine and 2-oxoglutarate reciprocally regulate EINtr autophosphorylation (Lee et al. 2013) and consequently the phosphorylation status of the PTSNtr components is controlled by the availability of nitrogen and carbon. The final phosphate acceptor, EIIANtr, regulates a range of cellular process by acting as the central hub of a complex protein-protein interaction network. Contact between EIIANtr and its target proteins is usually regulated by the EIIANtr phosphorylation status. In this study we performed ligand fishing assays coupled to label-free quantitative proteomics to examine the protein-protein interaction network of E. coli EIIANtr and a phosphomimic variant of the protein. The ligand fishing data, along with phenotypic analysis, indicated that EIIANtr interacts with proteins related to chemotaxis and thereby regulates cell motility. Important metabolic enzymes were also identified as potential EIIANtr binding partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Gravina
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Flávia L Degaut
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Fabio O Pedrosa
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Emanuel M Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Luciano F Huergo
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Setor Litoral, UFPR Matinhos, PR, Brazil.
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3
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Engineering of phosphoenolpyruvate: carbohydrate phosphotransferase system increased acetate assimilation in Escherichia coli. 3 Biotech 2019; 9:77. [PMID: 30800588 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-019-1600-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetate is a potential low-cost carbon source and can be used for microbial production of valuable chemicals in Escherichia coli. In this study, separate and simultaneous inactivation of the ptsG, ptsI, and ptsP genes involved in the phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate phosphotransferase system was performed in E. coli and the effects on cell growth and acetate assimilation were evaluated. The mutant strain with double deletion of ptsG and ptsP exhibited faster acetate use than the other mutants. Inactivation of ptsI seriously reduced acetate consumption. This work provides a novel engineering target for improving acetate use rates.
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4
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Correia DM, Sargo CR, Silva AJ, Santos ST, Giordano RC, Ferreira EC, Zangirolami TC, Ribeiro MPA, Rocha I. Mapping Salmonella typhimurium pathways using 13C metabolic flux analysis. Metab Eng 2019; 52:303-314. [PMID: 30529284 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2018.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the last years, Salmonella has been extensively studied not only due to its importance as a pathogen, but also as a host to produce pharmaceutical compounds. However, the full exploitation of Salmonella as a platform for bioproduct delivery has been hampered by the lack of information about its metabolism. Genome-scale metabolic models can be valuable tools to delineate metabolic engineering strategies as long as they closely represent the actual metabolism of the target organism. In the present study, a 13C-MFA approach was applied to map the fluxes at the central carbon pathways of S. typhimurium LT2 growing at glucose-limited chemostat cultures. The experiments were carried out in a 2L bioreactor, using defined medium enriched with 20% 13C-labeled glucose. Metabolic flux distributions in central carbon pathways of S. typhimurium LT2 were estimated using OpenFLUX2 based on the labeling pattern of biomass protein hydrolysates together with biomass composition. The results suggested that pentose phosphate is used to catabolize glucose, with minor fluxes through glycolysis. In silico simulations, using Optflux and pFBA as simulation method, allowed to study the performance of the genome-scale metabolic model. In general, the accuracy of in silico simulations was improved by the superimposition of estimated intracellular fluxes to the existing genome-scale metabolic model, showing a better fitting to the experimental extracellular fluxes, whereas the intracellular fluxes of pentose phosphate and anaplerotic reactions were poorly described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela M Correia
- Graduate Program of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Cintia R Sargo
- Graduate Program of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Adilson J Silva
- Graduate Program of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Sophia T Santos
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus De Gualtar, Braga 4710-057, Portugal
| | - Roberto C Giordano
- Graduate Program of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Eugénio C Ferreira
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus De Gualtar, Braga 4710-057, Portugal
| | - Teresa C Zangirolami
- Graduate Program of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Marcelo P A Ribeiro
- Graduate Program of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Isabel Rocha
- CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus De Gualtar, Braga 4710-057, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-NOVA), Oeiras, Portugal.
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Abstract
SixA, a well-conserved protein found in proteobacteria, actinobacteria, and cyanobacteria, is the only reported example of a bacterial phosphohistidine phosphatase. A single protein target of SixA has been reported to date: the Escherichia coli histidine kinase ArcB. The present work analyzes an ArcB-independent growth defect of a sixA deletion in E. coli A screen for suppressors, analysis of various mutants, and phosphorylation assays indicate that SixA modulates phosphorylation of the nitrogen-related phosphotransferase system (PTSNtr). The PTSNtr is a widely conserved bacterial pathway that regulates diverse metabolic processes through the phosphorylation states of its protein components, EINtr, NPr, and EIIANtr, which receive phosphoryl groups on histidine residues. However, a mechanism for dephosphorylating this system has not been reported. The results presented here suggest a model in which SixA removes phosphoryl groups from the PTSNtr by acting on NPr. This work uncovers a new role for the phosphohistidine phosphatase SixA and, through factors that affect SixA expression or activity, may point to additional inputs that regulate the PTSNtr IMPORTANCE One common means to regulate protein activity is through phosphorylation. Protein phosphatases exist to reverse this process, returning the protein to the unphosphorylated form. The vast majority of protein phosphatases that have been identified target phosphoserine, phosphotheronine, and phosphotyrosine. A widely conserved phosphohistidine phosphatase was identified in Escherichia coli 20 years ago but remains relatively understudied. The present work shows that this phosphatase modulates the nitrogen-related phosphotransferase system, a pathway that is regulated by nitrogen and carbon metabolism and affects diverse aspects of bacterial physiology. Until now, there was no known mechanism for removing phosphoryl groups from this pathway.
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6
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Pérez‐Pantoja D, Kim J, Platero R, de Lorenzo V. The interplay of EIIANtrwith C‐source regulation of thePupromoter ofPseudomonas putidamt‐2. Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:4555-4566. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Pérez‐Pantoja
- Programa Institucional de Fomento a la Investigación, Desarrollo e InnovaciónUniversidad Tecnológica Metropolitana Ignacio Valdivieso 2409, San Joaquín, Santiago Chile
| | - Juhyun Kim
- Systems Biology ProgramCentro Nacional de Biotecnología‐CSIC Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049 Spain
| | - Raúl Platero
- Systems Biology ProgramCentro Nacional de Biotecnología‐CSIC Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049 Spain
| | - Víctor de Lorenzo
- Systems Biology ProgramCentro Nacional de Biotecnología‐CSIC Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049 Spain
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7
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Gravina F, Sanchuki HS, Rodrigues TE, Gerhardt ECM, Pedrosa FO, Souza EM, Valdameri G, de Souza GA, Huergo LF. Proteome analysis of an Escherichia coli ptsN-null strain under different nitrogen regimes. J Proteomics 2017; 174:28-35. [PMID: 29274402 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The carbohydrate-uptake phosphorelay PTS system plays a key role in metabolic regulation in Bacteria controlling the utilization of secondary carbon sources. Some bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, encode a paralogous system named PTSNtr (nitrogen related PTS). PTSNtr is composed of EINtr (ptsP), NPr (ptsO), and EIIANtr (ptsN). These proteins act as a phosphorelay system from phosphoenolpyruvate to EINtr, NPr and them to EIIANtr. PTSNtr is not involved in carbohydrate uptake and it may be dedicated to performing regulatory functions. The phosphorylation state of EINtr is regulated by allosteric binding of glutamine and 2-oxoglutarate, metabolites whose intracellular levels reflect the nitrogen status. Although PTSNtr is designated as having nitrogen-sensory properties, no major effect of this system on nitrogen regulation has been described in E. coli. Here we show that an E. coli ptsN deletion mutant has impaired growth in minimal medium. Proteome analysis of the ∆ptsN strain under different nitrogen regimes revealed no involvement in regulation of the canonical nitrogen regulatory (Ntr) system. The proteomic data support the conclusion that ptsN is required to balance the activities of the sigma factors RpoS and RpoD in such way that, in the absence of ptsN, RpoS-dependent genes are preferentially expressed. SIGNIFICANCE The nitrogen related PTSNtr phosphorelay system has been hypothesized to participate in the control of nitrogen metabolism. Here we used a proteomics approach to show that an Escherichia coli ptsN null strain, which misses the final module of PTSNtr phosphorelay, has no significant effects on nitrogen metabolism under different nitrogen regimes. We noted that ptsN is required for fitness under minimal medium and for the proper balance between RpoS and sigma 70 activities in such way that, in the absence of ptsN, RpoS-dependent genes are preferentially expressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Gravina
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Heloisa S Sanchuki
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Thiago E Rodrigues
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Fábio O Pedrosa
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Emanuel M Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Gláucio Valdameri
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Departamento de Análises Clínicas, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Gustavo A de Souza
- Oslo University Hospital, The Proteomics Core Facility, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Instituto do Cérebro, UFRN, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Luciano F Huergo
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Setor Litoral, UFPR, Matinhos, PR, Brazil.
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8
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Hendry JI, Prasannan C, Ma F, Möllers KB, Jaiswal D, Digmurti M, Allen DK, Frigaard NU, Dasgupta S, Wangikar PP. Rerouting of carbon flux in a glycogen mutant of cyanobacteria assessed via isotopically non-stationary 13 C metabolic flux analysis. Biotechnol Bioeng 2017; 114:2298-2308. [PMID: 28600876 DOI: 10.1002/bit.26350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria, which constitute a quantitatively dominant phylum, have attracted attention in biofuel applications due to favorable physiological characteristics, high photosynthetic efficiency and amenability to genetic manipulations. However, quantitative aspects of cyanobacterial metabolism have received limited attention. In the present study, we have performed isotopically non-stationary 13 C metabolic flux analysis (INST-13 C-MFA) to analyze rerouting of carbon in a glycogen synthase deficient mutant strain (glgA-I glgA-II) of the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. During balanced photoautotrophic growth, 10-20% of the fixed carbon is stored in the form of glycogen via a pathway that is conserved across the cyanobacterial phylum. Our results show that deletion of glycogen synthase gene orchestrates cascading effects on carbon distribution in various parts of the metabolic network. Carbon that was originally destined to be incorporated into glycogen gets partially diverted toward alternate storage molecules such as glucosylglycerol and sucrose. The rest is partitioned within the metabolic network, primarily via glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle. A lowered flux toward carbohydrate synthesis and an altered distribution at the glucose-1-phosphate node indicate flexibility in the network. Further, reversibility of glycogen biosynthesis reactions points toward the presence of futile cycles. Similar redistribution of carbon was also predicted by Flux Balance Analysis. The results are significant to metabolic engineering efforts with cyanobacteria where fixed carbon needs to be re-routed to products of interest. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2298-2308. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- John I Hendry
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Charulata Prasannan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India.,DBT-Pan IIT Center for Bioenergy, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India.,Wadhwani Research Center for Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Fangfang Ma
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, US Department of Agriculture, St. Louis, Missouri, 63132
| | - K Benedikt Möllers
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, 3000, Denmark
| | - Damini Jaiswal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Madhuri Digmurti
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Doug K Allen
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, US Department of Agriculture, St. Louis, Missouri, 63132.,Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, St. Louis, Missouri, 63132
| | | | - Santanu Dasgupta
- Reliance Research and Development Centre, Reliance Corporate Park, Reliance Industries Ltd., Thane-Belapur Road, Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, 400 701, India
| | - Pramod P Wangikar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India.,DBT-Pan IIT Center for Bioenergy, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India.,Wadhwani Research Center for Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
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9
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Barbier T, Zúñiga-Ripa A, Moussa S, Plovier H, Sternon JF, Lázaro-Antón L, Conde-Álvarez R, De Bolle X, Iriarte M, Moriyón I, Letesson JJ. Brucella central carbon metabolism: an update. Crit Rev Microbiol 2017; 44:182-211. [PMID: 28604247 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2017.1332002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The brucellae are facultative intracellular pathogens causing brucellosis, an important zoonosis. Here, we review the nutritional, genetic, proteomic and transcriptomic studies on Brucella carbon uptake and central metabolism, information that is needed for a better understanding of Brucella virulence. There is no uniform picture across species but the studies suggest primary and/or secondary transporters for unknown carbohydrates, lactate, glycerol phosphate, erythritol, xylose, ribose, glucose and glucose/galactose, and routes for their incorporation to central metabolism, including an erythritol pathway feeding the pentose phosphate cycle. Significantly, all brucellae lack phosphoenolpyruvate synthase and phosphofructokinase genes, which confirms previous evidence on glycolysis absence, but carry all Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathway and Krebs cycle (and glyoxylate pathway) genes. However, glucose catabolism proceeds through the pentose phosphate cycle in the classical species, and the ED pathway operates in some rodent-associated brucellae, suggesting an ancestral character for this pathway in this group. Gluconeogenesis is functional but does not rely exclusively on classical fructose bisphosphatases. Evidence obtained using infection models is fragmentary but suggests the combined or sequential use of hexoses/pentoses, amino acids and gluconeogenic substrates. We also discuss the role of the phosphotransferase system, stringent reponse, quorum sensing, BvrR/S and sRNAs in metabolism control, an essential aspect of the life style of facultative intracellular parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Barbier
- a Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Microorganismes , Laboratoire d'Immunologie et de Microbiologie, NARILIS, Université de Namur , Namur , Belgium
| | - A Zúñiga-Ripa
- b Instituto de Salud Tropical (ISTUN), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA) and Depto. Microbiología y Parasitología , Universidad de Navarra, Edificio de Investigación , Pamplona , Spain
| | - S Moussa
- a Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Microorganismes , Laboratoire d'Immunologie et de Microbiologie, NARILIS, Université de Namur , Namur , Belgium
| | - H Plovier
- a Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Microorganismes , Laboratoire d'Immunologie et de Microbiologie, NARILIS, Université de Namur , Namur , Belgium
| | - J F Sternon
- a Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Microorganismes , Laboratoire d'Immunologie et de Microbiologie, NARILIS, Université de Namur , Namur , Belgium
| | - L Lázaro-Antón
- b Instituto de Salud Tropical (ISTUN), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA) and Depto. Microbiología y Parasitología , Universidad de Navarra, Edificio de Investigación , Pamplona , Spain
| | - R Conde-Álvarez
- b Instituto de Salud Tropical (ISTUN), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA) and Depto. Microbiología y Parasitología , Universidad de Navarra, Edificio de Investigación , Pamplona , Spain
| | - X De Bolle
- a Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Microorganismes , Laboratoire d'Immunologie et de Microbiologie, NARILIS, Université de Namur , Namur , Belgium
| | - M Iriarte
- b Instituto de Salud Tropical (ISTUN), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA) and Depto. Microbiología y Parasitología , Universidad de Navarra, Edificio de Investigación , Pamplona , Spain
| | - I Moriyón
- b Instituto de Salud Tropical (ISTUN), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA) and Depto. Microbiología y Parasitología , Universidad de Navarra, Edificio de Investigación , Pamplona , Spain
| | - J J Letesson
- b Instituto de Salud Tropical (ISTUN), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA) and Depto. Microbiología y Parasitología , Universidad de Navarra, Edificio de Investigación , Pamplona , Spain
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10
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GigA and GigB are Master Regulators of Antibiotic Resistance, Stress Responses, and Virulence in Acinetobacter baumannii. J Bacteriol 2017; 199:JB.00066-17. [PMID: 28264991 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00066-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A critical component of bacterial pathogenesis is the ability of an invading organism to sense and adapt to the harsh environment imposed by the host's immune system. This is especially important for opportunistic pathogens, such as Acinetobacter baumannii, a nutritionally versatile environmental organism that has recently gained attention as a life-threatening human pathogen. The emergence of A. baumannii is closely linked to antibiotic resistance, and many contemporary isolates are multidrug resistant (MDR). Unlike many other MDR pathogens, the molecular mechanisms underlying A. baumannii pathogenesis remain largely unknown. We report here the characterization of two recently identified virulence determinants, GigA and GigB, which comprise a signal transduction pathway required for surviving environmental stresses, causing infection and antibiotic resistance. Through transcriptome analysis, we show that GigA and GigB coordinately regulate the expression of many genes and are required for generating an appropriate transcriptional response during antibiotic exposure. Genetic and biochemical data demonstrate a direct link between GigA and GigB and the nitrogen phosphotransferase system (PTSNtr), establishing a novel connection between a novel stress response module and a well-conserved metabolic-sensing pathway. Based on the results presented here, we propose that GigA and GigB are master regulators of a global stress response in A. baumannii, and coupling this pathway with the PTSNtr allows A. baumannii to integrate cellular metabolic status with external environmental cues.IMPORTANCE Opportunistic pathogens, including Acinetobacter baumannii, encounter many harsh environments during the infection cycle, including antibiotic exposure and the hostile environment within a host. While the development of antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii has been well studied, how this organism senses and responds to environmental cues remain largely unknown. Herein, we investigate two previously identified virulence determinants, GigA and GigB, and report that they are required for in vitro stress resistance, likely comprising upstream elements of a global stress response pathway. Additional experiments identify a connection between GigA/GigB and a widely conserved metabolic-sensing pathway, the nitrogen phosphotransferase system. We propose that coordination of these two pathways allows A. baumannii to respond appropriately to changing environmental conditions, including those encountered during infection.
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11
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Löffler M, Simen JD, Müller J, Jäger G, Laghrami S, Schäferhoff K, Freund A, Takors R. Switching between nitrogen and glucose limitation: Unraveling transcriptional dynamics in Escherichia coli. J Biotechnol 2017; 258:2-12. [PMID: 28412516 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2017.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2017] [Revised: 04/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional control under nitrogen and carbon-limitation conditions have been well analyzed for Escherichia coli. However, the transcriptional dynamics that underlie the shift in regulatory programs from nitrogen to carbon limitation is not well studied. In the present study, cells were cultivated at steady state under nitrogen (ammonia)-limited conditions then shifted to carbon (glucose) limitation to monitor changes in transcriptional dynamics. Nitrogen limitation was found to be dominated by sigma 54 (RpoN) and sigma 38 (RpoS), whereas the "housekeeping" sigma factor 70 (RpoD) and sigma 38 regulate cellular status under glucose limitation. During the transition, nitrogen-mediated control was rapidly redeemed and mRNAs that encode active uptake systems, such as ptsG and manXYZ, were quickly amplified. Next, genes encoding facilitators such as lamB were overexpressed, followed by high affinity uptake systems such as mglABC and non-specific porins such as ompF. These regulatory programs are complex and require well-equilibrated and superior control. At the metabolome level, 2-oxoglutarate is the likely component that links carbon- and nitrogen-mediated regulation by interacting with major regulatory elements. In the case of dual glucose and ammonia limitation, sigma 24 (RpoE) appears to play a key role in orchestrating these complex regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Löffler
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Joana Danica Simen
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Jan Müller
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Günter Jäger
- University of Tübingen, Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Calwerstr. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Salaheddine Laghrami
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Karin Schäferhoff
- University of Tübingen, Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Calwerstr. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Freund
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - Ralf Takors
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
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12
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Enzyme IIA Ntr Regulates Salmonella Invasion Via 1,2-Propanediol And Propionate Catabolism. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44827. [PMID: 28333132 PMCID: PMC5363084 DOI: 10.1038/srep44827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Many Proteobacteria possess a nitrogen-metabolic phosphotransferase system (PTSNtr) consisting of EINtr, NPr, and EIIANtr (encoded by ptsP, ptsO, and ptsN, respectively). The PTSNtr plays diverse regulatory roles, but the substrate phosphorylated by EIIANtr and its primary functions have not yet been identified. To comprehensively understand the roles of PTSNtr in Salmonella Typhimurium, we compared the whole transcriptomes of wild-type and a ΔptsN mutant. Genome-wide RNA sequencing revealed that 3.5% of the annotated genes were up- or down-regulated by three-fold or more in the absence of EIIANtr. The ΔptsN mutant significantly down-regulated the expression of genes involved in vitamin B12 synthesis, 1,2-propanediol utilization, and propionate catabolism. Moreover, the invasiveness of the ΔptsN mutant increased about 5-fold when 1,2-propanediol or propionate was added, which was attributable to the increased stability of HilD, the transcriptional regulator of Salmonella pathogenicity island-1. Interestingly, an abundance of 1,2-propanediol or propionate promoted the production of EIIANtr, suggesting the possibility of a positive feedback loop between EIIANtr and two catabolic pathways. These results demonstrate that EIIANtr is a key factor for the utilization of 1,2-propanediol and propionate as carbon and energy sources, and thereby modulates the invasiveness of Salmonella via 1,2-propanediol or propionate catabolism.
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13
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von Wulffen J, Ulmer A, Jäger G, Sawodny O, Feuer R. Rapid Sampling of Escherichia coli After Changing Oxygen Conditions Reveals Transcriptional Dynamics. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8030090. [PMID: 28264512 PMCID: PMC5368694 DOI: 10.3390/genes8030090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli is able to shift between anaerobic and aerobic metabolism by adapting its gene expression, e.g., of metabolic genes, to the new environment. The dynamics of gene expression that result from environmental shifts are limited, amongst others, by the time needed for regulation and transcription elongation. In this study, we examined gene expression dynamics after an anaerobic-to-aerobic shift on a short time scale (0.5, 1, 2, 5, and 10 min) by RNA sequencing with emphasis on delay times and transcriptional elongation rates (TER). Transient expression patterns and timing of differential expression, characterized by delay and elongation, were identified as key features of the dataset. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed early upregulation of respiratory and iron-related gene sets. We inferred specific TERs of 89 operons with a mean TER of 42.0 nt/s and mean delay time of 22.4 s. TERs correlate with sequence features, such as codon bias, whereas delay times correlate with the involvement of regulators. The presented data illustrate that at very short times after a shift in oxygenation, extensional changes of the transcriptome, such as temporary responses, can be observed. Besides regulation, TERs contribute to the dynamics of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim von Wulffen
- Institute for System Dynamics, University of Stuttgart, Keplerstraße 7, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Andreas Ulmer
- Institute for System Dynamics, University of Stuttgart, Keplerstraße 7, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Günter Jäger
- Insitute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz, 72074 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Oliver Sawodny
- Institute for System Dynamics, University of Stuttgart, Keplerstraße 7, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Ronny Feuer
- Institute for System Dynamics, University of Stuttgart, Keplerstraße 7, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany.
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14
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Yoo W, Yoon H, Seok YJ, Lee CR, Lee HH, Ryu S. Fine-tuning of amino sugar homeostasis by EIIA(Ntr) in Salmonella Typhimurium. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33055. [PMID: 27628932 PMCID: PMC5024086 DOI: 10.1038/srep33055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The nitrogen-metabolic phosphotransferase system, PTS(Ntr), consists of the enzymes I(Ntr), NPr and IIA(Ntr) that are encoded by ptsP, ptsO, and ptsN, respectively. Due to the proximity of ptsO and ptsN to rpoN, the PTS(Ntr) system has been postulated to be closely related with nitrogen metabolism. To define the correlation between PTS(Ntr) and nitrogen metabolism, we performed ligand fishing with EIIA(Ntr) as a bait and revealed that D-glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase (GlmS) directly interacted with EIIA(Ntr). GlmS, which converts D-fructose-6-phosphate (Fru6P) into D-glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P), is a key enzyme producing amino sugars through glutamine hydrolysis. Amino sugar is an essential structural building block for bacterial peptidoglycan and LPS. We further verified that EIIA(Ntr) inhibited GlmS activity by direct interaction in a phosphorylation-state-dependent manner. EIIA(Ntr) was dephosphorylated in response to excessive nitrogen sources and was rapidly degraded by Lon protease upon amino sugar depletion. The regulation of GlmS activity by EIIA(Ntr) and the modulation of glmS translation by RapZ suggest that the genes comprising the rpoN operon play a key role in maintaining amino sugar homeostasis in response to nitrogen availability and the amino sugar concentration in the bacterial cytoplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woongjae Yoo
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Hyunjin Yoon
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Department of Applied Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | - Yeong-Jae Seok
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Chang-Ro Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Myongji University, Yongin, Gyeonggido 17058, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Ho Lee
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Sangryeol Ryu
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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15
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Löffler M, Simen JD, Jäger G, Schäferhoff K, Freund A, Takors R. Engineering E. coli for large-scale production - Strategies considering ATP expenses and transcriptional responses. Metab Eng 2016; 38:73-85. [PMID: 27378496 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2016.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Microbial producers such as Escherichia coli are evolutionarily trained to adapt to changing substrate availabilities. Being exposed to large-scale production conditions, their complex, multilayered regulatory programs are frequently activated because they face changing substrate supply due to limited mixing. Here, we show that E. coli can adopt both short- and long-term strategies to withstand these stress conditions. Experiments in which glucose availability was changed over a short time scale were performed in a two-compartment bioreactor system. Quick metabolic responses were observed during the first 30s of glucose shortage, and after 70s, fundamental transcriptional programs were initiated. Since cells are fluctuating under simulated large-scale conditions, this scenario represents a continuous on/off switching of about 600 genes. Furthermore, the resulting ATP maintenance demands were increased by about 40-50%, allowing us to conclude that hyper-producing strains could become ATP-limited under large-scale production conditions. Based on the observed transcriptional patterns, we identified a number of candidate gene deletions that may reduce unwanted ATP losses. In summary, we present a theoretical framework that provides biological targets that could be used to engineer novel E. coli strains such that large-scale performance equals laboratory-scale expectations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Löffler
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Joana Danica Simen
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Günter Jäger
- University of Tübingen, Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Calwerstr. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Karin Schäferhoff
- University of Tübingen, Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Calwerstr. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Freund
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Ralf Takors
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
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16
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Lüttmann D, Göpel Y, Görke B. Cross-Talk between the Canonical and the Nitrogen-Related Phosphotransferase Systems Modulates Synthesis of the KdpFABC Potassium Transporter in Escherichia coli. J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 25:168-77. [DOI: 10.1159/000375497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many Proteobacteria possess the regulatory nitrogen-related phosphotransferase system (PTS<sup>Ntr</sup>), which operates in parallel to the transport PTS. PTS<sup>Ntr</sup> is composed of the proteins EI<sup>Ntr</sup> and NPr and the final phosphate acceptor EIIA<sup>Ntr</sup>. Both PTSs can exchange phosphoryl groups among each other. Proteins governing K<sup>+</sup> uptake represent a major target of PTS<sup>Ntr</sup> in <i>Escherichia coli</i>. Nonphosphorylated EIIA<sup>Ntr</sup> binds and stimulates the K<sup>+</sup> sensor KdpD, which activates expression of the <i>kdpFABC</i> operon encoding a K<sup>+</sup> transporter. Here we show that this regulation also operates in an <i>ilvG</i><sup><i>+</i></sup> strain ruling out previous concern about interference with a nonfunctional <i>ilvG</i> allele present in many strains. Furthermore, we analyzed phosphorylation of EIIA<sup>Ntr</sup>. In wild-type cells EIIA<sup>Ntr</sup> is predominantly phosphorylated, regardless of the growth stage and the utilized carbon source. However, cross-phosphorylation of EIIA<sup>Ntr</sup> by the transport PTS becomes apparent in the absence of EI<sup>Ntr</sup>: EIIA<sup>Ntr</sup> is predominantly nonphosphorylated when cells grow on a PTS sugar and phosphorylated when a non-PTS carbohydrate is utilized. These differences in phosphorylation are transduced into corresponding <i>kdpFABC</i> transcription levels. Thus, the transport PTS may affect phosphorylation of EIIA<sup>Ntr</sup> and accordingly modulate processes controlled by EIIA<sup>Ntr</sup>. Our data suggest that this cross-talk becomes most relevant under conditions that would inhibit activity of EI<sup>Ntr</sup>.
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17
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Bücker R, Heroven AK, Becker J, Dersch P, Wittmann C. The pyruvate-tricarboxylic acid cycle node: a focal point of virulence control in the enteric pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:30114-32. [PMID: 25164818 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.581348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite our increasing knowledge of the specific pathogenicity factors in bacteria, the contribution of metabolic processes to virulence is largely unknown. Here, we elucidate a tight connection between pathogenicity and core metabolism in the enteric pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis by integrated transcriptome and [(13)C]fluxome analysis of the wild type and virulence-regulator mutants. During aerobic growth on glucose, Y. pseudotuberculosis reveals an unusual flux distribution with a high level of secreted pyruvate. The absence of the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators RovA, CsrA, and Crp strongly perturbs the fluxes of carbon core metabolism at the level of pyruvate metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and these perturbations are accompanied by transcriptional changes in the corresponding enzymes. Knock-outs of regulators of this metabolic branch point and of its central enzyme, pyruvate kinase (ΔpykF), result in mutants with significantly reduced virulence in an oral mouse infection model. In summary, our work identifies the pyruvate-TCA cycle node as a focal point for controlling the host colonization and virulence of Yersinia.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Bücker
- From the Institute of Systems Biotechnology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, the Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Technische Universität, Braunschweig and
| | - Ann Kathrin Heroven
- the Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Judith Becker
- From the Institute of Systems Biotechnology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken
| | - Petra Dersch
- the Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Christoph Wittmann
- From the Institute of Systems Biotechnology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken,
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18
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Combinatorial strategies for improving multiple-stress resistance in industrially relevant Escherichia coli strains. Appl Environ Microbiol 2014; 80:6223-42. [PMID: 25085490 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01542-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
High-cell-density fermentation for industrial production of chemicals can impose numerous stresses on cells due to high substrate, product, and by-product concentrations; high osmolarity; reactive oxygen species; and elevated temperatures. There is a need to develop platform strains of industrial microorganisms that are more tolerant toward these typical processing conditions. In this study, the growth of six industrially relevant strains of Escherichia coli was characterized under eight stress conditions representative of fed-batch fermentation, and strains W and BL21(DE3) were selected as platforms for transposon (Tn) mutagenesis due to favorable resistance characteristics. Selection experiments, followed by either targeted or genome-wide next-generation-sequencing-based Tn insertion site determination, were performed to identify mutants with improved growth properties under a subset of three stress conditions and two combinations of individual stresses. A subset of the identified loss-of-function mutants were selected for a combinatorial approach, where strains with combinations of two and three gene deletions were systematically constructed and tested for single and multistress resistance. These approaches allowed identification of (i) strain-background-specific stress resistance phenotypes, (ii) novel gene deletion mutants in E. coli that confer single and multistress resistance in a strain-background-dependent manner, and (iii) synergistic effects of multiple gene deletions that confer improved resistance over single deletions. The results of this study underscore the suboptimality and strain-specific variability of the genetic network regulating growth under stressful conditions and suggest that further exploration of the combinatorial gene deletion space in multiple strain backgrounds is needed for optimizing strains for microbial bioprocessing applications.
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19
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Biochemical characterization of a nitrogen-type phosphotransferase system reveals that enzyme EI(Ntr) integrates carbon and nitrogen signaling in Sinorhizobium meliloti. J Bacteriol 2014; 196:1901-7. [PMID: 24633875 DOI: 10.1128/jb.01489-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In Sinorhizobium meliloti, catabolite repression is influenced by a noncanonical nitrogen-type phosphotransferase system (PTS(Ntr)). In this PTS(Ntr), the protein HPr is phosphorylated on histidine-22 by the enzyme EI(Ntr) and the flux of phosphate through this residue onto downstream proteins leads to an increase in succinate-mediated catabolite repression (SMCR). In order to explore the molecular determinants of HPr phosphorylation by EI(Ntr), both proteins were purified and the activity of EI(Ntr) was measured. Experimentally determined kinetic parameters of EI(Ntr) activity were significantly slower than those determined for the carbohydrate-type EI in Escherichia coli. Enzymatic assays showed that glutamine, a signal of nitrogen availability in many Gram-negative bacteria, strongly inhibits EI(Ntr). Binding experiments using the isolated GAF domain of EI(Ntr) (EIGAF) showed that it is the domain responsible for detection of glutamine. EI(Ntr) activity was not affected by α-ketoglutarate, and no binding between the EIGAF and α-ketoglutarate could be detected. These data suggest that in S. melilloti, EI(Ntr) phosphorylation of HPr is regulated by signals from both carbon metabolism (phosphoenolpyruvate) and nitrogen metabolism (glutamine).
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20
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Karstens K, Zschiedrich CP, Bowien B, Stülke J, Görke B. Phosphotransferase protein EIIANtr interacts with SpoT, a key enzyme of the stringent response, in Ralstonia eutropha H16. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2014; 160:711-722. [PMID: 24515609 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.075226-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
EIIA(Ntr) is a member of a truncated phosphotransferase (PTS) system that serves regulatory functions and exists in many Proteobacteria in addition to the sugar transport PTS. In Escherichia coli, EIIA(Ntr) regulates K(+) homeostasis through interaction with the K(+) transporter TrkA and sensor kinase KdpD. In the β-Proteobacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16, EIIA(Ntr) influences formation of the industrially important bioplastic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). PHB accumulation is controlled by the stringent response and induced under conditions of nitrogen deprivation. Knockout of EIIA(Ntr) increases the PHB content. In contrast, absence of enzyme I or HPr, which deliver phosphoryl groups to EIIA(Ntr), has the opposite effect. To clarify the role of EIIA(Ntr) in PHB formation, we screened for interacting proteins that co-purify with Strep-tagged EIIA(Ntr) from R. eutropha cells. This approach identified the bifunctional ppGpp synthase/hydrolase SpoT1, a key enzyme of the stringent response. Two-hybrid and far-Western analyses confirmed the interaction and indicated that only non-phosphorylated EIIA(Ntr) interacts with SpoT1. Interestingly, this interaction does not occur between the corresponding proteins of E. coli. Vice versa, interaction of EIIA(Ntr) with KdpD appears to be absent in R. eutropha, although R. eutropha EIIA(Ntr) can perfectly substitute its homologue in E. coli in regulation of KdpD activity. Thus, interaction with KdpD might be an evolutionary 'ancient' task of EIIA(Ntr) that was subsequently replaced by interaction with SpoT1 in R. eutropha. In conclusion, EIIA(Ntr) might integrate information about nutritional status, as reflected by its phosphorylation state, into the stringent response, thereby controlling cellular PHB content in R. eutropha.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Karstens
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christopher P Zschiedrich
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Botho Bowien
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Stülke
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Boris Görke
- Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Center of Molecular Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria.,Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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