Bioinformatic characterization of the 4-Toluene Sulfonate Uptake Permease (TSUP) family of transmembrane proteins

Genome sequences of Arthrobacter spp. that use a modified sulfoglycolytic Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway

Sulfoglycolysis pathways enable the breakdown of the sulfosugar sulfoquinovose and environmental recycling of its carbon and sulfur content. The prototypical sulfoglycolytic pathway is a variant of the classical Embden–Meyerhof–Parnas (EMP) pathway that results in formation of 2,3-dihydroxypropanesulfonate and was first described in gram-negative Escherichia coli. We used enrichment cultures to discover new sulfoglycolytic bacteria from Australian soil samples. Two gram-positive Arthrobacter spp. were isolated that produced sulfolactate as the metabolic end-product. Genome sequences identified a modified sulfoglycolytic EMP gene cluster, conserved across a range of other Actinobacteria, that retained the core sulfoglycolysis genes encoding metabolic enzymes but featured the replacement of the gene encoding sulfolactaldehyde (SLA) reductase with SLA dehydrogenase, and the absence of sulfoquinovosidase and sulfoquinovose mutarotase genes. Excretion of sulfolactate by these Arthrobacter spp. is consistent with an aerobic saprophytic lifestyle. This work broadens our knowledge of the sulfo-EMP pathway to include soil bacteria.

Comparative population genomic analyses of transporters within the Asgard archaeal superphylum

Upon discovery of the first archaeal species in the 1970s, life has been subdivided into three domains: Eukarya, Archaea, and Bacteria. However, the organization of the three-domain tree of life has been challenged following the discovery of archaeal lineages such as the TACK and Asgard superphyla. The Asgard Superphylum has emerged as the closest archaeal ancestor to eukaryotes, potentially improving our understanding of the evolution of life forms. We characterized the transportomes and their substrates within four metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), that is, Odin-, Thor-, Heimdall- and Loki-archaeota as well as the fully sequenced genome of Candidatus Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum strain MK-D1 that belongs to the Loki phylum. Using the Transporter Classification Database (TCDB) as reference, candidate transporters encoded within the proteomes were identified based on sequence similarity, alignment coverage, compatibility of hydropathy profiles, TMS topologies and shared domains. Identified transport systems were compared within the Asgard superphylum as well as within dissimilar eukaryotic, archaeal and bacterial organisms. From these analyses, we infer that Asgard organisms rely mostly on the transport of substrates driven by the proton motive force (pmf), the proton electrochemical gradient which then can be used for ATP production and to drive the activities of secondary carriers. The results indicate that Asgard archaea depend heavily on the uptake of organic molecules such as lipid precursors, amino acids and their derivatives, and sugars and their derivatives. Overall, the majority of the transporters identified are more similar to prokaryotic transporters than eukaryotic systems although several instances of the reverse were documented. Taken together, the results support the previous suggestions that the Asgard superphylum includes organisms that are largely mixotrophic and anaerobic but more clearly define their metabolic potential while providing evidence regarding their relatedness to eukaryotes.

Expansion of the Transporter-Opsin-G protein-coupled receptor superfamily with five new protein families

Here we provide bioinformatic evidence that the Organo-Arsenical Exporter (ArsP), Endoplasmic Reticulum Retention Receptor (KDELR), Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier (MPC), L-Alanine Exporter (AlaE), and the Lipid-linked Sugar Translocase (LST) protein families are members of the Transporter-Opsin-G Protein-coupled Receptor (TOG) Superfamily. These families share domains homologous to well-established TOG superfamily members, and their topologies of transmembranal segments (TMSs) are compatible with the basic 4-TMS repeat unit characteristic of this Superfamily. These repeat units tend to occur twice in proteins as a result of intragenic duplication events, often with subsequent gain/loss of TMSs in many superfamily members. Transporters within the ArsP family allow microbial pathogens to expel toxic arsenic compounds from the cell. Members of the KDELR family are involved in the selective retrieval of proteins that reside in the endoplasmic reticulum. Proteins of the MPC family are involved in the transport of pyruvate into mitochondria, providing the organelle with a major oxidative fuel. Members of family AlaE excrete L-alanine from the cell. Members of the LST family are involved in the translocation of lipid-linked glucose across the membrane. These five families substantially expand the range of substrates of transport carriers in the superfamily, although KDEL receptors have no known transport function. Clustering of protein sequences reveals the relationships among families, and the resulting tree correlates well with the degrees of sequence similarity documented between families. The analyses and programs developed to detect distant relatedness, provide insights into the structural, functional, and evolutionary relationships that exist between families of the TOG superfamily, and should be of value to many other investigators.

Specific inhibitors of respiratory sulfate reduction: towards a mechanistic understanding

Microbial sulfate reduction (SR) by sulfate-reducing micro-organisms (SRM) is a primary environmental mechanism of anaerobic organic matter mineralization, and as such influences carbon and sulfur cycling in many natural and engineered environments. In industrial systems, SR results in the generation of hydrogen sulfide, a toxic, corrosive gas with adverse human health effects and significant economic and environmental consequences. Therefore, there has been considerable interest in developing strategies for mitigating hydrogen sulfide production, and several specific inhibitors of SRM have been identified and characterized. Specific inhibitors are compounds that disrupt the metabolism of one group of organisms, with little or no effect on the rest of the community. Putative specific inhibitors of SRM have been used to control sulfidogenesis in industrial and engineered systems. Despite the value of these inhibitors, mechanistic and quantitative studies into the molecular mechanisms of their inhibition have been sparse and unsystematic. The insight garnered by such studies is essential if we are to have a more complete understanding of SR, including the past and current selective pressures acting upon it. Furthermore, the ability to reliably control sulfidogenesis - and potentially assimilatory sulfate pathways - relies on a thorough molecular understanding of inhibition. The scope of this review is to summarize the current state of the field: how we measure and understand inhibition, the targets of specific SR inhibitors and how SRM acclimatize and/or adapt to these stressors.

Sulfate Transporters in Dissimilatory Sulfate Reducing Microorganisms: A Comparative Genomics Analysis

The first step in the sulfate reduction pathway is the transport of sulfate across the cell membrane. This uptake has a major effect on sulfate reduction rates. Much of the information available on sulfate transport was obtained by studies on assimilatory sulfate reduction, where sulfate transporters were identified among several types of protein families. Despite our growing knowledge on the physiology of dissimilatory sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM) there are no studies identifying the proteins involved in sulfate uptake in members of this ecologically important group of anaerobes. We surveyed the complete genomes of 44 sulfate-reducing bacteria and archaea across six phyla and identified putative sulfate transporter encoding genes from four out of the five surveyed protein families based on homology. We did not find evidence that ABC-type transporters (SulT) are involved in the uptake of sulfate in SRM. We speculate that members of the CysP sulfate transporters could play a key role in the uptake of sulfate in thermophilic SRM. Putative CysZ-type sulfate transporters were present in all genomes examined suggesting that this overlooked group of sulfate transporters might play a role in sulfate transport in dissimilatory sulfate reducers alongside SulP. Our in silico analysis highlights several targets for further molecular studies in order to understand this key step in the metabolism of SRMs.

σ54-dependent regulome in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough

Background

The σ⁵⁴ subunit controls a unique class of promoters in bacteria. Such promoters, without exception, require enhancer binding proteins (EBPs) for transcription initiation. Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, a model bacterium for sulfate reduction studies, has a high number of EBPs, more than most sequenced bacteria. The cellular processes regulated by many of these EBPs remain unknown.

Results

To characterize the σ⁵⁴-dependent regulome of D. vulgaris Hildenborough, we identified EBP binding motifs and regulated genes by a combination of computational and experimental techniques. These predictions were supported by our reconstruction of σ⁵⁴-dependent promoters by comparative genomics. We reassessed and refined the results of earlier studies on regulation in D. vulgaris Hildenborough and consolidated them with our new findings. It allowed us to reconstruct the σ⁵⁴ regulome in D. vulgaris Hildenborough. This regulome includes 36 regulons that consist of 201 coding genes and 4 non-coding RNAs, and is involved in nitrogen, carbon and energy metabolism, regulation, transmembrane transport and various extracellular functions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of direct regulation of alanine dehydrogenase, pyruvate metabolism genes and type III secretion system by σ⁵⁴-dependent regulators.

Conclusions

The σ⁵⁴-dependent regulome is an important component of transcriptional regulatory network in D. vulgaris Hildenborough and related free-living Deltaproteobacteria. Our study provides a representative collection of σ⁵⁴-dependent regulons that can be used for regulation prediction in Deltaproteobacteria and other taxa.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2176-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bioinformatic analyses of integral membrane transport proteins encoded within the genome of the planctomycetes species, Rhodopirellula baltica

Rhodopirellula baltica (R. baltica) is a Planctomycete, known to have intracellular membranes. Because of its unusual cell structure and ecological significance, we have conducted comprehensive analyses of its transmembrane transport proteins. The complete proteome of R. baltica was screened against the Transporter Classification Database (TCDB) to identify recognizable integral membrane transport proteins. 342 proteins were identified with a high degree of confidence, and these fell into several different classes. R. baltica encodes in its genome channels (12%), secondary carriers (33%), and primary active transport proteins (41%) in addition to classes represented in smaller numbers. Relative to most non-marine bacteria, R. baltica possesses a larger number of sodium-dependent symporters but fewer proton-dependent symporters, and it has dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and trimethyl-amine-oxide (TMAO) reductases, consistent with its Na(+)-rich marine environment. R. baltica also possesses a Na(+)-translocating NADH:quinone dehydrogenase (Na(+)-NDH), a Na(+) efflux decarboxylase, two Na(+)-exporting ABC pumps, two Na(+)-translocating F-type ATPases, two Na(+):H(+) antiporters and two K(+):H(+) antiporters. Flagellar motility probably depends on the sodium electrochemical gradient. Surprisingly, R. baltica also has a complete set of H(+)-translocating electron transport complexes similar to those present in α-proteobacteria and eukaryotic mitochondria. The transport proteins identified proved to be typical of the bacterial domain with little or no indication of the presence of eukaryotic-type transporters. However, novel functionally uncharacterized multispanning membrane proteins were identified, some of which are found only in Rhodopirellula species, but others of which are widely distributed in bacteria. The analyses lead to predictions regarding the physiology, ecology and evolution of R. baltica.

Comparative genomics of transport proteins in developmental bacteria: Myxococcus xanthus and Streptomyces coelicolor

Background

Two of the largest fully sequenced prokaryotic genomes are those of the actinobacterium, Streptomyces coelicolor (Sco), and the δ-proteobacterium, Myxococcus xanthus (Mxa), both differentiating, sporulating, antibiotic producing, soil microbes. Although the genomes of Sco and Mxa are the same size (~9 Mbp), Sco has 10% more genes that are on average 10% smaller than those in Mxa.

Results

Surprisingly, Sco has 93% more identifiable transport proteins than Mxa. This is because Sco has amplified several specific types of its transport protein genes, while Mxa has done so to a much lesser extent. Amplification is substrate- and family-specific. For example, Sco but not Mxa has amplified its voltage-gated ion channels but not its aquaporins and mechano-sensitive channels. Sco but not Mxa has also amplified drug efflux pumps of the DHA2 Family of the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) (49 versus 6), amino acid transporters of the APC Family (17 versus 2), ABC-type sugar transport proteins (85 versus 6), and organic anion transporters of several families. Sco has not amplified most other types of transporters. Mxa has selectively amplified one family of macrolid exporters relative to Sco (16 versus 1), consistent with the observation that Mxa makes more macrolids than does Sco.

Conclusions

Except for electron transport carriers, there is a poor correlation between the types of transporters found in these two organisms, suggesting that their solutions to differentiative and metabolic needs evolved independently. A number of unexpected and surprising observations are presented, and predictions are made regarding the physiological functions of recognizable transporters as well as the existence of yet to be discovered transport systems in these two important model organisms and their relatives. The results provide insight into the evolutionary processes by which two dissimilar prokaryotes evolved complexity, particularly through selective chromosomal gene amplification.

The transporter classification database

The Transporter Classification Database (TCDB; http://www.tcdb.org) serves as a common reference point for transport protein research. The database contains more than 10 000 non-redundant proteins that represent all currently recognized families of transmembrane molecular transport systems. Proteins in TCDB are organized in a five level hierarchical system, where the first two levels are the class and subclass, the second two are the family and subfamily, and the last one is the transport system. Superfamilies that contain multiple families are included as hyperlinks to the five tier TC hierarchy. TCDB includes proteins from all types of living organisms and is the only transporter classification system that is both universal and recognized by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It has been expanded by manual curation, contains extensive text descriptions providing structural, functional, mechanistic and evolutionary information, is supported by unique software and is interconnected to many other relevant databases. TCDB is of increasing usefulness to the international scientific community and can serve as a model for the expansion of database technologies. This manuscript describes an update of the database descriptions previously featured in NAR database issues.

The transporter-opsin-G protein-coupled receptor (TOG) superfamily

Visual rhodopsins are recognized members of the large and diverse family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), but their evolutionary origin and relationships to other proteins are not known. In a previous paper [Shlykov MA, Zheng WH, Chen JS & Saier MH Jr (2012) Biochim Biophys Acta 1818, 703-717], we characterized the 4-toluene sulfonate uptake permease (TSUP) family of transmembrane proteins, and showed that these 7-transmembrane segment (TMS) or 8-TMS proteins arose by intragenic duplication of a gene encoding a 4-TMS protein, sometimes followed by loss of a terminal TMS. In this study, we show that the TSUP, GPCR and microbial rhodopsin families are related to each other and to six other currently recognized transport protein families. We designate this superfamily the transporter/opsin/G protein-coupled receptor (TOG) superfamily. Despite their 8-TMS origins, the members of most constituent families exhibit 7-TMS topologies that are well conserved, and these arose by loss of either the N-terminal TMS (more frequent) or the C-terminal TMS (less frequent), depending on the family. Phylogenetic analyses revealed familial relationships within the superfamily and protein relationships within each of the nine families. The results of the statistical analyses leading to the conclusion of homology were confirmed using hidden Markov models, Pfam and 3D superimpositions. Proteins functioning by dissimilar mechanisms (channels, primary active transporters, secondary active transporters, group translocators and receptors) are interspersed on a phylogenetic tree of the TOG superfamily, suggesting that changes in the transport and energy-coupling mechanisms occurred multiple times during evolution of this superfamily.

Microcompartments and protein machines in prokaryotes

The prokaryotic cell was once thought of as a 'bag of enzymes' with little or no intracellular compartmentalization. In this view, most reactions essential for life occurred as a consequence of random molecular collisions involving substrates, cofactors and cytoplasmic enzymes. Our current conception of a prokaryote is far from this view. We now consider a bacterium or an archaeon as a highly structured, nonrandom collection of functional membrane-embedded and proteinaceous molecular machines, each of which serves a specialized function. In this article we shall present an overview of such microcompartments including (1) the bacterial cytoskeleton and the apparati allowing DNA segregation during cell division; (2) energy transduction apparati involving light-driven proton pumping and ion gradient-driven ATP synthesis; (3) prokaryotic motility and taxis machines that mediate cell movements in response to gradients of chemicals and physical forces; (4) machines of protein folding, secretion and degradation; (5) metabolosomes carrying out specific chemical reactions; (6) 24-hour clocks allowing bacteria to coordinate their metabolic activities with the daily solar cycle, and (7) proteinaceous membrane compartmentalized structures such as sulfur granules and gas vacuoles. Membrane-bound prokaryotic organelles were considered in a recent Journal of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology written symposium concerned with membranous compartmentalization in bacteria [J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol 2013;23:1-192]. By contrast, in this symposium, we focus on proteinaceous microcompartments. These two symposia, taken together, provide the interested reader with an objective view of the remarkable complexity of what was once thought of as a simple noncompartmentalized cell.

New family of tungstate-responsive transcriptional regulators in sulfate-reducing bacteria

The trace elements molybdenum and tungsten are essential components of cofactors of many metalloenzymes. However, in sulfate-reducing bacteria, high concentrations of molybdate and tungstate oxyanions inhibit growth, thus requiring the tight regulation of their homeostasis. By a combination of bioinformatic and experimental techniques, we identified a novel regulator family, tungstate-responsive regulator (TunR), controlling the homeostasis of tungstate and molybdate in sulfate-reducing deltaproteobacteria. The effector-sensing domains of these regulators are similar to those of the known molybdate-responsive regulator ModE, while their DNA-binding domains are homologous to XerC/XerD site-specific recombinases. Using a comparative genomics approach, we identified DNA motifs and reconstructed regulons for 40 TunR family members. Positional analysis of TunR sites and putative promoters allowed us to classify most TunR proteins into two groups: (i) activators of modABC genes encoding a high-affinity molybdenum and tungsten transporting system and (ii) repressors of genes for toluene sulfonate uptake (TSUP) family transporters. The activation of modA and modBC genes by TunR in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough was confirmed in vivo, and we discovered that the activation was diminished in the presence of tungstate. A predicted 30-bp TunR-binding motif was confirmed by in vitro binding assays. A novel TunR family of bacterial transcriptional factors controls tungstate and molybdate homeostasis in sulfate-reducing deltaproteobacteria. We proposed that TunR proteins participate in protection of the cells from the inhibition by these oxyanions. To our knowledge, this is a unique case of a family of bacterial transcriptional factors evolved from site-specific recombinases.

The major facilitator superfamily (MFS) revisited

The major facilitator superfamily (MFS) is the largest known superfamily of secondary carriers found in the biosphere. It is ubiquitously distributed throughout virtually all currently recognized organismal phyla. This superfamily currently (2012) consists of 74 families, each of which is usually concerned with the transport of a certain type of substrate. Many of these families, defined phylogenetically, do not include even a single member that is functionally characterized. In this article, we probe the evolutionary origins of these transporters, providing evidence that they arose from a single 2-transmembrane segment (TMS) hairpin structure that triplicated to give a 6-TMS unit that duplicated to a 12-TMS protein, the most frequent topological type of these permeases. We globally examine MFS protein topologies, focusing on exceptional proteins that deviate from the norm. Nine distantly related families appear to have members with 14 TMSs in which the extra two are usually centrally localized between the two 6-TMS repeat units. They probably have arisen by intragenic duplication of an adjacent hairpin. This alternative topology probably arose multiple times during MFS evolution. Convincing evidence for MFS permeases with fewer than 12 TMSs was not forthcoming, leading to the suggestion that all 12 TMSs are required for optimal function. Some homologs appear to have 13, 14, 15 or 16 TMSs, and the probable locations of the extra TMSs were identified. A few MFS permeases are fused to other functional domains or are fully duplicated to give 24-TMS proteins with dual functions. Finally, the MFS families with no known function were subjected to genomic context analyses leading to functional predictions.