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Zmyslia M, Fröhlich K, Dao T, Schmidt A, Jessen-Trefzer C. Deep Proteomic Investigation of Metabolic Adaptation in Mycobacteria under Different Growth Conditions. Proteomes 2023; 11:39. [PMID: 38133153 PMCID: PMC10747050 DOI: 10.3390/proteomes11040039] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the complex mechanisms of mycobacterial pathophysiology and adaptive responses presents challenges that can hinder drug development. However, employing physiologically relevant conditions, such as those found in human macrophages or simulating physiological growth conditions, holds promise for more effective drug screening. A valuable tool in this pursuit is proteomics, which allows for a comprehensive analysis of adaptive responses. In our study, we focused on Mycobacterium smegmatis, a model organism closely related to the pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis, to investigate the impact of various carbon sources on mycobacterial growth. To facilitate this research, we developed a cost-effective, straightforward, and high-quality pipeline for proteome analysis and compared six different carbon source conditions. Additionally, we have created an online tool to present and analyze our data, making it easily accessible to the community. This user-friendly platform allows researchers and interested parties to explore and interpret the results effectively. Our findings shed light on mycobacterial adaptive physiology and present potential targets for drug development, contributing to the fight against tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariia Zmyslia
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; (M.Z.); (T.D.)
| | - Klemens Fröhlich
- Proteomics Core Facility, Biozentrum Basel, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland; (K.F.); (A.S.)
| | - Trinh Dao
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; (M.Z.); (T.D.)
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 19A, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- The Center for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Schmidt
- Proteomics Core Facility, Biozentrum Basel, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056 Basel, Switzerland; (K.F.); (A.S.)
| | - Claudia Jessen-Trefzer
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; (M.Z.); (T.D.)
- The Center for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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Drousiotis K, Herman R, Hawkhead J, Leech A, Wilkinson A, Thomas GH. Characterization of the l-arabinofuranose-specific GafABCD ABC transporter essential for l-arabinose-dependent growth of the lignocellulose-degrading bacterium Shewanella sp. ANA-3. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001308. [PMID: 36920280 PMCID: PMC10191376 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Microbes that have evolved to live on lignocellulosic biomass face unique challenges in the effective and efficient use of this material as food. The bacterium Shewanella sp. ANA-3 has the potential to utilize arabinan and arabinoxylan, and uptake of the monosaccharide, l-arabinose, derived from these polymers, is known to be mediated by a single ABC transporter. We demonstrate that the substrate binding protein of this system, GafASw, binds specifically to l-arabinofuranose, which is the rare furanose form of l-arabinose found in lignocellulosic biomass. The structure of GafASw was resolved to 1.7 Å and comparison to Escherichia coli YtfQ (GafAEc) revealed binding site adaptations that confer specificity for furanose over pyranose forms of monosaccharides, while selecting arabinose over another related monosaccharide, galactose. The discovery of a bacterium with a natural predilection for a sugar found abundantly in certain lignocellulosic materials suggests an intimate connection in the enzymatic release and uptake of the sugar, perhaps to prevent other microbes scavenging this nutrient before it mutarotates to l-arabinopyranose. This biological discovery also provides a clear route to engineer more efficient utilization of plant biomass components in industrial biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reyme Herman
- Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York, UK
| | - Judith Hawkhead
- Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York, UK
| | - Andrew Leech
- Biology Technology Facility, University of York, PO Box 373, York. YO10 5YW, UK
| | - Anthony Wilkinson
- Department of Chemistry, York Structural Biology Laboratory, University of York, PO Box 373, York. YO10 5YW, UK
| | - Gavin H. Thomas
- Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York, UK
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Pohane AA, Moore DJ, Lepori I, Gordon RA, Nathan TO, Gepford DM, Kavunja HW, Gaidhane IV, Swarts BM, Siegrist MS. A Bifunctional Chemical Reporter for in Situ Analysis of Cell Envelope Glycan Recycling in Mycobacteria. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:2223-2231. [PMID: 36288262 PMCID: PMC9924612 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00396] [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] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
In mycobacteria, the glucose-based disaccharide trehalose cycles between the cytoplasm, where it is a stress protectant and carbon source, and the cell envelope, where it is released as a byproduct of outer mycomembrane glycan biosynthesis and turnover. Trehalose recycling via the LpqY-SugABC transporter promotes virulence, antibiotic recalcitrance, and efficient adaptation to nutrient deprivation. The source(s) of trehalose and the regulation of recycling under these and other stressors are unclear. A key technical gap in addressing these questions has been the inability to trace trehalose recycling in situ, directly from its site of liberation from the cell envelope. Here we describe a bifunctional chemical reporter that simultaneously marks mycomembrane biosynthesis and subsequent trehalose recycling with alkyne and azide groups. Using this probe, we discovered that the recycling efficiency for trehalose increases upon carbon starvation, concomitant with an increase in LpqY-SugABC expression. The ability of the bifunctional reporter to probe multiple, linked steps provides a more nuanced understanding of mycobacterial cell envelope metabolism and its plasticity under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amol Arunrao Pohane
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003 USA
| | - Devin J. Moore
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859 USA
| | - Irene Lepori
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003 USA
| | - Rebecca A. Gordon
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003 USA
| | - Temitope O. Nathan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859 USA
| | - Dana M. Gepford
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859 USA
| | - Herbert W. Kavunja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859 USA
| | - Ishani V. Gaidhane
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859 USA
| | - Benjamin M. Swarts
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859 USA
- Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology Program, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859 United States
| | - M. Sloan Siegrist
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003 USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003 USA
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4
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Karlikowska M, Singh A, Bhatt A, Ott S, Bottrill AR, Besra GS, Fullam E. Biochemical and phenotypic characterisation of the Mycobacterium smegmatis transporter UspABC. Cell Surf 2021; 7:100052. [PMID: 34296047 PMCID: PMC8281650 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2021.100052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an intracellular human pathogen that has evolved to survive in a nutrient limited environment within the host for decades. Accordingly, Mtb has developed strategies to acquire scarce nutrients and the mycobacterial transporter systems provide an important route for the import of key energy sources. However, the physiological role of the Mtb transporters and their substrate preference(s) are poorly characterised. Previous studies have established that the Mtb UspC solute-binding domain recognises amino- and phosphorylated-sugars, indicating that the mycobacterial UspABC transporter plays a key role in the import of peptidoglycan precursors. Herein, we have used a wide array of approaches to investigate the role of UspABC in Mycobacterium smegmatis by analysis of mutant strains that either lack the solute binding domain: ΔuspC or the entire transport complex: ΔuspABC. Analysis of mycobacterial transcripts shows that the uspABC system is functionally expressed in mycobacteria as a contiguous reading frame. Topology mapping confirms an Nin-Cin orientation of the UspAB integral membrane spanning domains. Phenotypic microarray profiling of commercially available sugars suggests, unexpectedly, that the uspC and ΔuspABC mutants had different carbon utilisation profiles and that neither strain utilised glucose-1-phosphate. Furthermore, proteomics analysis showed an alteration in the abundance of proteins involved in sugar and lipid metabolism, crucial for cell envelope synthesis, and we propose that UspABC has an important role in determining the interplay between these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Albel Singh
- Institute of Microbiology & Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Apoorva Bhatt
- Institute of Microbiology & Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Sascha Ott
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, UK
- Bioinformatics Research Technology Platform, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | | | - Gurdyal S. Besra
- Institute of Microbiology & Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Elizabeth Fullam
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
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Parker HL, Tomás RMF, Furze CM, Guy CS, Fullam E. Asymmetric trehalose analogues to probe disaccharide processing pathways in mycobacteria. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 18:3607-3612. [PMID: 32350493 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob00253d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The uptake and metabolism of the disaccharide trehalose by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is essential for the virulence of this pathogen. Here we describe the chemoenzymatic synthesis of new azido-functionalised asymmetric trehalose probes that resist degradation by mycobacterial enzymes and are used to probe trehalose processing pathways in mycobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadyn L Parker
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
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Discovery of a small protein factor involved in the coordinated degradation of phycobilisomes in cyanobacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2012277118. [PMID: 33509926 PMCID: PMC7865187 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2012277118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During genome analysis, genes encoding small proteins are frequently neglected. Accordingly, small proteins have remained underinvestigated in all domains of life. Based on a previous systematic search for such genes, we present the functional analysis of the 66 amino acids protein NblD in a photosynthetic cyanobacterium. We show that NblD plays a crucial role during the coordinated dismantling of phycobilisome light-harvesting complexes. This disassembly is triggered when the cells become starved for nitrogen, a condition that frequently occurs in nature. Similar to NblA that tags phycobiliproteins for proteolysis, NblD binds to phycocyanin polypeptides but has a different function. The results show that, even in a well-investigated process, crucial new players can be discovered if small proteins are taken into consideration. Phycobilisomes are the major pigment–protein antenna complexes that perform photosynthetic light harvesting in cyanobacteria, rhodophyte, and glaucophyte algae. Up to 50% of the cellular nitrogen can be stored in their giant structures. Accordingly, upon nitrogen depletion, phycobilisomes are rapidly degraded following an intricate genetic program. Here, we describe the role of NblD, a cysteine-rich, small protein in this process in cyanobacteria. Deletion of the nblD gene in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 prevented the degradation of phycobilisomes, leading to a nonbleaching (nbl) phenotype, which could be complemented by a plasmid-localized gene copy. Competitive growth experiments between the ΔnblD and the wild-type strain provided direct evidence for the physiological importance of NblD under nitrogen-limited conditions. Ectopic expression of NblD under nitrogen-replete conditions showed no effect, in contrast to the unrelated proteolysis adaptors NblA1 and NblA2, which can trigger phycobilisome degradation. Transcriptome analysis indicated increased nblA1/2 transcript levels in the ΔnblD strain during nitrogen starvation, implying that NblD does not act as a transcriptional (co)regulator. However, immunoprecipitation and far-western experiments identified the chromophorylated (holo form) of the phycocyanin β-subunit (CpcB) as its target, while apo-CpcB was not bound. The addition of recombinant NblD to isolated phycobilisomes caused a reduction in phycocyanin absorbance and a broadening and shifting of the peak to lower wavelengths, indicating the occurrence of structural changes. These data demonstrate that NblD plays a crucial role in the coordinated dismantling of phycobilisomes and add it as a factor to the genetically programmed response to nitrogen starvation.
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Jackson M, Stevens CM, Zhang L, Zgurskaya HI, Niederweis M. Transporters Involved in the Biogenesis and Functionalization of the Mycobacterial Cell Envelope. Chem Rev 2021; 121:5124-5157. [PMID: 33170669 PMCID: PMC8107195 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The biology of mycobacteria is dominated by a complex cell envelope of unique composition and structure and of exceptionally low permeability. This cell envelope is the basis of many of the pathogenic features of mycobacteria and the site of susceptibility and resistance to many antibiotics and host defense mechanisms. This review is focused on the transporters that assemble and functionalize this complex structure. It highlights both the progress and the limits of our understanding of how (lipo)polysaccharides, (glyco)lipids, and other bacterial secretion products are translocated across the different layers of the cell envelope to their final extra-cytoplasmic location. It further describes some of the unique strategies evolved by mycobacteria to import nutrients and other products through this highly impermeable barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Jackson
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1682, USA
| | - Casey M. Stevens
- University of Oklahoma, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 845 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Helen I. Zgurskaya
- University of Oklahoma, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Michael Niederweis
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 845 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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