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Liang J, Xiao K, Wang X, Hou T, Zeng C, Gao X, Wang B, Zhong C. Revisiting Solar Energy Flow in Nanomaterial-Microorganism Hybrid Systems. Chem Rev 2024; 124:9081-9112. [PMID: 38900019 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Nanomaterial-microorganism hybrid systems (NMHSs), integrating semiconductor nanomaterials with microorganisms, present a promising platform for broadband solar energy harvesting, high-efficiency carbon reduction, and sustainable chemical production. While studies underscore its potential in diverse solar-to-chemical energy conversions, prevailing NMHSs grapple with suboptimal energy conversion efficiency. Such limitations stem predominantly from an insufficient systematic exploration of the mechanisms dictating solar energy flow. This review provides a systematic overview of the notable advancements in this nascent field, with a particular focus on the discussion of three pivotal steps of energy flow: solar energy capture, cross-membrane energy transport, and energy conversion into chemicals. While key challenges faced in each stage are independently identified and discussed, viable solutions are correspondingly postulated. In view of the interplay of the three steps in affecting the overall efficiency of solar-to-chemical energy conversion, subsequent discussions thus take an integrative and systematic viewpoint to comprehend, analyze and improve the solar energy flow in the current NMHSs of different configurations, and highlighting the contemporary techniques that can be employed to investigate various aspects of energy flow within NMHSs. Finally, a concluding section summarizes opportunities for future research, providing a roadmap for the continued development and optimization of NMHSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liang
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Kemeng Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tianfeng Hou
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Cuiping Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chao Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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2
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Atkinson N, Stringer R, Mitchell SR, Seung D, McCormick AJ. SAGA1 and SAGA2 promote starch formation around proto-pyrenoids in Arabidopsis chloroplasts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2311013121. [PMID: 38241434 PMCID: PMC10823261 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311013121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The pyrenoid is a chloroplastic microcompartment in which most algae and some terrestrial plants condense the primary carboxylase, Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) as part of a CO2-concentrating mechanism that improves the efficiency of CO2 capture. Engineering a pyrenoid-based CO2-concentrating mechanism (pCCM) into C3 crop plants is a promising strategy to enhance yield capacities and resilience to the changing climate. Many pyrenoids are characterized by a sheath of starch plates that is proposed to act as a barrier to limit CO2 diffusion. Recently, we have reconstituted a phase-separated "proto-pyrenoid" Rubisco matrix in the model C3 plant Arabidopsis thaliana using proteins from the alga with the most well-studied pyrenoid, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii [N. Atkinson, Y. Mao, K. X. Chan, A. J. McCormick, Nat. Commun. 11, 6303 (2020)]. Here, we describe the impact of introducing the Chlamydomonas proteins StArch Granules Abnormal 1 (SAGA1) and SAGA2, which are associated with the regulation of pyrenoid starch biogenesis and morphology. We show that SAGA1 localizes to the proto-pyrenoid in engineered Arabidopsis plants, which results in the formation of atypical spherical starch granules enclosed within the proto-pyrenoid condensate and adjacent plate-like granules that partially cover the condensate, but without modifying the total amount of chloroplastic starch accrued. Additional expression of SAGA2 further increases the proportion of starch synthesized as adjacent plate-like granules that fully encircle the proto-pyrenoid. Our findings pave the way to assembling a diffusion barrier as part of a functional pCCM in vascular plants, while also advancing our understanding of the roles of SAGA1 and SAGA2 in starch sheath formation and broadening the avenues for engineering starch morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky Atkinson
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EdinburghEH9 3BF, United Kingdom
- Centre of Engineering Biology, University of Edinburgh, EdinburghEH9 3BF, United Kingdom
| | - Rhea Stringer
- Department of Biochemistry and Metabolism, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, NorwichNR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen R. Mitchell
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EdinburghEH9 3BF, United Kingdom
| | - David Seung
- Department of Biochemistry and Metabolism, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, NorwichNR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Alistair J. McCormick
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EdinburghEH9 3BF, United Kingdom
- Centre of Engineering Biology, University of Edinburgh, EdinburghEH9 3BF, United Kingdom
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3
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Kang H, Xu T. N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation modulates liquid‒liquid phase separation in plants. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:3205-3213. [PMID: 37032432 PMCID: PMC10473200 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Membraneless biomolecular condensates form distinct subcellular compartments that enable a cell to orchestrate numerous biochemical reactions in a spatiotemporal-specific and dynamic manner. Liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) facilitates the formation of membraneless biomolecular condensates, which are crucial for many cellular processes in plants, including embryogenesis, the floral transition, photosynthesis, pathogen defense, and stress responses. The main component required for LLPS is a protein harboring key characteristic features, such as intrinsically disordered regions, low-complexity sequence domains, and prion-like domains. RNA is an additional component involved in LLPS. Increasing evidence indicates that modifications in proteins and RNAs play pivotal roles in LLPS. In particular, recent studies have indicated that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of messenger RNA is crucial for LLPS in plants and animals. In this review, we provide an overview of recent developments in the role of mRNA methylation in LLPS in plant cells. Moreover, we highlight the major challenges in understanding the pivotal roles of RNA modifications and elucidating how m6A marks are interpreted by RNA-binding proteins crucial for LLPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunseung Kang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Phylogenomics and Comparative Genomics, Jiangsu Joint International Center of Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea
| | - Tao Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Phylogenomics and Comparative Genomics, Jiangsu Joint International Center of Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu Province, China
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4
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Solis-Miranda J, Chodasiewicz M, Skirycz A, Fernie AR, Moschou PN, Bozhkov PV, Gutierrez-Beltran E. Stress-related biomolecular condensates in plants. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:3187-3204. [PMID: 37162152 PMCID: PMC10473214 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are membraneless organelle-like structures that can concentrate molecules and often form through liquid-liquid phase separation. Biomolecular condensate assembly is tightly regulated by developmental and environmental cues. Although research on biomolecular condensates has intensified in the past 10 years, our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms and components underlying their formation remains in its infancy, especially in plants. However, recent studies have shown that the formation of biomolecular condensates may be central to plant acclimation to stress conditions. Here, we describe the mechanism, regulation, and properties of stress-related condensates in plants, focusing on stress granules and processing bodies, 2 of the most well-characterized biomolecular condensates. In this regard, we showcase the proteomes of stress granules and processing bodies in an attempt to suggest methods for elucidating the composition and function of biomolecular condensates. Finally, we discuss how biomolecular condensates modulate stress responses and how they might be used as targets for biotechnological efforts to improve stress tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Solis-Miranda
- Institutode Bioquimica Vegetal y Fotosintesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)-Universidad de Sevilla, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Monika Chodasiewicz
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Panagiotis N Moschou
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion 71409, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion 70013, Greece
| | - Peter V Bozhkov
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Emilio Gutierrez-Beltran
- Institutode Bioquimica Vegetal y Fotosintesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)-Universidad de Sevilla, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
- Departamento de Bioquimica Vegetal y Biologia Molecular, Facultad de Biologia, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
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5
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Dahmani I, Qin K, Zhang Y, Fernie AR. The formation and function of plant metabolons. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 114:1080-1092. [PMID: 36906885 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Metabolons are temporary structural-functional complexes of sequential enzymes of a metabolic pathway that are distinct from stable multi-enzyme complexes. Here we provide a brief history of the study of enzyme-enzyme assemblies with a particular focus on those that mediate substrate channeling in plants. Large numbers of protein complexes have been proposed for both primary and secondary metabolic pathways in plants. However, to date only four substrate channels have been demonstrated. We provide an overview of current knowledge concerning these four metabolons and explain the methodologies that are currently being applied to unravel their functions. Although the assembly of metabolons has been documented to arise through diverse mechanisms, the physical interaction within the characterized plant metabolons all appear to be driven by interaction with structural elements of the cell. We therefore pose the question as to what methodologies could be brought to bear to enhance our knowledge of plant metabolons that assemble via different mechanisms? In addressing this question, we review recent findings in non-plant systems concerning liquid droplet phase separation and enzyme chemotaxis and propose strategies via which such metabolons could be identified in plants. We additionally discuss the possibilities that could be opened up by novel approaches based on: (i) subcellular-level mass spectral imaging, (ii) proteomics, and (iii) emergent methods in structural and computational biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Dahmani
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Kezhen Qin
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Youjun Zhang
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Center of Plant System Biology and Biotechnology, 4000, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Center of Plant System Biology and Biotechnology, 4000, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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6
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Shil S, Tsuruta M, Kawauchi K, Miyoshi D. Biomolecular Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation for Biotechnology. BIOTECH 2023; 12:26. [PMID: 37092470 PMCID: PMC10123627 DOI: 10.3390/biotech12020026] [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: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of biomolecules induces condensed assemblies called liquid droplets or membrane-less organelles. In contrast to organelles with lipid membrane barriers, the liquid droplets induced by LLPS do not have distinct barriers (lipid bilayer). Biomolecular LLPS in cells has attracted considerable attention in broad research fields from cellular biology to soft matter physics. The physical and chemical properties of LLPS exert a variety of functions in living cells: activating and deactivating biomolecules involving enzymes; controlling the localization, condensation, and concentration of biomolecules; the filtration and purification of biomolecules; and sensing environmental factors for fast, adaptive, and reversible responses. The versatility of LLPS plays an essential role in various biological processes, such as controlling the central dogma and the onset mechanism of pathological diseases. Moreover, biomolecular LLPS could be critical for developing new biotechnologies such as the condensation, purification, and activation of a series of biomolecules. In this review article, we introduce some fundamental aspects and recent progress of biomolecular LLPS in living cells and test tubes. Then, we discuss applications of biomolecular LLPS toward biotechnologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Daisuke Miyoshi
- Faculty of Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Hyogo, Japan
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7
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Boeynaems S, Chong S, Gsponer J, Holt L, Milovanovic D, Mitrea DM, Mueller-Cajar O, Portz B, Reilly JF, Reinkemeier CD, Sabari BR, Sanulli S, Shorter J, Sontag E, Strader L, Stachowiak J, Weber SC, White M, Zhang H, Zweckstetter M, Elbaum-Garfinkle S, Kriwacki R. Phase Separation in Biology and Disease; Current Perspectives and Open Questions. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167971. [PMID: 36690068 PMCID: PMC9970028 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.167971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In the past almost 15 years, we witnessed the birth of a new scientific field focused on the existence, formation, biological functions, and disease associations of membraneless bodies in cells, now referred to as biomolecular condensates. Pioneering studies from several laboratories [reviewed in1-3] supported a model wherein biomolecular condensates associated with diverse biological processes form through the process of phase separation. These and other findings that followed have revolutionized our understanding of how biomolecules are organized in space and time within cells to perform myriad biological functions, including cell fate determination, signal transduction, endocytosis, regulation of gene expression and protein translation, and regulation of RNA metabolism. Further, condensates formed through aberrant phase transitions have been associated with numerous human diseases, prominently including neurodegeneration and cancer. While in some cases, rigorous evidence supports links between formation of biomolecular condensates through phase separation and biological functions, in many others such links are less robustly supported, which has led to rightful scrutiny of the generality of the roles of phase separation in biology and disease.4-7 During a week-long workshop in March 2022 at the Telluride Science Research Center (TSRC) in Telluride, Colorado, ∼25 scientists addressed key questions surrounding the biomolecular condensates field. Herein, we present insights gained through these discussions, addressing topics including, roles of condensates in diverse biological processes and systems, and normal and disease cell states, their applications to synthetic biology, and the potential for therapeutically targeting biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Boeynaems
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC), Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases (CAND), Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center (DLDCCC), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA and Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shasha Chong
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Jörg Gsponer
- Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Liam Holt
- New York University School of Medicine, Institute for Systems Genetics, New York, NY 10016
| | - Drago Milovanovic
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Oliver Mueller-Cajar
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551
| | | | | | | | - Benjamin R. Sabari
- Laboratory of Nuclear Organization, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Serena Sanulli
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304
| | - James Shorter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Emily Sontag
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Lucia Strader
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Jeanne Stachowiak
- University of Texas at Austin, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Huaiying Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mellon College of Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shana Elbaum-Garfinkle
- Department of Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY and Structural Biology Initiative, Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, NY
| | - Richard Kriwacki
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee and Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee
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8
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Ang WSL, How JA, How JB, Mueller-Cajar O. The stickers and spacers of Rubiscondensation: assembling the centrepiece of biophysical CO2-concentrating mechanisms. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:612-626. [PMID: 35903998 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic autotrophs that fix carbon using ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) frequently expend metabolic energy to pump inorganic carbon towards the enzyme's active site. A central requirement of this strategy is the formation of highly concentrated Rubisco condensates (or Rubiscondensates) known as carboxysomes and pyrenoids, which have convergently evolved multiple times in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, respectively. Recent data indicate that these condensates form by the mechanism of liquid-liquid phase separation. This mechanism requires networks of weak multivalent interactions typically mediated by intrinsically disordered scaffold proteins. Here we comparatively review recent rapid developments that detail the determinants and precise interactions that underlie diverse Rubisco condensates. The burgeoning field of biomolecular condensates has few examples where liquid-liquid phase separation can be linked to clear phenotypic outcomes. When present, Rubisco condensates are essential for photosynthesis and growth, and they are thus emerging as powerful and tractable models to investigate the structure-function relationship of phase separation in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren Shou Leong Ang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
| | - Jian Ann How
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
| | - Jian Boon How
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
| | - Oliver Mueller-Cajar
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
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9
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Badger MR, Sharwood RE. Rubisco, the imperfect winner: it's all about the base. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:562-580. [PMID: 36412307 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Rubisco catalysis is complex and includes an activation step through the formation of a carbamate at the conserved active site lysine residue and the formation of a highly reactive enediol that is the key to its catalytic reaction. The formation of this enediol is both the basis of its success and its Achilles' heel, creating imperfections to its catalytic efficiency. While Rubisco originally evolved in an atmosphere of high CO2, the earth's multiple oxidation events provided challenges to Rubisco through the fixation of O2 that competes with CO2 at the active site. Numerous catalytic screens across the Rubisco superfamily have identified significant variation in catalytic properties that have been linked to large and small subunit sequences. Despite this, we still have a rudimentary understanding of Rubisco's catalytic mechanism and how the evolution of kinetic properties has occurred. This review identifies the lysine base that functions both as an activator and a proton abstractor to create the enediol as a key to understanding how Rubisco may optimize its kinetic properties. The ways in which Rubisco and its partners have overcome catalytic and activation imperfections and thrived in a world of high O2, low CO2, and variable climatic regimes is remarkable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murray R Badger
- Research School of Biology, Building 134 Linnaeus Way, Canberra ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Robert E Sharwood
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Bourke St, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
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10
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Qian ZG, Huang SC, Xia XX. Synthetic protein condensates for cellular and metabolic engineering. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:1330-1340. [DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01203-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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11
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Phase-Separated Subcellular Compartmentation and Related Human Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105491. [PMID: 35628304 PMCID: PMC9141834 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In live cells, proteins and nucleic acids can associate together through multivalent interactions, and form relatively isolated phases that undertake designated biological functions and activities. In the past decade, liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) has gradually been recognized as a general mechanism for the intracellular organization of biomolecules. LLPS regulates the assembly and composition of dozens of membraneless organelles and condensates in cells. Due to the altered physiological conditions or genetic mutations, phase-separated condensates may undergo aberrant formation, maturation or gelation that contributes to the onset and progression of various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancers. In this review, we summarize the properties of different membraneless organelles and condensates, and discuss multiple phase separation-regulated biological processes. Based on the dysregulation and mutations of several key regulatory proteins and signaling pathways, we also exemplify how aberrantly regulated LLPS may contribute to human diseases.
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12
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Capillary flow experiments for thermodynamic and kinetic characterization of protein liquid-liquid phase separation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7289. [PMID: 34911929 PMCID: PMC8674230 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27433-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation or LLPS of proteins is a field of mounting importance and the value of quantitative kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of LLPS is increasingly recognized. We present a method, Capflex, which allows rapid and accurate quantification of key parameters for LLPS: Dilute phase concentration, relative droplet size distributions, and the kinetics of droplet formation and maturation into amyloid fibrils. The binding affinity between the polypeptide undergoing LLPS and LLPS-modulating compounds can also be determined. We apply Capflex to characterize the LLPS of Human DEAD-box helicase-4 and the coacervate system ssDNA/RP3. Furthermore, we study LLPS and the aberrant liquid-to-solid phase transition of α-synuclein. We quantitatively measure the decrease in dilute phase concentration as the LLPS of α-synuclein is followed by the formation of Thioflavin-T positive amyloid aggregates. The high information content, throughput and the versatility of Capflex makes it a valuable tool for characterizing biomolecular LLPS.
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13
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The CbbQO-type rubisco activases encoded in carboxysome gene clusters can activate carboxysomal form IA rubiscos. J Biol Chem 2021; 298:101476. [PMID: 34890642 PMCID: PMC8718961 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The CO2-fixing enzyme rubisco is responsible for almost all carbon fixation. This process frequently requires rubisco activase (Rca) machinery, which couples ATP hydrolysis to the removal of inhibitory sugar phosphates, including the rubisco substrate ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP). Rubisco is sometimes compartmentalized in carboxysomes, bacterial microcompartments that enable a carbon dioxide concentrating mechanism (CCM). Characterized carboxysomal rubiscos, however, are not prone to inhibition, and often no activase machinery is associated with these enzymes. Here, we characterize two carboxysomal rubiscos of the form IAC clade that are associated with CbbQO-type Rcas. These enzymes release RuBP at a much lower rate than the canonical carboxysomal rubisco from Synechococcus PCC6301. We found that CbbQO-type Rcas encoded in carboxysome gene clusters can remove RuBP and the tight-binding transition state analog carboxy-arabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate from cognate rubiscos. The Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans genome encodes two form IA rubiscos associated with two sets of cbbQ and cbbO genes. We show that the two CbbQO activase systems display specificity for the rubisco enzyme encoded in the same gene cluster, and this property can be switched by substituting the C-terminal three residues of the large subunit. Our findings indicate that the kinetic and inhibitory properties of proteobacterial form IA rubiscos are diverse and predict that Rcas may be necessary for some α-carboxysomal CCMs. These findings will have implications for efforts aiming to introduce biophysical CCMs into plants and other hosts for improvement of carbon fixation of crops.
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Zang K, Wang H, Hartl FU, Hayer-Hartl M. Scaffolding protein CcmM directs multiprotein phase separation in β-carboxysome biogenesis. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2021; 28:909-922. [PMID: 34759380 PMCID: PMC8580825 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-021-00676-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Carboxysomes in cyanobacteria enclose the enzymes Rubisco and carbonic anhydrase to optimize photosynthetic carbon fixation. Understanding carboxysome assembly has implications in agricultural biotechnology. Here we analyzed the role of the scaffolding protein CcmM of the β-cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 in sequestrating the hexadecameric Rubisco and the tetrameric carbonic anhydrase, CcaA. We find that the trimeric CcmM, consisting of γCAL oligomerization domains and linked small subunit-like (SSUL) modules, plays a central role in mediation of pre-carboxysome condensate formation through multivalent, cooperative interactions. The γCAL domains interact with the C-terminal tails of the CcaA subunits and additionally mediate a head-to-head association of CcmM trimers. Interestingly, SSUL modules, besides their known function in recruiting Rubisco, also participate in intermolecular interactions with the γCAL domains, providing further valency for network formation. Our findings reveal the mechanism by which CcmM functions as a central organizer of the pre-carboxysome multiprotein matrix, concentrating the core components Rubisco and CcaA before β-carboxysome shell formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zang
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Huping Wang
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - F Ulrich Hartl
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Manajit Hayer-Hartl
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
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Sobotka L, Sobotka O. The predominant role of glucose as a building block and precursor of reducing equivalents. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2021; 24:555-562. [PMID: 34456247 DOI: 10.1097/mco.0000000000000786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Stores of glucose (Glc) in our body are small compared with protein and lipid. Therefore, at times of famines or trauma/disease-related starvation, glucose utilization must be limited only to pathways that can only run with glucose carbon as substrate. We will try to outline how insulin resistance drives these pathways and inhibits glucose oxidation in the stressed organism. RECENT FINDINGS Glc is a basic substrate for a variety of other biomolecules like nucleic acids, amino acids, proteoglycans, mucopolysaccharides and lipids. It is essential for the formation of reducing equivalents, indispensable for anabolic, antioxidative, regulatory and immune processes. As a result, a continuous Glc turnover/cycle is essential to secure at all times the Glc requirements for nonoxidative pathways mentioned above but then requires introduction of extra glucose or other intermediates into the cycle. The production of ATP through complete Glc oxidation occurs only when Glc intake is higher than required for its nonoxidative metabolism. Insulin resistance and decreased Glc oxidation indicate that requirements of Glc for anabolic pathways are high. SUMMARY Glc is an important building block for anabolic reactions and substrate for reducing equivalents formation. Insulin resistance prevents irreversible Glc oxidation and stimulates Glc production during stress or growth. Glc is only oxidized when intake is in excess of its anabolic requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lubos Sobotka
- 3rd Department of Medicine, Gerontology and Metabolism, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Czech Republic
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A rice QTL GS3.1 regulates grain size through metabolic-flux distribution between flavonoid and lignin metabolons without affecting stress tolerance. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1171. [PMID: 34620988 PMCID: PMC8497587 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02686-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Grain size is a key component trait of grain weight and yield. Numbers of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been identified in various bioprocesses, but there is still little known about how metabolism-related QTLs influence grain size and yield. The current study report GS3.1, a QTL that regulates rice grain size via metabolic flux allocation between two branches of phenylpropanoid metabolism. GS3.1 encodes a MATE (multidrug and toxic compounds extrusion) transporter that regulates grain size by directing the transport of p-coumaric acid from the p-coumaric acid biosynthetic metabolon to the flavonoid biosynthetic metabolon. A natural allele of GS3.1 was identified from an African rice with enlarged grains, reduced flavonoid content and increased lignin content in the panicles. Notably, the natural allele of GS3.1 caused no alterations in other tissues and did not affect stress tolerance, revealing an ideal candidate for breeding efforts. This study uncovers insights into the regulation of grain size though metabolic-flux distribution. In this way, it supports a strategy of enhancing crop yield without introducing deleterious side effects on stress tolerance mechanisms.
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Abstract
Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) confine a diverse array of metabolic reactions within a selectively permeable protein shell, allowing for specialized biochemistry that would be less efficient or altogether impossible without compartmentalization. BMCs play critical roles in carbon fixation, carbon source utilization, and pathogenesis. Despite their prevalence and importance in bacterial metabolism, little is known about BMC “homeostasis,” a term we use here to encompass BMC assembly, composition, size, copy-number, maintenance, turnover, positioning, and ultimately, function in the cell. The carbon-fixing carboxysome is one of the most well-studied BMCs with regard to mechanisms of self-assembly and subcellular organization. In this minireview, we focus on the only known BMC positioning system to date—the maintenance of carboxysome distribution (Mcd) system, which spatially organizes carboxysomes. We describe the two-component McdAB system and its proposed diffusion-ratchet mechanism for carboxysome positioning. We then discuss the prevalence of McdAB systems among carboxysome-containing bacteria and highlight recent evidence suggesting how liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) may play critical roles in carboxysome homeostasis. We end with an outline of future work on the carboxysome distribution system and a perspective on how other BMCs may be spatially regulated. We anticipate that a deeper understanding of BMC organization, including nontraditional homeostasis mechanisms involving LLPS and ATP-driven organization, is on the horizon.
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