1
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Fang T, Szklarczyk D, Hachilif R, von Mering C. Enhancing coevolutionary signals in protein-protein interaction prediction through clade-wise alignment integration. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6009. [PMID: 38472223 PMCID: PMC10933411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55655-9] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play essential roles in most biological processes. The binding interfaces between interacting proteins impose evolutionary constraints that have successfully been employed to predict PPIs from multiple sequence alignments (MSAs). To construct MSAs, critical choices have to be made: how to ensure the reliable identification of orthologs, and how to optimally balance the need for large alignments versus sufficient alignment quality. Here, we propose a divide-and-conquer strategy for MSA generation: instead of building a single, large alignment for each protein, multiple distinct alignments are constructed under distinct clades in the tree of life. Coevolutionary signals are searched separately within these clades, and are only subsequently integrated using machine learning techniques. We find that this strategy markedly improves overall prediction performance, concomitant with better alignment quality. Using the popular DCA algorithm to systematically search pairs of such alignments, a genome-wide all-against-all interaction scan in a bacterial genome is demonstrated. Given the recent successes of AlphaFold in predicting direct PPIs at atomic detail, a discover-and-refine approach is proposed: our method could provide a fast and accurate strategy for pre-screening the entire genome, submitting to AlphaFold only promising interaction candidates-thus reducing false positives as well as computation time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Fang
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Damian Szklarczyk
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Radja Hachilif
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christian von Mering
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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2
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Ben Hmad I, Gargouri A. Halophilic filamentous fungi and their enzymes: Potential biotechnological applications. J Biotechnol 2024; 381:11-18. [PMID: 38159888 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2023.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Recently, interest in the study of microorganisms growing under extreme conditions, particularly halophiles, has increased due to their potential use in industrial processes. Halophiles are the class of microorganisms that grow optimally at high NaCl concentrations and are capable of producing halophilic enzymes capable of catalyzing reactions under harsh conditions. So far, fungi are the least studied halophilic microorganisms, even though they have been shown to counteract these extreme conditions by producing secondary metabolites with very interesting properties. This review highlights mechanisms that allow halophilic fungi to adapt high salinity and the specificity of their enzymes to a spectrum of action in industrial and environmental applications. The peculiarities of these enzymes justify the urgent need to apply green alternative compounds in industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Ben Hmad
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Eukaryotes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, B.P "1177", Sfax 3018, Tunisia.
| | - Ali Gargouri
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Eukaryotes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, B.P "1177", Sfax 3018, Tunisia
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3
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Ashcroft E, Munoz-Munoz J. A review of the principles and biotechnological applications of glycoside hydrolases from extreme environments. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 259:129227. [PMID: 38185295 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
It is apparent that Biocatalysts are shaping the future by providing a more sustainable approach to established chemical processes. Industrial processes rely heavily on the use of toxic compounds and high energy or pH reactions, factors that both contributes to the worsening climate crisis. Enzymes found in bacterial systems and other microorganisms, from the glaciers of the Arctic to the sandy deserts of Abu Dhabi, provide key tools and understanding as to how we can progress in the biotechnology sector. These extremophilic bacteria harness the adaptive enzymes capable of withstanding harsh reaction conditions in terms of stability and reactivity. Carbohydrate-active enzymes, including glycoside hydrolases or carbohydrate esterases, are extremely beneficial for the presence and future of biocatalysis. Their involvement in the industry spans from laundry detergents to paper and pulp treatment by degrading oligo/polysaccharides into their monomeric products in almost all detrimental environments. This includes exceedingly high temperatures, pHs or even in the absence of water. In this review, we discuss the structure and function of different glycoside hydrolases from extremophiles, and how they can be applied to industrial-scale reactions to replace the use of harsh chemicals, reduce waste, or decrease energy consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie Ashcroft
- Microbial Enzymology Lab, Department of Applied Sciences, Ellison Building A, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom.
| | - Jose Munoz-Munoz
- Microbial Enzymology Lab, Department of Applied Sciences, Ellison Building A, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom.
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4
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Marks TJ, Rowland IR. The Diversity of Bacteriophages in Hot Springs. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2738:73-88. [PMID: 37966592 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3549-0_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are ubiquitous in all environments that support microbial life. This includes hot springs, which can range in temperatures between 40 and 98 °C and pH levels between 1 and 9. Bacteriophages that survive in the higher temperatures of hot springs are known as thermophages. Thermophages have developed distinct adaptations allowing for thermostability in these extreme environments, including increased G + C DNA percentages, reliance upon the pentose phosphate metabolic pathway to avoid oxidative stress, and a codon preference for those with a GNA sequence leading to increased hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bonds. In this review, we discuss the diversity of characterized thermophages in hot spring environments that span five viral families: Myoviridae, Siphoviridae, Tectiviridae, Sphaerolipoviridae, and Inoviridae. Potential industrial and medicinal applications of thermophages will also be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Marks
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, USA.
| | - Isabella R Rowland
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, USA
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5
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Wang C, Yang Y, Tang S, Liu Y, Wei Y, Wan X, Liu Y, Zhang Z, Sunkang Y. Comparison of Structural Features of CRISPR-Cas Systems in Thermophilic Bacteria. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2275. [PMID: 37764119 PMCID: PMC10536717 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) is an adaptive immune system that defends most archaea and many bacteria from foreign DNA, such as phages, viruses, and plasmids. The link between the CRISPR-Cas system and the optimum growth temperature of thermophilic bacteria remains unclear. To investigate the relationship between the structural characteristics, diversity, and distribution properties of the CRISPR-Cas system and the optimum growth temperature in thermophilic bacteria, genomes of 61 species of thermophilic bacteria with complete genome sequences were downloaded from GenBank in this study. We used CRISPRFinder to extensively study CRISPR structures and CRISPR-associated genes (cas) from thermophilic bacteria. We statistically analyzed the association between the CRISPR-Cas system and the optimum growth temperature of thermophilic bacteria. The results revealed that 59 strains of 61 thermophilic bacteria had at least one CRISPR locus, accounting for 96.72% of the total. Additionally, a total of 362 CRISPR loci, 209 entirely distinct repetitive sequences, 131 cas genes, and 7744 spacer sequences were discovered. The average number of CRISPR loci and the average minimum free energy (MFE) of the RNA secondary structure of repeat sequences were positively correlated with temperature whereas the average length of CRISPR loci and the average number of spacers were negatively correlated. The temperature did not affect the average number of CRISPR loci, the average length of repeats, or the guanine-cytosine (GC) content of repeats. The average number of CRISPR loci, the average length of the repeats, and the GC content of the repeats did not reflect temperature dependence. This study may provide a new basis for the study of the thermophilic bacterial adaptation mechanisms of thermophilic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.L.); (X.W.); (Y.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Yuze Yang
- Beijing Animal Husbandry Station, Beijing 100070, China; (Y.Y.); (S.T.)
| | - Shaoqing Tang
- Beijing Animal Husbandry Station, Beijing 100070, China; (Y.Y.); (S.T.)
| | - Yuanzi Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.L.); (X.W.); (Y.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Yaqin Wei
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Exploitation and Application of Gansu Province, Center for Anaerobic Microbes, Institute of Biology, Gansu Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China;
| | - Xuerui Wan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.L.); (X.W.); (Y.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Yajuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.L.); (X.W.); (Y.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zhao Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.L.); (X.W.); (Y.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Yongjie Sunkang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.L.); (X.W.); (Y.L.); (Z.Z.)
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6
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Verslues PE, Bailey-Serres J, Brodersen C, Buckley TN, Conti L, Christmann A, Dinneny JR, Grill E, Hayes S, Heckman RW, Hsu PK, Juenger TE, Mas P, Munnik T, Nelissen H, Sack L, Schroeder JI, Testerink C, Tyerman SD, Umezawa T, Wigge PA. Burning questions for a warming and changing world: 15 unknowns in plant abiotic stress. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:67-108. [PMID: 36018271 PMCID: PMC9806664 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
We present unresolved questions in plant abiotic stress biology as posed by 15 research groups with expertise spanning eco-physiology to cell and molecular biology. Common themes of these questions include the need to better understand how plants detect water availability, temperature, salinity, and rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels; how environmental signals interface with endogenous signaling and development (e.g. circadian clock and flowering time); and how this integrated signaling controls downstream responses (e.g. stomatal regulation, proline metabolism, and growth versus defense balance). The plasma membrane comes up frequently as a site of key signaling and transport events (e.g. mechanosensing and lipid-derived signaling, aquaporins). Adaptation to water extremes and rising CO2 affects hydraulic architecture and transpiration, as well as root and shoot growth and morphology, in ways not fully understood. Environmental adaptation involves tradeoffs that limit ecological distribution and crop resilience in the face of changing and increasingly unpredictable environments. Exploration of plant diversity within and among species can help us know which of these tradeoffs represent fundamental limits and which ones can be circumvented by bringing new trait combinations together. Better defining what constitutes beneficial stress resistance in different contexts and making connections between genes and phenotypes, and between laboratory and field observations, are overarching challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julia Bailey-Serres
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, Center for Plant Cell Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Craig Brodersen
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - Thomas N Buckley
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Lucio Conti
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Alexander Christmann
- School of Life Sciences, Technical University Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan 85354, Germany
| | - José R Dinneny
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Erwin Grill
- School of Life Sciences, Technical University Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan 85354, Germany
| | - Scott Hayes
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen 6708 PB, The Netherlands
| | - Robert W Heckman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Po-Kai Hsu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Thomas E Juenger
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Paloma Mas
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Barcelona 08193, Spain
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Teun Munnik
- Department of Plant Cell Biology, Green Life Sciences Cluster, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam NL-1098XH, The Netherlands
| | - Hilde Nelissen
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent 9052, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent 9052, Belgium
| | - Lawren Sack
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Julian I Schroeder
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Christa Testerink
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen 6708 PB, The Netherlands
| | - Stephen D Tyerman
- ARC Center Excellence, Plant Energy Biology, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5064, Australia
| | - Taishi Umezawa
- Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 6708 PB, Japan
| | - Philip A Wigge
- Leibniz-Institut für Gemüse- und Zierpflanzenbau, Großbeeren 14979, Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14476, Germany
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7
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Harirchi S, Sar T, Ramezani M, Aliyu H, Etemadifar Z, Nojoumi SA, Yazdian F, Awasthi MK, Taherzadeh MJ. Bacillales: From Taxonomy to Biotechnological and Industrial Perspectives. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122355. [PMID: 36557608 PMCID: PMC9781867 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
For a long time, the genus Bacillus has been known and considered among the most applicable genera in several fields. Recent taxonomical developments resulted in the identification of more species in Bacillus-related genera, particularly in the order Bacillales (earlier heterotypic synonym: Caryophanales), with potential application for biotechnological and industrial purposes such as biofuels, bioactive agents, biopolymers, and enzymes. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the taxonomy, growth requirements and physiology, genomics, and metabolic pathways in the highly diverse bacterial order, Bacillales, will facilitate a more robust designing and sustainable production of strain lines relevant to a circular economy. This paper is focused principally on less-known genera and their potential in the order Bacillales for promising applications in the industry and addresses the taxonomical complexities of this order. Moreover, it emphasizes the biotechnological usage of some engineered strains of the order Bacillales. The elucidation of novel taxa, their metabolic pathways, and growth conditions would make it possible to drive industrial processes toward an upgraded functionality based on the microbial nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharareh Harirchi
- Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, 50190 Borås, Sweden
| | - Taner Sar
- Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, 50190 Borås, Sweden
| | - Mohaddaseh Ramezani
- Microorganisms Bank, Iranian Biological Resource Centre (IBRC), Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Habibu Aliyu
- Institute of Process Engineering in Life Science II: Technical Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Zahra Etemadifar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology & Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan 8174673441, Iran
| | - Seyed Ali Nojoumi
- Microbiology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran 1316943551, Iran
- Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran 1316943551, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Yazdian
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran 1439957131, Iran
| | - Mukesh Kumar Awasthi
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Taicheng Road 3#, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Mohammad J. Taherzadeh
- Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, 50190 Borås, Sweden
- Correspondence:
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8
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Xie YG, Luo ZH, Fang BZ, Jiao JY, Xie QJ, Cao XR, Qu YN, Qi YL, Rao YZ, Li YX, Liu YH, Li A, Seymour C, Palmer M, Hedlund BP, Li WJ, Hua ZS. Functional differentiation determines the molecular basis of the symbiotic lifestyle of Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:172. [PMID: 36242054 PMCID: PMC9563170 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01376-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Candidatus Nanohaloarchaeota, an archaeal phylum within the DPANN superphylum, is characterized by limited metabolic capabilities and limited phylogenetic diversity and until recently has been considered to exclusively inhabit hypersaline environments due to an obligate association with Halobacteria. Aside from hypersaline environments, Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota can also have been discovered from deep-subsurface marine sediments. RESULTS Three metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) representing a new order within the Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota were reconstructed from a stratified salt crust and proposed to represent a novel order, Nucleotidisoterales. Genomic features reveal them to be anaerobes capable of catabolizing nucleotides by coupling nucleotide salvage pathways with lower glycolysis to yield free energy. Comparative genomics demonstrated that these and other Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota inhabiting saline habitats use a "salt-in" strategy to maintain osmotic pressure based on the high proportion of acidic amino acids. In contrast, previously described Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota MAGs from geothermal environments were enriched with basic amino acids to counter heat stress. Evolutionary history reconstruction revealed that functional differentiation of energy conservation strategies drove diversification within Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota, further leading to shifts in the catabolic strategy from nucleotide degradation within deeper lineages to polysaccharide degradation within shallow lineages. CONCLUSIONS This study provides deeper insight into the ecological functions and evolution of the expanded phylum Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota and further advances our understanding on the functional and genetic associations between potential symbionts and hosts. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Guo Xie
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen-Hao Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Bao-Zhu Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-Yu Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi-Jun Xie
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing-Ru Cao
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Ni Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Lin Qi
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang-Zhi Rao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu-Xian Li
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, People's Republic of China
| | - Andrew Li
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, People's Republic of China
| | - Cale Seymour
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Marike Palmer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Brian P Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Wen-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China.
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zheng-Shuang Hua
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, People's Republic of China.
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9
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Rationally tailoring the halophilicity of an amylolytic enzyme for application in dehydrating conditions. Biochem Eng J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2022.108708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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10
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Unravelling the Adaptation Mechanisms to High Pressure in Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158469. [PMID: 35955607 PMCID: PMC9369236 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158469] [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: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Life is thought to have appeared in the depth of the sea under high hydrostatic pressure. Nowadays, it is known that the deep biosphere hosts a myriad of life forms thriving under high-pressure conditions. However, the evolutionary mechanisms leading to their adaptation are still not known. Here, we show the molecular bases of these mechanisms through a joint structural and dynamical study of two orthologous proteins. We observed that pressure adaptation involves the decoupling of protein–water dynamics and the elimination of cavities in the protein core. This is achieved by rearranging the charged residues on the protein surface and using bulkier hydrophobic residues in the core. These findings will be the starting point in the search for a complete genomic model explaining high-pressure adaptation.
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11
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Essentiality of core hydrophobicity to the structure and function of archaeal chromatin protein Cren7. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 214:381-390. [PMID: 35728637 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.06.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Studies on the structure-function relationship of protein greatly help to understand not only the principles of protein folding but also the rationales of protein engineering. Crenarchaeal chromatin protein Cren7 provides an excellent research model for this issue. The small protein adopts a 'β-barrel' fold, formed by the double-stranded antiparallel β-sheet 1 tightly packing with the triple-stranded antiparallel β-sheet 2. The simple structure of Cren7 is stabilized by the hydrophobic core between the β-sheets, consisting of the side chains of V8, V10, L20, V25, F41 and F50. In the present work, mutation analyses by alanine substitution of each of the residues in the hydrophobic core were performed. Circular dichroism spectra and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses showed that mutation of F41 led to a significant misfolding of Cren7 through disruption of the β-sheets. Meanwhile, the mutant F41A showed a reduced thermostatility (Tm of 53.2 °C), as compared with the wild-type Cren7 (Tm > 80 °C). Biolayer interferometry and nick-closure assays showed the largely unchanged activities in DNA binding and supercoiling of F41A, indicating the DNA interface of Cren7 was generally retained in F41A. However, F41A was unable to mediate DNA bridging, probably due to the impairment in forming oligomers/polymers on DNA. Atomic force microscopic images of the F41A-DNA complexes also revealed that F41A nearly completely lost the ability to compact DNA into highly condensed structures. Our results not only reveal the critical role of F41 in protein folding of Cren7 but also provide new insights into the structure-function relationships of thermostable proteins.
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12
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Some Clues about Enzymes from Psychrophilic Microorganisms. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10061161. [PMID: 35744679 PMCID: PMC9227589 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061161] [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: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Enzymes purified from psychrophilic microorganisms prove to be efficient catalysts at low temperatures and possess a great potential for biotechnological applications. The low-temperature catalytic activity has to come from specific structural fluctuations involving the active site region, however, the relationship between protein conformational stability and enzymatic activity is subtle. We provide a survey of the thermodynamic stability of globular proteins and their rationalization grounded in a theoretical approach devised by one of us. Furthermore, we provide a link between marginal conformational stability and protein flexibility grounded in the harmonic approximation of the vibrational degrees of freedom, emphasizing the occurrence of long-wavelength and excited vibrations in all globular proteins. Finally, we offer a close view of three enzymes: chloride-dependent α-amylase, citrate synthase, and β-galactosidase.
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Mahfooz S, Shankar G, Narayan J, Singh P, Akhter Y. Simple sequence repeat insertion induced stability and potential 'gain of function' in the proteins of extremophilic bacteria. Extremophiles 2022; 26:17. [PMID: 35511349 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-022-01265-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Here, we analysed the genomic evolution in extremophilic bacteria using long simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Frequencies of occurrence, relative abundance (RA) and relative density (RD) of long SSRs were analysed in the genomes of extremophilic bacteria. Thermus aquaticus had the most RA and RD of long SSRs in its coding sequences (110.6 and 1408.3), followed by Rhodoferax antarcticus (77.0 and 1187.4). A positive correlation was observed between G + C content and the RA-RD of long SSRs. Geobacillus kaustophilus, Geobacillus thermoleovorans, Halothermothrix orenii, R. antarcticus, and T. aquaticus preferred trinucleotide repeats within their genomes, whereas others preferred a higher number of tetranucleotide repeats. Gene enrichment showed the presence of these long SSRs in metabolic enzyme encoding genes related to stress tolerance. To analyse the functional implications of SSR insertions, three-dimensional protein structure modelling of SSR containing diguanylate cyclase (DGC) gene encoding protein was carried out. Removal of SSR sequence led to an inappropriate folding and instability of the modelled protein structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahil Mahfooz
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226025, India
| | - Gauri Shankar
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226025, India
| | - Jitendra Narayan
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, South Campus, Mathura Road, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Pallavi Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India
| | - Yusuf Akhter
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226025, India.
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14
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Mesbah NM. Industrial Biotechnology Based on Enzymes From Extreme Environments. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:870083. [PMID: 35480975 PMCID: PMC9036996 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.870083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Biocatalysis is crucial for a green, sustainable, biobased economy, and this has driven major advances in biotechnology and biocatalysis over the past 2 decades. There are numerous benefits to biocatalysis, including increased selectivity and specificity, reduced operating costs and lower toxicity, all of which result in lower environmental impact of industrial processes. Most enzymes available commercially are active and stable under a narrow range of conditions, and quickly lose activity at extremes of ion concentration, temperature, pH, pressure, and solvent concentrations. Extremophilic microorganisms thrive under extreme conditions and produce robust enzymes with higher activity and stability under unconventional circumstances. The number of extremophilic enzymes, or extremozymes, currently available are insufficient to meet growing industrial demand. This is in part due to difficulty in cultivation of extremophiles in a laboratory setting. This review will present an overview of extremozymes and their biotechnological applications. Culture-independent and genomic-based methods for study of extremozymes will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noha M Mesbah
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
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15
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Kochhar N, I․K K, Shrivastava S, Ghosh A, Rawat VS, Sodhi KK, Kumar M. Perspectives on the microorganism of extreme environments and their applications. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2022; 3:100134. [PMID: 35909612 PMCID: PMC9325743 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2022.100134] [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: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The applications of extremophiles in various fields like biotechnology, biodegradation, bioremediation, biorefinery and astrobiology along with other industries like pharmaceuticals, food, agricultural, cosmetics, and textile. Further research in biodegradation, bioremediation and generation of biofuels using extremophiles is required considering the current climate crisis as it helps in reduction of environmental contamination load. The importance of promoting the use of extremophiles in food and agricultural industries and how extremophiles can be the key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of global food security. Keeping in mind the current global scenario with regards to the Covid-19 pandemic, our paper also focuses on the importance of by-products of extremophiles like biosurfactants in the vaccine production process. For advancement of the astrobiology sector, more PFA sites should be located and the extremophiles inhabiting them should be studied.
Extremophiles are organisms that can survive and thrive in conditions termed as “extreme” by human beings. Conventional methods cannot be applied under extreme conditions like temperature and pH fluctuations, high salinity, etc. for a variety of reasons. Extremophiles can function and are adapted to thrive in these environments and are sustainable, cheaper, and efficient, therefore, they serve as better alternatives to the traditional methods. They adapt to these environments with biochemical and physiological changes and produce products like extremolytes, extremozymes, biosurfactants, etc., which are found to be useful in a wide range of industries like sustainable agriculture, food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. These products also play a crucial role in bioremediation, production of biofuels, biorefinery, and astrobiology. This review paper comprehensively lists out the current applications of extremophiles and their products in various industries and explores the prospects of the same. They help us understand the underlying basis of biological mechanisms exploring the boundaries of life and thus help us understand the origin and evolution of life on Earth. This helps us in the research for extra-terrestrial life and space exploration. The structure and biochemical properties of extremophiles along with any possible long-term effects of their applications need to be investigated further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Kochhar
- Department of Zoology, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
| | - Kavya I․K
- Department of Zoology, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
| | | | - Anshika Ghosh
- Department of Zoology, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
| | | | - Kushneet Kaur Sodhi
- Department of Zoology, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
| | - Mohit Kumar
- Department of Zoology, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
- Corresponding author.
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16
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Sivasankar P, Poongodi S, Sivakumar K, Al-Qahtani WH, Arokiyaraj S, Jothiramalingam R. Exogenous production of cold-active cellulase from polar Nocardiopsis sp. with increased cellulose hydrolysis efficiency. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:218. [PMID: 35333982 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-02830-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The present work was designed to isolate and characterise the actinobacteria in the Polar Front region of the Southern Ocean waters and species of Nocardiopsis and Streptomyces were identified. Among those, the psychrophilic actinobacterium, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei PSY13 was found to have good cellulolytic activity and it was further studied for the production and characterisation of cold-active cellulase enzyme. The latter was found to have a specific activity of 6.36 U/mg and a molar mass of 48 kDa with a 22.9-fold purification and 5% recovery at an optimum pH of 7.5 and a temperature of 10 °C. Given the importance of psychrophilic actinobacteria, N. dassonvillei PSY13 can be further exploited for its benefits, meaning that the Southern Ocean harbours biotechnologically important microorganisms that can be further explored for versatile biotechnological and industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palaniappan Sivasankar
- Water Supply and Bioeconomy Division, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Energy, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965, Poznan, Poland. .,Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, 608 502, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Subramaniam Poongodi
- Department of Microbiology, Shri Sakthikailassh Women's College, Salem, 636 003, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kannan Sivakumar
- Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, 608 502, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Wahidah H Al-Qahtani
- Department of Food Sciences & Nutrition, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Selvaraj Arokiyaraj
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - R Jothiramalingam
- Department of Food Sciences & Nutrition, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
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17
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Yang MJ, Kim J, Lee Y, Lee W, Park CJ. NMR Structure and Biophysical Characterization of Thermophilic Single-Stranded DNA Binding Protein from Sulfolobus Solfataricus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063099. [PMID: 35328522 PMCID: PMC8954794 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins from Sulfolobus solfataricus (S. solfataricus), an extremophile, are active even at high temperatures. The single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein of S. solfataricus (SsoSSB) is overexpressed to protect ssDNA during DNA metabolism. Although SsoSSB has the potential to be applied in various areas, its structural and ssDNA binding properties at high temperatures have not been studied. We present the solution structure, backbone dynamics, and ssDNA binding properties of SsoSSB at 50 °C. The overall structure is consistent with the structures previously studied at room temperature. However, the loop between the first two β sheets, which is flexible and is expected to undergo conformational change upon ssDNA binding, shows a difference from the ssDNA bound structure. The ssDNA binding ability was maintained at high temperature, but different interactions were observed depending on the temperature. Backbone dynamics at high temperature showed that the rigidity of the structured region was well maintained. The investigation of an N-terminal deletion mutant revealed that it is important for maintaining thermostability, structure, and ssDNA binding ability. The structural and dynamic properties of SsoSSB observed at high temperature can provide information on the behavior of proteins in thermophiles at the molecular level and guide the development of new experimental techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min June Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Korea; (M.J.Y.); (J.K.)
| | - Jinwoo Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Korea; (M.J.Y.); (J.K.)
| | - Yeongjoon Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO 80217-3364, USA;
| | - Woonghee Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO 80217-3364, USA;
- Correspondence: (W.L.); (C.-J.P.); Tel.: +1-303-315-7672 (W.L.); +82-62-715-3630 (C.-J.P.)
| | - Chin-Ju Park
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Korea; (M.J.Y.); (J.K.)
- Correspondence: (W.L.); (C.-J.P.); Tel.: +1-303-315-7672 (W.L.); +82-62-715-3630 (C.-J.P.)
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18
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Effects of ionic strength on the folding and stability of SAMP1, a ubiquitin-like halophilic protein. Biophys J 2022; 121:552-564. [PMID: 35063455 PMCID: PMC8874027 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Our knowledge of the folding behavior of proteins from extremophiles is limited at this time. These proteins may more closely resemble the primordial proteins selected in early evolution under extreme conditions. The small archaeal modifier protein 1 (SAMP1) studied in this report is an 87-residue protein with a β-grasp fold found in the halophile Haloferax volcanii from the Dead Sea. To gain insight into the effects of salt on the stability and folding mechanism of SAMP1, we conducted equilibrium and kinetic folding experiments as a function of sodium chloride concentration. The results revealed that increasing ionic strength accelerates refolding and slows down unfolding of SAMP1, giving rise to a pronounced salt-induced stabilization. With increasing NaCl concentration, the rate of folding observed via a combination of continuous-flow (0.1-2 ms time range) and stopped-flow measurements (>2 ms) exhibited a >100-fold increase between 0.1 and 1.5 M NaCl and leveled off at higher concentrations. Using the Linderström-Lang smeared charge formalism to model electrostatic interactions in ground and transition states encountered during folding, we showed that the observed salt dependence is dominated by Debye-Hückel screening of electrostatic repulsion among numerous negatively charged residues. Comparisons are also drawn with three well-studied mesophilic members of the β-grasp superfamily: protein G, protein L, and ubiquitin. Interestingly, the folding rate of SAMP1 in 3 M sodium chloride is comparable to that of protein G, ubiquitin, and protein L at lower ionic strength. The results indicate the important role of electrostatic interactions in protein folding and imply that proteins have evolved to minimize unfavorable charge-charge interactions under their specific native conditions.
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19
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Ahmad A, Rahamtullah, Mishra R. Structural and functional adaptation in extremophilic microbial α-amylases. Biophys Rev 2022; 14:499-515. [PMID: 35528036 PMCID: PMC9043155 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-022-00931-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Maintaining stable native conformation of a protein under a given ecological condition is the prerequisite for survival of organisms. Extremophilic bacteria and archaea have evolved to adapt under extreme conditions of temperature, pH, salt, and pressure. Molecular adaptations of proteins under these conditions are essential for their survival. These organisms have the capability to maintain stable, native conformations of proteins under extreme conditions. The enzymes produced by the extremophiles are also known as extremozyme, which are used in several industries. Stability and functionality of extremozymes under varying temperature, pH, and solvent conditions are the most desirable requirement of industry. α-Amylase is one of the most important enzymes used in food, pharmaceutical, textile, and detergent industries. This enzyme is produced by diverse microorganisms including various extremophiles. Therefore, understanding its stability is important from fundamental as well as an applied point of view. Each class of extremophiles has a distinctive set of dominant non-covalent interactions which are important for their stability. Static information obtained by comparative analysis of amino acid sequence and atomic resolution structure provides information on the prevalence of particular amino acids or a group of non-covalent interactions. Protein folding studies give the information about thermodynamic and kinetic stability in order to understand dynamic aspect of molecular adaptations. In this review, we have summarized information on amino acid sequence, structure, stability, and adaptability of α-amylases from different classes of extremophiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aziz Ahmad
- School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110,067 India
| | - Rahamtullah
- School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110,067 India
| | - Rajesh Mishra
- School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110,067 India
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20
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Espina G, Muñoz-Ibacache SA, Cáceres-Moreno P, Amenabar MJ, Blamey JM. From the Discovery of Extremozymes to an Enzymatic Product: Roadmap Based on Their Applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 9:752281. [PMID: 35096788 PMCID: PMC8790482 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.752281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advent of the industrial revolution, the use of toxic compounds has grown exponentially, leading to a considerable pollution of the environment. Consequently, the development of more environmentally conscious technologies is an urgent need. Industrial biocatalysis appears as one potential solution, where a higher demand for more robust enzymes aims to replace toxic chemical catalysts. To date, most of the commercially available enzymes are of mesophilic origin, displaying optimal activity in narrow ranges of temperature and pH (i.e., between 20°C and 45°C, neutral pH), limiting their actual application under industrial reaction settings, where they usually underperform, requiring larger quantities to compensate loss of activity. In order to obtain novel biocatalysts better suited for industrial conditions, an efficient solution is to take advantage of nature by searching and discovering enzymes from extremophiles. These microorganisms and their macromolecules have already adapted to thrive in environments that present extreme physicochemical conditions. Hence, extremophilic enzymes stand out for showing higher activity, stability, and robustness than their mesophilic counterparts, being able to carry out reactions at nonstandard conditions. In this brief research report we describe three examples to illustrate a stepwise strategy for the development and production of commercial extremozymes, including a catalase from an Antarctic psychrotolerant microorganism, a laccase from a thermoalkaliphilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring and an amine-transaminase from a thermophilic bacterium isolated from a geothermal site in Antarctica. We will also explore some of their interesting biotechnological applications and comparisons with commercial enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giannina Espina
- Fundación Biociencia, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Giannina Espina, ; Jenny M. Blamey,
| | | | | | | | - Jenny M. Blamey
- Fundación Biociencia, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Giannina Espina, ; Jenny M. Blamey,
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21
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Thomas MJ, Cassidy ER, Robinson DS, Walstrom KM. Kinetic characterization and thermostability of C. elegans cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenases. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2021; 1870:140722. [PMID: 34619358 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2021.140722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) catalyzes the conversion of NAD+ and malate to NADH and oxaloacetate in the citric acid cycle. Eukaryotes have one MDH isozyme that is imported into the mitochondria and one in the cytoplasm. We overexpressed and purified Caenorhabditis elegans cytoplasmic MDH-1 and mitochondrial MDH-2 in E. coli. Our goal was to compare the kinetic and structural properties of these enzymes because C. elegans can survive adverse environmental conditions, such as lack of food and elevated temperatures. In steady-state enzyme kinetics assays, we measured KM values for oxaloacetate of 54 and 52 μM and KM values for NADH of 61 and 107 μM for MDH-1 and MDH-2, respectively. We partially purified endogenous MDH-1 and MDH-2 from a mixed population of worms and separated them using anion exchange chromatography. Both endogenous enzymes had a KM for oxaloacetate similar to that of the corresponding recombinant enzyme. Recombinant MDH-1 and MDH-2 had maximum activity at 40 °C and 35 °C, respectively. In a thermotolerance assay, MDH-1 was much more thermostable than MDH-2. Protein homology modeling predicted that MDH-1 had more intersubunit salt-bridges than mammalian MDH1 enzymes, and these ionic interactions may contribute to its thermostability. In contrast, the MDH-2 homology model predicted fewer intersubunit ionic interactions compared to mammalian MDH2 enzymes. These results suggest that the increased stability of MDH-1 may facilitate its ability to remain active in adverse environmental conditions. In contrast, MDH-2 may use other strategies, such as protein binding partners, to function under similar conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Thomas
- Department of Natural Sciences, State College of Florida, Bradenton, FL 34207, USA
| | - Emma R Cassidy
- Division of Natural Sciences, New College of Florida, Sarasota, FL 34243, USA
| | - Devin S Robinson
- Division of Natural Sciences, New College of Florida, Sarasota, FL 34243, USA
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22
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Limaye SS, Mogul R, Baines KH, Bullock MA, Cockell C, Cutts JA, Gentry DM, Grinspoon DH, Head JW, Jessup KL, Kompanichenko V, Lee YJ, Mathies R, Milojevic T, Pertzborn RA, Rothschild L, Sasaki S, Schulze-Makuch D, Smith DJ, Way MJ. Venus, an Astrobiology Target. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:1163-1185. [PMID: 33970019 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We present a case for the exploration of Venus as an astrobiology target-(1) investigations focused on the likelihood that liquid water existed on the surface in the past, leading to the potential for the origin and evolution of life, (2) investigations into the potential for habitable zones within Venus' present-day clouds and Venus-like exo atmospheres, (3) theoretical investigations into how active aerobiology may impact the radiative energy balance of Venus' clouds and Venus-like atmospheres, and (4) application of these investigative approaches toward better understanding the atmospheric dynamics and habitability of exoplanets. The proximity of Venus to Earth, guidance for exoplanet habitability investigations, and access to the potential cloud habitable layer and surface for prolonged in situ extended measurements together make the planet a very attractive target for near term astrobiological exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay S Limaye
- Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Rakesh Mogul
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Kevin H Baines
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | | | - Charles Cockell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - James A Cutts
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Diana M Gentry
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | | | - James W Head
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - Vladimir Kompanichenko
- Institute for Complex Analysis of Regional Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Birobidzhan, Russia
| | - Yeon Joo Lee
- Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard Mathies
- Chemistry Department and Space Sciences Lab, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Tetyana Milojevic
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rosalyn A Pertzborn
- Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Satoshi Sasaki
- School of Health Sciences, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (ZAA), Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), Potsdam, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Stechlin, Germany
| | - David J Smith
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Michael J Way
- NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, New York, USA
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23
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Hassell DS, Steingesser MG, Denney AS, Johnson CR, McMurray MA. Chemical rescue of mutant proteins in living Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells by naturally occurring small molecules. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6323229. [PMID: 34544143 PMCID: PMC8496222 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular proteins function in a complex milieu wherein small molecules influence protein folding and act as essential cofactors for enzymatic reactions. Thus protein function depends not only on amino acid sequence but also on the concentrations of such molecules, which are subject to wide variation between organisms, metabolic states, and environmental conditions. We previously found evidence that exogenous guanidine reverses the phenotypes of specific budding yeast septin mutants by binding to a WT septin at the former site of an Arg side chain that was lost during fungal evolution. Here, we used a combination of targeted and unbiased approaches to look for other cases of "chemical rescue" by naturally occurring small molecules. We report in vivo rescue of hundreds of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants representing a variety of genes, including likely examples of Arg or Lys side chain replacement by the guanidinium ion. Failed rescue of targeted mutants highlight features required for rescue, as well as key differences between the in vitro and in vivo environments. Some non-Arg mutants rescued by guanidine likely result from "off-target" effects on specific cellular processes in WT cells. Molecules isosteric to guanidine and known to influence protein folding had a range of effects, from essentially none for urea, to rescue of a few mutants by DMSO. Strikingly, the osmolyte trimethylamine-N-oxide rescued ∼20% of the mutants we tested, likely reflecting combinations of direct and indirect effects on mutant protein function. Our findings illustrate the potential of natural small molecules as therapeutic interventions and drivers of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S Hassell
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Marc G Steingesser
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Ashley S Denney
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Courtney R Johnson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Michael A McMurray
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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24
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Espina G, Atalah J, Blamey JM. Extremophilic Oxidoreductases for the Industry: Five Successful Examples With Promising Projections. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:710035. [PMID: 34458243 PMCID: PMC8387880 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.710035] [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: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In a global context where the development of more environmentally conscious technologies is an urgent need, the demand for enzymes for industrial processes is on the rise. Compared to conventional chemical catalysts, the implementation of biocatalysis presents important benefits including higher selectivity, increased sustainability, reduction in operating costs and low toxicity, which translate into cleaner production processes, lower environmental impact as well as increasing the safety of the operating staff. Most of the currently available commercial enzymes are of mesophilic origin, displaying optimal activity in narrow ranges of conditions, which limits their actual application under industrial settings. For this reason, enzymes from extremophilic microorganisms stand out for their specific characteristics, showing higher stability, activity and robustness than their mesophilic counterparts. Their unique structural adaptations allow them to resist denaturation at high temperatures and salinity, remain active at low temperatures, function at extremely acidic or alkaline pHs and high pressure, and participate in reactions in organic solvents and unconventional media. Because of the increased interest to replace chemical catalysts, the global enzymes market is continuously growing, with hydrolases being the most prominent type of enzymes, holding approximately two-third share, followed by oxidoreductases. The latter enzymes catalyze electron transfer reactions and are one of the most abundant classes of enzymes within cells. They hold a significant industrial potential, especially those from extremophiles, as their applications are multifold. In this article we aim to review the properties and potential applications of five different types of extremophilic oxidoreductases: laccases, hydrogenases, glutamate dehydrogenases (GDHs), catalases and superoxide dismutases (SODs). This selection is based on the extensive experience of our research group working with these particular enzymes, from the discovery up to the development of commercial products available for the research market.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jenny M. Blamey
- Fundación Biociencia, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Gao J, Li Q, Li D. Novel Proteome and N-Glycoproteome of the Thermophilic Fungus Chaetomium thermophilum in Response to High Temperature. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:644984. [PMID: 34163440 PMCID: PMC8216556 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.644984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermophilic fungi are eukaryotic species that grow at high temperatures, but little is known about the underlying basis of thermophily at cell and molecular levels. Here the proteome and N-glycoproteome of Chaetomium thermophilum at varying culture temperatures (30, 50, and 55°C) were studied using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography enrichment and high-resolution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectroscopy analysis. With respect to the proteome, the numbers of differentially expressed proteins were 1,274, 1,374, and 1,063 in T50/T30, T55/T30, and T55/T50, respectively. The upregulated proteins were involved in biological processes, such as protein folding and carbohydrate metabolism. Most downregulated proteins were involved in molecular functions, including structural constituents of the ribosome and other protein complexes. For the N-glycoproteome, the numbers of differentially expressed N-glycoproteins were 160, 176, and 128 in T50/T30, T55/T30, and T55/T50, respectively. The differential glycoproteins were mainly involved in various types of N-glycan biosynthesis, mRNA surveillance pathway, and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum. These results indicated that an efficient protein homeostasis pathway plays an essential role in the thermophily of C. thermophilum, and N-glycosylation is involved by affecting related proteins. This is the novel study to reveal thermophilic fungi’s physiological response to high-temperature adaptation using omics analysis, facilitating the exploration of the thermophily mechanism of thermophilic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinpeng Gao
- Department of Mycology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
| | - Qingchao Li
- Department of Mycology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
| | - Duochuan Li
- Department of Mycology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
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26
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Abstract
Bioelectrocatalysis using redox enzymes appears as a sustainable way for biosensing, electricity production, or biosynthesis of fine products. Despite advances in the knowledge of parameters that drive the efficiency of enzymatic electrocatalysis, the weak stability of bioelectrodes prevents large scale development of bioelectrocatalysis. In this review, starting from the understanding of the parameters that drive protein instability, we will discuss the main strategies available to improve all enzyme stability, including use of chemicals, protein engineering and immobilization. Considering in a second step the additional requirements for use of redox enzymes, we will evaluate how far these general strategies can be applied to bioelectrocatalysis.
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Compost Samples from Different Temperature Zones as a Model to Study Co-occurrence of Thermophilic and Psychrophilic Bacterial Population: a Metagenomics Approach. Curr Microbiol 2021; 78:1903-1913. [PMID: 33786643 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02456-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In this study, using a metagenomic approach, we explore the bacterial diversity of compost sites categorized based on their ambient temperatures. The two sites were Reckong Peo in the lower Himalayas and Tambaram in the southern region of the country, namely, CPR and CT. Following assembly of the raw reads from shotgun metagenomics, similarity hits were generated using NCBI BLAST + and SILVA database. A total of 1463 and 1483 species were annotated from CPR and CT. A species-level annotation was performed using a python-based literature search pipeline revealing their growth characteristics. Thermophiles Thermomonospora curvata and Thermus scotoductus were among the prominent species in CT. CPR too was seen abundant with Acidothermus cellulolyticus and Moorella thermoacetica, constituting 10% of the population. Nearly 3% of the identified species in the site CPR were psychrophilic. Although found higher in CPR, psychrophilic species were identified in CT too. Flavobacterium and Psychrobacter spp. were present in both sites without any significant changes in their relative distribution contrary to the thermophilic species abundance (z = - 4.3). Akin to the sequenced samples, database-derived metagenomes also showed similar distribution of thermophiles and psychrophiles. Identifying such peculiar prevalence of extremophiles can be central to understanding extended growth temperatures.
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Zhang Z, Liu G, Chen Y, Xue W, Ji Q, Xu Q, Zhang H, Fan G, Huang H, Jiang L, Chen J. Comparison of different sequencing strategies for assembling chromosome-level genomes of extremophiles with variable GC content. iScience 2021; 24:102219. [PMID: 33748707 PMCID: PMC7961107 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, six bacterial isolates with variable GC, including Escherichia coli as mesophilic reference strain, were selected to compare hybrid assembly strategies based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) of short reads, single-tube long-fragment reads (stLFR) sequencing, and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing platforms. We obtained the complete genomes using the hybrid assembler Unicycler based on the NGS and ONT reads; others were de novo assembled using NGS, stLFR, and ONT reads by using different strategies. The contiguity, accuracy, completeness, sequencing costs, and DNA material requirements of the investigated strategies were compared systematically. Although all sequencing data could be assembled into accurate whole-genome sequences, the stLFR sequencing data yield a scaffold with more contiguity with more completeness of gene function than NGS sequencing assemblies. Our research provides a low-cost chromosome-level genome assembly strategy for large-scale sequencing of extremophile genomes with different GC contents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhidong Zhang
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
- Institute of Applied Microbiology, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Special Environmental Microbiology, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830091, China
| | - Guilin Liu
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - Yao Chen
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Weizhen Xue
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - Qianyue Ji
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - Qiwu Xu
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - He Zhang
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - Guangyi Fan
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - He Huang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Ling Jiang
- College of Food Science and Light Industry, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Jianwei Chen
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
- Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao 266555, China
- Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 13, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
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29
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Ando N, Barquera B, Bartlett DH, Boyd E, Burnim AA, Byer AS, Colman D, Gillilan RE, Gruebele M, Makhatadze G, Royer CA, Shock E, Wand AJ, Watkins MB. The Molecular Basis for Life in Extreme Environments. Annu Rev Biophys 2021; 50:343-372. [PMID: 33637008 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-100120-072804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Sampling and genomic efforts over the past decade have revealed an enormous quantity and diversity of life in Earth's extreme environments. This new knowledge of life on Earth poses the challenge of understandingits molecular basis in such inhospitable conditions, given that such conditions lead to loss of structure and of function in biomolecules from mesophiles. In this review, we discuss the physicochemical properties of extreme environments. We present the state of recent progress in extreme environmental genomics. We then present an overview of our current understanding of the biomolecular adaptation to extreme conditions. As our current and future understanding of biomolecular structure-function relationships in extremophiles requires methodologies adapted to extremes of pressure, temperature, and chemical composition, advances in instrumentation for probing biophysical properties under extreme conditions are presented. Finally, we briefly discuss possible future directions in extreme biophysics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Ando
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Blanca Barquera
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA;
| | - Douglas H Bartlett
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0202, USA
| | - Eric Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, USA
| | - Audrey A Burnim
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Amanda S Byer
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Daniel Colman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, USA
| | - Richard E Gillilan
- Center for High Energy X-ray Sciences (CHEXS), Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Martin Gruebele
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois 61801, USA.,Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois 61801, USA.,Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - George Makhatadze
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA;
| | - Catherine A Royer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA;
| | - Everett Shock
- GEOPIG, School of Earth & Space Exploration, School of Molecular Sciences, Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
| | - A Joshua Wand
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845, USA.,Department of Molecular & Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845, USA
| | - Maxwell B Watkins
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
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30
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Kubyshkin V, Davis R, Budisa N. Biochemistry of fluoroprolines: the prospect of making fluorine a bioelement. Beilstein J Org Chem 2021; 17:439-460. [PMID: 33727970 PMCID: PMC7934785 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.17.40] [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] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the heterocyclic structure and distinct conformational profile, proline is unique in the repertoire of the 20 amino acids coded into proteins. Here, we summarize the biochemical work on the replacement of proline with (4R)- and (4S)-fluoroproline as well as 4,4-difluoroproline in proteins done mainly in the last two decades. We first recapitulate the complex position and biochemical fate of proline in the biochemistry of a cell, discuss the physicochemical properties of fluoroprolines, and overview the attempts to use these amino acids as proline replacements in studies of protein production and folding. Fluorinated proline replacements are able to elevate the protein expression speed and yields and improve the thermodynamic and kinetic folding profiles of individual proteins. In this context, fluoroprolines can be viewed as useful tools in the biotechnological toolbox. As a prospect, we envision that proteome-wide proline-to-fluoroproline substitutions could be possible. We suggest a hypothetical scenario for the use of laboratory evolutionary methods with fluoroprolines as a suitable vehicle to introduce fluorine into living cells. This approach may enable creation of synthetic cells endowed with artificial biodiversity, containing fluorine as a bioelement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Kubyshkin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Rd., Winnipeg, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Rebecca Davis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Rd., Winnipeg, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Nediljko Budisa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Rd., Winnipeg, R3T 2N2, Canada.,Institute of Chemistry, Technical University of Berlin, Müller-Breslau-Str. 10, 10623 Berlin, Germany
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31
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Evolution of Protein Structure and Stability in Global Warming. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249662. [PMID: 33352933 PMCID: PMC7767258 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This review focuses on the molecular signatures of protein structures in relation to evolution and survival in global warming. It is based on the premise that the power of evolutionary selection may lead to thermotolerant organisms that will repopulate the planet and continue life in general, but perhaps with different kinds of flora and fauna. Our focus is on molecular mechanisms, whereby known examples of thermoresistance and their physicochemical characteristics were noted. A comparison of interactions of diverse residues in proteins from thermophilic and mesophilic organisms, as well as reverse genetic studies, revealed a set of imprecise molecular signatures that pointed to major roles of hydrophobicity, solvent accessibility, disulfide bonds, hydrogen bonds, ionic and π-electron interactions, and an overall condensed packing of the higher-order structure, especially in the hydrophobic regions. Regardless of mutations, specialized protein chaperones may play a cardinal role. In evolutionary terms, thermoresistance to global warming will likely occur in stepwise mutational changes, conforming to the molecular signatures, such that each "intermediate" fits a temporary niche through punctuated equilibrium, while maintaining protein functionality. Finally, the population response of different species to global warming may vary substantially, and, as such, some may evolve while others will undergo catastrophic mass extinction.
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32
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Jeong SW, Choi YJ. Extremophilic Microorganisms for the Treatment of Toxic Pollutants in the Environment. Molecules 2020; 25:E4916. [PMID: 33114255 PMCID: PMC7660605 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25214916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As concerns about the substantial effect of various hazardous toxic pollutants on the environment and public health are increasing, the development of effective and sustainable treatment methods is urgently needed. In particular, the remediation of toxic components such as radioactive waste, toxic heavy metals, and other harmful substances under extreme conditions is quite difficult due to their restricted accessibility. Thus, novel treatment methods for the removal of toxic pollutants using extremophilic microorganisms that can thrive under extreme conditions have been investigated during the past several decades. In this review, recent trends in bioremediation using extremophilic microorganisms and related approaches to develop them are reviewed, with relevant examples and perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yong Jun Choi
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Korea;
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33
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Fongaro G, Maia GA, Rogovski P, Cadamuro RD, Lopes JC, Moreira RS, Camargo AF, Scapini T, Stefanski FS, Bonatto C, Marques Souza DS, Stoco PH, Duarte RTD, Cabral da Cruz AC, Wagner G, Treichel H. Extremophile Microbial Communities and Enzymes for Bioenergetic Application Based on Multi-Omics Tools. Curr Genomics 2020; 21:240-252. [PMID: 33071618 PMCID: PMC7521039 DOI: 10.2174/1389202921999200601144137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract: Genomic and proteomic advances in extremophile microorganism studies are increasingly demonstrating their ability to produce a variety of enzymes capable of converting biomass into bioenergy. Such microorganisms are found in environments with nutritional restrictions, anaerobic environments, high salinity, varying pH conditions and extreme natural environments such as hydrothermal vents, soda lakes, and Antarctic sediments. As extremophile microorganisms and their enzymes are found in widely disparate locations, they generate new possibilities and opportunities to explore biotechnological prospecting, including biofuels (biogas, hydrogen and ethanol) with an aim toward using multi-omics tools that shed light on biotechnological breakthroughs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gislaine Fongaro
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Augusto Maia
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Paula Rogovski
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Rafael Dorighello Cadamuro
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Joana Camila Lopes
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Renato Simões Moreira
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Aline Frumi Camargo
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Thamarys Scapini
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Fábio Spitza Stefanski
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Charline Bonatto
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Doris Sobral Marques Souza
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Hermes Stoco
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Rubens Tadeu Delgado Duarte
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Ariadne Cristiane Cabral da Cruz
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Glauber Wagner
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Helen Treichel
- 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocess, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brazil; 3Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; 4Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
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Kutyła M, Fiedurek J, Gromada A, Jędrzejewski K, Trytek M. Mutagenesis and Adaptation of the Psychrotrophic Fungus Chrysosporium pannorum A-1 as a Method for Improving β-pinene Bioconversion. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25112589. [PMID: 32498456 PMCID: PMC7321369 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25112589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutagenesis and adaptation of the psychrotrophic fungus Chrysosporium pannorum A-1 to the toxic substrate β-pinene were used to obtain a biocatalyst with increased resistance to this terpene and improved bioconversion properties. Mutants of the parental strain were induced with UV light and N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Mutants resistant to β-pinene were isolated using agar plates with a linear gradient of substrate concentrations. Active mutants were selected based on their general metabolic activity (GMA) expressed as oxygen consumption rate. Compared to the parental strain, the most active mutant showed an enhanced biotransformation ability to convert β-pinene to trans-pinocarveol (315 mg per g of dry mycelium), a 4.3-fold greater biocatalytic activity, and a higher resistance to H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Biotransformation using adapted mutants yielded twice as much trans-pinocarveol as the reaction catalyzed by non-adapted mutants. The results indicate that mutagenesis and adaptation of C. pannorum A-1 is an effective method of enhancing β-bioconversion of terpenes.
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Harirchi S, Etemadifar Z, Mahboubi A, Yazdian F, Taherzadeh MJ. The Effect of Calcium/Magnesium Ratio on the Biomass Production of a Novel Thermoalkaliphilic Aeribacillus pallidus Strain with Highly Heat-Resistant Spores. Curr Microbiol 2020; 77:2565-2574. [PMID: 32361845 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-020-02010-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Hot springs are fascinating extreme environments for the isolation of polyextremophilic microorganisms with extraordinary characteristics. Since polyextremophilic bacterial growth are not as high as routine bacteria, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of some environmental factors on biomass and metabolites productions in the newly isolated strain, from Larijan hot spring in Iran. The strain was identified as Aeribacillus pallidus Lhs-10 and deposited as CCUG 72355 and IBRC-M 11202 in Sweden and Iran, respectively. This thermoalkaliphilic strain can grow best at 50 °C, pH 8 and in the presence of 25 g/l NaCl. The physiological characterization of this strain show that [Ca/Mg] ratio affect its growth and biomass production with the best results obtained at the ratio of 2.5. Moreover, lactic and acetic acids production by this strain was affected by pH, aeration, and temperature, where a metabolic shift was detected from lactate to acetate production when the culture was aerated. Besides, its spores could tolerate heating at 80, 85, 90, 95 and 98 °C for 30 min without any reduction in the initial spore population, whereas D-value was defined 50 min at 98 °C. This newly lactic acid-producing strain of A. pallidus can be a promising strain that can be used in the harsh conditions in industrial processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharareh Harirchi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology & Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, 8174673441, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Zahra Etemadifar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology & Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, 8174673441, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Amir Mahboubi
- Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, 501 90, Borås, Sweden
| | - Fatemeh Yazdian
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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Structural Characterization of an ACP from Thermotoga maritima: Insights into Hyperthermal Adaptation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21072600. [PMID: 32283632 PMCID: PMC7178038 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21072600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermotoga maritima, a deep-branching hyperthermophilic bacterium, expresses an extraordinarily stable Thermotoga maritima acyl carrier protein (Tm-ACP) that functions as a carrier in the fatty acid synthesis system at near-boiling aqueous environments. Here, to understand the hyperthermal adaptation of Tm-ACP, we investigated the structure and dynamics of Tm-ACP by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The melting temperature of Tm-ACP (101.4 °C) far exceeds that of other ACPs, owing to extensive ionic interactions and tight hydrophobic packing. The D59 residue, which replaces Pro/Ser of other ACPs, mediates ionic clustering between helices III and IV. This creates a wide pocket entrance to facilitate the accommodation of long acyl chains required for hyperthermal adaptation of the T. maritima cell membrane. Tm-ACP is revealed to be the first ACP that harbor an amide proton hyperprotected against hydrogen/deuterium exchange for I15. The hydrophobic interactions mediated by I15 appear to be the key driving forces of the global folding process of Tm-ACP. Our findings provide insights into the structural basis of the hyperthermal adaptation of ACP, which might have allowed T. maritima to survive in hot ancient oceans.
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Eichler J. Modifying Post‐Translational Modifications: A Strategy Used by Archaea for Adapting to Changing Environments? Bioessays 2020; 42:e1900207. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201900207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Eichler
- Department of Life SciencesBen Gurion University of the Negev Beersheva 84105 Israel
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Chao YC, Merritt M, Schaefferkoetter D, Evans TG. High-throughput quantification of protein structural change reveals potential mechanisms of temperature adaptation in Mytilus mussels. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:28. [PMID: 32054457 PMCID: PMC7020559 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-1593-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Temperature exerts a strong influence on protein evolution: species living in thermally distinct environments often exhibit adaptive differences in protein structure and function. However, previous research on protein temperature adaptation has focused on small numbers of proteins and on proteins adapted to extreme temperatures. Consequently, less is known about the types and quantity of evolutionary change that occurs to proteins when organisms adapt to small shifts in environmental temperature. In this study, these uncertainties were addressed by developing software that enabled comparison of structural changes associated with temperature adaptation (hydrogen bonding, salt bridge formation, and amino acid use) among large numbers of proteins from warm- and cold-adapted species of marine mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Mytilus trossulus, respectively. Results Small differences in habitat temperature that characterize the evolutionary history of Mytilus mussels were sufficient to cause protein structural changes consistent with temperature adaptation. Hydrogen bonds and salt bridges that increase stability and protect against heat-induced denaturation were more abundant in proteins from warm-adapted M. galloprovincialis compared with proteins from cold-adapted M. trossulus. These structural changes were related to deviations in the use of polar and charged amino acids that facilitate formation of hydrogen bonds and salt bridges within proteins, respectively. Enzymes, in particular those within antioxidant and cell death pathways, were over-represented among proteins with the most hydrogen bonds and salt bridges in warm-adapted M. galloprovincialis. Unlike extremophile proteins, temperature adaptation in Mytilus proteins did not involve substantial changes in the number of hydrophobic or large volume amino acids, nor in the content of glycine or proline. Conclusions Small shifts in organism temperature tolerance, such as that needed to cope with climate warming, may result from structural and functional changes to a small percentage of the proteome. Proteins in which function is dependent on large conformational change, notably enzymes, may be particularly sensitive to temperature perturbation and represent foci for natural selection. Protein temperature adaptation can occur through different types and frequencies of structural change, and adaptive mechanisms used to cope with small shifts in habitat temperature appear different from mechanisms used to retain protein function at temperature extremes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Chen Chao
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, 94542, USA
| | - Melanie Merritt
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, 94542, USA
| | - Devin Schaefferkoetter
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, 94542, USA
| | - Tyler G Evans
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, 94542, USA.
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Abstract
Despite the typical human notion that the Earth is a habitable planet, over three quarters of our planet is uninhabitable by us without assistance. The organisms that live and thrive in these “inhospitable” environments are known by the name extremophiles and are found in all Domains of Life. Despite our general lack of knowledge about them, they have already assisted humans in many ways and still have much more to give. In this review, I describe how they have adapted to live/thrive/survive in their niches, helped scientists unlock major scientific discoveries, advance the field of biotechnology, and inform us about the boundaries of Life and where we might find it in the Universe.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Coker
- Department of Sciences, University of Maryland Global Campus, Adelphi, MD, USA
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Structural insights into the mechanism of internal aldimine formation and catalytic loop dynamics in an archaeal Group II decarboxylase. J Struct Biol 2019; 208:137-151. [PMID: 31445086 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2019.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Formation of the internal aldimine (LLP) is the first regulatory step that activates pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes. The process involves a nucleophilic attack on PLP by an active site Lys residue, followed by proton transfers resulting in a carbinolamine (CBA) intermediate that undergoes dehydration to form the aldimine. Despite a general understanding of the pathway, the structural basis of the mechanistic roles of specific residues in each of these steps is unclear. Here we determined the crystal structure of the LLP form (holo-form) of a Group II PLP-dependent decarboxylase from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii (MjDC) at 1.7 Å resolution. By comparing the crystal structure of MjDC in the LLP form with that of the pyridoxal-P (non-covalently bound aldehyde) form, we demonstrate structural evidence for a water-mediated mechanism of LLP formation. A conserved extended hydrogen-bonding network around PLP coupled to the pyridinyl nitrogen influences activation and catalysis by affecting the electronic configuration of PLP. Furthermore, the two cofactor bound forms revealed open and closed conformations of the catalytic loop (CL) in the absence of a ligand, supporting a hypothesis for a regulatory link between LLP formation and CL dynamics. The evidence suggests that activation of Group II decarboxylases involves a complex interplay of interactions between the electronic states of PLP, the active site micro-environment and CL dynamics.
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Salvador-Castell M, Golub M, Martinez N, Ollivier J, Peters J, Oger P. The first study on the impact of osmolytes in whole cells of high temperature-adapted microorganisms. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:8381-8391. [PMID: 31613294 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm01196j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The hyperthermophilic piezophile, Thermococcus barophilus displays a strong stress response characterized by the accumulation of the organic osmolyte, mannosylglycerate during growth under sub-optimal pressure conditions (0.1 MPa). Taking advantage of this known effect, the impact of osmolytes in piezophiles in an otherwise identical cellular context was investigated, by comparing T. barophilus cells grown under low or optimal pressures (40 MPa). Using neutron scattering techniques, we studied the molecular dynamics of live cells of T. barophilus at different pressures and temperatures. We show that in the presence of osmolytes, cells present a higher diffusion coefficient of hydration water and an increase of bulk water motions at a high temperature. In the absence of osmolytes, the T. barophilus cellular dynamics is more responsive to high temperature and high hydrostatic pressure. These results therefore give clear evidence for a protecting effect of osmolytes on proteins.
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Archaea, from obscurity to superhero microbes: 40 years of surprises and critical biological insights. Emerg Top Life Sci 2018; 2:453-458. [PMID: 33525822 PMCID: PMC7288999 DOI: 10.1042/etls20180022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This issue of Emerging Topics in the Life Sciences highlights current areas of research in the field of archaeal biology and the following introductory editorial sets the stage by considering some of the key developments over the last four decades since the initial identification of the archaea as a unique form of life. Emerging topics from this vibrant and rapidly expanding field of research are considered and detailed further in the articles within this issue.
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