1
|
Collins KM, Evans NJ, Torpey JH, Harris JM, Haynes BA, Camp AH, Isaacson RL. Structural Analysis of Bacillus subtilis Sigma Factors. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041077. [PMID: 37110501 PMCID: PMC10141391 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria use an array of sigma factors to regulate gene expression during different stages of their life cycles. Full-length, atomic-level structures of sigma factors have been challenging to obtain experimentally as a result of their many regions of intrinsic disorder. AlphaFold has now supplied plausible full-length models for most sigma factors. Here we discuss the current understanding of the structures and functions of sigma factors in the model organism, Bacillus subtilis, and present an X-ray crystal structure of a region of B. subtilis SigE, a sigma factor that plays a critical role in the developmental process of spore formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Collins
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Nicola J Evans
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - James H Torpey
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Jonathon M Harris
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Bethany A Haynes
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Amy H Camp
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
| | - Rivka L Isaacson
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hocq R, Jagtap S, Boutard M, Tolonen AC, Duval L, Pirayre A, Lopes Ferreira N, Wasels F. Genome-Wide TSS Distribution in Three Related Clostridia with Normalized Capp-Switch Sequencing. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0228821. [PMID: 35412381 PMCID: PMC9045289 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02288-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription initiation is a tightly regulated process that is crucial for many aspects of prokaryotic physiology. High-throughput transcription start site (TSS) mapping can shed light on global and local regulation of transcription initiation, which in turn may help us understand and predict microbial behavior. In this study, we used Capp-Switch sequencing to determine the TSS positions in the genomes of three model solventogenic clostridia: Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824, C. beijerinckii DSM 6423, and C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052. We first refined the approach by implementing a normalization pipeline accounting for gene expression, yielding a total of 12,114 mapped TSSs across the species. We further compared the distributions of these sites in the three strains. Results indicated similar distribution patterns at the genome scale, but also some sharp differences, such as for the butyryl-CoA synthesis operon, particularly when comparing C. acetobutylicum to the C. beijerinckii strains. Lastly, we found that promoter structure is generally poorly conserved between C. acetobutylicum and C. beijerinckii. A few conserved promoters across species are discussed, showing interesting examples of how TSS determination and comparison can improve our understanding of gene expression regulation at the transcript level. IMPORTANCE Solventogenic clostridia have been employed in industry for more than a century, initially being used in the acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation process for acetone and butanol production. Interest in these bacteria has recently increased in the context of green chemistry and sustainable development. However, our current understanding of their genomes and physiology limits their optimal use as industrial solvent production platforms. The gene regulatory mechanisms of solventogenesis are still only partly understood, impeding efforts to increase rates and yields. Genome-wide mapping of transcription start sites (TSSs) for three model solventogenic Clostridium strains is an important step toward understanding mechanisms of gene regulation in these industrially important bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Hocq
- IFP Energies Nouvelles, Rueil-Malmaison, France
| | | | - Magali Boutard
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d’Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Andrew C. Tolonen
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d’Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Diallo M, Kengen SWM, López-Contreras AM. Sporulation in solventogenic and acetogenic clostridia. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:3533-3557. [PMID: 33900426 PMCID: PMC8102284 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11289-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The Clostridium genus harbors compelling organisms for biotechnological production processes; while acetogenic clostridia can fix C1-compounds to produce acetate and ethanol, solventogenic clostridia can utilize a wide range of carbon sources to produce commercially valuable carboxylic acids, alcohols, and ketones by fermentation. Despite their potential, the conversion by these bacteria of carbohydrates or C1 compounds to alcohols is not cost-effective enough to result in economically viable processes. Engineering solventogenic clostridia by impairing sporulation is one of the investigated approaches to improve solvent productivity. Sporulation is a cell differentiation process triggered in bacteria in response to exposure to environmental stressors. The generated spores are metabolically inactive but resistant to harsh conditions (UV, chemicals, heat, oxygen). In Firmicutes, sporulation has been mainly studied in bacilli and pathogenic clostridia, and our knowledge of sporulation in solvent-producing or acetogenic clostridia is limited. Still, sporulation is an integral part of the cellular physiology of clostridia; thus, understanding the regulation of sporulation and its connection to solvent production may give clues to improve the performance of solventogenic clostridia. This review aims to provide an overview of the triggers, characteristics, and regulatory mechanism of sporulation in solventogenic clostridia. Those are further compared to the current knowledge on sporulation in the industrially relevant acetogenic clostridia. Finally, the potential applications of spores for process improvement are discussed.Key Points• The regulatory network governing sporulation initiation varies in solventogenic clostridia.• Media composition and cell density are the main triggers of sporulation.• Spores can be used to improve the fermentation process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mamou Diallo
- Wageningen Food and Biobased Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Servé W M Kengen
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sinha D, Sinha D, Dutta A, Chakraborty T, Mondal R, Seal S, Poddar A, Chatterjee S, Sau S. Alternative Sigma Factor of Staphylococcus aureus Interacts with the Cognate Antisigma Factor Primarily Using Its Domain 3. Biochemistry 2021; 60:135-151. [PMID: 33406357 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
σB, an alternative sigma factor, is usually employed to tackle the general stress response in Staphylococcus aureus and other Gram-positive bacteria. This protein, involved in S. aureus-mediated pathogenesis, is typically blocked by RsbW, an antisigma factor having serine kinase activity. σB, a σ70-like sigma factor, harbors three conserved domains designated σB2, σB3, and σB4. To better understand the interaction between RsbW and σB or its domains, we have studied their recombinant forms, rRsbW, rσB, rσB2, rσB3, and rσB4, using different probes. The results show that none of the rσB domains, unlike rσB, showed binding to a cognate DNA in the presence of a core RNA polymerase. However, both rσB2 and rσB3, like rσB, interacted with rRsbW, and the order of their rRsbW binding affinity looks like rσB > rσB3 > rσB2. Furthermore, the reaction between rRsbW and rσB or rσB3 was exothermic and occurred spontaneously. rRsbW and rσB3 also associate with each other at a stoichiometry of 2:1, and different types of noncovalent bonds might be responsible for their interaction. A structural model of the RsbW-σB3 complex that has supported our experimental results indicated the binding of rσB3 at the putative dimeric interface of RsbW. A genetic study shows that the tentative dimer-forming region of RsbW is crucial for preserving its rσB binding ability, serine kinase activity, and dimerization ability. Additionally, a urea-induced equilibrium unfolding study indicated a notable thermodynamic stabilization of σB3 in the presence of RsbW. Possible implications of the stabilization data in drug discovery were discussed at length.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debabrata Sinha
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Debasmita Sinha
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Anindya Dutta
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Tushar Chakraborty
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Rajkrishna Mondal
- Department of Biotechnology, Nagaland University, Dimapur, Nagaland 797112, India
| | - Soham Seal
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Asim Poddar
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | | | - Subrata Sau
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Machine learning uncovers independently regulated modules in the Bacillus subtilis transcriptome. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6338. [PMID: 33311500 PMCID: PMC7732839 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20153-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcriptional regulatory network (TRN) of Bacillus subtilis coordinates cellular functions of fundamental interest, including metabolism, biofilm formation, and sporulation. Here, we use unsupervised machine learning to modularize the transcriptome and quantitatively describe regulatory activity under diverse conditions, creating an unbiased summary of gene expression. We obtain 83 independently modulated gene sets that explain most of the variance in expression and demonstrate that 76% of them represent the effects of known regulators. The TRN structure and its condition-dependent activity uncover putative or recently discovered roles for at least five regulons, such as a relationship between histidine utilization and quorum sensing. The TRN also facilitates quantification of population-level sporulation states. As this TRN covers the majority of the transcriptome and concisely characterizes the global expression state, it could inform research on nearly every aspect of transcriptional regulation in B. subtilis. The systems-level regulatory structure underlying gene expression in bacteria can be inferred using machine learning algorithms. Here we show this structure for Bacillus subtilis, present five hypotheses gleaned from it, and analyse the process of sporulation from its perspective.
Collapse
|
6
|
Srivastava A, Varshney RK, Shukla P. Sigma Factor Modulation for Cyanobacterial Metabolic Engineering. Trends Microbiol 2020; 29:266-277. [PMID: 33229204 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Sigma (σ) factors are key regulatory proteins that control the transcription initiation in prokaryotes. In response to environmental or developmental cues, σ factors initiate the transcription of necessary genes responsible for maintaining a life-sustaining metabolic balance. Due to the significant role of σ factors in bacterial metabolism, their rational engineering for commercial metabolite production in photoautotrophic, cyanobacterial cells is a desirable venture. As cyanobacterial genomes typically encode multiple σ factors, effective execution of metabolic engineering efforts largely relies on uncovering the complicated gene regulatory network and further characterization of the members of σ factor regulatory circuits. This review outlines the prospects of σ factor in metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria, summarizes the challenges in the path towards an efficient strain construction and highlights the genomic context of putative regulators of cyanobacterial σ factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amit Srivastava
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Rajeev K Varshney
- Center of Excellence in Genomics and Systems Biology, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, India
| | - Pratyoosh Shukla
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak-124001, Haryana, India.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Anticorrosion Coated Stainless Steel as Durable Support for C-N-TiO 2 Photo Catalyst Layer. MATERIALS 2020; 13:ma13194426. [PMID: 33027934 PMCID: PMC7579543 DOI: 10.3390/ma13194426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The development of durable photocatalytic supports resistant in harsh environment has become challenging in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) focusing on water and wastewater remediation. In this study, stainless steel (SS), SS/Ti (N,O) and SS/Cr-N/Cr (N,O) anticorrosion layers on SS meshes were dip-coated with sol gel synthesised C-N-TiO2 photo catalysts pyrolysed at 350 °C for 105 min, using a heating rate of 50 °C/min under N2 gas. The supported C-N-TiO2 films were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that C-N-TiO2 was successfully deposited on anticorrosion coated SS supports and had different morphologies. The amorphous C and TiO2 were predominant in C-N-TiO2 over anatase and rutile phases on the surface of SS and anticorrosion supports. The C-N-TiO2 coated films showed enhanced photocatalytic activity for the decolouration of O.II dye under both solar and UV radiations. The fabricated C-N-TiO2 films showed significant antibacterial activities in the dark as well as in visible light. Herein, we demonstrate that SS/Ti(N,O) and SS/Cr-N/Cr(N,O) anticorrosion coatings are adequate photocatalytic and corrosion resistant supports. The C-N-TiO2 photo catalytic coatings can be used for water and wastewater decontamination of pollutants and microbes.
Collapse
|
8
|
Allain F, Mareuil F, Ménager H, Nilges M, Bardiaux B. ARIAweb: a server for automated NMR structure calculation. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:W41-W47. [PMID: 32383755 PMCID: PMC7319541 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a method of choice to study the dynamics and determine the atomic structure of macromolecules in solution. The standalone program ARIA (Ambiguous Restraints for Iterative Assignment) for automated assignment of nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) data and structure calculation is well established in the NMR community. To ultimately provide a perfectly transparent and easy to use service, we designed an online user interface to ARIA with additional functionalities. Data conversion, structure calculation setup and execution, followed by interactive visualization of the generated 3D structures are all integrated in ARIAweb and freely accessible at https://ariaweb.pasteur.fr.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Allain
- Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, CNRS UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France
| | - Fabien Mareuil
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Department of Computational Biology, CNRS USR 3756, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France
| | - Hervé Ménager
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Department of Computational Biology, CNRS USR 3756, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France
| | - Michael Nilges
- Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, CNRS UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France
| | - Benjamin Bardiaux
- Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, CNRS UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ramos-Silva P, Serrano M, Henriques AO. From Root to Tips: Sporulation Evolution and Specialization in Bacillus subtilis and the Intestinal Pathogen Clostridioides difficile. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 36:2714-2736. [PMID: 31350897 PMCID: PMC6878958 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria of the Firmicutes phylum are able to enter a developmental pathway that culminates with the formation of highly resistant, dormant endospores. Endospores allow environmental persistence, dissemination and for pathogens, are also infection vehicles. In both the model Bacillus subtilis, an aerobic organism, and in the intestinal pathogen Clostridioides difficile, an obligate anaerobe, sporulation mobilizes hundreds of genes. Their expression is coordinated between the forespore and the mother cell, the two cells that participate in the process, and is kept in close register with the course of morphogenesis. The evolutionary mechanisms by which sporulation emerged and evolved in these two species, and more broadly across Firmicutes, remain largely unknown. Here, we trace the origin and evolution of sporulation using the genes known to be involved in the process in B. subtilis and C. difficile, and estimating their gain-loss dynamics in a comprehensive bacterial macroevolutionary framework. We show that sporulation evolution was driven by two major gene gain events, the first at the base of the Firmicutes and the second at the base of the B. subtilis group and within the Peptostreptococcaceae family, which includes C. difficile. We also show that early and late sporulation regulons have been coevolving and that sporulation genes entail greater innovation in B. subtilis with many Bacilli lineage-restricted genes. In contrast, C. difficile more often recruits new sporulation genes by horizontal gene transfer, which reflects both its highly mobile genome, the complexity of the gut microbiota, and an adjustment of sporulation to the gut ecosystem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Ramos-Silva
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.,Marine Biodiversity Group, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mónica Serrano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Adriano O Henriques
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
First-In-Class Inhibitors Targeting the Interaction between Bacterial RNA Polymerase and Sigma Initiation Factor Affect the Viability and Toxin Release of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24162902. [PMID: 31405060 PMCID: PMC6719014 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24162902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel antimicrobial classes are in desperate need for clinical management of infections caused by increasingly prevalent multi-drug resistant pathogens. The protein-protein interaction between bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) and the housekeeping sigma initiation factor is essential to transcription and bacterial viability. It also presents a potential target for antimicrobial discovery, for which a hit compound (C3) was previously identified from a pharmacophore model-based in silico screen. In this study, the hit compound was experimentally assessed with some rationally designed derivatives for the antimicrobial activities, in particular against Streptococcus pneumoniae and other pathogens. One compound, C3-005, shows dramatically improved activity against pneumococci compared to C3. C3-005 also attenuates S. pneumoniae toxin production more strongly than existing classes of antibiotics tested. Here we demonstrate a newly validated antimicrobial agent to address an overlooked target in the hit-to-lead process, which may pave the way for further antimicrobial development.
Collapse
|
11
|
Benarroch R, Austin JM, Ahmed F, Isaacson RL. The roles of cytosolic quality control proteins, SGTA and the BAG6 complex, in disease. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2019; 114:265-313. [PMID: 30635083 PMCID: PMC7102839 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
SGTA is a co-chaperone that, in collaboration with the complex of BAG6/UBL4A/TRC35, facilitates the biogenesis and quality control of hydrophobic proteins, protecting them from the aqueous cytosolic environment. This work includes targeting tail-anchored proteins to their resident membranes, sorting of membrane and secretory proteins that mislocalize to the cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of misfolded proteins. Since these functions are all vital for the cell's continued proteostasis, their disruption poses a threat to the cell, with a particular risk of protein aggregation, a phenomenon that underpins many diseases. Although the specific disease implications of machinery involved in quality control of hydrophobic substrates are poorly understood, here we summarize much of the available information on this topic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rashi Benarroch
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer M Austin
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fahmeda Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rivka L Isaacson
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|