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Shomar H, Bokinsky G. Harnessing iron‑sulfur enzymes for synthetic biology. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2024; 1871:119718. [PMID: 38574823 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2024.119718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Reactions catalysed by iron-sulfur (Fe-S) enzymes appear in a variety of biosynthetic pathways that produce valuable natural products. Harnessing these biosynthetic pathways by expression in microbial cell factories grown on an industrial scale would yield enormous economic and environmental benefits. However, Fe-S enzymes often become bottlenecks that limits the productivity of engineered pathways. As a consequence, achieving the production metrics required for industrial application remains a distant goal for Fe-S enzyme-dependent pathways. Here, we identify and review three core challenges in harnessing Fe-S enzyme activity, which all stem from the properties of Fe-S clusters: 1) limited Fe-S cluster supply within the host cell, 2) Fe-S cluster instability, and 3) lack of specialized reducing cofactor proteins often required for Fe-S enzyme activity, such as enzyme-specific flavodoxins and ferredoxins. We highlight successful methods developed for a variety of Fe-S enzymes and electron carriers for overcoming these difficulties. We use heterologous nitrogenase expression as a grand case study demonstrating how each of these challenges can be addressed. We predict that recent breakthroughs in protein structure prediction and design will prove well-suited to addressing each of these challenges. A reliable toolkit for harnessing Fe-S enzymes in engineered metabolic pathways will accelerate the development of industry-ready Fe-S enzyme-dependent biosynthesis pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Shomar
- Institut Pasteur, université Paris Cité, Inserm U1284, Diversité moléculaire des microbes (Molecular Diversity of Microbes lab), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Gregory Bokinsky
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
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2
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Lewis NM, Kisgeropoulos EC, Lubner CE, Fixen KR. Characterization of ferredoxins involved in electron transfer pathways for nitrogen fixation implicates differences in electronic structure in tuning 2[4Fe4S] Fd activity. J Inorg Biochem 2024; 254:112521. [PMID: 38471286 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2024.112521] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Ferredoxins (Fds) are small proteins which shuttle electrons to pathways like biological nitrogen fixation. Physical properties tune the reactivity of Fds with different pathways, but knowledge on how these properties can be manipulated to engineer new electron transfer pathways is lacking. Recently, we showed that an evolved strain of Rhodopseudomonas palustris uses a new electron transfer pathway for nitrogen fixation. This pathway involves a variant of the primary Fd of nitrogen fixation in R. palustris, Fer1, in which threonine at position 11 is substituted for isoleucine (Fer1T11I). To understand why this substitution in Fer1 enables more efficient electron transfer, we used in vivo and in vitro methods to characterize Fer1 and Fer1T11I. Electrochemical characterization revealed both Fer1 and Fer1T11I have similar redox transitions (-480 mV and - 550 mV), indicating the reduction potential was unaffected despite the proximity of T11 to an iron‑sulfur (FeS) cluster of Fer1. Additionally, disruption of hydrogen bonding around an FeS cluster in Fer1 by substituting threonine with alanine (T11A) or valine (T11V) did not increase nitrogenase activity, indicating that disruption of hydrogen bonding does not explain the difference in activity observed for Fer1T11I. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy studies revealed key differences in the electronic structure of Fer1 and Fer1T11I, which indicate changes to the high spin states and/or spin-spin coupling between the FeS clusters of Fer1. Our data implicates these electronic structure differences in facilitating electron flow and sets a foundation for further investigations to understand the connection between these properties and intermolecular electron transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan M Lewis
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology and the Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
| | | | - Carolyn E Lubner
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States of America.
| | - Kathryn R Fixen
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology and the Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America.
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3
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Kisgeropoulos E, Bharadwaj VS, Ledinina A, Lubner CE, Mulder DW, Smolinski SL, Boehm M, Gutekunst K, King PW, Svedruzic D. Structural and biophysical properties of a [4Fe4S] ferredoxin-like protein from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 with a unique two domain structure. J Inorg Biochem 2024; 251:112428. [PMID: 38008043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112428] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Electron carrier proteins (ECPs), binding iron-sulfur clusters, are vital components within the intricate network of metabolic and photosynthetic reactions. They play a crucial role in the distribution of reducing equivalents. In Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, the ECP network includes at least nine ferredoxins. Previous research, including global expression analyses and protein binding studies, has offered initial insights into the functional roles of individual ferredoxins within this network. This study primarily focuses on Ferredoxin 9 (slr2059). Through sequence analysis and computational modeling, Ferredoxin 9 emerges as a unique ECP with a distinctive two-domain architecture. It consists of a C-terminal iron‑sulfur binding domain and an N-terminal domain with homology to Nil-domain proteins, connected by a structurally rigid 4-amino acid linker. Notably, in contrast to canonical [2Fe2S] ferredoxins exemplified by PetF (ssl0020), which feature highly acidic surfaces facilitating electron transfer with photosystem I reaction centers, models of Ferredoxin 9 reveal a more neutral to basic protein surface. Using a combination of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and square-wave voltammetry on heterologously produced Ferredoxin 9, this study demonstrates that the protein coordinates 2×[4Fe4S]2+/1+ redox-active and magnetically interacting clusters, with measured redox potentials of -420 ± 9 mV and - 516 ± 10 mV vs SHE. A more in-depth analysis of Fdx9's unique structure and protein sequence suggests that this type of Nil-2[4Fe4S] multi-domain ferredoxin is well conserved in cyanobacteria, bearing structural similarities to proteins involved in homocysteine synthesis in methanogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Effie Kisgeropoulos
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Vivek S Bharadwaj
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Anastasia Ledinina
- Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, USA
| | - Carolyn E Lubner
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - David W Mulder
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Sharon L Smolinski
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Marko Boehm
- Department of Biology, Botanical Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany; Department of Molecular Plant Physiology, Bioenergetics in Photoautotrophs, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Kirstin Gutekunst
- Department of Biology, Botanical Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany; Department of Molecular Plant Physiology, Bioenergetics in Photoautotrophs, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Paul W King
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Drazenka Svedruzic
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA.
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4
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McGuinness KN, Fehon N, Feehan R, Miller M, Mutter AC, Rybak LA, Nam J, AbuSalim JE, Atkinson JT, Heidari H, Losada N, Kim JD, Koder RL, Lu Y, Silberg JJ, Slusky JSG, Falkowski PG, Nanda V. The energetics and evolution of oxidoreductases in deep time. Proteins 2024; 92:52-59. [PMID: 37596815 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26563] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
The core metabolic reactions of life drive electrons through a class of redox protein enzymes, the oxidoreductases. The energetics of electron flow is determined by the redox potentials of organic and inorganic cofactors as tuned by the protein environment. Understanding how protein structure affects oxidation-reduction energetics is crucial for studying metabolism, creating bioelectronic systems, and tracing the history of biological energy utilization on Earth. We constructed ProtReDox (https://protein-redox-potential.web.app), a manually curated database of experimentally determined redox potentials. With over 500 measurements, we can begin to identify how proteins modulate oxidation-reduction energetics across the tree of life. By mapping redox potentials onto networks of oxidoreductase fold evolution, we can infer the evolution of electron transfer energetics over deep time. ProtReDox is designed to include user-contributed submissions with the intention of making it a valuable resource for researchers in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth N McGuinness
- Department of Natural Sciences, Caldwell University, Caldwell, New Jersey, USA
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Nolan Fehon
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ryan Feehan
- Computational Biology Program, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Michelle Miller
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Andrew C Mutter
- Department of Physics, The City College of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Laryssa A Rybak
- Department of Physics, The City College of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Justin Nam
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jenna E AbuSalim
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joshua T Atkinson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Hirbod Heidari
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Natalie Losada
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - J Dongun Kim
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ronald L Koder
- Department of Physics, The City College of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Jonathan J Silberg
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Joanna S G Slusky
- Computational Biology Program, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Paul G Falkowski
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Vikas Nanda
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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5
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Truong A, Myerscough D, Campbell I, Atkinson J, Silberg JJ. A cellular selection identifies elongated flavodoxins that support electron transfer to sulfite reductase. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4746. [PMID: 37551563 PMCID: PMC10503412 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4746] [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: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Flavodoxins (Flds) mediate the flux of electrons between oxidoreductases in diverse metabolic pathways. To investigate whether Flds can support electron transfer to a sulfite reductase (SIR) that evolved to couple with a ferredoxin, we evaluated the ability of Flds to transfer electrons from a ferredoxin-NADP reductase (FNR) to a ferredoxin-dependent SIR using growth complementation of an Escherichia coli strain with a sulfur metabolism defect. We show that Flds from cyanobacteria complement this growth defect when coexpressed with an FNR and an SIR that evolved to couple with a plant ferredoxin. When we evaluated the effect of peptide insertion on Fld-mediated electron transfer, we observed a sensitivity to insertions within regions predicted to be proximal to the cofactor and partner binding sites, while a high insertion tolerance was detected within loops distal from the cofactor and within regions of helices and sheets that are proximal to those loops. Bioinformatic analysis showed that natural Fld sequence variability predicts a large fraction of the motifs that tolerate insertion of the octapeptide SGRPGSLS. These results represent the first evidence that Flds can support electron transfer to assimilatory SIRs, and they suggest that the pattern of insertion tolerance is influenced by interactions with oxidoreductase partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Truong
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Dru Myerscough
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ian Campbell
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Joshua Atkinson
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jonathan J Silberg
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
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6
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Bombana A, Shanmugam M, Collison D, Kibler AJ, Newton GN, Jäger CM, Croft AK, Morra S, Mitchell NJ. Application of a Synthetic Ferredoxin-Inspired [4Fe4S]-Peptide Maquette as the Redox Partner for an [FeFe]-Hydrogenase. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300250. [PMID: 37391388 PMCID: PMC10946529 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300250] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
'Bacterial-type' ferredoxins host a cubane [4Fe4S]2+/+ cluster that enables these proteins to mediate electron transfer and facilitate a broad range of biological processes. Peptide maquettes based on the conserved cluster-forming motif have previously been reported and used to model the ferredoxins. Herein we explore the integration of a [4Fe4S]-peptide maquette into a H2 -powered electron transport chain. While routinely formed under anaerobic conditions, we illustrate by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis that these maquettes can be reconstituted under aerobic conditions by using photoactivated NADH to reduce the cluster at 240 K. Attempts to tune the redox properties of the iron-sulfur cluster by introducing an Fe-coordinating selenocysteine residue were also explored. To demonstrate the integration of these artificial metalloproteins into a semi-synthetic electron transport chain, we utilize a ferredoxin-inspired [4Fe4S]-peptide maquette as the redox partner in the hydrogenase-mediated oxidation of H2 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Bombana
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Muralidharan Shanmugam
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - David Collison
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Alexander J Kibler
- The GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Labs for Sustainable Chemistry, University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK
| | - Graham N Newton
- The GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Labs for Sustainable Chemistry, University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK
| | - Christof M Jäger
- Data Science and Modelling, Pharmaceutical Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Anna K Croft
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of AACME, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK
| | - Simone Morra
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Nicholas J Mitchell
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
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7
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Seo D. The Role of the si-Face Tyrosine of a Homodimeric Ferredoxin-NADP + Oxidoreductase from Bacillus subtilis during Complex Formation and Redox Equivalent Transfer with NADP +/H and Ferredoxin. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1741. [PMID: 37760044 PMCID: PMC10526003 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12091741] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In the crystal structure of ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase from Bacillus subtilis (BsFNR), Tyr50 stacks on the si-face of the isoalloxazine ring portion of the FAD prosthetic group. This configuration is highly conserved among the homodimeric ferredoxin-NAD(P)+ oxidoreductases (FNR) from Gram-positive bacteria and photosynthetic bacteria. In this report, pre-steady state reactions of Tyr50 variants with NADP+/NADPH and ferredoxin from B. subtilis (BsFd) were examined with stopped-flow spectrophotometry to assess the effects of the mutation on the formation of FNR-substrate complexes and following redox equivalent transfer. Mixing oxidized BsFNRs with NADPH resulted in a rapid complex formation followed by a rate-limiting hydride transfer. The substitution substantially modulated the intensity of the charge transfer absorption band and decreased the observed hydride transfer rates compared to the wild type. Reduction of the Y50W mutant by NADPH proceeded in a monophasic manner, while the Y50G and Y50S mutants did in biphasic phases. The reduced Tyr50 mutants hardly promoted the reduction of NADP+. Mixing oxidized BsFNRs with reduced BsFd resulted in the reduction of the FNRs. The observed FNR reduction rates of the three variants were comparable, but in the Y50G and Y50S mutants, the amount of the reduced FNR at the rapid phase was decreased, and a slow FNR reduction phase was observed. The obtained results suggest that the replacements of Tyr50 with Gly and Ser permitted the conformational change in the reduced form, which induced an asymmetric kinetic behavior between the protomers of the homodimeric BsFNR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Seo
- Division of Material Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
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8
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Rabiço F, Pedrino M, Narcizo JP, de Andrade AR, Reginatto V, Guazzaroni ME. Synthetic Biology Toolkit for a New Species of Pseudomonas Promissory for Electricity Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2044. [PMID: 37630604 PMCID: PMC10458277 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082044] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer sustainable solutions for various biotechnological applications and are a crucial area of research in biotechnology. MFCs can effectively treat various refuse, such as wastewater and biodiesel waste by decomposing organic matter and generating electricity. Certain Pseudomonas species possess extracellular electron transfer (EET) pathways, enabling them to transfer electrons from organic compounds to the MFC's anode. Moreover, Pseudomonas species can grow under low-oxygen conditions, which is advantageous considering that the electron transfer process in an MFC typically leads to reduced oxygen levels at the anode. This study focuses on evaluating MFCs inoculated with a new Pseudomonas species grown with 1 g.L-1 glycerol, a common byproduct of biodiesel production. Pseudomonas sp. BJa5 exhibited a maximum power density of 39 mW.m-2. Also, the observed voltammograms and genome analysis indicate the potential production of novel redox mediators by BJa5. Additionally, we investigated the bacterium's potential as a synthetic biology non-model chassis. Through testing various genetic parts, including constitutive promoters, replication origins and cargos using pSEVA vectors as a scaffold, we assessed the bacterium's suitability. Overall, our findings offer valuable insights into utilizing Pseudomonas spp. BJa5 as a novel chassis for MFCs. Synthetic biology approaches can further enhance the performance of this bacterium in MFCs, providing avenues for improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciene Rabiço
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, Brazil; (F.R.); (M.P.)
| | - Matheus Pedrino
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, Brazil; (F.R.); (M.P.)
| | - Julia Pereira Narcizo
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, Brazil; (J.P.N.); (A.R.d.A.); (V.R.)
| | - Adalgisa Rodrigues de Andrade
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, Brazil; (J.P.N.); (A.R.d.A.); (V.R.)
| | - Valeria Reginatto
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, Brazil; (J.P.N.); (A.R.d.A.); (V.R.)
| | - María-Eugenia Guazzaroni
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, Brazil; (F.R.); (M.P.)
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9
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Atkinson JT, Chavez MS, Niman CM, El-Naggar MY. Living electronics: A catalogue of engineered living electronic components. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:507-533. [PMID: 36519191 PMCID: PMC9948233 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Biology leverages a range of electrical phenomena to extract and store energy, control molecular reactions and enable multicellular communication. Microbes, in particular, have evolved genetically encoded machinery enabling them to utilize the abundant redox-active molecules and minerals available on Earth, which in turn drive global-scale biogeochemical cycles. Recently, the microbial machinery enabling these redox reactions have been leveraged for interfacing cells and biomolecules with electrical circuits for biotechnological applications. Synthetic biology is allowing for the use of these machinery as components of engineered living materials with tuneable electrical properties. Herein, we review the state of such living electronic components including wires, capacitors, transistors, diodes, optoelectronic components, spin filters, sensors, logic processors, bioactuators, information storage media and methods for assembling these components into living electronic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Atkinson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Marko S Chavez
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Christina M Niman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Mohamed Y El-Naggar
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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10
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Evolving a New Electron Transfer Pathway for Nitrogen Fixation Uncovers an Electron Bifurcating-Like Enzyme Involved in Anaerobic Aromatic Compound Degradation. mBio 2023; 14:e0288122. [PMID: 36645294 PMCID: PMC9973337 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02881-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitrogenase is the key enzyme involved in nitrogen fixation and uses low potential electrons delivered by ferredoxin (Fd) or flavodoxin (Fld) to reduce dinitrogen gas (N2) to produce ammonia, generating hydrogen gas (H2) as an obligate product of this activity. Although the phototrophic alphaproteobacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris encodes multiple proteins that can reduce Fd, the FixABCX complex is the only one shown to support nitrogen fixation, and R. palustris Fix- mutants grow poorly under nitrogen-fixing conditions. To investigate how native electron transfer chains (ETCs) can be redirected toward nitrogen fixation, we leveraged the strong selective pressure of nitrogen limitation to isolate a suppressor of an R. palustris ΔfixC strain that grows under nitrogen-fixing conditions. We found two mutations were required to restore growth under nitrogen-fixing conditions in the absence of functional FixABCX. One mutation was in the gene encoding the primary Fd involved in nitrogen fixation, fer1, and the other mutation was in aadN, which encodes a homolog of NAD+-dependent Fd:NADPH oxidoreductase (Nfn). We present evidence that AadN plays a role in electron transfer to benzoyl coenzyme A reductase, the key enzyme involved in anaerobic aromatic compound degradation. Our data support a model where the ETC for anaerobic aromatic compound degradation was repurposed to support nitrogen fixation in the ΔfixC suppressor strain. IMPORTANCE There is increasing evidence that protein electron carriers like Fd evolved to form specific partnerships with select electron donors and acceptors to keep native electron transfer pathways insulated from one another. This makes it challenging to integrate a Fd-dependent pathway such as biological nitrogen fixation into non-nitrogen-fixing organisms and provide the high-energy reducing power needed to fix nitrogen. Here, we show that amino acid substitutions in an electron donor for anaerobic aromatic compound degradation and an Fd involved in nitrogen fixation enabled electron transfer to nitrogenase. This study provides a model system to understand electron transfer chain specificity and how new electron transfer pathways can be evolved for biotechnologically valuable pathways like nitrogen fixation.
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11
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Schulz V, Freibert SA, Boss L, Mühlenhoff U, Stehling O, Lill R. Mitochondrial [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins: new functions for old dogs. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:102-121. [PMID: 36443530 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Ferredoxins (FDXs) comprise a large family of iron-sulfur proteins that shuttle electrons from NADPH and FDX reductases into diverse biological processes. This review focuses on the structure, function and specificity of mitochondrial [2Fe-2S] FDXs that are related to bacterial FDXs due to their endosymbiotic inheritance. Their classical function in cytochrome P450-dependent steroid transformations was identified around 1960, and is exemplified by mammalian FDX1 (aka adrenodoxin). Thirty years later the essential function in cellular Fe/S protein biogenesis was discovered for the yeast mitochondrial FDX Yah1 that is additionally crucial for the formation of haem a and ubiquinone CoQ6 . In mammals, Fe/S protein biogenesis is exclusively performed by the FDX1 paralog FDX2, despite the high structural similarity of both proteins. Recently, additional and specific roles of human FDX1 in haem a and lipoyl cofactor biosyntheses were described. For lipoyl synthesis, FDX1 transfers electrons to the radical S-adenosyl methionine-dependent lipoyl synthase to kickstart its radical chain reaction. The high target specificity of the two mammalian FDXs is contained within small conserved sequence motifs, that upon swapping change the target selection of these electron donors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinzent Schulz
- Institut für Zytobiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany.,Zentrum für Synthetische Mikrobiologie Synmikro, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sven-A Freibert
- Institut für Zytobiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany.,Zentrum für Synthetische Mikrobiologie Synmikro, Marburg, Germany
| | - Linda Boss
- Institut für Zytobiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany.,Zentrum für Synthetische Mikrobiologie Synmikro, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Mühlenhoff
- Institut für Zytobiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany.,Zentrum für Synthetische Mikrobiologie Synmikro, Marburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Stehling
- Institut für Zytobiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany.,Zentrum für Synthetische Mikrobiologie Synmikro, Marburg, Germany
| | - Roland Lill
- Institut für Zytobiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany.,Zentrum für Synthetische Mikrobiologie Synmikro, Marburg, Germany
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12
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de Francisco Martínez P, Morgante V, González-Pastor JE. Isolation of novel cold-tolerance genes from rhizosphere microorganisms of Antarctic plants by functional metagenomics. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1026463. [DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1026463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The microorganisms that thrive in Antarctica, one of the coldest environments on the planet, have developed diverse adaptation mechanisms to survive in these extreme conditions. Through functional metagenomics, in this work, 29 new genes related to cold tolerance have been isolated and characterized from metagenomic libraries of microorganisms from the rhizosphere of two Antarctic plants. Both libraries were hosted in two cold-sensitive strains of Escherichia coli: DH10B ΔcsdA and DH10B ΔcsdA Δrnr. The csdA gene encodes a DEAD-box RNA helicase and rnr gene encodes an exoribonuclease, both essential for cold-adaptation. Cold-tolerance tests have been carried out in solid and liquid media at 15°C. Among the cold-tolerance genes identified, 12 encode hypothetical and unknown proteins, and 17 encode a wide variety of different proteins previously related to other well-characterized ones involved in metabolism reactions, transport and membrane processes, or genetic information processes. Most of them have been connected to cold-tolerance mechanisms. Interestingly, 13 genes had no homologs in E. coli, thus potentially providing entirely new adaptation strategies for this bacterium. Moreover, ten genes also conferred resistance to UV-B radiation, another extreme condition in Antarctica.
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13
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Akuh OA, Elahi R, Prigge ST, Seeber F. The ferredoxin redox system - an essential electron distributing hub in the apicoplast of Apicomplexa. Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:868-881. [PMID: 35999149 PMCID: PMC9481715 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The apicoplast, a relict plastid found in most species of the phylum Apicomplexa, harbors the ferredoxin redox system which supplies electrons to enzymes of various metabolic pathways in this organelle. Recent reports in Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum have shown that the iron-sulfur cluster (FeS)-containing ferredoxin is essential in tachyzoite and blood-stage parasites, respectively. Here we review ferredoxin's crucial contribution to isoprenoid and lipoate biosynthesis as well as tRNA modification in the apicoplast, highlighting similarities and differences between the two species. We also discuss ferredoxin's potential role in the initial reductive steps required for FeS synthesis as well as recent evidence that offers an explanation for how NADPH required by the redox system might be generated in Plasmodium spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ojo-Ajogu Akuh
- FG16 Parasitology, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany; Division of Biomedical Science and Biochemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Rubayet Elahi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sean T Prigge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Frank Seeber
- FG16 Parasitology, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
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14
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Crack JC, Balasiny BK, Bennett SP, Rolfe MD, Froes A, MacMillan F, Green J, Cole JA, Le Brun NE. The Di-Iron Protein YtfE Is a Nitric Oxide-Generating Nitrite Reductase Involved in the Management of Nitrosative Stress. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:7129-7145. [PMID: 35416044 PMCID: PMC9052748 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Previously characterized
nitrite reductases fall into three classes:
siroheme-containing enzymes (NirBD), cytochrome c hemoproteins (NrfA and NirS), and copper-containing enzymes (NirK).
We show here that the di-iron protein YtfE represents a physiologically
relevant new class of nitrite reductases. Several functions have been
previously proposed for YtfE, including donating iron for the repair
of iron–sulfur clusters that have been damaged by nitrosative
stress, releasing nitric oxide (NO) from nitrosylated iron, and reducing
NO to nitrous oxide (N2O). Here, in vivo reporter assays confirmed that Escherichia coli YtfE increased cytoplasmic NO production from nitrite. Spectroscopic
and mass spectrometric investigations revealed that the di-iron site
of YtfE exists in a mixture of forms, including nitrosylated and nitrite-bound,
when isolated from nitrite-supplemented, but not nitrate-supplemented,
cultures. Addition of nitrite to di-ferrous YtfE resulted in nitrosylated
YtfE and the release of NO. Kinetics of nitrite reduction were dependent
on the nature of the reductant; the lowest Km, measured for the di-ferrous form, was ∼90 μM,
well within the intracellular nitrite concentration range. The vicinal
di-cysteine motif, located in the N-terminal domain of YtfE, was shown
to function in the delivery of electrons to the di-iron center. Notably,
YtfE exhibited very low NO reductase activity and was only able to
act as an iron donor for reconstitution of apo-ferredoxin under conditions
that damaged its di-iron center. Thus, YtfE is a high-affinity, low-capacity
nitrite reductase that we propose functions to relieve nitrosative
stress by acting in combination with the co-regulated NO-consuming
enzymes Hmp and Hcp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason C Crack
- Centre for Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Basema K Balasiny
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection and School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Sophie P Bennett
- Centre for Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Matthew D Rolfe
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Afonso Froes
- Centre for Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Fraser MacMillan
- Centre for Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Jeffrey Green
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jeffrey A Cole
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection and School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Nick E Le Brun
- Centre for Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
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15
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Shomar H, Bokinsky G. Towards a Synthetic Biology Toolset for Metallocluster Enzymes in Biosynthetic Pathways: What We Know and What We Need. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26226930. [PMID: 34834021 PMCID: PMC8617995 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26226930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes are routinely engineered to synthesize high-value chemicals from renewable materials through synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. Microbial biosynthesis often relies on expression of heterologous biosynthetic pathways, i.e., enzymes transplanted from foreign organisms. Metallocluster enzymes are one of the most ubiquitous family of enzymes involved in natural product biosynthesis and are of great biotechnological importance. However, the functional expression of recombinant metallocluster enzymes in live cells is often challenging and represents a major bottleneck. The activity of metallocluster enzymes requires essential supporting pathways, involved in protein maturation, electron supply, and/or enzyme stability. Proper function of these supporting pathways involves specific protein-protein interactions that remain poorly characterized and are often overlooked by traditional synthetic biology approaches. Consequently, engineering approaches that focus on enzymatic expression and carbon flux alone often overlook the particular needs of metallocluster enzymes. This review highlights the biotechnological relevance of metallocluster enzymes and discusses novel synthetic biology strategies to advance their industrial application, with a particular focus on iron-sulfur cluster enzymes. Strategies to enable functional heterologous expression and enhance recombinant metallocluster enzyme activity in industrial hosts include: (1) optimizing specific maturation pathways; (2) improving catalytic stability; and (3) enhancing electron transfer. In addition, we suggest future directions for developing microbial cell factories that rely on metallocluster enzyme catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Shomar
- INSERM U722, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Paris, Site Xavier Bichat, 75018 Paris, France
- Correspondence: (H.S.); (G.B.)
| | - Gregory Bokinsky
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: (H.S.); (G.B.)
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16
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The reductive carboxylation activity of heterotetrameric pyruvate synthases from hyperthermophilic archaea. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 572:151-156. [PMID: 34364295 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.07.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Pyruvate synthase (pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase, PFOR) catalyzes the interconversion of acetyl-CoA and pyruvate, but the reductive carboxylation activities of heterotetrameric PFORs remain largely unknown. In this study, we cloned, expressed, and purified selected six heterotetrameric PFORs from hyperthermophilic archaea. The reductive carboxylation activities of these heterotetrameric PFORs were measured at 70 °C and the ratio of reductive carboxylation activity to oxidative decarboxylation activity (red/ox ratio) were calculated. Four out of six showed reductive decarboxylation activities. Among them, the PFORpfm from Pyrolobus fumarii showed the highest reductive carboxylation activities and the highest red/ox ratio, which were 54.32 mU/mg and 0.51, respectively. The divergence of the reductive carboxylation activities and the red/ox ratios of heterotetrameric PFORs in hyperthermophilic archaea indicate the diversity of the functions of PFOR over long-term evolution. This can help us better understand the autotrophic CO2 fixation process in thermal vent, or in other CO2-rich high temperature habitat.
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17
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Watanabe T, Shima S. MvhB-type Polyferredoxin as an Electron-transfer Chain in Putative Redox-enzyme Complexes. CHEM LETT 2021. [DOI: 10.1246/cl.200774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Watanabe
- Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19, Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0819, Japan
| | - Seigo Shima
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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18
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Campbell IJ, Kahanda D, Atkinson JT, Sparks ON, Kim J, Tseng CP, Verduzco R, Bennett GN, Silberg JJ. Recombination of 2Fe-2S Ferredoxins Reveals Differences in the Inheritance of Thermostability and Midpoint Potential. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:3245-3253. [PMID: 33226772 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Recombination can be used in the laboratory to overcome component limitations in synthetic biology by creating enzymes that exhibit distinct activities and stabilities from native proteins. To investigate how recombination affects the properties of an oxidoreductase that transfers electrons in cells, we created ferredoxin (Fd) chimeras by recombining distantly related cyanobacterial and cyanomyophage Fds (53% identity) that present similar midpoint potentials but distinct thermostabilities. Fd chimeras having a wide range of amino acid substitutions retained the ability to coordinate an iron-sulfur cluster, although their thermostabilities varied with the fraction of residues inherited from each parent. The midpoint potentials of chimeric Fds also varied. However, all of the synthetic Fds exhibited midpoint potentials outside of the parental protein range. Each of the chimeric Fds could also support electron transfer between Fd-NADP reductase and sulfite reductase in Escherichia coli, although the chimeric Fds varied in the expression required for similar levels of cellular electron transfer. These results show how Fds can be diversified through recombination and reveal differences in the inheritance of thermostability and electrochemical properties. Furthermore, they illustrate how electron transfer efficiencies of chimeric Fds can be rapidly evaluated using a synthetic metabolic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J. Campbell
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Dimithree Kahanda
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Joshua T. Atkinson
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Othneil Noble Sparks
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Jinyoung Kim
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Chia-Ping Tseng
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-362, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Rafael Verduzco
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-362, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - George N. Bennett
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-362, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Jonathan J. Silberg
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-362, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-142, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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19
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Liang J, Wang H, Bian X, Zhang Y, Zhao G, Ding X. Heterologous redox partners supporting the efficient catalysis of epothilone B biosynthesis by EpoK in Schlegelella brevitalea. Microb Cell Fact 2020; 19:180. [PMID: 32933531 PMCID: PMC7493146 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-020-01439-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epothilone B is a natural product that stabilizes microtubules, similar to paclitaxel (Taxol); therefore, epothilone B and several derivatives have shown obvious antitumour activities. Some of these products are in clinical trials, and one (ixabepilone, BMS) is already on the market, having been approved by the FDA in 2007. The terminal step in epothilone B biosynthesis is catalysed by the cytochrome P450 enzyme EpoK (CYP167A1), which catalyses the epoxidation of the C12-C13 double bond (in epothilone C and D) to form epothilone A and B, respectively. Although redox partners from different sources support the catalytic activity of EpoK in vitro, the conversion rates are low, and these redox partners are not applied to produce epothilone B in heterologous hosts. RESULTS Schlegelella brevitalea DSM 7029 contains electron transport partners that efficiently support the catalytic activity of EpoK. We screened and identified one ferredoxin, Fdx_0135, by overexpressing putative ferredoxin genes in vivo and identified two ferredoxin reductases, FdR_0130 and FdR_7100, by whole-cell biotransformation of epothilone C to effectively support the catalytic activity of EpoK. In addition, we obtained strain H7029-3, with a high epothilone B yield and found that the proportion of epothilone A + B produced by this strain was 90.93%. Moreover, the whole-cell bioconversion strain 7029-10 was obtained; this strain exhibited an epothilone C conversion rate of 100% in 12 h. Further RT-qPCR experiments were performed to analyse the overexpression levels of the target genes. Gene knock-out experiments showed that the selected ferredoxin (Fdx_0135) and its reductases (FdR_0130 and FdR_7100) might participate in critical physiological processes in DSM 7029. CONCLUSION Gene overexpression and whole-cell biotransformation were effective methods for identifying the electron transport partners of the P450 enzyme EpoK. In addition, we obtained an epothilone B high-yield strain and developed a robust whole-cell biotransformation system. This strain and system hold promise for the industrial production of epothilone B and its derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junheng Liang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, People's Republic of China
| | - Huimin Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoying Bian
- Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Youming Zhang
- Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoping Zhao
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, People's Republic of China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoming Ding
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, People's Republic of China.
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20
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Campbell IJ, Olmos JL, Xu W, Kahanda D, Atkinson JT, Sparks ON, Miller MD, Phillips GN, Bennett GN, Silberg JJ. Prochlorococcus phage ferredoxin: structural characterization and electron transfer to cyanobacterial sulfite reductases. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:10610-10623. [PMID: 32434930 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine cyanobacteria are infected by phages whose genomes encode ferredoxin (Fd) electron carriers. These Fds are thought to redirect the energy harvested from light to phage-encoded oxidoreductases that enhance viral fitness, but it is unclear how the biophysical properties and partner specificities of phage Fds relate to those of photosynthetic organisms. Here, results of a bioinformatics analysis using a sequence similarity network revealed that phage Fds are most closely related to cyanobacterial Fds that transfer electrons from photosystems to oxidoreductases involved in nutrient assimilation. Structural analysis of myovirus P-SSM2 Fd (pssm2-Fd), which infects the cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus marinus, revealed high levels of similarity to cyanobacterial Fds (root mean square deviations of ≤0.5 Å). Additionally, pssm2-Fd exhibited a low midpoint reduction potential (-336 mV versus a standard hydrogen electrode), similar to other photosynthetic Fds, although it had lower thermostability (Tm = 28 °C) than did many other Fds. When expressed in an Escherichia coli strain deficient in sulfite assimilation, pssm2-Fd complemented bacterial growth when coexpressed with a P. marinus sulfite reductase, revealing that pssm2-Fd can transfer electrons to a host protein involved in nutrient assimilation. The high levels of structural similarity with cyanobacterial Fds and reactivity with a host sulfite reductase suggest that phage Fds evolved to transfer electrons to cyanobacterially encoded oxidoreductases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J Campbell
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jose Luis Olmos
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Weijun Xu
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - George N Phillips
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - George N Bennett
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jonathan J Silberg
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA .,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
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21
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Maiocco SJ, Arcinas AJ, Booker SJ, Elliott SJ. Parsing redox potentials of five ferredoxins found within Thermotoga maritima. Protein Sci 2020; 28:257-266. [PMID: 30418685 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Most organisms contain multiple soluble protein-based redox carriers such as members of the ferredoxin (Fd) family, that contain one or more iron-sulfur clusters. The potential redundancy of Fd proteins is poorly understood, particularly in connection to the ability of Fd proteins to deliver reducing equivalents to members of the "radical SAM," or S-adenosylmethionine radical enzyme (ARE) superfamily, where the activity of all known AREs requires that an essential iron-sulfur cluster bound by the enzyme be reduced to the catalytically relevant [Fe4 S4 ]1+ oxidation state. As it is still unclear whether a single Fd in a given organism is specific to individual redox partners, we have examined the five Fd proteins found within Thermotoga maritima via direct electrochemistry, to compare them in a side-by-side fashion for the first time. While a single [Fe4 S4 ]-cluster bearing Fd (TM0927) has a potential of -420 mV, the other four 2x[Fe4 S4 ]-bearing Fds (TM1175, TM1289, TM1533, and TM1815) have potentials that vary significantly, including cases where the two clusters of the same Fd are essentially coincident (e.g., TM1175) and those where the potentials are well separate (TM1815).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arthur J Arcinas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802
| | - Squire J Booker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802.,Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802
| | - Sean J Elliott
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215
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22
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Shaheen S, Barrett KF, Subramanian S, Arnold SLM, Laureanti JA, Myler PJ, Van Voorhis WC, Buchko GW. Solution structure for an Encephalitozoon cuniculi adrenodoxin-like protein in the oxidized state. Protein Sci 2020; 29:809-817. [PMID: 31912584 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 01/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a unicellular, obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasite in the Microsporidia family and one of the agents responsible for microsporidosis infections in humans. Like most Microsporidia, the genome of E. cuniculi is markedly reduced and the organism contains mitochondria-like organelles called mitosomes instead of mitochondria. Here we report the solution NMR structure for a protein physically associated with mitosome-like organelles in E. cuniculi, the 128-residue, adrenodoxin-like protein Ec-Adx (UniProt ID Q8SV19) in the [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin superfamily. Oxidized Ec-Adx contains a mixed four-strand β-sheet, β2-β1-β4-β3 (↓↑↑↓), loosely encircled by three α-helices and two 310 -helices. This fold is similar to the structure observed in other adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin-like proteins except for the absence of a fifth anti-parallel β-strand next to β3 and the position of α3. Cross peaks are missing or cannot be unambiguously assigned for 20 amide resonances in the 1 H-15 N HSQC spectrum of Ec-Adx. These missing residues are clustered primarily in two regions, G48-V61 and L94-L98, containing the four cysteine residues predicted to ligate the paramagnetic [2Fe-2S] cluster. Missing amide resonances in 1 H-15 N HSQC spectra are detrimental to NMR-based solution structure calculations because 1 H-1 H NOE restraints are absent (glass half-empty) and this may account for the absent β-strand (β5) and the position of α3 in oxidized Ec-Adx. On the other hand, the missing amide resonances unambiguously identify the presence, and immediate environment, of the paramagnetic [2Fe-2S] cluster in oxidized Ec-Adx (glass half-full).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shareef Shaheen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Kayleigh F Barrett
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington
| | - Sandhya Subramanian
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington.,Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Samuel L M Arnold
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Joseph A Laureanti
- Physical Chemistry Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington
| | - Peter J Myler
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington.,Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington.,Department of Medical Education and Biomedical Informatics & Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Wesley C Van Voorhis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington
| | - Garry W Buchko
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington.,Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.,School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
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23
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Helfrich EJN, Lin GM, Voigt CA, Clardy J. Bacterial terpene biosynthesis: challenges and opportunities for pathway engineering. Beilstein J Org Chem 2019; 15:2889-2906. [PMID: 31839835 PMCID: PMC6902898 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.15.283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Terpenoids are the largest and structurally most diverse class of natural products. They possess potent and specific biological activity in multiple assays and against diseases, including cancer and malaria as notable examples. Although the number of characterized terpenoid molecules is huge, our knowledge of how they are biosynthesized is limited, particularly when compared to the well-studied thiotemplate assembly lines. Bacteria have only recently been recognized as having the genetic potential to biosynthesize a large number of complex terpenoids, but our current ability to associate genetic potential with molecular structure is severely restricted. The canonical terpene biosynthetic pathway uses a single enzyme to form a cyclized hydrocarbon backbone followed by modifications with a suite of tailoring enzymes that can generate dozens of different products from a single backbone. This functional promiscuity of terpene biosynthetic pathways renders terpene biosynthesis susceptible to rational pathway engineering using the latest developments in the field of synthetic biology. These engineered pathways will not only facilitate the rational creation of both known and novel terpenoids, their development will deepen our understanding of a significant branch of biosynthesis. The biosynthetic insights gained will likely empower a greater degree of engineering proficiency for non-natural terpene biosynthetic pathways and pave the way towards the biotechnological production of high value terpenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J N Helfrich
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Boston, United States
| | - Geng-Min Lin
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Biological Engineering, Cambridge, United States
| | - Christopher A Voigt
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Biological Engineering, Cambridge, United States
| | - Jon Clardy
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Boston, United States
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24
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Wu B, Atkinson JT, Kahanda D, Bennett GN, Silberg JJ. Combinatorial design of chemical‐dependent protein switches for controlling intracellular electron transfer. AIChE J 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/aic.16796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bingyan Wu
- Biochemistry & Cell Biology Graduate Program Rice University Houston Texas
- Department of Biosciences Rice University Houston Texas
| | - Joshua T. Atkinson
- Department of Biosciences Rice University Houston Texas
- Systems, Synthetic, & Physical Biology Graduate Program Rice University Houston Texas
| | | | - George N. Bennett
- Department of Biosciences Rice University Houston Texas
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Rice University Houston Texas
| | - Jonathan J. Silberg
- Department of Biosciences Rice University Houston Texas
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Rice University Houston Texas
- Department of Bioengineering Rice University Houston Texas
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25
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Identification and Characterization of Genes Required for 5-Hydroxyuridine Synthesis in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli tRNA. J Bacteriol 2019; 201:JB.00433-19. [PMID: 31358606 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00433-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In bacteria, tRNAs that decode 4-fold degenerate family codons and have uridine at position 34 of the anticodon are typically modified with either 5-methoxyuridine (mo5U) or 5-methoxycarbonylmethoxyuridine (mcmo5U). These modifications are critical for extended recognition of some codons at the wobble position. Whereas the alkylation steps of these modifications have been described, genes required for the hydroxylation of U34 to give 5-hydroxyuridine (ho5U) remain unknown. Here, a number of genes in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis are identified that are required for wild-type (wt) levels of ho5U. The yrrMNO operon is identified in B. subtilis as important for the biosynthesis of ho5U. Both yrrN and yrrO are homologs to peptidase U32 family genes, which includes the rlhA gene required for ho5C synthesis in E. coli Deletion of either yrrN or yrrO, or both, gives a 50% reduction in mo5U tRNA levels. In E. coli, yegQ was found to be the only one of four peptidase U32 genes involved in ho5U synthesis. Interestingly, this mutant shows the same 50% reduction in (m)cmo5U as that observed for mo5U in the B. subtilis mutants. By analyzing the genomic context of yegQ homologs, the ferredoxin YfhL is shown to be required for ho5U synthesis in E. coli to the same extent as yegQ Additional genes required for Fe-S biosynthesis and biosynthesis of prephenate give the same 50% reduction in modification. Together, these data suggest that ho5U biosynthesis in bacteria is similar to that of ho5C, but additional genes and substrates are required for complete modification.IMPORTANCE Modified nucleotides in tRNA serve to optimize both its structure and function for accurate translation of the genetic code. The biosynthesis of these modifications has been fertile ground for uncovering unique biochemistry and metabolism in cells. In this work, genes that are required for a novel anaerobic hydroxylation of uridine at the wobble position of some tRNAs are identified in both Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli These genes code for Fe-S cluster proteins, and their deletion reduces the levels of the hydroxyuridine by 50% in both organisms. Additional genes required for Fe-S cluster and prephenate biosynthesis and a previously described ferredoxin gene all display a similar reduction in hydroxyuridine levels, suggesting that still other genes are required for the modification.
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Distinct Physiological Roles of the Three Ferredoxins Encoded in the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.02807-18. [PMID: 30837343 PMCID: PMC6401487 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02807-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
High-energy electrons liberated during catabolic processes can be exploited for energy-conserving mechanisms. Maximal energy gains demand these valuable electrons be accurately shuttled from electron donor to appropriate electron acceptor. Proteinaceous electron carriers such as ferredoxins offer opportunities to exploit specific ferredoxin partnerships to ensure that electron flux to critical physiological pathways is aligned with maximal energy gains. Most species encode many ferredoxin isoforms, but very little is known about the role of individual ferredoxins in most systems. Our results detail that ferredoxin isoforms make largely unique and distinct protein interactions in vivo and that flux through one ferredoxin often cannot be recovered by flux through a different ferredoxin isoform. The results obtained more broadly suggest that ferredoxin isoforms throughout biological life have evolved not as generic electron shuttles, but rather serve as selective couriers of valuable low-potential electrons from select electron donors to desirable electron acceptors. Control of electron flux is critical in both natural and bioengineered systems to maximize energy gains. Both small molecules and proteins shuttle high-energy, low-potential electrons liberated during catabolism through diverse metabolic landscapes. Ferredoxin (Fd) proteins—an abundant class of Fe-S-containing small proteins—are essential in many species for energy conservation and ATP production strategies. It remains difficult to model electron flow through complicated metabolisms and in systems in which multiple Fd proteins are present. The overlap of activity and/or limitations of electron flux through each Fd can limit physiology and metabolic engineering strategies. Here we establish the interplay, reactivity, and physiological role(s) of the three ferredoxin proteins in the model hyperthermophile Thermococcus kodakarensis. We demonstrate that the three loci encoding known Fds are subject to distinct regulatory mechanisms and that specific Fds are utilized to shuttle electrons to separate respiratory and energy production complexes during different physiological states. The results obtained argue that unique physiological roles have been established for each Fd and that continued use of T. kodakarensis and related hydrogen-evolving species as bioengineering platforms must account for the distinct Fd partnerships that limit flux to desired electron acceptors. Extrapolating our results more broadly, the retention of multiple Fd isoforms in most species argues that specialized Fd partnerships are likely to influence electron flux throughout biology.
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27
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López Rivero AS, Rossi MA, Ceccarelli EA, Catalano-Dupuy DL. A bacterial 2[4Fe4S] ferredoxin as redox partner of the plastidic-type ferredoxin-NADP + reductase from Leptospira interrogans. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2019; 1863:651-660. [PMID: 30639162 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.01.004] [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: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ferredoxins are small iron-sulfur proteins that participate as electron donors in various metabolic pathways. They are recognized substrates of ferredoxin-NADP+ reductases (FNR) in redox metabolisms in mitochondria, plastids, and bacteria. We previously found a plastidic-type FNR in Leptospira interrogans (LepFNR), a parasitic bacterium of animals and humans. Nevertheless, we did not identify plant-type ferredoxins or flavodoxins, the common partners of this kind of FNR. METHODS Sequence alignment, phylogenetical analyses and structural modeling were performed for the identification of a 2[4Fe4S] ferredoxin (LepFd2) as a putative redox partner of LepFNR in L. interrogans. The gene encoding LepFd2 was cloned and the protein overexpressed and purified. The functional properties of LepFd2 and LepFNR-LepFd2 complex were analyzed by kinetic and mutagenesis studies. RESULTS We succeeded in expressing and purifying LepFd2 with its FeS cluster properly bound. We found that LepFd2 exchanges electrons with LepFNR. Moreover, a unique structural subdomain of LepFNR (loop P75-Y91), was shown to be involved in the recognition and binding of LepFd2. This structural subdomain is not found in other FNR homologs. CONCLUSIONS We report for the first time a redox pair in L. interrogans in which a plastidic FNR exchanges electron with a bacterial 2[4Fe4S] ferredoxin. We characterized this reaction and proposed a model for the productive LepFNR-LepFd2 complex. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Our findings suggest that the interaction of LepFNR with the iron-sulfur protein would be different from the one previously described for the homolog enzymes. This knowledge would be useful for the design of specific LepFNR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arleth S López Rivero
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Ma Agustina Rossi
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Eduardo A Ceccarelli
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Daniela L Catalano-Dupuy
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, 2000 Rosario, Argentina.
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28
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Campbell IJ, Bennett GN, Silberg JJ. Evolutionary Relationships Between Low Potential Ferredoxin and Flavodoxin Electron Carriers. FRONTIERS IN ENERGY RESEARCH 2019; 7:10.3389/fenrg.2019.00079. [PMID: 32095484 PMCID: PMC7039249 DOI: 10.3389/fenrg.2019.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Proteins from the ferredoxin (Fd) and flavodoxin (Fld) families function as low potential electrical transfer hubs in cells, at times mediating electron transfer between overlapping sets of oxidoreductases. To better understand protein electron carrier (PEC) use across the domains of life, we evaluated the distribution of genes encoding [4Fe-4S] Fd, [2Fe-2S] Fd, and Fld electron carriers in over 7,000 organisms. Our analysis targeted genes encoding small PEC genes encoding proteins having ≤200 residues. We find that the average number of small PEC genes per Archaea (~13), Bacteria (~8), and Eukarya (~3) genome varies, with some organisms containing as many as 54 total PEC genes. Organisms fall into three groups, including those lacking genes encoding low potential PECs (3%), specialists with a single PEC gene type (20%), and generalists that utilize multiple PEC types (77%). Mapping PEC gene usage onto an evolutionary tree highlights the prevalence of [4Fe-4S] Fds in ancient organisms that are deeply rooted, the expansion of [2Fe-2S] Fds with the advent of photosynthesis and a concomitant decrease in [4Fe-4S] Fds, and the expansion of Flds in organisms that inhabit low-iron host environments. Surprisingly, [4Fe-4S] Fds present a similar abundance in aerobes as [2Fe-2S] Fds. This bioinformatic study highlights understudied PECs whose structure, stability, and partner specificity should be further characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J. Campbell
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - George N. Bennett
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jonathan J. Silberg
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University Houston, TX, United States
- Correspondence: Jonathan J. Silberg
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29
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Atkinson JT, Campbell IJ, Thomas EE, Bonitatibus SC, Elliott SJ, Bennett GN, Silberg JJ. Metalloprotein switches that display chemical-dependent electron transfer in cells. Nat Chem Biol 2018; 15:189-195. [PMID: 30559426 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-018-0192-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Biological electron transfer is challenging to directly regulate using environmental conditions. To enable dynamic, protein-level control over energy flow in metabolic systems for synthetic biology and bioelectronics, we created ferredoxin logic gates that utilize transcriptional and post-translational inputs to control energy flow through a synthetic electron transfer pathway that is required for bacterial growth. These logic gates were created by subjecting a thermostable, plant-type ferredoxin to backbone fission and fusing the resulting fragments to a pair of proteins that self-associate, a pair of proteins whose association is stabilized by a small molecule, and to the termini of a ligand-binding domain. We show that the latter domain insertion design strategy yields an allosteric ferredoxin switch that acquires an oxygen-tolerant [2Fe-2S] cluster and can use different chemicals, including a therapeutic drug and an environmental pollutant, to control the production of a reduced metabolite in Escherichia coli and cell lysates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Atkinson
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ian J Campbell
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Emily E Thomas
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Sean J Elliott
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - George N Bennett
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan J Silberg
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA. .,Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
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30
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Trindade IB, Silva JM, Fonseca BM, Catarino T, Fujita M, Matias PM, Moe E, Louro RO. Structure and reactivity of a siderophore-interacting protein from the marine bacterium Shewanella reveals unanticipated functional versatility. J Biol Chem 2018; 294:157-167. [PMID: 30420426 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Siderophores make iron accessible under iron-limited conditions and play a crucial role in the survival of microorganisms. Because of their remarkable metal-scavenging properties and ease in crossing cellular envelopes, siderophores hold great potential in biotechnological applications, raising the need for a deeper knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the siderophore pathway. Here, we report the structural and functional characterization of a siderophore-interacting protein from the marine bacterium Shewanella frigidimarina NCIBM400 (SfSIP). SfSIP is a flavin-containing ferric-siderophore reductase with FAD- and NAD(P)H-binding domains that have high homology with other characterized SIPs. However, we found here that it mechanistically departs from what has been described for this family of proteins. Unlike other FAD-containing SIPs, SfSIP did not discriminate between NADH and NADPH. Furthermore, SfSIP required the presence of the Fe2+-scavenger, ferrozine, to use NAD(P)H to drive the reduction of Shewanella-produced hydroxamate ferric-siderophores. Additionally, this is the first SIP reported that also uses a ferredoxin as electron donor, and in contrast to NAD(P)H, its utilization did not require the mediation of ferrozine, and electron transfer occurred at fast rates. Finally, FAD oxidation was thermodynamically coupled to deprotonation at physiological pH values, enhancing the solubility of ferrous iron. On the basis of these results and the location of the SfSIP gene downstream of a sequence for putative binding of aerobic respiration control protein A (ArcA), we propose that SfSIP contributes an additional layer of regulation that maintains cellular iron homeostasis according to environmental cues of oxygen availability and cellular iron demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês B Trindade
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - José M Silva
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Bruno M Fonseca
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Teresa Catarino
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Masaki Fujita
- Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minato-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-8611, Japan
| | - Pedro M Matias
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (iBET), Apartado 12, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Elin Moe
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ricardo O Louro
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
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31
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Wijerathne H, Yao H, Wang Y, Lovell S, Battaile KP, Rivera M. Bfd, a New Class of [2Fe-2S] Protein That Functions in Bacterial Iron Homeostasis, Requires a Structural Anion Binding Site. Biochemistry 2018; 57:5533-5543. [PMID: 30183257 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mobilization of iron from bacterioferritin (BfrB) requires specific interactions with a [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin (Bfd). Blocking the BfrB:Bfd interaction results in irreversible iron accumulation in BfrB and iron deficiency in the cytosol [Eshelman, K., et al. (2017) Metallomics 9, 646-659]. The only known Bfd structure, which was obtained in complex with BfrB (Protein Data Bank entry 4E6K ), indicated a new fold and suggested that the stability of Bfd is aided by an anion binding site consisting of R26, R29, and K46. We investigated the Bfd fold using site-directed mutagenesis, X-ray crystallography, and biochemistry in solution. The X-ray structure, which is nearly identical to that of Bfd in the BfrB:Bfd complex, shows that the [2Fe-2S] cluster preorganizes residues at the BfrB:Bfd interface into a structure complementary to the Bfd binding site on BfrB. Studies in solution showed rapid loss of the [2Fe-2S] cluster at a low ionic strength but higher stability with an increasing ionic strength, thus supporting a structural anion binding site. Structures of the R26E and R26E/K46Y mutants are nearly identical to that of Bfd, except for a new network of hydrogen bonds stabilizing the region encompassing the former anion binding site. The stability of the R26E and R26E/K46Y mutants, which is weakly and completely independent of solution ionic strength, respectively, corroborates that Bfd requires an anion binding site. The mutations, which caused only small changes to the strength of the BfrB:Bfd interaction and mobilization of iron from BfrB, indicate that the anion binding site in Bfd serves primarily a structural role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshani Wijerathne
- Department of Chemistry , University of Kansas , Multidisciplinary Research Building, 2030 Becker Drive , Lawrence , Kansas 66047 , United States
| | - Huili Yao
- Department of Chemistry , Louisiana State University , 229A Choppin Hall , Baton Rouge , Louisiana 70803 , United States
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Chemistry , University of Kansas , Multidisciplinary Research Building, 2030 Becker Drive , Lawrence , Kansas 66047 , United States
| | - Scott Lovell
- Protein Structure Laboratory, Del Shankel Structural Biology Center , University of Kansas , 2034 Becker Drive , Lawrence , Kansas 66047 , United States
| | - Kevin P Battaile
- IMCA-CAT , Hauptman Woodward Medical Research Institute , 9700 South Cass Avenue, Building 435A , Argonne , Illinois 60439 , United States
| | - Mario Rivera
- Department of Chemistry , Louisiana State University , 229A Choppin Hall , Baton Rouge , Louisiana 70803 , United States
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32
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Copp JN, Akiva E, Babbitt PC, Tokuriki N. Revealing Unexplored Sequence-Function Space Using Sequence Similarity Networks. Biochemistry 2018; 57:4651-4662. [PMID: 30052428 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The rapidly expanding number of protein sequences found in public databases can improve our understanding of how protein functions evolve. However, our current knowledge of protein function likely represents a small fraction of the diverse repertoire that exists in nature. Integrative computational methods can facilitate the discovery of new protein functions and enzymatic reactions through the observation and investigation of the complex sequence-structure-function relationships within protein superfamilies. Here, we highlight the use of sequence similarity networks (SSNs) to identify previously unexplored sequence and function space. We exemplify this approach using the nitroreductase (NTR) superfamily. We demonstrate that SSN investigations can provide a rapid and effective means to classify groups of proteins, therefore exposing experimentally unexplored sequences that may exhibit novel functionality. Integration of such approaches with systematic experimental characterization will expand our understanding of the functional diversity of enzymes and their associated physiological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine N Copp
- Michael Smith Laboratories , University of British Columbia , 2185 East Mall , Vancouver , British Columbia V6T 1Z4 , Canada
| | - Eyal Akiva
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences , University of California , San Francisco , California 94158 , United States.,Quantitative Biosciences Institute , University of California , San Francisco , California 94143 , United States
| | - Patricia C Babbitt
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences , University of California , San Francisco , California 94158 , United States.,Quantitative Biosciences Institute , University of California , San Francisco , California 94143 , United States
| | - Nobuhiko Tokuriki
- Michael Smith Laboratories , University of British Columbia , 2185 East Mall , Vancouver , British Columbia V6T 1Z4 , Canada
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33
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Cvetkovska M, Szyszka-Mroz B, Possmayer M, Pittock P, Lajoie G, Smith DR, Hüner NPA. Characterization of photosynthetic ferredoxin from the Antarctic alga Chlamydomonas sp. UWO241 reveals novel features of cold adaptation. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 219:588-604. [PMID: 29736931 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this work was to characterize photosynthetic ferredoxin from the Antarctic green alga Chlamydomonas sp. UWO241, a key enzyme involved in distributing photosynthetic reducing power. We hypothesize that ferredoxin possesses characteristics typical of cold-adapted enzymes, namely increased structural flexibility and high activity at low temperatures, accompanied by low stability at moderate temperatures. To address this objective, we purified ferredoxin from UWO241 and characterized the temperature dependence of its enzymatic activity and protein conformation. The UWO241 ferredoxin protein, RNA, and DNA sequences were compared with homologous sequences from related organisms. We provide evidence for the duplication of the main ferredoxin gene in the UWO241 nuclear genome and the presence of two highly similar proteins. Ferredoxin from UWO241 has both high activity at low temperatures and high stability at moderate temperatures, representing a novel class of cold-adapted enzymes. Our study reveals novel insights into how photosynthesis functions in the cold. The presence of two distinct ferredoxin proteins in UWO241 could provide an adaptive advantage for survival at cold temperatures. The primary amino acid sequence of ferredoxin is highly conserved among photosynthetic species, and we suggest that subtle differences in sequence can lead to significant changes in activity at low temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Cvetkovska
- Department of Biology and the Biotron Centre for Experimental Climate Change Research, University ofWestern Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Beth Szyszka-Mroz
- Department of Biology and the Biotron Centre for Experimental Climate Change Research, University ofWestern Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Marc Possmayer
- Department of Biology and the Biotron Centre for Experimental Climate Change Research, University ofWestern Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Paula Pittock
- Department of Biochemistry and Biological Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6G 2V4, Canada
| | - Gilles Lajoie
- Department of Biochemistry and Biological Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6G 2V4, Canada
| | - David R Smith
- Department of Biology and the Biotron Centre for Experimental Climate Change Research, University ofWestern Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Norman P A Hüner
- Department of Biology and the Biotron Centre for Experimental Climate Change Research, University ofWestern Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
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34
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Mellor SB, Vavitsas K, Nielsen AZ, Jensen PE. Photosynthetic fuel for heterologous enzymes: the role of electron carrier proteins. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2017; 134:329-342. [PMID: 28285375 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-017-0364-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plants, cyanobacteria, and algae generate a surplus of redox power through photosynthesis, which makes them attractive for biotechnological exploitations. While central metabolism consumes most of the energy, pathways introduced through metabolic engineering can also tap into this source of reducing power. Recent work on the metabolic engineering of photosynthetic organisms has shown that the electron carriers such as ferredoxin and flavodoxin can be used to couple heterologous enzymes to photosynthetic reducing power. Because these proteins have a plethora of interaction partners and rely on electrostatically steered complex formation, they form productive electron transfer complexes with non-native enzymes. A handful of examples demonstrate channeling of photosynthetic electrons to drive the activity of heterologous enzymes, and these focus mainly on hydrogenases and cytochrome P450s. However, competition from native pathways and inefficient electron transfer rates present major obstacles, which limit the productivity of heterologous reactions coupled to photosynthesis. We discuss specific approaches to address these bottlenecks and ensure high productivity of such enzymes in a photosynthetic context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silas Busck Mellor
- Copenhagen Plant Science Center, Center for Synthetic Biology 'bioSYNergy', Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Konstantinos Vavitsas
- Copenhagen Plant Science Center, Center for Synthetic Biology 'bioSYNergy', Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Agnieszka Zygadlo Nielsen
- Copenhagen Plant Science Center, Center for Synthetic Biology 'bioSYNergy', Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Poul Erik Jensen
- Copenhagen Plant Science Center, Center for Synthetic Biology 'bioSYNergy', Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
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Gerlt JA. Genomic Enzymology: Web Tools for Leveraging Protein Family Sequence-Function Space and Genome Context to Discover Novel Functions. Biochemistry 2017; 56:4293-4308. [PMID: 28826221 PMCID: PMC5569362 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
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The exponentially increasing number
of protein and nucleic acid
sequences provides opportunities to discover novel enzymes, metabolic
pathways, and metabolites/natural products, thereby adding to our
knowledge of biochemistry and biology. The challenge has evolved from
generating sequence information to mining the databases to integrating
and leveraging the available information, i.e., the availability of
“genomic enzymology” web tools. Web tools that allow
identification of biosynthetic gene clusters are widely used by the
natural products/synthetic biology community, thereby facilitating
the discovery of novel natural products and the enzymes responsible
for their biosynthesis. However, many novel enzymes with interesting
mechanisms participate in uncharacterized small-molecule metabolic
pathways; their discovery and functional characterization also can
be accomplished by leveraging information in protein and nucleic acid
databases. This Perspective focuses on two genomic enzymology web
tools that assist the discovery novel metabolic pathways: (1) Enzyme
Function Initiative-Enzyme Similarity Tool (EFI-EST) for generating
sequence similarity networks to visualize and analyze sequence–function
space in protein families and (2) Enzyme Function Initiative-Genome
Neighborhood Tool (EFI-GNT) for generating genome neighborhood networks
to visualize and analyze the genome context in microbial and fungal
genomes. Both tools have been adapted to other applications to facilitate
target selection for enzyme discovery and functional characterization.
As the natural products community has demonstrated, the enzymology
community needs to embrace the essential role of web tools that allow
the protein and genome sequence databases to be leveraged for novel
insights into enzymological problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Gerlt
- Departments of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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