Biochemical changes in apparently normal sheep from flocks affected by polioencephalomalacia

Myxobacteria restrain Phytophthora invasion by scavenging thiamine in soybean rhizosphere via outer membrane vesicle-secreted thiaminase I

Public metabolites such as vitamins play critical roles in maintaining the ecological functions of microbial community. However, the biochemical and physiological bases for fine-tuning of public metabolites in the microbiome remain poorly understood. Here, we examine the interactions between myxobacteria and Phytophthora sojae, an oomycete pathogen of soybean. We find that host plant and soil microbes complement P. sojae's auxotrophy for thiamine. Whereas, myxobacteria inhibits Phytophthora growth by a thiaminase I CcThi1 secreted into extracellular environment via outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). CcThi1 scavenges the required thiamine and thus arrests the thiamine sharing behavior of P. sojae from the supplier, which interferes with amino acid metabolism and expression of pathogenic effectors, probably leading to impairment of P. sojae growth and pathogenicity. Moreover, myxobacteria and CcThi1 are highly effective in regulating the thiamine levels in soil, which is correlated with the incidence of soybean Phytophthora root rot. Our findings unravel a novel ecological tactic employed by myxobacteria to maintain the interspecific equilibrium in soil microbial community.

Competition for vitamin B1 (thiamin) structures numerous ecological interactions

Thiamin (vitamin B1) is a cofactor required for essential biochemical reactions in all living organisms, yet free thiamin is scarce in the environment. The diversity of biochemical pathways involved in the acquisition, degradation, and synthesis of thiamin indicates that organisms have evolved numerous ecological strategies for meeting this nutritional requirement. In this review we synthesize information from multiple disciplines to show how the complex biochemistry of thiamin influences ecological outcomes of interactions between organisms in environments ranging from the open ocean and the Australian outback to the gastrointestinal tract of animals. We highlight population and ecosystem responses to the availability or absence of thiamin. These include widespread mortality of fishes, birds, and mammals, as well as the thiamin-dependent regulation of ocean productivity. Overall, we portray thiamin biochemistry as the foundation for molecularly mediated ecological interactions that influence survival and abundance of a vast array of organisms.

A rapid method for assaying thiaminase I activity in diverse biological samples

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiencies can lead to neurological disorders, reproductive failure and death in wild and domestic animal populations. In some cases, disease is brought about by the consumption of foods high in thiaminase I activity. Levels of thiaminase activity in these foods are highly variable and the factors leading to production of this enzyme are poorly understood. Here we describe improvements in a spectrophotometric thiaminase I activity assay that measures the disappearance of 4-nitrothiophenol, a favored nucleophile co-substrate that replaces the thiazole portion of thiamine during the inactivation of thiamine by the enzyme. Scalable sample processing protocols and a 96-well microtiter plate format are presented that allow the rapid evaluation of multiple, replicated samples in the course of only a few hours. Observed levels of activity in bacterial culture supernatant, fish, ferns and molluscs using this colorimetric assay were similar to previously published reports that employed a radiometric method. Organisms devoid of thiaminase I, based upon previous work, showed no activity with this assay. In addition, activity was found in a variety of fishes and one fern species from which this enzyme had not previously been reported. Overall, we demonstrate the suitability of this technique for measuring thiaminase I activity within small amounts of tissue and environmental samples with replication levels that were heretofore prohibitive. The assay provides a considerable improvement in the ability to examine and understand the properties of an enzyme that has a substantial influence on organism and ecosystem health.

Structure of a eukaryotic thiaminase I

Thiaminases, enzymes that cleave vitamin B1, are sporadically distributed among prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Thiaminase I enzymes catalyze the elimination of the thiazole ring moiety from thiamin through substitution of the methylene group with a nitrogenous base or sulfhydryl compound. In eukaryotic organisms, these enzymes are reported to have much higher molecular weights than their bacterial counterparts. A thiaminase I of the single-celled amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi is the only eukaryotic thiaminase I to have been cloned, sequenced, and expressed. Here, we present the crystal structure of N. gruberi thiaminase I to a resolution of 2.8 Å, solved by isomorphous replacement and pseudo-two-wavelength multiwavelength anomalous diffraction and refined to an R factor of 0.231 (Rfree, 0.265). This structure was used to solve the structure of the enzyme in complex with 3-deazathiamin, a noncleavable thiamin analog and enzyme inhibitor (2.7 Å; R, 0.233; Rfree, 0.267). These structures define the mode of thiamin binding to this class of thiaminases and indicate the involvement of Asp272 as the catalytic base. This enzyme is able to use thiamin as a substrate and is active with amines such as aniline and veratrylamine as well as sulfhydryl compounds such as l-cysteine and β-mercaptoethanol as cosubstrates. Despite significant differences in polypeptide sequence and length, we have shown that the N. gruberi thiaminase I is homologous in structure and activity to a previously characterized bacterial thiaminase I.

Comparison of thiaminase activity in fish using the radiometric and 4-nitrothiophenol colorimetric methods

Thiaminase induced thiamine deficiency occurs in fish, humans, livestock and wild animals. A non-radioactive thiaminase assay was described in 2007, but a direct comparison with the radioactive ¹⁴C-thiamine method which has been in use for more than 30 years has not been reported. The objective was to measure thiaminase activity in forage fish (alewife Alosa pseudoharengus, rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax, and slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus) consumed by predators that manifest thiamine deficiency using both methods. Modifications were made to the colorimetric assay to improve repeatability. Modification included a change in assay pH, enhanced sample clean-up, constant assay temperature (37 °C), increase in the concentration of 4-nitrothiophenol (4NTP) and use of a spectrophotometer fitted with a 0.2 cm cell. A strong relationship between the two assays was found for 51 alewife (R²=0.85), 36 smelt (R²=0.87) and 20 sculpin (R²=0.82). Thiaminase activity in the colorimetric assay was about 1000 times higher than activity measured by the radioactive method. Application of the assay to fish species from which no thiaminase activity has previously been reported resulted in no 4NTP thiaminase activity being found in bloater Coregonus hoyi, lake trout Salvelinus namaycusch, steelhead trout Oncorhynchus mykiss or Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. In species previously reported to contain thiaminase, 4NTP thiaminase activity was measured in bacteria Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus, gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum, bracken fern Pteridium aquilinum, quagga mussel Dreissena bugensis and zebra mussels D. polymorpha.

Faecal thiaminase, plasma lactate and pyruvate concentrations and erythrocyte transketolase activity changes in apparently normal replacement ewes after the initiation to the pasture

A study was made to investigate faecal thiaminase and the thiamine-related biochemical changes in apparently normal replacement ewes with a feed change, after the initiation without adaptation to the new pasture. Twenty-four female ewes were divided into two groups. Group A was managed in a system based on pasture and was compared with group B system based on a diet of concentrate and straw until moving to pasture 9 weeks after. Blood samples for lactate, pyruvate and erythrocyte transketolase activity determinations and faeces for thiaminase estimation were evaluated chronologically. At the end of a 126 days experimental period, live weights of groups were similar. We confirmed that clinically normal sheep may have thiaminase activity in the faeces and concluded that the thiaminase release increased during the diet changes, from concentrate to pasture, and that their continued excretion could develop some degree of thiamine deficiency.