1
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Yu Y, Xu F, Zhao W, Thoma C, Che S, Richman JE, Jin B, Zhu Y, Xing Y, Wackett L, Men Y. Electron bifurcation and fluoride efflux systems implicated in defluorination of perfluorinated unsaturated carboxylic acids by Acetobacterium spp. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eado2957. [PMID: 39018407 PMCID: PMC466959 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado2957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Enzymatic cleavage of C─F bonds in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is largely unknown but avidly sought to promote systems biology for PFAS bioremediation. Here, we report the reductive defluorination of α, β-unsaturated per- and polyfluorocarboxylic acids by Acetobacterium spp. The microbial defluorination products were structurally confirmed and showed regiospecificity and stereospecificity, consistent with their formation by enzymatic reactions. A comparison of defluorination activities among several Acetobacterium species indicated that a functional fluoride exporter was required for the detoxification of the released fluoride. Results from both in vivo inhibition tests and in silico enzyme modeling suggested the involvement of enzymes of the flavin-based electron-bifurcating caffeate reduction pathway [caffeoyl-CoA reductase (CarABCDE)] in the reductive defluorination. This is a report on specific microorganisms carrying out enzymatic reductive defluorination of PFAS, which could be linked to electron-bifurcating reductases that are environmentally widespread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaochun Yu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Fengjun Xu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Weiyang Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Calvin Thoma
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN 55108, USA
| | - Shun Che
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Jack E. Richman
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN 55108, USA
| | - Bosen Jin
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Yiwen Zhu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Yue Xing
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Lawrence Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN 55108, USA
| | - Yujie Men
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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2
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Stockbridge RB, Wackett LP. The link between ancient microbial fluoride resistance mechanisms and bioengineering organofluorine degradation or synthesis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4593. [PMID: 38816380 PMCID: PMC11139923 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49018-1] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluorinated organic chemicals, such as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) and fluorinated pesticides, are both broadly useful and unusually long-lived. To combat problems related to the accumulation of these compounds, microbial PFAS and organofluorine degradation and biosynthesis of less-fluorinated replacement chemicals are under intense study. Both efforts are undermined by the substantial toxicity of fluoride, an anion that powerfully inhibits metabolism. Microorganisms have contended with environmental mineral fluoride over evolutionary time, evolving a suite of detoxification mechanisms. In this perspective, we synthesize emerging ideas on microbial defluorination/fluorination and fluoride resistance mechanisms and identify best approaches for bioengineering new approaches for degrading and making organofluorine compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randy B Stockbridge
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Lawrence P Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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3
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Banerjee A, Kang CY, An M, Koff BB, Sunder S, Kumar A, Tenuta LMA, Stockbridge RB. Fluoride export is required for the competitive fitness of pathogenic microorganisms in dental biofilm models. mBio 2024; 15:e0018424. [PMID: 38624207 PMCID: PMC11077948 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00184-24] [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: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms resist fluoride toxicity using fluoride export proteins from one of several different molecular families. Cariogenic species Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans extrude intracellular fluoride using a CLCF F-/H+ antiporter and FEX fluoride channel, respectively, whereas oral commensal eubacteria, such as Streptococcus gordonii, export fluoride using a Fluc fluoride channel. In this work, we examine how genetic knockout of fluoride export impacts pathogen fitness in single-species and three-species dental biofilm models. For biofilms generated using S. mutans with the genetic knockout of the CLCF transporter, exposure to low fluoride concentrations decreased S. mutans counts, synergistically reduced the populations of C. albicans, increased the relative proportion of oral commensal S. gordonii, and reduced properties associated with biofilm pathogenicity, including acid production and hydroxyapatite dissolution. Biofilms prepared with C. albicans with genetic knockout of the FEX channel also exhibited reduced fitness in the presence of fluoride but to a lesser degree. Imaging studies indicate that S. mutans is highly sensitive to fluoride, with the knockout strain undergoing complete lysis when exposed to low fluoride for a moderate amount of time. Biochemical purification of the S. mutans CLCF transporter and functional reconstitution establishes that the functional protein is a dimer encoded by a single gene. Together, these findings suggest that fluoride export by oral pathogens can be targeted by specific inhibitors to restore biofilm symbiosis in dental biofilms and that S. mutans is especially susceptible to fluoride toxicity. IMPORTANCE Dental caries is a globally prevalent condition that occurs when pathogenic species, including Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans, outcompete beneficial species, such as Streptococcus gordonii, in the dental biofilm. Fluoride is routinely used in oral hygiene to prevent dental caries. Fluoride also has antimicrobial properties, although most microbes possess fluoride exporters to resist its toxicity. This work shows that sensitization of cariogenic species S. mutans and C. albicans to fluoride by genetic knockout of fluoride exporters alters the microbial composition and pathogenic properties of dental biofilms. These results suggest that the development of drugs that inhibit fluoride exporters could potentiate the anticaries effect of fluoride in over-the-counter products like toothpaste and mouth rinses. This is a novel strategy to treat dental caries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Banerjee
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Chia-Yu Kang
- Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Minjun An
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - B. Ben Koff
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Sham Sunder
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anuj Kumar
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Randy B. Stockbridge
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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4
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Hu M, Scott C. Toward the development of a molecular toolkit for the microbial remediation of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0015724. [PMID: 38477530 PMCID: PMC11022551 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00157-24] [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] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly fluorinated synthetic organic compounds that have been used extensively in various industries owing to their unique properties. The PFAS family encompasses diverse classes, with only a fraction being commercially relevant. These substances are found in the environment, including in water sources, soil, and wildlife, leading to human exposure and fueling concerns about potential human health impacts. Although PFAS degradation is challenging, biodegradation offers a promising, eco-friendly solution. Biodegradation has been effective for a variety of organic contaminants but is yet to be successful for PFAS due to a paucity of identified microbial species capable of transforming these compounds. Recent studies have investigated PFAS biotransformation and fluoride release; however, the number of specific microorganisms and enzymes with demonstrable activity with PFAS remains limited. This review discusses enzymes that could be used in PFAS metabolism, including haloacid dehalogenases, reductive dehalogenases, cytochromes P450, alkane and butane monooxygenases, peroxidases, laccases, desulfonases, and the mechanisms of microbial resistance to intracellular fluoride. Finally, we emphasize the potential of enzyme and microbial engineering to advance PFAS degradation strategies and provide insights for future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Hu
- CSIRO Environment, Black Mountain Science and Innovation Park, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Colin Scott
- CSIRO Environment, Black Mountain Science and Innovation Park, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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5
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Chon NL, Lin H. Fluoride Ion Binding and Translocation in the CLC F Fluoride/Proton Antiporter: Molecular Insights from Combined Quantum-Mechanical/Molecular-Mechanical Modeling. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:2697-2706. [PMID: 38447081 PMCID: PMC10962343 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
CLCF fluoride/proton antiporters move fluoride ions out of bacterial cells, leading to fluoride resistance in these bacteria. However, many details about their operating mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report a combined quantum-mechanical/molecular-mechanical (QM/MM) study of a CLCF homologue from Enterococci casseliflavus (Eca), in accord with the previously proposed windmill mechanism. Our multiscale modeling sheds light on two critical steps in the transport cycle: (i) the external gating residue E118 pushing a fluoride in the external binding site into the extracellular vestibule and (ii) an incoming fluoride reconquering the external binding site by forcing out E118. Both steps feature competitions for the external binding site between the negatively charged carboxylate of E118 and the fluoride. Remarkably, the displaced E118 by fluoride accepts a proton from the nearby R117, initiating the next transport cycle. We also demonstrate the importance of accurate quantum descriptions of fluoride solvation. Our results provide clues to the mysterious E318 residue near the central binding site, suggesting that the transport activities are unlikely to be disrupted by the glutamate interacting with a well-solvated fluoride at the central binding site. This differs significantly from the structurally similar CLC chloride/proton antiporters, where a fluoride trapped deep in the hydrophobic pore causes the transporter to be locked down. A free-energy barrier of 10-15 kcal/mol was estimated via umbrella sampling for a fluoride ion traveling through the pore to repopulate the external binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nara L. Chon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado 80217, United States
| | - Hai Lin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado 80217, United States
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6
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Kang CY, An M, Stockbridge RB. Lanthanum-fluoride electrode-based methods to monitor fluoride transport in cells and reconstituted lipid vesicles. Methods Enzymol 2024; 696:43-63. [PMID: 38658088 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Fluoride (F-) export proteins, including F- channels and F- transporters, are widespread in biology. They contribute to cellular resistance against fluoride ion, which has relevance as an ancient xenobiotic, and in more modern contexts like organofluorine biosynthesis and degradation or dental medicine. This chapter summarizes quantitative methods to measure fluoride transport across membranes using fluoride-specific lanthanum-fluoride electrodes. Electrode-based measurements can be used to measure unitary fluoride transport rates by membrane proteins that have been purified and reconstituted into lipid vesicles, or to monitor fluoride efflux into living microbial cells. Thus, fluoride electrode-based measurements yield quantitative mechanistic insight into one of the major determinants of fluoride resistance in microorganisms, fungi, yeasts, and plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Yu Kang
- Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Minjun An
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Randy B Stockbridge
- Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
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7
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Banerjee A, Stockbridge RB, Tenuta LMA. Measurement and analysis of microbial fluoride resistance in dental biofilm models. Methods Enzymol 2024; 696:155-174. [PMID: 38658078 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The interactions between communities of microorganisms inhabiting the dental biofilm is a major determinant of oral health. These biofilms are periodically exposed to high concentrations of fluoride, which is present in almost all oral healthcare products. The microbes resist fluoride through the action of membrane export proteins. This chapter describes the culture, growth and harvest conditions of model three-species dental biofilm comprised of cariogenic pathogens Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans and the commensal bacterium Streptococcus gordonii. In order to examine the role of fluoride export by S. mutans in model biofilms, procedures for generating a strain of S. mutans with a genetic knockout of the fluoride exporter are described. We present a case study examining the effects of this mutant strain on the biofilm mass, acid production and mineral dissolution under exposure to low levels of fluoride. These general approaches can be applied to study the effects of any gene of interest in physiologically realistic multispecies oral biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Banerjee
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Randy B Stockbridge
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Livia M A Tenuta
- School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
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8
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Mills KR, Torabifard H. Computational approaches to investigate fluoride binding, selectivity and transport across the membrane. Methods Enzymol 2024; 696:109-154. [PMID: 38658077 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The use of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study biomolecular systems has proven reliable in elucidating atomic-level details of structure and function. In this chapter, MD simulations were used to uncover new insights into two phylogenetically unrelated bacterial fluoride (F-) exporters: the CLCF F-/H+ antiporter and the Fluc F- channel. The CLCF antiporter, a member of the broader CLC family, has previously revealed unique stoichiometry, anion-coordinating residues, and the absence of an internal glutamate crucial for proton import in the CLCs. Through MD simulations enhanced with umbrella sampling, we provide insights into the energetics and mechanism of the CLCF transport process, including its selectivity for F- over HF. In contrast, the Fluc F- channel presents a novel architecture as a dual topology dimer, featuring two pores for F- export and a central non-transported sodium ion. Using computational electrophysiology, we simulate the electrochemical gradient necessary for F- export in Fluc and reveal details about the coordination and hydration of both F- and the central sodium ion. The procedures described here delineate the specifics of these advanced techniques and can also be adapted to investigate other membrane protein systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira R Mills
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Hedieh Torabifard
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States.
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9
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Banerjee A, Kang CY, An M, Koff BB, Sunder S, Kumar A, Tenuta LMA, Stockbridge RB. Fluoride export is required for competitive fitness of pathogenic microorganisms in dental biofilm models. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.18.576223. [PMID: 38293214 PMCID: PMC10827179 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.18.576223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Microorganisms resist fluoride toxicity using fluoride export proteins from one of several different molecular families. Cariogenic species Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans extrude intracellular fluoride using a CLCF F-/H+ antiporter and FEX fluoride channel, respectively, whereas commensal eubacteria, such as Streptococcus gordonii, export fluoride using a Fluc fluoride channel. In this work, we examine how genetic knockout of fluoride export impacts pathogen fitness in single-species and three-species dental biofilm models. For biofilms generated using S. mutans with genetic knockout of the CLCF transporter, exposure to low fluoride concentrations decreased S. mutans counts, synergistically reduced the populations of C. albicans, increased the relative proportion of commensal S. gordonii, and reduced properties associated with biofilm pathogenicity, including acid production and hydroxyapatite dissolution. Biofilms prepared with C. albicans with genetic knockout of the FEX channel also exhibited reduced fitness in the presence of fluoride, but to a lesser degree. Imaging studies indicate that S. mutans is highly sensitive to fluoride, with the knockout strain undergoing complete lysis when exposed to low fluoride for a moderate amount of time, and biochemical purification the S. mutans CLCF transporter and functional reconstitution establishes that the functional protein is a dimer encoded by a single gene. Together, these findings suggest that fluoride export by oral pathogens can be targeted by specific inhibitors to restore biofilm symbiosis in dental biofilms, and that S. mutans is especially susceptible to fluoride toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Banerjee
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Chia-Yu Kang
- Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Minjun An
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - B. Ben Koff
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sham Sunder
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Anuj Kumar
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Randy B. Stockbridge
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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10
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Dodge AG, Thoma CJ, O’Connor MR, Wackett LP. Recombinant Pseudomonas growing on non-natural fluorinated substrates shows stress but overall tolerance to cytoplasmically released fluoride anion. mBio 2024; 15:e0278523. [PMID: 38063407 PMCID: PMC10790756 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02785-23] [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: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Society uses thousands of organofluorine compounds, sometimes denoted per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in hundreds of products, but recent studies have shown some to manifest human and environmental health effects. As a class, they are recalcitrant to biodegradation, partly due to the paucity of fluorinated natural products to which microbes have been exposed. Another limit to PFAS biodegradation is the intracellular toxicity of fluoride anion generated from C-F bond cleavage. The present study identified a broader substrate specificity in an enzyme originally studied for its activity on the natural product fluoroacetate. A recombinant Pseudomonas expressing this enzyme was used here as a model system to better understand the limits and effects of a high level of intracellular fluoride generation. A fluoride stress response has evolved in bacteria and has been described in Pseudomonas spp. The present study is highly relevant to organofluorine compound degradation or engineered biosynthesis in which fluoride anion is a substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony G. Dodge
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Calvin J. Thoma
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Madeline R. O’Connor
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Lawrence P. Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
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11
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Zhang J, Li J, Wang Y, Shi C. NMR methods to detect fluoride binding and transport by membrane proteins. Methods Enzymol 2024; 696:25-42. [PMID: 38658082 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods can probe the motions of membrane proteins in liposomes at the atomic level, and propel the understanding of biomolecular processes for which static structures cannot provide a satisfactory description. High-resolution crystallography snapshots have provided a structural basis for fluoride channels. NMR is a powerful tool to build upon these snapshots and depict a dynamic picture of fluoride channels in native-like lipid bilayers. In this contribution, we discuss solid-state and solution NMR experiments to detect fluoride binding and transport by fluoride channels. Ongoing developments in membrane protein sample preparation and ssNMR methodology, particularly in using 1H, 19F and 13C-detection schemes, offer additional opportunities to study structure and functional aspects of fluoride channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Juan Li
- Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Yusong Wang
- Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Chaowei Shi
- Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P.R. China.
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12
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Asgharpour S, Chi LA, Spehr M, Carloni P, Alfonso-Prieto M. Fluoride Transport and Inhibition Across CLC Transporters. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2024; 283:81-100. [PMID: 36042142 DOI: 10.1007/164_2022_593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The Chloride Channel (CLC) family includes proton-coupled chloride and fluoride transporters. Despite their similar protein architecture, the former exchange two chloride ions for each proton and are inhibited by fluoride, whereas the latter efficiently transport one fluoride in exchange for one proton. The combination of structural, mutagenesis, and functional experiments with molecular simulations has pinpointed several amino acid changes in the permeation pathway that capitalize on the different chemical properties of chloride and fluoride to fine-tune protein function. Here we summarize recent findings on fluoride inhibition and transport in the two prototypical members of the CLC family, the chloride/proton transporter from Escherichia coli (CLC-ec1) and the fluoride/proton transporter from Enterococcus casseliflavus (CLCF-eca).
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Asgharpour
- Institute for Advanced Simulations IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Research Training Group 2416 MultiSenses-MultiScales, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - L América Chi
- Laboratory for the Design and Development of New Drugs and Biotechnological Innovation, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Marc Spehr
- Research Training Group 2416 MultiSenses-MultiScales, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Chemosensation, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Institute for Advanced Simulations IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Research Training Group 2416 MultiSenses-MultiScales, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
- Department of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
- JARA Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Mercedes Alfonso-Prieto
- Institute for Advanced Simulations IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Medical Faculty, Cécile and Oskar Vogt Institute for Brain Research, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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13
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Yu Y, Xu F, Zhao W, Thoma C, Che S, Richman JE, Jin B, Zhu Y, Xing Y, Wackett L, Men Y. Electron-bifurcation and fluoride efflux systems in Acetobacterium spp. drive defluorination of perfluorinated unsaturated carboxylic acids. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.13.568471. [PMID: 38168399 PMCID: PMC10760045 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.568471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Enzymatic cleavage of C-F bonds in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is largely unknown but avidly sought to promote systems biology for PFAS bioremediation. Here, we report the reductive defluorination of α, β-unsaturated per- and polyfluorocarboxylic acids by Acetobacterium spp. Two critical molecular features in Acetobacterium species enabling reductive defluorination are (i) a functional fluoride efflux transporter (CrcB) and (ii) an electron-bifurcating caffeate reduction pathway (CarABCDE). The fluoride transporter was required for detoxification of released fluoride. Car enzymes were implicated in defluorination by the following evidence: (i) only Acetobacterium spp. with car genes catalyzed defluorination; (ii) caffeate and PFAS competed in vivo ; (iii) models from the X-ray structure of the electron-bifurcating reductase (CarC) positioned the PFAS substrate optimally for reductive defluorination; (iv) products identified by 19 F-NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry were consistent with the model. Defluorination biomarkers identified here were found in wastewater treatment plant metagenomes on six continents.
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14
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Chetverikov S, Hkudaygulov G, Sharipov D, Starikov S, Chetverikova D. Biodegradation Potential of C 7-C 10 Perfluorocarboxylic Acids and Data from the Genome of a New Strain of Pseudomonas mosselii 5(3). TOXICS 2023; 11:1001. [PMID: 38133402 PMCID: PMC10748008 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11121001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The use of bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas-destructors of persistent pollutants for biotechnologies of environmental purification-is an interesting area of research. The aim of this work was to study the potential of Pseudomonas mosselii strain 5(3) isolated from pesticide-contaminated soil as a degrader of C7-C10 perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and analyze its complete genome. The genome of the strain has been fully sequenced. It consists of a chromosome with a length of 5,676,241 b.p. and containing a total of 5134 genes, in particular, haloalkane dehalogenase gene (dhaA), haloacetate dehalogenase H-1 gene (dehH1), fluoride ion transporter gene (crcB) and alkanesulfonate monooxygenase gene (ssuE), responsible for the degradation of fluorinated compounds. The strain P. mosselii 5(3) for was cultivated for 7 days in a liquid medium with various C7-C10 PFCAs as the sole source of carbon and energy, and completely disposed of them. The results of LC-MS analysis showed that the transformation takes place due to perfluorohexanoic acid with the release of various levels of stoichiometry (depending on PFCA) of fluorine ion mineralization indicators determined by ion chromatography. Thus, Pseudomonas mosselii strain 5(3) demonstrates a genetically confirmed high potential for the decomposition of C7-C10 PFCA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gaisar Hkudaygulov
- Ufa Institute of Biology, Subdivision of the Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 450054 Ufa, Russia; (S.C.); (D.S.); (S.S.); (D.C.)
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15
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Ernst M, Orabi EA, Stockbridge RB, Faraldo-Gómez JD, Robertson JL. Dimerization mechanism of an inverted-topology ion channel in membranes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308454120. [PMID: 37956279 PMCID: PMC10666096 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308454120] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Many ion channels are multisubunit complexes where oligomerization is an obligatory requirement for function as the binding axis forms the charged permeation pathway. However, the mechanisms of in-membrane assembly of thermodynamically stable channels are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate a key advance by reporting the dimerization equilibrium reaction of an inverted-topology, homodimeric fluoride channel Fluc in lipid bilayers. While the wild-type channel is a long-lived dimer, we leverage a known mutation, N43S, that weakens Na+ binding in a buried site at the interface, thereby unlocking the complex for reversible association in lipid bilayers. Single-channel recordings show that Na+ binding is required for fluoride conduction while single-molecule microscopy experiments demonstrate that N43S Fluc exists in a dynamic monomer-dimer equilibrium in the membrane, even following removal of Na+. Quantifying the thermodynamic stability while titrating Na+ indicates that dimerization occurs first, providing a membrane-embedded binding site where Na+ binding weakly stabilizes the complex. To understand how these subunits form stable assemblies while presenting charged surfaces to the membrane, we carried out molecular dynamics simulations, which show the formation of a thinned membrane defect around the exposed dimerization interface. In simulations where subunits are permitted to encounter each other while preventing protein contacts, we observe spontaneous and selective association at the native interface, where stability is achieved by mitigation of the membrane defect. These results suggest a model wherein membrane-associated forces drive channel assembly in the native orientation while subsequent factors, such as Na+ binding, result in channel activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Ernst
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Esam A. Orabi
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Section, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20894
| | - Randy B. Stockbridge
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - José D. Faraldo-Gómez
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Section, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20894
| | - Janice L. Robertson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
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16
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Xie Y, Ramirez D, Chen G, He G, Sun Y, Murdoch FK, Löffler FE. Genome-Wide Expression Analysis Unravels Fluoroalkane Metabolism in Pseudomonas sp. Strain 273. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:15925-15935. [PMID: 37647029 PMCID: PMC11217894 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas sp. strain 273 grows with medium-chain terminally fluorinated alkanes under oxic conditions, releases fluoride, and synthesizes long-chain fluorofatty acids. To shed light on the genes involved in fluoroalkane metabolism, genome, and transcriptome sequencing of strain 273 grown with 1,10-difluorodecane (DFD), decane, and acetate were performed. Strain 273 harbors three genes encoding putative alkane monooxygenases (AlkB), key enzymes for initiating alkane degradation. Transcripts of alkB-2 were significantly more abundant in both decane- and DFD-grown cells compared to acetate-grown cells, suggesting AlkB-2 catalyzes the attack on terminal CH3 and CH2F groups. Coordinately expressed with alkB-2 was an adjacent gene encoding a fused ferredoxin-ferredoxin reductase (Fd-Fdr). Phylogenetic analysis distinguished AlkB that couples with fused Fd-Fdr reductases from AlkB with alternate architectures. A gene cluster containing an (S)-2-haloacid dehalogenase (had) gene was up-regulated in cells grown with DFD, suggesting a possible role in the removal of the ω-fluorine. Genes involved in long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis were not differentially expressed during growth with acetate, decane, or DFD, suggesting the bacterium's biosynthetic machinery does not discriminate against monofluoro-fatty acid intermediates. The analysis sheds first light on genes and catalysts involved in the microbial metabolism of fluoroalkanes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchao Xie
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Diana Ramirez
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Gao Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Guang He
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Yanchen Sun
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Fadime Kara Murdoch
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Frank E Löffler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
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17
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Zhang J, Song D, Schackert FK, Li J, Xiang S, Tian C, Gong W, Carloni P, Alfonso-Prieto M, Shi C. Fluoride permeation mechanism of the Fluc channel in liposomes revealed by solid-state NMR. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg9709. [PMID: 37611110 PMCID: PMC10446490 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg9709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) methods can probe the motions of membrane proteins in liposomes at the atomic level and propel the understanding of biomolecular processes for which static structures cannot provide a satisfactory description. In this work, we report our study on the fluoride channel Fluc-Ec1 in phospholipid bilayers based on ssNMR and molecular dynamics simulations. Previously unidentified fluoride binding sites in the aqueous vestibules were experimentally verified by 19F-detected ssNMR. One of the two fluoride binding sites in the polar track was identified as a water molecule by 1H-detected ssNMR. Meanwhile, a dynamic hotspot at loop 1 was observed by comparing the spectra of wild-type Fluc-Ec1 in variant buffer conditions or with its mutants. Therefore, we propose that fluoride conduction in the Fluc channel occurs via a "water-mediated knock-on" permeation mechanism and that loop 1 is a key molecular determinant for channel gating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Dan Song
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Florian Karl Schackert
- Institute for Advanced Simulations (IAS-5) and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9), Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Shengqi Xiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Changlin Tian
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Weimin Gong
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Institute for Advanced Simulations (IAS-5) and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9), Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Mercedes Alfonso-Prieto
- Institute for Advanced Simulations (IAS-5) and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9), Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Chaowei Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P. R. China
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18
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de Jong J, Bos JE, Wezenberg SJ. Stimulus-Controlled Anion Binding and Transport by Synthetic Receptors. Chem Rev 2023; 123:8530-8574. [PMID: 37342028 PMCID: PMC10347431 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Anionic species are omnipresent and involved in many important biological processes. A large number of artificial anion receptors has therefore been developed. Some of these are capable of mediating transmembrane transport. However, where transport proteins can respond to stimuli in their surroundings, creation of synthetic receptors with stimuli-responsive functions poses a major challenge. Herein, we give a full overview of the stimulus-controlled anion receptors that have been developed thus far, including their application in membrane transport. In addition to their potential operation as membrane carriers, the use of anion recognition motifs in forming responsive membrane-spanning channels is discussed. With this review article, we intend to increase interest in transmembrane transport among scientists working on host-guest complexes and dynamic functional systems in order to stimulate further developments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sander J. Wezenberg
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333
CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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19
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Mills KR, Torabifard H. Uncovering the Mechanism of the Proton-Coupled Fluoride Transport in the CLC F Antiporter. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:2445-2455. [PMID: 37053383 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Fluoride is a natural antibiotic abundantly present in the environment and, in micromolar concentrations, is able to inhibit enzymes necessary for bacteria to survive. However, as is the case with many antibiotics, bacteria have evolved resistance methods, including through the use of recently discovered membrane proteins. One such protein is the CLCF F-/H+ antiporter protein, a member of the CLC superfamily of anion-transport proteins. Though previous studies have examined this F- transporter, many questions are still left unanswered. To reveal details of the transport mechanism used by CLCF, we have employed molecular dynamics simulations and umbrella sampling calculations. Our results have led to several discoveries, including the mechanism of proton import and how it is able to aid in the fluoride export. Additionally, we have determined the role of the previously identified residues Glu118, Glu318, Met79, and Tyr396. This work is among the first studies of the CLCF F-/H+ antiporter and is the first computational investigation to model the full transport process, proposing a mechanism which couples the F- export with the H+ import.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira R Mills
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Hedieh Torabifard
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
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20
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Ernst M, Orabi EA, Stockbridge RB, Faraldo-Gómez JD, Robertson JL. Dimerization mechanism of an inverted-topology ion channel in membranes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.27.525942. [PMID: 36789410 PMCID: PMC9928038 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.27.525942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Many ion channels are multi-subunit complexes with a polar permeation pathway at the oligomeric interface, but their mechanisms of assembly into functional, thermodynamically stable units within the membrane are largely unknown. Here we characterize the assembly of the inverted-topology, homodimeric fluoride channel Fluc, leveraging a known mutation, N43S, that weakens Na + binding to the dimer interface, thereby unlocking the complex. While single-channel recordings show Na + is required for activation, single-molecule photobleaching and bulk Förster Resonance Energy Transfer experiments in lipid bilayers demonstrate that N43S Fluc monomers and dimers exist in dynamic equilibrium, even without Na + . Molecular dynamics simulations indicate this equilibrium is dominated by a differential in the lipid-solvation energetics of monomer and dimer, which stems from hydrophobic exposure of the polar ion pathway in the monomer. These results suggest a model wherein membrane-associated forces induce channel assembly while subsequent factors, in this case Na + binding, result in channel activation. Teaser Membrane morphology energetics foster inverted-topology Fluc channels to form dimers, which then become active upon Na + binding.
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21
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Miller AN, Houlihan PR, Matamala E, Cabezas-Bratesco D, Lee GY, Cristofori-Armstrong B, Dilan TL, Sanchez-Martinez S, Matthies D, Yan R, Yu Z, Ren D, Brauchi SE, Clapham DE. The SARS-CoV-2 accessory protein Orf3a is not an ion channel, but does interact with trafficking proteins. eLife 2023; 12:e84477. [PMID: 36695574 PMCID: PMC9910834 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and SARS-CoV-1 accessory protein Orf3a colocalizes with markers of the plasma membrane, endocytic pathway, and Golgi apparatus. Some reports have led to annotation of both Orf3a proteins as viroporins. Here, we show that neither SARS-CoV-2 nor SARS-CoV-1 Orf3a form functional ion conducting pores and that the conductances measured are common contaminants in overexpression and with high levels of protein in reconstitution studies. Cryo-EM structures of both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 Orf3a display a narrow constriction and the presence of a positively charged aqueous vestibule, which would not favor cation permeation. We observe enrichment of the late endosomal marker Rab7 upon SARS-CoV-2 Orf3a overexpression, and co-immunoprecipitation with VPS39. Interestingly, SARS-CoV-1 Orf3a does not cause the same cellular phenotype as SARS-CoV-2 Orf3a and does not interact with VPS39. To explain this difference, we find that a divergent, unstructured loop of SARS-CoV-2 Orf3a facilitates its binding with VPS39, a HOPS complex tethering protein involved in late endosome and autophagosome fusion with lysosomes. We suggest that the added loop enhances SARS-CoV-2 Orf3a's ability to co-opt host cellular trafficking mechanisms for viral exit or host immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ella Matamala
- Physiology Institute and Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases, Universidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Deny Cabezas-Bratesco
- Physiology Institute and Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases, Universidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Gi Young Lee
- Department of Biology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | | | | | | | | | - Rui Yan
- Janelia Research CampusAshburnUnited States
| | - Zhiheng Yu
- Janelia Research CampusAshburnUnited States
| | - Dejian Ren
- Department of Biology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Sebastian E Brauchi
- Janelia Research CampusAshburnUnited States
- Physiology Institute and Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases, Universidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
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22
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Leisle L, Lam K, Dehghani-Ghahnaviyeh S, Fortea E, Galpin JD, Ahern CA, Tajkhorshid E, Accardi A. Backbone amides are determinants of Cl - selectivity in CLC ion channels. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7508. [PMID: 36473856 PMCID: PMC9726985 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35279-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chloride homeostasis is regulated in all cellular compartments. CLC-type channels selectively transport Cl- across biological membranes. It is proposed that side-chains of pore-lining residues determine Cl- selectivity in CLC-type channels, but their spatial orientation and contributions to selectivity are not conserved. This suggests a possible role for mainchain amides in selectivity. We use nonsense suppression to insert α-hydroxy acids at pore-lining positions in two CLC-type channels, CLC-0 and bCLC-k, thus exchanging peptide-bond amides with ester-bond oxygens which are incapable of hydrogen-bonding. Backbone substitutions functionally degrade inter-anion discrimination in a site-specific manner. The presence of a pore-occupying glutamate side chain modulates these effects. Molecular dynamics simulations show backbone amides determine ion energetics within the bCLC-k pore and how insertion of an α-hydroxy acid alters selectivity. We propose that backbone-ion interactions are determinants of Cl- specificity in CLC channels in a mechanism reminiscent of that described for K+ channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilia Leisle
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kin Lam
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Sepehr Dehghani-Ghahnaviyeh
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Eva Fortea
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jason D Galpin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Christopher A Ahern
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Alessio Accardi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
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23
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Calero P, Gurdo N, Nikel PI. Role of the CrcB transporter of Pseudomonas putida in the multi-level stress response elicited by mineral fluoride. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:5082-5104. [PMID: 35726888 PMCID: PMC9796867 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The presence of mineral fluoride (F- ) in the environment has both a geogenic and anthropogenic origin, and the halide has been described to be toxic in virtually all living organisms. While the evidence gathered in different microbial species supports this notion, a systematic exploration of the effects of F- salts on the metabolism and physiology of environmental bacteria remained underexplored thus far. In this work, we studied and characterized tolerance mechanisms deployed by the model soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida KT2440 against NaF. By adopting systems-level omic approaches, including functional genomics and metabolomics, we gauged the impact of this anion at different regulatory levels under conditions that impair bacterial growth. Several genes involved in halide tolerance were isolated in a genome-wide Tn-Seq screening-among which crcB, encoding an F- -specific exporter, was shown to play the predominant role in detoxification. High-resolution metabolomics, combined with the assessment of intracellular and extracellular pH values and quantitative physiology experiments, underscored the key nodes in central carbon metabolism affected by the presence of F- . Taken together, our results indicate that P. putida undergoes a general, multi-level stress response when challenged with NaF that significantly differs from that caused by other saline stressors. While microbial stress responses to saline and oxidative challenges have been extensively studied and described in the literature, very little is known about the impact of fluoride (F- ) on bacterial physiology and metabolism. This state of affairs contrasts with the fact that F- is more abundant than other halides in the Earth crust (e.g. in some soils, the F- concentration can reach up to 1 mg gsoil -1 ). Understanding the global effects of NaF treatment on bacterial physiology is not only relevant to unveil distinct mechanisms of detoxification but it could also guide microbial engineering approaches for the target incorporation of fluorine into value-added organofluorine molecules. In this regard, the soil bacterium P. putida constitutes an ideal model to explore such scenarios, since this species is particularly known for its high level of stress resistance against a variety of physicochemical perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Calero
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for BiosustainabilityTechnical University of DenmarkKongens LyngbyDenmark
| | - Nicolás Gurdo
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for BiosustainabilityTechnical University of DenmarkKongens LyngbyDenmark
| | - Pablo I. Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for BiosustainabilityTechnical University of DenmarkKongens LyngbyDenmark
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24
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Wackett LP. Toward a molecular understanding of fluoride stress in a model Pseudomonas strain. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:4981-4983. [PMID: 35848109 PMCID: PMC9795876 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence P. Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics and BioTechnology InstituteUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
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25
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Anast JM, Etter AJ, Schmitz‐Esser S. Comparative analysis of
Listeria monocytogenes
plasmid transcriptomes reveals common and plasmid‐specific gene expression patterns and high expression of noncoding RNAs. Microbiologyopen 2022; 11:e1315. [PMID: 36314750 PMCID: PMC9484302 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research demonstrated that some Listeria monocytogenes plasmids contribute to stress survival. However, only a few studies have analyzed gene expression patterns of L. monocytogenes plasmids. In this study, we identified four previously published stress‐response‐associated transcriptomic data sets which studied plasmid‐harboring L. monocytogenes strains but did not include an analysis of the plasmid transcriptomes. The four transcriptome data sets encompass three distinct plasmids from three different L. monocytogenes strains. Differential gene expression analysis of these plasmids revealed that the number of differentially expressed (DE) L. monocytogenes plasmid genes ranged from 30 to 45 with log2 fold changes of −2.2 to 6.8, depending on the plasmid. Genes often found to be DE included the cadmium resistance genes cadA and cadC, a gene encoding a putative NADH peroxidase, the putative ultraviolet resistance gene uvrX, and several uncharacterized noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). Plasmid‐encoded ncRNAs were consistently among the highest expressed genes. In addition, one of the data sets utilized the same experimental conditions for two different strains harboring distinct plasmids. We found that the gene expression patterns of these two L. monocytogenes plasmids were highly divergent despite the identical treatments. These data suggest plasmid‐specific gene expression responses to environmental stimuli and differential plasmid regulation mechanisms between L. monocytogenes strains. Our findings further our understanding of the dynamic expression of L. monocytogenes plasmid‐encoded genes in diverse environmental conditions and highlight the need to expand the study of L. monocytogenes plasmid genes' functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M. Anast
- Department of Animal Science Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
| | - Andrea J. Etter
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences The University of Vermont Burlington Vermont USA
| | - Stephan Schmitz‐Esser
- Department of Animal Science Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
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26
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Miller AN, Houlihan PR, Matamala E, Cabezas-Bratesco D, Lee GY, Cristofori-Armstrong B, Dilan TL, Sanchez-Martinez S, Matthies D, Yan R, Yu Z, Ren D, Brauchi SE, Clapham DE. The SARS-CoV-2 accessory protein Orf3a is not an ion channel, but does interact with trafficking proteins. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.09.02.506428. [PMID: 36263072 PMCID: PMC9580380 DOI: 10.1101/2022.09.02.506428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and SARS-CoV-1 accessory protein Orf3a colocalizes with markers of the plasma membrane, endocytic pathway, and Golgi apparatus. Some reports have led to annotation of both Orf3a proteins as a viroporin. Here we show that neither SARS-CoV-2 nor SARS-CoV-1 form functional ion conducting pores and that the conductances measured are common contaminants in overexpression and with high levels of protein in reconstitution studies. Cryo-EM structures of both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 Orf3a display a narrow constriction and the presence of a basic aqueous vestibule, which would not favor cation permeation. We observe enrichment of the late endosomal marker Rab7 upon SARS-CoV-2 Orf3a overexpression, and co-immunoprecipitation with VPS39. Interestingly, SARS-CoV-1 Orf3a does not cause the same cellular phenotype as SARS-CoV-2 Orf3a and does not interact with VPS39. To explain this difference, we find that a divergent, unstructured loop of SARS-CoV-2 Orf3a facilitates its binding with VPS39, a HOPS complex tethering protein involved in late endosome and autophagosome fusion with lysosomes. We suggest that the added loop enhances SARS-CoV-2 Orf3a ability to co-opt host cellular trafficking mechanisms for viral exit or host immune evasion.
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27
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Pavlova N, Penchovsky R. Bioinformatics and Genomic Analyses of the Suitability of Eight Riboswitches for Antibacterial Drug Targets. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11091177. [PMID: 36139956 PMCID: PMC9495176 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11091177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance (AR) is an acute problem that results in prolonged and debilitating illnesses. AR mortality worldwide is growing and causes a pressing need to research novel mechanisms of action and untested target molecules. This article presents in silico analyses of eight bacterial riboswitches for their suitability for antibacterial drug targets. Most bacterial riboswitches are located in the 5′-untranslated region of messenger RNAs, act as allosteric cis-acting gene control elements, and have not been found in humans before. Sensing metabolites, the riboswitches regulate the synthesis of vital cellular metabolites in various pathogenic bacteria. The analyses performed in this article represent a complete and informative genome-wide bioinformatics analysis of the adequacy of eight riboswitches as antibacterial drug targets in different pathogenic bacteria based on four criteria. Due to the ability of the riboswitch to control biosynthetic pathways and transport proteins of essential metabolites and the presence/absence of alternative biosynthetic pathways, we classified them into four groups based on their suitability for use as antibacterial drug targets guided by our in silico analyses. We concluded that some of them are promising targets for antibacterial drug discovery, such as the PreQ1, MoCo RNA, cyclic-di-GMP I, and cyclic-di-GMP II riboswitches.
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28
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Ion permeation, selectivity, and electronic polarization in fluoride channels. Biophys J 2022; 121:1336-1347. [PMID: 35151630 PMCID: PMC9034187 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluoride channels (Flucs) export toxic F- from the cytoplasm. Crystallography and mutagenesis have identified several conserved residues crucial for fluoride transport, but the permeation mechanism at the molecular level has remained elusive. Herein, we have applied constant-pH molecular dynamics and free-energy-sampling methods to investigate fluoride permeation through a Fluc protein from Escherichia coli. We find that fluoride is facile to permeate in its charged form, i.e., F-, by traversing through a non-bonded network. The extraordinary F- selectivity is gained by the hydrogen-bonding capability of the central binding site and the Coulombic filter at the channel entrance. The F- permeation rate calculated using an electronically polarizable force field is significantly more accurate compared with the experimental value than that calculated using a more standard additive force field, suggesting an essential role for electronic polarization in the F--Fluc interactions.
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29
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Li C, Qi C, Yang S, Li Z, Ren B, Li J, Zhou X, Cai H, Xu X, Peng X. F0F1-ATPase Contributes to the Fluoride Tolerance and Cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:777504. [PMID: 35173687 PMCID: PMC8841791 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.777504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The phenotypic traits of Streptococcus mutans, such as fluoride tolerance, are usually associated with genotypic alterations. The aim of this study was to identify adaptive mutations of S. mutans to gradient fluoride concentrations and possible relationships between the mutations and fluoride tolerance. We identified a highly resistant S. mutans strain (FR1000) with a novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP, −36G→T) in the promoter region of F0F1-ATPase gene cluster (SMU_1527-SMU_1534) resistant to 1,000 ppm fluoride using the whole-genome Illumina PE250 sequencing. Thus, a −36G→T F0F1-ATPase promoter mutation from the parental strain S. mutans UA159 was constructed and named UA159-T. qRT-PCR showed that the F0F1-ATPase gene expression of both FR1000 and UA159-T was up-regulated, and fluoride tolerance of UA159-T was significantly improved. Complementation of Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), a specific inhibitor of F0F1-ATPase, increased fluoride susceptibility of FR1000 and UA159-T. Intracellular fluoride concentrations of fluoride tolerance strains were higher compared to UA159 strain as demonstrated by 18F analysis. Further validation with rat caries models showed that UA159-T caused more severe caries lesions under fluoride exposure compared with its parental UA159 strain. Overall, the identified −36G→T mutation in the promoter region of F0F1-ATPase gene drastically contributed to the fluoride tolerance and enhanced cariogenicity of S. mutans. These findings provided new insights into the mechanism of microbial fluoride tolerance, and suggested F0F1-ATPase as a potential target for suppressing fluoride resistant strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Cai Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Sirui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhengyi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Biao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiyao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuedong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huawei Cai
- Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Xu,
| | - Xian Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Xian Peng,
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30
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Korniakova V, Devinck A, Groleau MC, Déziel E, Perreault J. Fluoride-Controlled Riboswitch-Based Dampening of Gene Expression for Cloning Potent Promoters. Front Genet 2022; 12:591543. [PMID: 35126444 PMCID: PMC8814607 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.591543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioreporter systems based on detectable enzyme activity, such as that of beta-galactosidase or luciferase, are key in novel bacterial promoter discovery and study. While these systems permit quantification of gene expression, their use is limited by the toxicity of the expressed reporter enzymes in a given host. Indeed, the most potent promoters may be overlooked if their activity causes a lethal overproduction of the reporter genes when screening for transcriptional activity of potential promoter sequences with the luxCDABE cassette. To overcome this limitation, a variation of the mini-CTX-lux plasmid has been designed which allows reduction of promoter activity via the addition of an adjacent fluoride riboswitch. The riboswitch adds a layer of regulation between the promoter and the reporter gene, allowing cloning of stronger promoters by weakening expression, while giving the potential to induce with fluoride to provide a good signal for weaker promoters, thus circumventing limitations associated with reporter toxicity. We noticed the riboswitch potential portability issues between species, suggesting caution when using riboswitches non-native to the species where it is being used. This study introduces a new molecular biology tool which will allow for the identification of previously unverifiable or uncharacterized potent promoters and also provides a cloning vector for translational fusion with luciferase in a plasmid compatible with many species such as from the genera Burkholderia and Pseudomonas.
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31
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Feng X, Jin M, Huang W, Liu W, Xian M. Whole-cell catalysis by surface display of fluorinase on Escherichia coli using N-terminal domain of ice nucleation protein. Microb Cell Fact 2021; 20:206. [PMID: 34715875 PMCID: PMC8555313 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-021-01697-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fluorinases play a unique role in the production of fluorine-containing organic molecules by biological methods. Whole-cell catalysis is a better choice in the large-scale fermentation processes, and over 60% of industrial biocatalysis uses this method. However, the in vivo catalytic efficiency of fluorinases is stuck with the mass transfer of the substrates. Results A gene sequence encoding a protein with fluorinase function was fused to the N-terminal of ice nucleation protein, and the fused fluorinase was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells. SDS-PAGE and immunofluorescence microscopy were used to demonstrate the surface localization of the fusion protein. The fluorinase displayed on the surface showed good stability while retaining the catalytic activity. The engineered E.coli with surface-displayed fluorinase could be cultured to obtain a larger cell density, which was beneficial for industrial application. And 55% yield of 5′-fluorodeoxyadenosine (5′-FDA) from S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) was achieved by using the whole-cell catalyst. Conclusions Here, we created the fluorinase-containing surface display system on E.coli cells for the first time. The fluorinase was successfully displayed on the surface of E.coli and maintained its catalytic activity. The surface display provides a new solution for the industrial application of biological fluorination. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12934-021-01697-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinming Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biobased Materials, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Miaomiao Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biobased Materials, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biobased Materials, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biobased Materials, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
| | - Mo Xian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biobased Materials, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
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32
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Zhou X, Heiranian M, Yang M, Epsztein R, Gong K, White CE, Hu S, Kim JH, Elimelech M. Selective Fluoride Transport in Subnanometer TiO 2 Pores. ACS NANO 2021; 15:16828-16838. [PMID: 34637268 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c07210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Synthesizing nanopores which mimic the functionality of ion-selective biological channels has been a challenging yet promising approach to advance technologies for precise ion-ion separations. Inspired by the facilitated fluoride (F-) permeation in the biological fluoride channel, we designed a highly fluoride-selective TiO2 film using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The subnanometer voids within the fabricated TiO2 film (4 Å < d < 12 Å, with two distinct peaks at 5.5 and 6.5 Å), created by the hindered diffusion of ALD precursors (d = 7 Å), resulted in more than eight times faster permeation of sodium fluoride compared to other sodium halides. We show that the specific Ti-F interactions compensate for the energy penalty of F- dehydration during the partitioning of F- ions into the pore and allow for an intrapore accumulation of F- ions. Concomitantly, the accumulation of F- ions on the pore walls also enhances the transport of sodium (Na+) cations due to electrostatic interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations probing the ion concentration and mobility within the TiO2 pore further support our proposed mechanisms for the selective F- transport and enhanced Na+ permeation in the TiO2 film. Overall, our work provides insights toward the design of ion-selective nanopores using the ALD technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechen Zhou
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Mohammad Heiranian
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Meiqi Yang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Razi Epsztein
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Kai Gong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Claire E White
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Shu Hu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Jae-Hong Kim
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
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33
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Alexandrino DAM, Mucha AP, Almeida CMR, Carvalho MF. Atlas of the microbial degradation of fluorinated pesticides. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 42:991-1009. [PMID: 34615427 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1977234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Fluorine-based agrochemicals have been benchmarked as the golden standard in pesticide development, prompting their widespread use in agriculture. As a result, fluorinated pesticides can now be found in the environment, entailing serious ecological implications due to their harmfulness and persistence. Microbial degradation might be an option to mitigate these impacts, though environmental microorganisms are not expected to easily cope with these fluoroaromatics due to their recalcitrance. Here, we provide an outlook on the microbial metabolism of fluorinated pesticides by analyzing the degradation pathways and biochemical processes involved, while also highlighting the central role of enzymatic defluorination in their productive metabolism. Finally, the potential contribution of these microbial processes for the dissipation of fluorinated pesticides from the environment is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo A M Alexandrino
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, Matosinhos, Portugal.,School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana P Mucha
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, Matosinhos, Portugal.,Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - C Marisa R Almeida
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Maria F Carvalho
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, Matosinhos, Portugal.,School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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34
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Wackett LP. Nothing lasts forever: understanding microbial biodegradation of polyfluorinated compounds and perfluorinated alkyl substances. Microb Biotechnol 2021; 15:773-792. [PMID: 34570953 PMCID: PMC8913905 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly‐ and perfluorinated chemicals, including perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), are pervasive in today’s society, with a negative impact on human and ecosystem health continually emerging. These chemicals are now subject to strict government regulations, leading to costly environmental remediation efforts. Commercial polyfluorinated compounds have been called ‘forever chemicals’ due to their strong resistance to biological and chemical degradation. Environmental cleanup by bioremediation is not considered practical currently. Implementation of bioremediation will require uncovering and understanding the rare microbial successes in degrading these compounds. This review discusses the underlying reasons why microbial degradation of heavily fluorinated compounds is rare. Fluorinated and chlorinated compounds are very different with respect to chemistry and microbial physiology. Moreover, the end product of biodegradation, fluoride, is much more toxic than chloride. It is imperative to understand these limitations, and elucidate physiological mechanisms of defluorination, in order to better discover, study, and engineer bacteria that can efficiently degrade polyfluorinated compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence P Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
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35
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McIlwain BC, Gundepudi R, Koff BB, Stockbridge RB. The fluoride permeation pathway and anion recognition in Fluc family fluoride channels. eLife 2021; 10:69482. [PMID: 34250906 PMCID: PMC8315801 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluc family fluoride channels protect microbes against ambient environmental fluoride by undermining the cytoplasmic accumulation of this toxic halide. These proteins are structurally idiosyncratic, and thus the permeation pathway and mechanism have no analogy in other known ion channels. Although fluoride-binding sites were identified in previous structural studies, it was not evident how these ions access aqueous solution, and the molecular determinants of anion recognition and selectivity have not been elucidated. Using x-ray crystallography, planar bilayer electrophysiology, and liposome-based assays, we identified additional binding sites along the permeation pathway. We used this information to develop an oriented system for planar lipid bilayer electrophysiology and observed anion block at one of these sites, revealing insights into the mechanism of anion recognition. We propose a permeation mechanism involving alternating occupancy of anion-binding sites that are fully assembled only as the substrate approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C McIlwain
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Roja Gundepudi
- Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - B Ben Koff
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Randy B Stockbridge
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States.,Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
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36
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Chiariello MG, Alfonso-Prieto M, Ippoliti E, Fahlke C, Carloni P. Mechanisms Underlying Proton Release in CLC-type F -/H + Antiporters. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:4415-4420. [PMID: 33950673 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c00361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The CLC family of anion channels and transporters includes Cl-/H+ exchangers (blocked by F-) and F-/H+ exchangers (or CLCFs). CLCFs contain a glutamate (E318) in the central anion-binding site that is absent in CLC Cl-/H+ exchangers. The X-ray structure of the protein from Enterococcus casseliflavus (CLCF-eca) shows that E318 tightly binds to F- when the gating glutamate (E118; highly conserved in the CLC family) faces the extracellular medium. Here, we use classical and DFT-based QM/MM metadynamics simulations to investigate proton transfer and release by CLCF-eca. After up to down movement of protonated E118, both glutamates combine with F- to form a triad, from which protons and F- anions are released as HF. Our results illustrate how glutamate insertion into the central anion-binding site of CLCF-eca permits the release of H+ to the cytosol as HF, thus enabling a net 1:1 F-/H+ stoichiometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gabriella Chiariello
- Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-5) and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9), Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 54245 Jülich, Germany
| | - Mercedes Alfonso-Prieto
- Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-5) and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9), Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Cécile and Oskar Vogt Institute for Brain Research, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Emiliano Ippoliti
- Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-5) and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9), Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 54245 Jülich, Germany
| | - Christoph Fahlke
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-5) and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9), Computational Biomedicine, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 54245 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
- JARA Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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37
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High fluoride resistance and virulence profile of environmental Pseudomonas isolated from water sources. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2021; 66:569-578. [PMID: 33821405 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-021-00867-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In our previous study, all Pseudomonas strains THP6, THP41, and OHP5 were identified as fluoride-resistant bacteria isolated from Dindigul district, Tamilnadu, India. The selected strains exhibiting a high level of fluoride resistance was determined in Luria broth (LB) medium and LB agar plates. In a further effort, fluoride-resistant organisms were tested for hemolytic activity and showed β-hemolysis on blood agar plates. The virulence factors such as gyrB, toxA, algD and lasB, plcH, rhlC and biofilm response genes (pslA, pelA, ppyR) were detected by PCR analysis. The putative genus-specific and species-specific PCR also confirmed that the selected fluoride-resistant strains were belonging to Pseudomonas aeruginosa species. Fluoride-resistance gene crcB was amplified by gene-specific primers. The crcB gene was cloned in TA vector and transformed into E. coli DH5α. Comparative and blast analysis of THP6, THP41, and OHP5 strains crcB gene sequences were high homology with P. aeruginosa fluoride efflux transporter crcB and P. aeruginosa putative fluoride ion transporter crcB. The recombinants were efficiently growing in the NaF containing LB agar plates. The fluoride tolerance of these strains was also associated with resistance to multiple antibiotics. These results can lead to the use of the fluoride resistance gene of P. aeruginosa for the development of a biosensor for fluoride detection.
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Subba A, Tomar S, Pareek A, Singla-Pareek SL. The chloride channels: Silently serving the plants. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2021; 171:688-702. [PMID: 33034380 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Chloride channels (CLCs), member of anion transporting proteins, are present ubiquitously in all life forms. Diverging from its name, the CLC family includes both channel and exchanger (proton-coupled) proteins; nevertheless, they share conserved structural organization. They are engaged in diverse indispensable functions such as acid and fluoride tolerance in prokaryotes to muscle stabilization, transepithelial transport, and neuronal development in mammals. Mutations in genes encoding CLCs lead to several physiological disorders in different organisms, including severe diseases in humans. Even in plants, loss of CLC protein function severely impairs various cellular processes critical for normal growth and development. These proteins sequester Cl- into the vacuole, thus, making them an attractive target for improving salinity tolerance in plants caused by high abundance of salts, primarily NaCl. Besides, some CLCs are involved in NO3 - transport and storage function in plants, thus, influencing their nitrogen use efficiency. However, despite their high significance, not many studies have been carried out in plants. Here, we have attempted to concisely highlight the basic structure of CLC proteins and critical residues essential for their function and classification. We also present the diverse functions of CLCs in plants from their first cloning back in 1996 to the knowledge acquired as of now. We stress the need for carrying out more in-depth studies on CLCs in plants, for they may have future applications towards crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Subba
- Plant Stress Biology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Surabhi Tomar
- Plant Stress Biology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashwani Pareek
- Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Sneh L Singla-Pareek
- Plant Stress Biology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
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Agarwal S, Regon P, Rehman M, Tanti B, Panda SK. Genome-wide analysis of fluoride exporter genes in plants. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:124. [PMID: 33643759 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-02677-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluoride exporter genes (FEX) are known for the expulsion of cytoplasmic fluoride, thus preventing fluoride toxicity in plants. In this study, 31 FEX genes were identified across 19 plant species. Camphor Resistance (CrcB) domain was found to be present in all the identified FEX genes in plants. FEX genes were sequentially very conserved among the plants and are located mostly in chloroplast and mitochondria. The tertiary structure (3D) of AtFEX1 suggests that FEX genes of plants possess pore I and pore II, necessary for fluoride export. The TTFSGWNQ and GCLSTVSTF motifs were found to be well conserved in pore I and pore II. Phenylalanine (Phe/F) was also present in both the motifs, necessary for fluoride ions recognition and export. Cis-acting analysis in promoter sequences of plant FEX revealed several elements associated with various functions such as phytohormone signaling, integrating biotic and abiotic stress responses in plants. Prolong fluoride exposure causes necrosis in young leaves in Vigna radiata. Expression of VrFEX1 and VrFEX2 were highly induced under exogenous fluoride, thus suggesting a possible role in fluoride detoxification. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02677-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samridhi Agarwal
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandar Sindri, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305817 India
| | - Preetom Regon
- Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, Assam 788011 India
| | - Mehzabin Rehman
- Department of Botany, Gauhati University, Gauhati, Assam 781014 India
| | - Bhaben Tanti
- Department of Botany, Gauhati University, Gauhati, Assam 781014 India
| | - Sanjib Kumar Panda
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandar Sindri, Ajmer, Rajasthan 305817 India
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Fortea E, Accardi A. A quantitative flux assay for the study of reconstituted Cl - channels and transporters. Methods Enzymol 2021; 652:243-272. [PMID: 34059284 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The recent deluge of high-resolution structural information on membrane proteins has not been accompanied by a comparable increase in our ability to functionally interrogate these proteins. Current functional assays often are not quantitative or are performed in conditions that significantly differ from those used in structural experiments, thus limiting the mechanistic correspondence between structural and functional experiments. A flux assay to determine quantitatively the functional properties of purified and reconstituted Cl- channels and transporters in membranes of defined lipid compositions is described. An ion-sensitive electrode is used to measure the rate of Cl- efflux from proteoliposomes reconstituted with the desired protein and the fraction of vesicles containing at least one active protein. These measurements enable the quantitative determination of key molecular parameters such as the unitary transport rate, the fraction of proteins that are active, and the molecular mass of the transport protein complex. The approach is illustrated using CLC-ec1, a CLC-type H+/Cl- exchanger as an example. The assay enables the quantitative study of a wide range of Cl- transporting molecules and proteins whose activity is modulated by ligands, voltage, and membrane composition as well as the investigation of the effects of compounds that directly inhibit or activate the reconstituted transport systems. The present assay is readily adapted to the study of transport systems with diverse substrate specificities and molecular characteristics, and the necessary modifications needed are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Fortea
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alessio Accardi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States; Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States; Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States.
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Prystupa A, Sak J, Kiciński P, Stenzel-Bembenek A, Błażewicz A. Serum Concentration of Fluoride in Patients with Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis from the Lublin Region in Eastern Poland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18031115. [PMID: 33513857 PMCID: PMC7908415 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In view of previous reports, it is important to determine the relationship between liver function and the level of fluoride in the serum. The aim of this study was to investigate serum concentrations of fluoride in 72 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, living in the region of Lublin (Eastern Poland) divided based on the severity of disease according to the Child-Turcotte-Pugh criteria. Higher plasma fluoride concentrations were associated with changes in liver related parameters. In all groups of analyzed patients with different stages of alcoholic liver cirrhosis, elevated levels of plasma fluoride and increased activities of both alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin concentration were shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Prystupa
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Jarosław Sak
- Chair and Department of Humanities and Social Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
- Biobanking and BioMolecular Resources Research Infrastructure, 20-059, Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Paweł Kiciński
- Department of Experimental Hematooncology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Agnieszka Stenzel-Bembenek
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Anna Błażewicz
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
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Abstract
Microorganisms contend with numerous and unusual chemical threats and have evolved a catalog of resistance mechanisms in response. One particularly ancient, pernicious threat is posed by fluoride ion (F-), a common xenobiotic in natural environments that causes broad-spectrum harm to metabolic pathways. This review focuses on advances in the last ten years toward understanding the microbial response to cytoplasmic accumulation of F-, with a special emphasis on the structure and mechanisms of the proteins that microbes use to export fluoride: the CLCF family of F-/H+ antiporters and the Fluc/FEX family of F- channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C McIlwain
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA;
| | - Michal T Ruprecht
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA;
| | - Randy B Stockbridge
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA; .,Program in Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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Zhao Z, Zhang M, Tang B, Weng P, Zhang Y, Yan X, Li Z, Jiang YB. Transmembrane Fluoride Transport by a Cyclic Azapeptide With Two β-Turns. Front Chem 2021; 8:621323. [PMID: 33511101 PMCID: PMC7835674 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.621323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse classes of anion transporters have been developed, most of which focus on the transmembrane chloride transport due to its significance in living systems. Fluoride transport has, to some extent, been overlooked despite the importance of fluoride channels in bacterial survival. Here, we report the design and synthesis of a cyclic azapeptide (a peptide-based N-amidothiourea, 1), as a transporter for fluoride transportation through a confined cavity that encapsulates fluoride, together with acyclic control compounds, the analogs 2 and 3. Cyclic receptor 1 exhibits more stable β-turn structures than the control compounds 2 and 3 and affords a confined cavity containing multiple inner -NH protons that serve as hydrogen bond donors to bind anions. It is noteworthy that the cyclic receptor 1 shows the capacity to selectively transport fluoride across a lipid bilayer on the basis of the osmotic and fluoride ion-selective electrode (ISE) assays, during which an electrogenic anion transport mechanism is found operative, whereas no transmembrane transport activity was found with 2 and 3, despite the fact that 2 and 3 are also able to bind fluoride via the thiourea moieties. These results demonstrate that the encapsulation of an anionic guest within a cyclic host compound is key to enhancing the anion transport activity and selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Xiaosheng Yan
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | | | - Yun-Bao Jiang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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45
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Calero P, Volke DC, Lowe PT, Gotfredsen CH, O'Hagan D, Nikel PI. A fluoride-responsive genetic circuit enables in vivo biofluorination in engineered Pseudomonas putida. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5045. [PMID: 33028813 PMCID: PMC7541441 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18813-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorine is a key element in the synthesis of molecules broadly used in medicine, agriculture and materials. Addition of fluorine to organic structures represents a unique strategy for tuning molecular properties, yet this atom is rarely found in Nature and approaches to integrate fluorometabolites into the biochemistry of living cells are scarce. In this work, synthetic gene circuits for organofluorine biosynthesis are implemented in the platform bacterium Pseudomonas putida. By harnessing fluoride-responsive riboswitches and the orthogonal T7 RNA polymerase, biochemical reactions needed for in vivo biofluorination are wired to the presence of fluoride (i.e. circumventing the need of feeding expensive additives). Biosynthesis of fluoronucleotides and fluorosugars in engineered P. putida is demonstrated with mineral fluoride both as only fluorine source (i.e. substrate of the pathway) and as inducer of the synthetic circuit. This approach expands the chemical landscape of cell factories by providing alternative biosynthetic strategies towards fluorinated building-blocks. Addition of fluorine to organic structures is a unique strategy for tuning molecular properties, but approaches to integrate fluorometabolites into the biochemistry of living cells are scarce. Here, the authors develop a fluoride-responsive genetic circuit to enable in vivo biofluorination in engineered Pseudomonas putida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Calero
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Daniel C Volke
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Phillip T Lowe
- School of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews, KY16 9ST St, Andrews, UK
| | | | - David O'Hagan
- School of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews, KY16 9ST St, Andrews, UK
| | - Pablo I Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark.
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46
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Yu J, Wang Y, Han D, Cao W, Zheng L, Xie Z, Liu H. Identification of Streptococcus mutans genes involved in fluoride resistance by screening of a transposon mutant library. Mol Oral Microbiol 2020; 35:260-270. [PMID: 33000897 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Fluoride has been used as an effective anticaries agent for more than 70 years, which might result in the emergence of fluoride-resistant strains. However, the fluoride resistance mechanism and the cariogenic properties of fluoride-resistant mutant for cariogenic bacterial species Streptococcus mutans remain largely unknown. We describe here the construction and characterization of a mariner-based transposon system designed to be used in S. mutans, which is also potentially applicable to other streptococci. To identify genetic determinants of fluoride resistance in S. mutans, we constructed a library of S. mutans transposon insertion mutants and screened this library to identify mutants exhibiting fluoride resistance phenotype. Two mutants were found to carry transposon insertion in two different genetic loci (smu.396 and smu.1291c), respectively. Our subsequent genetic study indicates the fluoride-resistant phenotype for the mutant with the insertion in smu.1291c is resulting from the constitutive overexpression of downstream operon smu.1290c-89c, which is consistent with the previous reports. We also demonstrate for the first time that the deletion of smu.396 is responsible for the fluoride-resistant phenotype and that the combining of smu1290c-89c overexpression and smu.396 deletion in one strain could attribute an additive effect on the fluoride resistance. In addition, our results suggest that the biological fitness of those fluoride-resistant mutants is reduced compared to that of wild-type strain. Overall, our identification and characterization of genetic determinants responsible for fluoride resistance in S. mutans expand our understanding of the fluoride resistance mechanism and the biological consequence of the fluoride resistance strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Yaqi Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Dongmei Han
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Cao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Lanyan Zheng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhoujie Xie
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, China
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Song J, Hou C, Guo J, Niu Q, Wang X, Ren Z, Zhang Q, Feng C, Liu L, Tian W, Li L. Two New Members of CsFEXs Couple Proton Gradients to Export Fluoride and Participate in Reducing Fluoride Accumulation in Low-Fluoride Tea Cultivars. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2020; 68:8568-8579. [PMID: 32559071 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c03444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The accumulation of fluoride in tea leaves from various cultivars exhibits significant differences. However, the molecular basis and mechanism remain largely unknown. Here, we reported that two genes of CsFEX (fluoride export genes in Camellia sinensis), CsFEX1 and CsFEX2, transport fluoride out of cells, alleviate the cellular fluoride toxin, and rescue the yeast mutant (FEX1ΔFEX2Δ) and Arabidopsis mutant (fex), as their efflux activities are coupled with proton gradients. Further analysis found that CsFEX1 and CsFEX2 localize to the plasma membrane both in yeast and Arabidopsis cells. CsFEX2 is more effective to reduce fluoride toxicity in yeast and Arabidopsis compared with CsFEX1 even at low pH. CsFEX2 induced by fluoride treatment is around tenfold higher in a low-fluoride cultivar (Yunkang 10) than that in a high-fluoride cultivar (Pingyang Tezaocha), suggesting that CsFEX2 possibly plays a critical role in reducing fluoride accumulation in tea leaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Song
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Congcong Hou
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Jiangxin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Qi Niu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Xiaohan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Zhijie Ren
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Changxin Feng
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Liangyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Wang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Legong Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Gene Resources and Biotechnology for Carbon Reduction and Environmental Improvement, Beijing Municipal Government, and College of Life Sciences,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
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48
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Sherlock ME, Breaker RR. Former orphan riboswitches reveal unexplored areas of bacterial metabolism, signaling, and gene control processes. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 26:675-693. [PMID: 32165489 PMCID: PMC7266159 DOI: 10.1261/rna.074997.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Comparative sequence analyses have been used to discover numerous classes of structured noncoding RNAs, some of which are riboswitches that specifically recognize small-molecule or elemental ion ligands and influence expression of adjacent downstream genes. Determining the correct identity of the ligand for a riboswitch candidate typically is aided by an understanding of the genes under its regulatory control. Riboswitches whose ligands were straightforward to identify have largely been associated with well-characterized metabolic pathways, such as coenzyme or amino acid biosynthesis. Riboswitch candidates whose ligands resist identification, collectively known as orphan riboswitches, are often associated with genes coding for proteins of unknown function, or genes for various proteins with no established link to one another. The cognate ligands for 16 former orphan riboswitch motifs have been identified to date. The successful pursuit of the ligands for these classes has provided insight into areas of biology that are not yet fully explored, such as ion homeostasis, signaling networks, and other previously underappreciated biochemical or physiological processes. Herein we discuss the strategies and methods used to match ligands with orphan riboswitch classes, and overview the lessons learned to inform and motivate ongoing efforts to identify ligands for the many remaining candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline E Sherlock
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | - Ronald R Breaker
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
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49
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Skitchenko RK, Usoltsev D, Uspenskaya M, Kajava AV, Guskov A. Census of halide-binding sites in protein structures. Bioinformatics 2020; 36:3064-3071. [PMID: 32022861 PMCID: PMC7214031 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btaa079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation Halides are negatively charged ions of halogens, forming fluorides (F−), chlorides (Cl−), bromides (Br−) and iodides (I−). These anions are quite reactive and interact both specifically and non-specifically with proteins. Despite their ubiquitous presence and important roles in protein function, little is known about the preferences of halides binding to proteins. To address this problem, we performed the analysis of halide–protein interactions, based on the entries in the Protein Data Bank. Results We have compiled a pipeline for the quick analysis of halide-binding sites in proteins using the available software. Our analysis revealed that all of halides are strongly attracted by the guanidinium moiety of arginine side chains, however, there are also certain preferences among halides for other partners. Furthermore, there is a certain preference for coordination numbers in the binding sites, with a correlation between coordination numbers and amino acid composition. This pipeline can be used as a tool for the analysis of specific halide–protein interactions and assist phasing experiments relying on halides as anomalous scatters. Availability and implementation All data described in this article can be reproduced via complied pipeline published at https://github.com/rostkick/Halide_sites/blob/master/README.md. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dmitrii Usoltsev
- Institute BioEngineering, ITMO University, Saint-Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Mayya Uspenskaya
- Institute BioEngineering, ITMO University, Saint-Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Andrey V Kajava
- Institute BioEngineering, ITMO University, Saint-Petersburg 197101, Russia.,Centre de Recherche en Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier (CRBM), UMR 5237 CNRS, Universite Montpellier, Montpellier 34293, France
| | - Albert Guskov
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences & Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen 9747 AG, the Netherlands
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50
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Chavan TS, Cheng RC, Jiang T, Mathews II, Stein RA, Koehl A, Mchaourab HS, Tajkhorshid E, Maduke M. A CLC-ec1 mutant reveals global conformational change and suggests a unifying mechanism for the CLC Cl -/H + transport cycle. eLife 2020; 9:53479. [PMID: 32310757 PMCID: PMC7253180 DOI: 10.7554/elife.53479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Among coupled exchangers, CLCs uniquely catalyze the exchange of oppositely charged ions (Cl– for H+). Transport-cycle models to describe and explain this unusual mechanism have been proposed based on known CLC structures. While the proposed models harmonize with many experimental findings, gaps and inconsistencies in our understanding have remained. One limitation has been that global conformational change – which occurs in all conventional transporter mechanisms – has not been observed in any high-resolution structure. Here, we describe the 2.6 Å structure of a CLC mutant designed to mimic the fully H+-loaded transporter. This structure reveals a global conformational change to improve accessibility for the Cl– substrate from the extracellular side and new conformations for two key glutamate residues. Together with DEER measurements, MD simulations, and functional studies, this new structure provides evidence for a unified model of H+/Cl– transport that reconciles existing data on all CLC-type proteins. Cells are shielded from harmful molecules and other threats by a thin, flexible layer called the membrane. However, this barrier also prevents chloride, sodium, protons and other ions from moving in or out of the cell. Channels and transporters are two types of membrane proteins that form passageways for these charged particles. Channels let ions flow freely from one side of the membrane to the other. To do so, these proteins change their three-dimensional shape to open or close as needed. On the other hand, transporters actively pump ions across the membrane to allow the charged particles to accumulate on one side. The shape changes needed for that type of movement are different: the transporters have to open a passageway on one side of the membrane while closing it on the other side, alternating openings to one side or the other. In general, channels and transporters are not related to each other, but one exception is a group called CLCs proteins. Present in many organisms, this family contains a mixture of channels and transporters. For example, humans have nine CLC proteins: four are channels that allow chloride ions in and out, and five are ‘exchange transporters’ that make protons and chloride ions cross the membrane in opposite directions. These proteins let one type of charged particle move freely across the membrane, which generates energy that the transporter then uses to actively pump the other ion in the direction needed by the cell. Yet, the exact three-dimensional changes required for CLC transporters and channels to perform their roles are still unknown. To investigate this question, Chavan, Cheng et al. harnessed a technique called X-ray crystallography, which allows scientists to look at biological molecules at the level of the atom. This was paired with other methods to examine a CLC mutant that adopts the shape of a normal CLC transporter when it is loaded with a proton. The experiments revealed how various elements in the transporter move relative to each other to adopt a structure that allows protons and chloride ions to enter the protein from opposite sides of the membrane, using separate pathways. While obtained on a bacterial CLC, these results can be applied to other CLC channels and transporters (including those in humans), shedding light on how this family transports charged particles across membranes. From bone diseases to certain types of seizures, many human conditions are associated with poorly functioning CLCs. Understanding the way these structures change their shapes to perform their roles could help to design new therapies for these health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanmay S Chavan
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Ricky C Cheng
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Tao Jiang
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States
| | - Irimpan I Mathews
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, Stanford University, Menlo Park, United States
| | - Richard A Stein
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
| | - Antoine Koehl
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Hassane S Mchaourab
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States
| | - Merritt Maduke
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
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