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Kus F, Smolenski RT, Tomczyk M. Inorganic Polyphosphate—Regulator of Cellular Metabolism in Homeostasis and Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10040913. [PMID: 35453663 PMCID: PMC9031883 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040913] [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: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP), a simple anionic polymer consisting of even hundreds of orthophosphate units, is a universal molecule present in both simple and complex organisms. PolyP controls homeostatic processes in animals, such as blood coagulation, tissue regeneration, and energy metabolism. Furthermore, this polymer is a potent regulator of inflammation and influences host immune response in bacterial and viral infections. Disturbed polyP systems have been related to several pathological conditions, including neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disorders, and cancer, but we lack a full understanding of polyP biogenesis and mechanistic insights into the pathways through which polyP may act. This review summarizes recent studies that describe the role of polyP in cell homeostasis and show how disturbances in polyP levels may lead to disease. Based on the collected findings, we highlight the possible usage of this polymer as a promising therapeutic tool in multiple pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Kus
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, 80-307 Gdansk, Poland;
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ryszard T. Smolenski
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
- Correspondence: (R.T.S.); (M.T.)
| | - Marta Tomczyk
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland
- Correspondence: (R.T.S.); (M.T.)
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Slocombe SP, Zúñiga-Burgos T, Chu L, Wood NJ, Camargo-Valero MA, Baker A. Fixing the Broken Phosphorus Cycle: Wastewater Remediation by Microalgal Polyphosphates. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:982. [PMID: 32695134 PMCID: PMC7339613 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Phosphorus (P), in the form of phosphate derived from either inorganic (Pi) or organic (Po) forms is an essential macronutrient for all life. P undergoes a biogeochemical cycle within the environment, but anthropogenic redistribution through inefficient agricultural practice and inadequate nutrient recovery at wastewater treatment works have resulted in a sustained transfer of P from rock deposits to land and aquatic environments. Our present and near future supply of P is primarily mined from rock P reserves in a limited number of geographical regions. To help ensure that this resource is adequate for humanity's food security, an energy-efficient means of recovering P from waste and recycling it for agriculture is required. This will also help to address excess discharge to water bodies and the resulting eutrophication. Microalgae possess the advantage of polymeric inorganic polyphosphate (PolyP) storage which can potentially operate simultaneously with remediation of waste nitrogen and phosphorus streams and flue gases (CO2, SOx, and NOx). Having high productivity in photoautotrophic, mixotrophic or heterotrophic growth modes, they can be harnessed in wastewater remediation strategies for biofuel production either directly (biodiesel) or in conjunction with anaerobic digestion (biogas) or dark fermentation (biohydrogen). Regulation of algal P uptake, storage, and mobilization is intertwined with the cellular status of other macronutrients (e.g., nitrogen and sulphur) in addition to the manufacture of other storage products (e.g., carbohydrate and lipids) or macromolecules (e.g., cell wall). A greater understanding of controlling factors in this complex interaction is required to facilitate and improve P control, recovery, and reuse from waste streams. The best understood algal genetic model is Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in terms of utility and shared resources. It also displays mixotrophic growth and advantageously, species of this genus are often found growing in wastewater treatment plants. In this review, we focus primarily on the molecular and genetic aspects of PolyP production or turnover and place this knowledge in the context of wastewater remediation and highlight developments and challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P. Slocombe
- Centre for Plant Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Tatiana Zúñiga-Burgos
- Centre for Plant Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- BioResource Systems Research Group, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Lili Chu
- Centre for Plant Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola J. Wood
- Centre for Plant Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Centre for Doctoral Training in Bioenergy, School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Miller Alonso Camargo-Valero
- BioResource Systems Research Group, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Manizales, Colombia
| | - Alison Baker
- Centre for Plant Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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