Novel heme-based oxygen sensor with a revealing evolutionary history

The Impact of the Major Endoribonucleases RNase E and RNase III and of the sRNA StsR on Photosynthesis Gene Expression in Rhodobacter sphaeroides Is Growth-Phase-Dependent

Rhodobacter sphaeroides is a facultative phototrophic bacterium that performs aerobic respiration when oxygen is available. Only when oxygen is present at low concentrations or absent are pigment-protein complexes formed, and anoxygenic photosynthesis generates ATP. The regulation of photosynthesis genes in response to oxygen and light has been investigated for decades, with a focus on the regulation of transcription. However, many studies have also revealed the importance of regulated mRNA processing. This study analyzes the phenotypes of wild type and mutant strains and compares global RNA-seq datasets to elucidate the impact of ribonucleases and the small non-coding RNA StsR on photosynthesis gene expression in Rhodobacter. Most importantly, the results demonstrate that, in particular, the role of ribonuclease E in photosynthesis gene expression is strongly dependent on growth phase.

Molecular insights into the role of heme in the transcriptional regulatory system AppA/PpsR

Heme has been shown to have a crucial role in the signal transduction mechanism of the facultative photoheterotrophic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. It interacts with the transcriptional regulatory complex AppA/PpsR in which AppA and PpsR function as the antirepressor and repressor, respectively of photosynthesis gene expression. The mechanism, however of this interaction remains incompletely understood. In this study, we combined EPR spectroscopy and FRET to demonstrate the ligation of heme in PpsR with a proposed cysteine residue. We show that heme binding in AppA affects the fluorescent properties of the dark-adapted state of the protein, suggesting a less constrained flavin environment compared to the absence of heme and the light-adapted state. We performed ultrafast transient absorption measurements in order to reveal potential differences in the dynamic processes in the full-length AppA and its heme-binding domain alone. Comparison of the CO-binding dynamics demonstrates a more open heme pocket in the holo-protein, qualitatively similar to what has been observed in the CO sensor RcoM-2, and suggests a communication path between the BLUF and SCHIC domains of AppA. We have also examined quantitatively, the affinity of PpsR to bind to individual DNA fragments of the puc promoter using fluorescence anisotropy assays. We conclude that oligomerization of PpsR is initially triggered by binding of one of the two DNA fragments and observe a ∼10-fold increase in the dissociation constant K_d for DNA binding upon heme binding to PpsR. Our study provides significant new insight at the molecular level on the regulatory role of heme that modulates the complex transcriptional regulation in R. sphaeroides and supports the two levels of heme signaling, via its binding to AppA and PpsR and via the sensing of gases like oxygen.

Structural Analyses of CrtJ and Its B12-Binding Co-Regulators SAerR and LAerR from the Purple Photosynthetic Bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus

Among purple photosynthetic bacteria, the transcription factor CrtJ is a major regulator of photosystem gene expression. Depending on growing conditions, CrtJ can function as an aerobic repressor or an anaerobic activator of photosystem genes. Recently, CrtJ's activity was shown to be modulated by two size variants of a B12 binding co-regulator called SAerR and LAerR in Rhodobacter capsulatus. The short form, SAerR, promotes CrtJ repression, while the longer variant, LAerR, converts CrtJ into an activator. In this study, we solved the crystal structure of R. capsulatus SAerR at a 2.25 Å resolution. Hydroxycobalamin bound to SAerR is sandwiched between a 4-helix bundle cap, and a Rossman fold. This structure is similar to a AerR-like domain present in CarH from Thermus termophilus, which is a combined photoreceptor/transcription regulator. We also utilized AlphaFold software to predict structures for the LAerR, CrtJ, SAerR-CrtJ and LAerR-CrtJ co-complexes. These structures provide insights into the role of B12 and an LAerR N-terminal extension in regulating the activity of CrtJ.

A Complex Network of Sigma Factors and sRNA StsR Regulates Stress Responses in R. sphaeroides

Adaptation of bacteria to a changing environment is often accompanied by remodeling of the transcriptome. In the facultative phototroph Rhodobacter sphaeroides the alternative sigma factors RpoE, RpoHI and RpoHII play an important role in a variety of stress responses, including heat, oxidative stress and nutrient limitation. Photooxidative stress caused by the simultaneous presence of chlorophylls, light and oxygen is a special challenge for phototrophic organisms. Like alternative sigma factors, several non-coding sRNAs have important roles in the defense against photooxidative stress. RNAseq-based transcriptome data pointed to an influence of the stationary phase-induced StsR sRNA on levels of mRNAs and sRNAs with a role in the photooxidative stress response. Furthermore, StsR also affects expression of photosynthesis genes and of genes for regulators of photosynthesis genes. In vivo and in vitro interaction studies revealed that StsR, that is under control of the RpoHI and RpoHII sigma factors, targets rpoE mRNA and affects its abundance by altering its stability. RpoE regulates expression of the rpoHII gene and, consequently, expression of stsR. These data provide new insights into a complex regulatory network of protein regulators and sRNAs involved in defense against photooxidative stress and the regulation of photosynthesis genes.

TSPO protein binding partners in bacteria, animals, and plants

The ancient membrane protein TSPO is phylogenetically widespread from archaea and bacteria to insects, vertebrates, plants, and fungi. TSPO’s primary amino acid sequence is only modestly conserved between diverse species, although its five transmembrane helical structure appears mainly conserved. Its cellular location and orientation in membranes have been reported to vary between species and tissues, with implications for potential diverse binding partners and function. Most TSPO functions relate to stress-induced changes in metabolism, but in many cases it is unclear how TSPO itself functions—whether as a receptor, a sensor, a transporter, or a translocator. Much evidence suggests that TSPO acts indirectly by association with various protein binding partners or with endogenous or exogenous ligands. In this review, we focus on proteins that have most commonly been invoked as TSPO binding partners. We suggest that TSPO was originally a bacterial receptor/stress sensor associated with porphyrin binding as its most ancestral function and that it later developed additional stress-related roles in eukaryotes as its ability to bind new partners evolved.

PcrX, an sRNA derived from the 3'- UTR of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides puf operon modulates expression of puf genes encoding proteins of the bacterial photosynthetic apparatus

Facultative phototrophic bacteria like Rhodobacter sphaeroides can produce ATP by anoxygenic photosynthesis, which is of advantage under conditions with limiting oxygen. However, the simultaneous presence of pigments, light and oxygen leads to the generation of harmful singlet oxygen. In order to avoid this stress situation, the formation of photosynthetic complexes is tightly regulated by light and oxygen signals. In a complex regulatory network several regulatory proteins and the small non-coding RNA PcrZ contribute to the balanced expression of photosynthesis genes. With PcrX this study identifies a second sRNA that is part of this network. The puf operon encodes pigment binding proteins of the light-harvesting I complex (PufBA) and of the reaction center (PufLM), a protein regulating porphyrin flux (PufQ), and a scaffolding protein (PufX). The PcrX sRNA is derived from the 3' UTR of the puf operon mRNA by RNase E-mediated cleavage. It targets the pufX mRNA segment, reduces the half-life of the pufBALMX mRNA and as a consequence affects the level of photosynthetic complexes. By its action PcrX counteracts the increased expression of photosynthesis genes that is mediated by protein regulators and is thus involved in balancing the formation of photosynthetic complexes in response to external stimuli.

Use of transcriptomic data for extending a model of the AppA/PpsR system in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Background

Photosynthetic (PS) gene expression in Rhodobacter sphaeroides is regulated in response to changes in light and redox conditions mainly by PrrB/A, FnrL and AppA/PpsR systems. The PrrB/A and FnrL systems activate the expression of them under anaerobic conditions while the AppA/PpsR system represses them under aerobic conditions. Recently, two mathematical models have been developed for the AppA/PpsR system and demonstrated how the interaction between AppA and PpsR could lead to a phenotype in which PS genes are repressed under semi-aerobic conditions. These models have also predicted that the transition from aerobic to anaerobic growth mode could occur via a bistable regime. However, they lack experimentally quantifiable inputs and outputs. Here, we extend one of them to include such quantities and combine all relevant micro-array data publically available for a PS gene of this bacterium and use that to parameterise the model. In addition, we hypothesise that the AppA/PpsR system alone might account for the observed trend of PS gene expression under semi-aerobic conditions.

Results

Our extended model of the AppA/PpsR system includes the biological input of atmospheric oxygen concentration and an output of photosynthetic gene expression. Following our hypothesis that the AppA/PpsR system alone is sufficient to describe the overall trend of PS gene expression we parameterise the model and suggest that the rate of AppA reduction in vivo should be faster than its oxidation. Also, we show that despite both the reduced and oxidised forms of PpsR binding to the PS gene promoters in vitro, binding of the oxidised form as a repressor alone is sufficient to reproduce the observed PS gene expression pattern. Finally, the combination of model parameters which fit the biological data well are broadly consistent with those which were previously determined to be required for the system to show (i) the repression of PS genes under semi-aerobic conditions, and (ii) bistability.

Conclusion

We found that despite at least three pathways being involved in the regulation of photosynthetic genes, the AppA/PpsR system alone is capable of accounting for the observed trends in photosynthetic gene expression seen at different oxygen levels.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12918-017-0489-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Optogenetic Module for Dichromatic Control of c-di-GMP Signaling

Many aspects of bacterial physiology and behavior, including motility, surface attachment, and the cell cycle, are controlled by cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP)-dependent signaling pathways on the scale of seconds to minutes. Interrogation of such processes in real time requires tools for introducing rapid and reversible changes in intracellular c-di-GMP levels. Inducing the expression of genes encoding c-di-GMP-synthetic (diguanylate cyclases) and -degrading (c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase) enzymes by chemicals may not provide adequate temporal control. In contrast, light-controlled diguanylate cyclases and phosphodiesterases can be quickly activated and inactivated. A red/near-infrared-light-regulated diguanylate cyclase, BphS, was engineered previously, yet a complementary light-activated c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase has been lacking. In search of such a phosphodiesterase, we investigated two homologous proteins from Allochromatium vinosum and Magnetococcus marinus, designated BldP, which contain C-terminal EAL-BLUF modules, where EAL is a c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase domain and BLUF is a blue light sensory domain. Characterization of the BldP proteins in Escherichia coli and in vitro showed that they possess light-activated c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase activities. Interestingly, light activation in both enzymes was dependent on oxygen levels. The truncated EAL-BLUF fragment from A. vinosum BldP lacked phosphodiesterase activity, whereas a similar fragment from M. marinus BldP, designated EB1, possessed such activity that was highly (>30-fold) upregulated by light. Following light withdrawal, EB1 reverted to the inactive ground state with a half-life of ∼6 min. Therefore, the blue-light-activated phosphodiesterase EB1 can be used in combination with the red/near-infrared-light-regulated diguanylate cyclase BphS for the bidirectional regulation of c-di-GMP-dependent processes in E. coli as well as other bacterial and nonbacterial cells.IMPORTANCE Regulation of motility, attachment to surfaces, the cell cycle, and other bacterial processes controlled by the c-di-GMP signaling pathways occur at a fast (seconds-to-minutes) pace. Interrogation of these processes at high temporal and spatial resolution using chemicals is difficult or impossible, while optogenetic approaches may prove useful. We identified and characterized a robust, blue-light-activated c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase (hydrolase) that complements a previously engineered red/near-infrared-light-regulated diguanylate cyclase (c-di-GMP synthase). These two enzymes form a dichromatic module for manipulating intracellular c-di-GMP levels in bacterial and nonbacterial cells.

Members of the PpaA/AerR Antirepressor Family Bind Cobalamin

PpaA from Rhodobacter sphaeroides is a member of a family of proteins that are thought to function as antirepressors of PpsR, a widely disseminated repressor of photosystem genes in purple photosynthetic bacteria. PpaA family members exhibit sequence similarity to a previously defined SCHIC (sensor containing heme instead of cobalamin) domain; however, the tetrapyrrole-binding specificity of PpaA family members has been unclear, as R. sphaeroides PpaA has been reported to bind heme while the Rhodobacter capsulatus homolog has been reported to bind cobalamin. In this study, we reinvestigated tetrapyrrole binding of PpaA from R. sphaeroides and show that it is not a heme-binding protein but is instead a cobalamin-binding protein. We also use bacterial two-hybrid analysis to show that PpaA is able to interact with PpsR and activate the expression of photosynthesis genes in vivo. Mutations in PpaA that cause loss of cobalamin binding also disrupt PpaA antirepressor activity in vivo. We also tested a number of PpaA homologs from other purple bacterial species and found that cobalamin binding is a conserved feature among members of this family of proteins.

IMPORTANCE

Cobalamin (vitamin B12) has only recently been recognized as a cofactor that affects gene expression by interacting in a light-dependent manner with transcription factors. A group of related antirepressors known as the AppA/PpaA/AerR family are known to control the expression of photosynthesis genes in part by interacting with either heme or cobalamin. The specificity of which tetrapyrroles that members of this family interact with has, however, remained cloudy. In this study, we address the tetrapyrrole-binding specificity of the PpaA/AerR subgroup and establish that it preferentially binds cobalamin over heme.

Gene co-expression network analysis in Rhodobacter capsulatus and application to comparative expression analysis of Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Background

The genus Rhodobacter contains purple nonsulfur bacteria found mostly in freshwater environments. Representative strains of two Rhodobacter species, R. capsulatus and R. sphaeroides, have had their genomes fully sequenced and both have been the subject of transcriptional profiling studies. Gene co-expression networks can be used to identify modules of genes with similar expression profiles. Functional analysis of gene modules can then associate co-expressed genes with biological pathways, and network statistics can determine the degree of module preservation in related networks. In this paper, we constructed an R. capsulatus gene co-expression network, performed functional analysis of identified gene modules, and investigated preservation of these modules in R. capsulatus proteomics data and in R. sphaeroides transcriptomics data.

Results

The analysis identified 40 gene co-expression modules in R. capsulatus. Investigation of the module gene contents and expression profiles revealed patterns that were validated based on previous studies supporting the biological relevance of these modules. We identified two R. capsulatus gene modules preserved in the protein abundance data. We also identified several gene modules preserved between both Rhodobacter species, which indicate that these cellular processes are conserved between the species and are candidates for functional information transfer between species. Many gene modules were non-preserved, providing insight into processes that differentiate the two species. In addition, using Local Network Similarity (LNS), a recently proposed metric for expression divergence, we assessed the expression conservation of between-species pairs of orthologs, and within-species gene-protein expression profiles.

Conclusions

Our analyses provide new sources of information for functional annotation in R. capsulatus because uncharacterized genes in modules are now connected with groups of genes that constitute a joint functional annotation. We identified R. capsulatus modules enriched with genes for ribosomal proteins, porphyrin and bacteriochlorophyll anabolism, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites to be preserved in R. sphaeroides whereas modules related to RcGTA production and signalling showed lack of preservation in R. sphaeroides. In addition, we demonstrated that network statistics may also be applied within-species to identify congruence between mRNA expression and protein abundance data for which simple correlation measurements have previously had mixed results.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-730) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Photoinduced electron transfer modeling to simulate flavoprotein fluorescence decay

A method of analysis is described on the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from aromatic amino acids as tryptophans (Trp) and tyrosines (Tyr) to the excited isoalloxazine (Iso*) in FMN-binding proteins (FBP) from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (strain, Miyazaki F). Time-dependent geometrical factors as the donor-acceptor distances are determined by means of a molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) of the proteins. Fluorescence decays of the single mutated isoforms of FBP are used as experimental data. The electrostatic (ES) energy between the photoproducts and ionic groups in the proteins is introduced into the Kakitani and Mataga (KM) model, which is modeled for an electron transfer process in solution. The PET parameters contained in the KM rate are determined by means of a nonlinear least square method, according to the Marquardt algorithm. The agreement between the observed and calculated decays is quite good, but not optimal. Characteristics on PET in flavoproteins, obtained by the present method, are described. Possible improvements of the method are discussed.

Beyond catalysis: vitamin B12 as a cofactor in gene regulation

Vitamin B12 is well known as an enzyme cofactor in the catalysis of many important biological reactions, and the role of B12 in regulation of bacterial gene expression as a ligand of riboswitches is well established. Only recently evidence has emerged that B12 can also affect bacterial gene expression by acting as a cofactor of regulatory proteins. In 2011 a role of B12 as a cofactor of the transcriptional repressor of carotenogenesis, CarH, in Myxococcus xanthus was reported. B12 is required for light-dependent DNA binding by CarH, which can therefore be considered to be a new type of photoreceptor. Cheng et al. (2014) report the identification of B12 as a cofactor of the AerR protein in Rhodobacter capsulatus. AerR acts as an antirepressor of the CrtJ protein, which represses photosynthesis genes when binding to its target promoters. As in Myxococcus B12 may have the role of a chromophore in photoreception, but it is suggested that a main function of AerR is the sensing of B12. The co-regulation of the pathways is beneficial because the syntheses of B12 , haem and bacteriochlorophylls share common precursors and the accumulation of the free molecules is toxic.

Vitamin B12 regulates photosystem gene expression via the CrtJ antirepressor AerR in Rhodobacter capsulatus

The tetrapyrroles haem, bacteriochlorophyll and cobalamin (B12 ) exhibit a complex interrelationship regarding their synthesis. In this study, we demonstrate that AerR functions as an antirepressor of the tetrapyrrole regulator CrtJ. We show that purified AerR contains B12 that is bound to a conserved histidine (His145) in AerR. The interaction of AerR to CrtJ was further demonstrated in vitro by pull down experiments using AerR as bait and quantified using microscale thermophoresis. DNase I DNA footprint assays show that AerR containing B12 inhibits CrtJ binding to the bchC promoter. We further show that bchC expression is greatly repressed in a B12 auxotroph of Rhodobacter capsulatus and that B12 regulation of gene expression is mediated by AerR's ability to function as an antirepressor of CrtJ. This study thus provides a mechanism for how the essential tetrapyrrole, cobalamin controls the synthesis of bacteriochlorophyll, an essential component of the photosystem.

Redox and light control the heme-sensing activity of AppA

The DNA binding activity of the photosystem-specific repressor PpsR is known to be repressed by the antirepressor AppA. AppA contains a blue-light-absorbing BLUF domain and a heme-binding SCHIC domain that controls the interaction of AppA with PpsR in response to light and heme availability. In this study, we have solved the structure of the SCHIC domain and identified the histidine residue that is critical for heme binding. We also demonstrate that dark-adapted AppA binds heme better than light-excited AppA does and that heme bound to the SCHIC domain significantly reduces the length of the BLUF photocycle. We further show that heme binding to the SCHIC domain is affected by the redox state of a disulfide bridge located in the Cys-rich carboxyl-terminal region. These results demonstrate that light, redox, and heme are integrated inputs that control AppA’s ability to disrupt the DNA binding activity of PpsR.

Photosynthetic bacteria must coordinate synthesis of the tetrapyrroles cobalamin, heme, and bacteriochlorophyll, as overproduction of the latter two is toxic to cells. A key regulator controlling tetrapyrrole biosynthesis is PpsR, and the activity of PpsR is controlled by the heme-binding and light-regulated antirepressor AppA. We show that AppA binds heme only under dark conditions and that heme binding significantly affects the length of the AppA photocycle. Since AppA interacts with PpsR only in the dark, bound heme thus stimulates the antirepressor activity of PpsR. This causes the redirection of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis away from heme into the bacteriochlorophyll branch.

A heme-based redox sensor in the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans

Based on a bioinformatics study, the protein MA4561 from the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans was originally predicted to be a multidomain phytochrome-like photosensory kinase possibly binding open-chain tetrapyrroles. Although we were able to show that recombinantly produced and purified protein does not bind any known phytochrome chromophores, UV-visible spectroscopy revealed the presence of a heme tetrapyrrole cofactor. In contrast to many other known cytoplasmic heme-containing proteins, the heme was covalently attached via one vinyl side chain to cysteine 656 in the second GAF domain. This GAF domain by itself is sufficient for covalent attachment. Resonance Raman and magnetic circular dichroism data support a model of a six-coordinate heme species with additional features of a five-coordination structure. The heme cofactor is redox-active and able to coordinate various ligands like imidazole, dimethyl sulfide, and carbon monoxide depending on the redox state. Interestingly, the redox state of the heme cofactor has a substantial influence on autophosphorylation activity. Although reduced protein does not autophosphorylate, oxidized protein gives a strong autophosphorylation signal independent from bound external ligands. Based on its genomic localization, MA4561 is most likely a sensor kinase of a two-component system effecting regulation of the Mts system, a set of three homologous corrinoid/methyltransferase fusion protein isoforms involved in methyl sulfide metabolism. Consistent with this prediction, an M. acetivorans mutant devoid of MA4561 constitutively synthesized MtsF. On the basis of our results, we postulate a heme-based redox/dimethyl sulfide sensory function of MA4561 and propose to designate it MsmS (methyl sulfide methyltransferase-associated sensor).

Controlling the delicate balance of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis

Tetrapyrroles are a family of compounds that contain four pyrrole rings. They are involved in many fundamental biological processes such as photoreception, electron transport, gas transport and also as cofactors for enzymatic reactions. As regulators of protein activity, tetrapyrroles mediate cellular response to light, oxygen and nutrient levels in the surrounding environment. Biosynthesis of haem tetrapyrroles shares, conserved pathways and enzymes among all three domains of life. This is contrasted by chlorophyll biosynthesis that is only present in eubacteria and chloroplasts, or cobalamin biosynthesis that is only present in eubacteria and archaea. This implicates haem as the most ancient, and chlorophyll as the most recent, of the common tetrapyrroles that are currently synthesized by existing organisms. Haem and chlorophyll are both toxic when synthesized in excess over apo-proteins that bind these tetrapyrroles. Accordingly, the synthesis of these tetrapyrroles has to be tightly regulated and coordinated with apo-protein production. The mechanism of regulating haem and chlorophyll synthesis has been studied intensively in Rhodobacter species and will be discussed.

A ternary AppA-PpsR-DNA complex mediates light regulation of photosynthesis-related gene expression

The anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides uses different energy sources, depending on environmental conditions including aerobic respiration or, in the absence of oxygen, photosynthesis. Photosynthetic genes are repressed at high oxygen tension, but at intermediate levels their partial expression prepares the bacterium for using light energy. Illumination, however, enhances repression under semiaerobic conditions. Here, we describe molecular details of two proteins mediating oxygen and light control of photosynthesis-gene expression: the light-sensing antirepressor AppA and the transcriptional repressor PpsR. Our crystal structures of both proteins and their complex and hydrogen/deuterium-exchange data show that light activation of AppA-PpsR2 affects the PpsR effector region within the complex. DNA binding studies demonstrate the formation of a light-sensitive ternary AppA-PpsR-DNA complex. We discuss implications of these results for regulation by light and oxygen, highlighting new insights into blue light-mediated signal transduction.

A mixed incoherent feed-forward loop contributes to the regulation of bacterial photosynthesis genes

Living cells use a variety of regulatory network motifs for accurate gene expression in response to changes in their environment or during differentiation processes. In Rhodobacter sphaeroides, a complex regulatory network controls expression of photosynthesis genes to guarantee optimal energy supply on one hand and to avoid photooxidative stress on the other hand. Recently, we identified a mixed incoherent feed-forward loop comprising the transcription factor PrrA, the sRNA PcrZ and photosynthesis target genes as part of this regulatory network. This point-of-view provides a comparison to other described feed-forward loops and discusses the physiological relevance of PcrZ in more detail.

Light detection and signal transduction in the BLUF photoreceptors

BLUF (sensor of blue light using FAD) domain-containing proteins are one of three types of flavin-binding, blue-light-sensing proteins found in many bacteria and some algae. The other types of blue-light-sensing proteins are the cryptochromes and the light, oxygen, voltage (LOV) domain-containing proteins. BLUF proteins control a wide variety of light-dependent physiological activities including photosystem synthesis, biofilm formation and the photoavoidance response. The BLUF domain photochemical reaction is unique in that only small chromophore structural changes are involved in the light activation process, because the rigid flavin moiety is involved, rather than an isomerizable chromophore (e.g. phytochromobilin in phytochromes and retinal in rhodopsins). Recent spectroscopic, biochemical and structural studies have begun to elucidate how BLUF domains transmit the light-induced signal and identify related, subsequent changes in the domain structures. Herein, I review progress made to date concerning the physiological functions and the phototransduction mechanism of BLUF proteins.

Regulation of bacterial photosynthesis genes by the small noncoding RNA PcrZ

The small RNA PcrZ (photosynthesis control RNA Z) of the facultative phototrophic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides is induced upon a drop of oxygen tension with similar kinetics to those of genes for components of photosynthetic complexes. High expression of PcrZ depends on PrrA, the response regulator of the PrrB/PrrA two-component system with a central role in redox regulation in R. sphaeroides. In addition the FnrL protein, an activator of some photosynthesis genes at low oxygen tension, is involved in redox-dependent expression of this small (s)RNA. Overexpression of full-length PcrZ in R. sphaeroides affects expression of a small subset of genes, most of them with a function in photosynthesis. Some mRNAs from the photosynthetic gene cluster were predicted to be putative PcrZ targets and results from an in vivo reporter system support these predictions. Our data reveal a negative effect of PcrZ on expression of its target mRNAs. Thus, PcrZ counteracts the redox-dependent induction of photosynthesis genes, which is mediated by protein regulators. Because PrrA directly activates photosynthesis genes and at the same time PcrZ, which negatively affects photosynthesis gene expression, this is one of the rare cases of an incoherent feed-forward loop including an sRNA. Our data identified PcrZ as a trans acting sRNA with a direct regulatory function in formation of photosynthetic complexes and provide a model for the control of photosynthesis gene expression by a regulatory network consisting of proteins and a small noncoding RNA.

Cyclic Di-GMP phosphodiesterases RmdA and RmdB are involved in regulating colony morphology and development in Streptomyces coelicolor

Cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) regulates numerous processes in Gram-negative bacteria, yet little is known about its role in Gram-positive bacteria. Here we characterize two c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases from the filamentous high-GC Gram-positive actinobacterium Streptomyces coelicolor, involved in controlling colony morphology and development. A transposon mutation in one of the two phosphodiesterase genes, SCO0928, hereby designated rmdA (regulator of morphology and development A), resulted in decreased levels of spore-specific gray pigment and a delay in spore formation. The RmdA protein contains GGDEF-EAL domains arranged in tandem and possesses c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase activity, as is evident from in vitro enzymatic assays using the purified protein. RmdA contains a PAS9 domain and is a hemoprotein. Inactivation of another GGDEF-EAL-encoding gene, SCO5495, designated rmdB, resulted in a phenotype identical to that of the rmdA mutant. Purified soluble fragment of RmdB devoid of transmembrane domains also possesses c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase activity. The rmdA rmdB double mutant has a bald phenotype and is impaired in aerial mycelium formation. This suggests that RmdA and RmdB functions are additive and at least partially overlapping. The rmdA and rmdB mutations likely result in increased local pools of intracellular c-di-GMP, because intracellular c-di-GMP levels in the single mutants did not differ significantly from those of the wild type, whereas in the double rmdA rmdB mutant, c-di-GMP levels were 3-fold higher than those in the wild type. This study highlights the importance of c-di-GMP-dependent signaling in actinomycete colony morphology and development and identifies two c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases controlling these processes.

Effects of the cryptochrome CryB from Rhodobacter sphaeroides on global gene expression in the dark or blue light or in the presence of singlet oxygen

Several regulators are controlling the formation of the photosynthetic apparatus in the facultatively photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Among the proteins affecting photosynthesis gene expression is the blue light photoreceptor cryptochrome CryB. This study addresses the effect of CryB on global gene expression. The data reveal that CryB does not only influence photosynthesis gene expression but also genes for the non-photosynthetic energy metabolism like citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. In addition several genes involved in RNA processing and in transcriptional regulation are affected by a cryB deletion. Although CryB was shown to undergo a photocycle it does not only affect gene expression in response to blue light illumination but also in response to singlet oxygen stress conditions. While there is a large overlap in these responses, some CryB-dependent effects are specific for blue-light or photooxidative stress. In addition to protein-coding genes some genes for sRNAs show CryB-dependent expression. These findings give new insight into the function of bacterial cryptochromes and demonstrate for the first time a function in the oxidative stress response.

Interaction of two photoreceptors in the regulation of bacterial photosynthesis genes

The expression of photosynthesis genes in the facultatively photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides is controlled by the oxygen tension and by light quantity. Two photoreceptor proteins, AppA and CryB, have been identified in the past, which are involved in this regulation. AppA senses light by its N-terminal BLUF domain, its C-terminal part binds heme and is redox-responsive. Through its interaction to the transcriptional repressor PpsR the AppA photoreceptor controls expression of photosynthesis genes. The cryptochrome-like protein CryB was shown to affect regulation of photosynthesis genes, but the underlying signal chain remained unknown. Here we show that CryB interacts with the C-terminal domain of AppA and modulates the binding of AppA to the transcriptional repressor PpsR in a light-dependent manner. Consequently, binding of the transcription factor PpsR to its DNA target is affected by CryB. In agreement with this, all genes of the PpsR regulon showed altered expression levels in a CryB deletion strain after blue-light illumination. These results elucidate for the first time how a bacterial cryptochrome affects gene expression.

PpsR, a regulator of heme and bacteriochlorophyll biosynthesis, is a heme-sensing protein

Heme-mediated regulation, presented in many biological processes, is achieved in part with proteins containing heme regulatory motif. In this study, we demonstrate that FLAG-tagged PpsR isolated from Rhodobacter sphaeroides cells contains bound heme. In vitro heme binding studies with tagless apo-PpsR show that PpsR binds heme at a near one-to-one ratio with a micromolar binding constant. Mutational and spectral assays suggest that both the second Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) and DNA binding domains of PpsR are involved in the heme binding. Furthermore, we show that heme changes the DNA binding patterns of PpsR and induces different responses of photosystem genes expression. Thus, PpsR functions as both a redox and heme sensor to coordinate the amount of heme, bacteriochlorophyll, and photosystem apoprotein synthesis thereby providing fine tune control to avoid excess free tetrapyrrole accumulation.

Identification and functional and spectral characterization of a globin-coupled histidine kinase from Anaeromyxobacter sp. Fw109-5

Two-component signal transduction systems regulate numerous important physiological functions in bacteria. In this study we have identified, cloned, overexpressed, and characterized a dimeric full-length heme-bound (heme:protein, 1:1 stoichiometry) globin-coupled histidine kinase (AfGcHK) from Anaeromyxobacter sp. strain Fw109-5 for the first time. The Fe(III), Fe(II)-O(2), and Fe(II)-CO complexes of the protein displayed autophosphorylation activity, whereas the Fe(II) complex had no significant activity. A H99A mutant lost heme binding ability, suggesting that this residue is the heme proximal ligand. Moreover, His-183 was proposed as the autophosphorylation site based on the finding that the H183A mutant protein was not phosphorylated. The phosphate group of autophosphorylated AfGcHK was transferred to Asp-52 and Asp-169 of a response regulator, as confirmed from site-directed mutagenesis experiments. Based on the amino acid sequences and crystal structures of other globin-coupled oxygen sensor enzymes, Tyr-45 was assumed to be the O(2) binding site at the heme distal side. The O(2) dissociation rate constant, 0.10 s(-1), was substantially increased up to 8.0 s(-1) upon Y45L mutation. The resonance Raman frequencies representing ν(Fe-O2) (559 cm(-1)) and ν(O-O) (1149 cm(-1)) of the Fe(II)-O(2) complex of Y45F mutant AfGcHK were distinct from those of the wild-type protein (ν(Fe-O2), 557 cm(-1); ν(O-O), 1141 cm(-1)), supporting the proposal that Tyr-45 is located at the distal side and forms hydrogen bonds with the oxygen molecule bound to the Fe(II) complex. Thus, we have successfully identified and characterized a novel heme-based globin-coupled oxygen sensor histidine kinase, AfGcHK, in this study.

Modeling the light- and redox-dependent interaction of PpsR/AppA in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Facultative photosynthetic bacteria switch their energy generation mechanism from respiration to photosynthesis depending on oxygen tension and light. Part of this transition is mediated by the aerobic transcriptional repressor PpsR. In Rhodobacter sphaeroides, the repressive action of PpsR is antagonized by the redox- and blue-light-sensitive flavoprotein AppA which results in a unique phenotype: the repression of photosynthesis genes at intermediate oxygen levels and high light intensity, which is believed to reduce the risk of photooxidative stress. To analyze the underlying mechanism we developed a simple mathematical model based on the AppA-dependent reduction of a disulfide bond in PpsR and the light-sensitive complex formation between the reduced forms of AppA and PpsR. A steady-state analysis shows that high light repression can indeed occur at intermediate oxygen levels if PpsR is reduced on a faster timescale than AppA and if the electron transfer from AppA to PpsR is effectively irreversible. The model further predicts that if AppA copy numbers exceed those of PpsR by at least a factor of two, the transition from aerobic to anaerobic growth mode can occur via a bistable regime. We provide necessary conditions for the emergence of bistability and discuss possible experimental verifications.

Bacterial phytochromes: more than meets the light

Phytochromes are environmental sensors, historically thought of as red/far-red photoreceptors in plants. Their photoperception occurs through a covalently linked tetrapyrrole chromophore, which undergoes a light-dependent conformational change propagated through the protein to a variable output domain. The phytochrome composition is modular, typically consisting of a PAS-GAF-PHY architecture for the N-terminal photosensory core. A collection of three-dimensional structures has uncovered key features, including an unusual figure-of-eight knot, an extension reaching from the PHY domain to the chromophore-binding GAF domain, and a centrally located, long α-helix hypothesized to be crucial for intramolecular signaling. Continuing identification of phytochromes in microbial systems has expanded the assigned sensory abilities of this family out of the red and into the yellow, green, blue, and violet portions of the spectrum. Furthermore, phytochromes acting not as photoreceptors but as redox sensors have been recognized. In addition, architectures other than PAS-GAF-PHY are known, thus revealing phytochromes to be a varied group of sensory receptors evolved to utilize their modular design to perceive a signal and respond accordingly. This review focuses on the structures of bacterial phytochromes and implications for signal transmission. We also discuss the small but growing set of bacterial phytochromes for which a physiological function has been ascertained.

Light-dependent gene regulation by a coenzyme B12-based photoreceptor

Cobalamin (B(12)) typically functions as an enzyme cofactor but can also regulate gene expression via RNA-based riboswitches. B(12)-directed gene regulatory mechanisms via protein factors have, however, remained elusive. Recently, we reported down-regulation of a light-inducible promoter in the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus by two paralogous transcriptional repressors, of which one, CarH, but not the other, CarA, absolutely requires B(12) for activity even though both have a canonical B(12)-binding motif. Unanswered were what underlies this striking difference, what is the specific cobalamin used, and how it acts. Here, we show that coenzyme B(12) (5'-deoxyadenosylcobalamin, AdoB(12)), specifically dictates CarH function in the dark and on exposure to light. In the dark, AdoB(12)-binding to the autonomous domain containing the B(12)-binding motif foments repressor oligomerization, enhances operator binding, and blocks transcription. Light, at various wavelengths at which AdoB(12) absorbs, dismantles active repressor oligomers by photolysing the bound AdoB(12) and weakens repressor-operator binding to allow transcription. By contrast, AdoB(12) alters neither CarA oligomerization nor operator binding, thus accounting for its B(12)-independent activity. Our findings unveil a functional facet of AdoB(12) whereby it serves as the chromophore of a unique photoreceptor protein class acting in light-dependent gene regulation. The prevalence of similar proteins of unknown function in microbial genomes suggests that this distinct B(12)-based molecular mechanism for photoregulation may be widespread in bacteria.

Modification of the genome of Rhodobacter sphaeroides and construction of synthetic operons

The α-proteobacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides is an exemplary model organism for the creation and study of novel protein expression systems, especially membrane protein complexes that harvest light energy to yield electrical energy. Advantages of this organism include a sequenced genome, tools for genetic engineering, a well-characterized metabolism, and a large membrane surface area when grown under hypoxic or anoxic conditions. This chapter provides a framework for the utilization of R. sphaeroides as a model organism for membrane protein expression, highlighting key advantages and shortcomings. Procedures covered in this chapter include the creation of chromosomal gene deletions, disruptions, and replacements, as well as the construction of a synthetic operon using a model promoter to induce expression of modified photosynthetic reaction center proteins for structural and functional analysis.

Rhodobase, a meta-analytical tool for reconstructing gene regulatory networks in a model photosynthetic bacterium

We present Rhodobase, a web-based meta-analytical tool for analysis of transcriptional regulation in a model anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides. The gene association meta-analysis is based on the pooled data from 100 of R. sphaeroides whole-genome DNA microarrays. Gene-centric regulatory networks were visualized using the StarNet approach (Jupiter, D.C., VanBuren, V., 2008. A visual data mining tool that facilitates reconstruction of transcription regulatory networks. PLoS ONE 3, e1717) with several modifications. We developed a means to identify and visualize operons and superoperons. We designed a framework for the cross-genome search for transcription factor binding sites that takes into account high GC-content and oligonucleotide usage profile characteristic of the R. sphaeroides genome. To facilitate reconstruction of directional relationships between co-regulated genes, we screened upstream sequences (-400 to +20bp from start codons) of all genes for putative binding sites of bacterial transcription factors using a self-optimizing search method developed here. To test performance of the meta-analysis tools and transcription factor site predictions, we reconstructed selected nodes of the R. sphaeroides transcription factor-centric regulatory matrix. The test revealed regulatory relationships that correlate well with the experimentally derived data. The database of transcriptional profile correlations, the network visualization engine and the optimized search engine for transcription factor binding sites analysis are available at http://rhodobase.org.

The PpaA/AerR regulators of photosynthesis gene expression from anoxygenic phototrophic proteobacteria contain heme-binding SCHIC domains

The SCHIC domain of the B12-binding domain family present in the Rhodobacter sphaeroides AppA protein binds heme and senses oxygen. Here we show that the predicted SCHIC domain PpaA/AerR regulators also bind heme and respond to oxygen in vitro, despite their low sequence identity with AppA.

In vivo effects on photosynthesis gene expression of base pair exchanges in the gene encoding the light-responsive BLUF domain of AppA in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

The Rhodobacter sphaeroides protein AppA has the unique quality of sensing and transmitting light and redox signals. By acting as antirepressor to the PpsR protein, it acts as a major regulator in photosynthesis gene expression. In this study, we show that by introducing amino acid exchanges into the AppA protein, the in vivo activity as an antirepressor can be greatly altered. The tryptophan 104 to phenylalanine (W104F) base exchange greatly diminished blue-light sensitivity of the BLUF domain. From the obtained in vivo data, the difference in thermal recovery rate of the signaling state of the BLUF domain between the wild type and mutated protein was calculated, predicting an about 10-fold faster recovery in the mutant, which is consistent with in vitro data. Introduction of a tyrosine 21 to phenylalanine (Y21F) or to cysteine (Y21C) mutation led to a complete loss of AppA antirepressor activity, while additionally leading to an increase of photosynthesis gene expression after illumination with high blue-light quantities. Interestingly, this effect is not visible in a W104F/Y21F double mutant that again shows a wild-type-like behavior of the BLUF domain after blue-light illumination, thus restoring the activity of AppA.

A cryptochrome-like protein is involved in the regulation of photosynthesis genes in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Blue light receptors belonging to the cryptochrome/photolyase family are found in all kingdoms of life. The functions of photolyases in repair of UV-damaged DNA as well as of cryptochromes in the light-dependent regulation of photomorphogenetic processes and in the circadian clock in plants and animals are well analysed. In prokaryotes, the only role of members of this protein family that could be demonstrated is DNA repair. Recently, we identified a gene for a cryptochrome-like protein (CryB) in the alpha-proteobacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. The protein lacks the typical C-terminal extension of cryptochromes, and is not related to the Cry DASH family. Here we demonstrate that CryB binds flavin adenine dinucleotide that can be photoreduced by blue light. CryB binds single-stranded DNA with very high affinity (K(d) approximately 10(-8) M) but double-stranded DNA and single-stranded RNA with far lower affinity (K(d) approximately 10(-6) M). Despite of that, no in vitro repair activity for pyrimidine dimers in single-stranded DNA could be detected. However, we show that CryB clearly affects the expression of genes for pigment-binding proteins and consequently the amount of photosynthetic complexes in R. sphaeroides. Thus, for the first time a role of a bacterial cryptochrome in gene regulation together with a biological function is demonstrated.

In vivo sensitivity of blue-light-dependent signaling mediated by AppA/PpsR or PrrB/PrrA in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Formation of photosynthesis complexes in Rhodobacter sphaeroides is regulated in a redox- and light-dependent manner by the AppA/PpsR and PrrB/PrrA systems. While on the one hand, blue light is sensed by the flavin adenine dinucleotide-binding BLUF domain of AppA, on the other, light is absorbed by bacteriochlorophyll signals through PrrB/PrrA. We show that much smaller quantities initiate the AppA-mediated response to blue light than the bacteriochlorophyll-mediated response.

Characterization of an unusual LOV domain protein in the alpha-proteobacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides

The facultatively phototrophic purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 harbors a LOV (light, oxygen and voltage) domain protein, which shows a particular structure. LOV domains perceive blue light by a noncovalently bound flavin and transmit the signal to various coupled output domains. Proteins, that harbor a LOV core, function e.g. as phototropins or circadian clock regulators. Jalpha helices, which act as linker between the LOV core and the output domain, were shown to be involved in the light-dependent activation of the output domain. Like PpSB2 from Pseudomonas putida, the LOV domain protein of R. sphaeroides is not coupled to an effector domain and harbors an extended C-terminal alpha helix. We expressed the R. sphaeroides LOV domain recombinantly in Escherichia coli. The protein binds an FMN as a cofactor and shows a photocycle typical for LOV domain containing proteins. In R. sphaeroides, we detected the protein as well in the cytoplasm as in the membrane fraction, which was not reported for other bacterial LOV domain proteins.

The photosynthetic apparatus and its regulation in the aerobic gammaproteobacterium Congregibacter litoralis gen. nov., sp. nov

BACKGROUND

There is accumulating evidence that in some marine environments aerobic bacteriochlorophyll a-producing bacteria represent a significant part of the microbial population. The interaction of photosynthesis and carbon metabolism in these interesting bacteria is still largely unknown and requires further investigation in order to estimate their contribution to the marine carbon cycle.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Here, we analyzed the structure, composition and regulation of the photosynthetic apparatus in the obligately aerobic marine gammaproteobacterium KT71(T). Photoheterotrophically grown cells were characterized by a poorly developed lamellar intracytoplasmic membrane system, a type 1 light-harvesting antenna complex and a photosynthetic reaction center associated with a tetraheme cytochrome c. The only photosynthetic pigments produced were bacteriochlorophyll a and spirilloxanthin. Under semiaerobic conditions KT71(T) cells expressing a photosynthetic apparatus showed a light-dependent increase of growth yield in the range of 1.3-2.5 fold. The expression level of the photosynthetic apparatus depended largely on the utilized substrate, the intermediary carbon metabolism and oxygen tension. In addition, pigment synthesis was strongly influenced by light, with blue light exerting the most significant effect, implicating that proteins containing a BLUF domain may be involved in regulation of the photosynthetic apparatus. Several phenotypic traits in KT71(T) could be identified that correlated with the assumed redox state of growing cells and thus could be used to monitor the cellular redox state under various incubation conditions.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

In a hypothetical model that explains the regulation of the photosynthetic apparatus in strain KT71(T) we propose that the expression of photosynthesis genes depends on the cellular redox state and is maximal under conditions that allow a balanced membrane redox state. So far, bacteria capable of an obligately aerobic, photosynthetic metabolism constitute a unique phenotype within the class Gammaproteobacteria, so that it is justified to propose a new genus and species, Congregibacter litoralis gen. nov, sp. nov., represented by the type strain KT71(T) ( = DSM 17192(T) = NBRC 104960(T)).

Hierarchical regulation of photosynthesis gene expression by the oxygen-responsive PrrBA and AppA-PpsR systems of Rhodobacter sphaeroides

In the facultatively phototrophic proteobacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, formation of the photosynthetic apparatus is oxygen dependent. When oxygen tension decreases, the response regulator PrrA of the global two-component PrrBA system is believed to directly activate transcription of the puf, puh, and puc operons, encoding structural proteins of the photosynthetic complexes, and to indirectly upregulate the photopigment biosynthesis genes bch and crt. Decreased oxygen also results in inactivation of the photosynthesis-specific repressor PpsR, bringing about derepression of the puc, bch, and crt operons. We uncovered a hierarchical relationship between these two regulatory systems, earlier thought to function independently. We also more accurately assessed the spectrum of gene targets of the PrrBA system. First, expression of the appA gene, encoding the PpsR antirepressor, is PrrA dependent, which establishes one level of hierarchical dominance of the PrrBA system over AppA-PpsR. Second, restoration of the appA transcript to the wild-type level is insufficient for rescuing phototrophic growth impairment of the prrA mutant, whereas inactivation of ppsR is sufficient. This suggests that in addition to controlling appA transcription, PrrA affects the activity of the AppA-PpsR system via an as yet unidentified mechanism(s). Third, PrrA directly activates several bch and crt genes, traditionally considered to be the PpsR targets. Therefore, in R. sphaeroides, the global PrrBA system regulates photosynthesis gene expression (i) by rigorous control over the photosynthesis-specific AppA-PpsR regulatory system and (ii) by extensive direct transcription activation of genes encoding structural proteins of photosynthetic complexes as well as genes encoding photopigment biosynthesis enzymes.

The use of chromatin immunoprecipitation to define PpsR binding activity in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1

The expression of genes involved in photosystem development in Rhodobacter sphaeroides is dependent upon three major regulatory networks: FnrL, the PrrBA (RegBA) two-component system, and the transcriptional repressor/antirepressor PpsR/AppA. Of the three regulators, PpsR appears to have the narrowest range of physiological effects, which are limited to effects on the structural and pigment biosynthetic activities involved in photosynthetic membrane function. Although a PrrA(-) mutant is unable to grow under photosynthetic conditions, when a ppsR mutation was present, photosynthetic growth occurred. An examination of the double mutant under anaerobic-dark-dimethyl sulfoxide conditions using microarray analysis revealed the existence of an "extended" PpsR regulon and new physiological roles. To characterize the PpsR regulon and to better ascertain the significance of degeneracy within the PpsR binding sequence in vivo, we adapted the chromatin immunoprecipitation technique to R. sphaeroides. We demonstrated that in vivo there was direct and significant binding by PpsR to newly identified genes involved in microaerobic respiration and periplasmic stress resistance, as well as to photosynthesis genes. The new members of the PpsR regulon are located outside the photosynthesis gene cluster and have degenerate PpsR binding sequences. The possible interaction under physiologic conditions with degenerate binding sequences in the presence of other biologically relevant molecules is discussed with respect to its importance in physiological processes and to the existence of complex phenotypes associated with regulatory mutants. This study further defines the DNA structure necessary for PpsR binding in situ.

Photoregulation in prokaryotes

The spectroscopic identification of sensory rhodopsin I by Bogomolni and Spudich in 1982 provided a molecular link between the light environment and phototaxis in Halobacterium salinarum, and thus laid the foundation for the study of signal transducing photosensors in prokaryotes. In recent years, a number of new prokaryotic photosensory receptors have been discovered across a broad range of taxa, including dozens in chemotrophic species. Among these photoreceptors are new classes of rhodopsins, BLUF-domain proteins, bacteriophytochromes, cryptochromes, and LOV-family photosensors. Genetic and biochemical analyses of these receptors have demonstrated that they can regulate processes ranging from photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis to virulence.

RcoM: a new single-component transcriptional regulator of CO metabolism in bacteria

Genomic analysis suggested the existence of a CO-sensing bacterial transcriptional regulator that couples an N-terminal PAS fold domain to a C-terminal DNA-binding LytTR domain. UV/visible-light spectral analyses of heterologously expressed, purified full-length proteins indicated that they contained a hexacoordinated b-type heme moiety that avidly binds CO and NO. Studies of protein variants strongly suggested that the PAS domain residues His74 and Met104 serve as the heme Fe(II) axial ligands, with displacement of Met104 upon binding of the gaseous effectors. Two RcoM (regulator of CO metabolism) homologs were shown to function in vivo as CO sensors capable of regulating an aerobic CO oxidation (cox) regulon. The genetic linkage of rcoM with both aerobic (cox) and anaerobic (coo) CO oxidation systems suggests that in different organisms RcoM proteins may control either regulon type.

Superoxide generation by chlorophyllide a reductase of Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Chlorophyllide a reductase of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, which were reconstituted with the purified subunits of BchX, BchY, and BchZ, reduced ring B of chlorophyllide a using NADH under anaerobic conditions. Interestingly, suppressor mutations rescuing the inability of R. sphaeroides Fe-SOD mutant to grow in succinate-based minimal medium were predominantly mapped to BchZ subunit of chlorophyllide a reductase. The enzyme is labile in the presence of O(2). However, it generates superoxide at low O(2). The enzymes reconstituted with BchX, BchY, and the mutein subunit of BchZ from suppressor mutants showed less activity not only for chlorophyllide a reduction but also for superoxide generation compared with the enzyme reconstituted with the wild-type subunits. BchX, which contains FMN, and BchY are iron-sulfur proteins, whereas BchZ is a hemoprotein containing b-type heme. Neither chlorophyllide a reduction nor superoxide generation was observed with the enzyme reconstituted with the wild-type subunits of BchX and BchY, and the apo-subunit of BchZ that had been refolded without heme, in which FMN of BchX was fully reduced. Thus, superoxide is generated not from FMN of BchX but from heme of BchZ. Consistently, the heme of BchZ muteins was half-reduced in its redox state compared with that of wild-type BchZ.