1
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Sedlmayr VL, Luger M, Pittenauer E, Marchetti-Deschmann M, Kronlachner L, Limbeck A, Raunjak P, Quehenberger J, Spadiut O. Development of a defined medium for the heterotrophic cultivation of Metallosphaera sedula. Extremophiles 2024; 28:36. [PMID: 39060419 PMCID: PMC11282131 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-024-01348-0] [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: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The heterotrophic cultivation of extremophilic archaea still heavily relies on complex media. However, complex media are associated with unknown composition, high batch-to-batch variability, potential inhibiting and interfering components, as well as regulatory challenges, hampering advancements of extremophilic archaea in genetic engineering and bioprocessing. For Metallosphaera sedula, a widely studied organism for biomining and bioremediation and a potential production host for archaeal ether lipids, efforts to find defined cultivation conditions have still been unsuccessful. This study describes the development of a novel chemically defined growth medium for M. sedula. Initial experiments with commonly used complex casein-derived media sources deciphered Casamino Acids as the most suitable foundation for further development. The imitation of the amino acid composition of Casamino Acids in basal Brock medium delivered the first chemically defined medium. We could further simplify the medium to 5 amino acids based on the respective specific substrate uptake rates. This first defined cultivation medium for M. sedula allows advanced genetic engineering and more controlled bioprocess development approaches for this highly interesting archaeon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Laurin Sedlmayr
- TU Wien, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maximilian Luger
- TU Wien, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ernst Pittenauer
- TU Wien, Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Laura Kronlachner
- TU Wien, Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Limbeck
- TU Wien, Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp Raunjak
- TU Wien, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julian Quehenberger
- TU Wien, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Oliver Spadiut
- TU Wien, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, 1060, Vienna, Austria.
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2
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Herbert A. The ancient Z-DNA and Z-RNA specific Zα fold has evolved modern roles in immunity and transcription through the natural selection of flipons. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240080. [PMID: 39092141 PMCID: PMC11293857 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
The Zα fold specifically binds to both Z-DNA and Z-RNA, left-handed nucleic acid structures that form under physiological conditions and are encoded by flipons. I trace the Zα fold back to unicellular organisms representing all three domains of life and to the realm of giant nucleocytoplasmic DNA viruses (NCVs). The canonical Zα fold is present in the earliest known holozoan unicellular symbiont Capsaspora owczarzaki and persists in vertebrates and some invertebrates, but not in plants or fungi. In metazoans, starting with porifera, Zα is incorporated into the double-stranded RNA editing enzyme ADAR and reflects an early symbiont relationship with NCV. In vertebrates, Zα is also present in ZBP1 and PKZ proteins that recognize host-derived Z-RNAs to defend against modern-day viruses. A related Zα fold, also likely to bind Z-DNA, is present in proteins thought to modulate gene expression, including a subset of prokaryote arsR proteins and the p15 (PC4) family present in algae. Other Zα variants that probably play a more general role in the reinitiation of transcription include the archaeal and human transcription factor E and the human RNA polymerase 3 subunit C proteins. The roles in immunity and transcription underlie the natural selection of flipons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Herbert
- Discovery, InsideOutBio, 42 8th Street, Charlestown, MA02129, USA
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3
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Fernandes-Martins MC, Colman DR, Boyd ES. Sulfide oxidation by members of the Sulfolobales. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae201. [PMID: 38827816 PMCID: PMC11143483 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
The oxidation of sulfur compounds drives the acidification of geothermal waters. At high temperatures (>80°C) and in acidic conditions (pH <6.0), oxidation of sulfide has historically been considered an abiotic process that generates elemental sulfur (S0) that, in turn, is oxidized by thermoacidophiles of the model archaeal order Sulfolobales to generate sulfuric acid (i.e. sulfate and protons). Here, we describe five new aerobic and autotrophic strains of Sulfolobales comprising two species that were isolated from acidic hot springs in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and that can use sulfide as an electron donor. These strains significantly accelerated the rate and extent of sulfide oxidation to sulfate relative to abiotic controls, concomitant with production of cells. Yields of sulfide-grown cultures were ∼2-fold greater than those of S0-grown cultures, consistent with thermodynamic calculations indicating more available energy in the former condition than the latter. Homologs of sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (Sqr) were identified in nearly all Sulfolobales genomes from YNP metagenomes as well as those from other reference Sulfolobales, suggesting a widespread ability to accelerate sulfide oxidation. These observations expand the role of Sulfolobales in the oxidative sulfur cycle, the geobiological feedbacks that drive the formation of acidic hot springs, and landscape evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel R Colman
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Eric S Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
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4
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Nair GR, Kooverjee BB, de Scally S, Cowan DA, Makhalanyane TP. Changes in nutrient availability substantially alter bacteria and extracellular enzymatic activities in Antarctic soils. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae071. [PMID: 38697936 PMCID: PMC11107947 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae071] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In polar regions, global warming has accelerated the melting of glacial and buried ice, resulting in meltwater run-off and the mobilization of surface nutrients. Yet, the short-term effects of altered nutrient regimes on the diversity and function of soil microbiota in polyextreme environments such as Antarctica, remains poorly understood. We studied these effects by constructing soil microcosms simulating augmented carbon, nitrogen, and moisture. Addition of nitrogen significantly decreased the diversity of Antarctic soil microbial assemblages, compared with other treatments. Other treatments led to a shift in the relative abundances of these microbial assemblages although the distributional patterns were random. Only nitrogen treatment appeared to lead to distinct community structural patterns, with increases in abundance of Proteobacteria (Gammaproteobateria) and a decrease in Verrucomicrobiota (Chlamydiae and Verrucomicrobiae).The effects of extracellular enzyme activities and soil parameters on changes in microbial taxa were also significant following nitrogen addition. Structural equation modeling revealed that nutrient source and extracellular enzyme activities were positive predictors of microbial diversity. Our study highlights the effect of nitrogen addition on Antarctic soil microorganisms, supporting evidence of microbial resilience to nutrient increases. In contrast with studies suggesting that these communities may be resistant to change, Antarctic soil microbiota responded rapidly to augmented nutrient regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Girish R Nair
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, School for Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Bhaveni B Kooverjee
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Storme de Scally
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Don A Cowan
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Thulani P Makhalanyane
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, School for Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
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5
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Leung PM, Grinter R, Tudor-Matthew E, Lingford JP, Jimenez L, Lee HC, Milton M, Hanchapola I, Tanuwidjaya E, Kropp A, Peach HA, Carere CR, Stott MB, Schittenhelm RB, Greening C. Trace gas oxidation sustains energy needs of a thermophilic archaeon at suboptimal temperatures. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3219. [PMID: 38622143 PMCID: PMC11018855 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47324-2] [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: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Diverse aerobic bacteria use atmospheric hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) as energy sources to support growth and survival. Such trace gas oxidation is recognised as a globally significant process that serves as the main sink in the biogeochemical H2 cycle and sustains microbial biodiversity in oligotrophic ecosystems. However, it is unclear whether archaea can also use atmospheric H2. Here we show that a thermoacidophilic archaeon, Acidianus brierleyi (Thermoproteota), constitutively consumes H2 and CO to sub-atmospheric levels. Oxidation occurs across a wide range of temperatures (10 to 70 °C) and enhances ATP production during starvation-induced persistence under temperate conditions. The genome of A. brierleyi encodes a canonical CO dehydrogenase and four distinct [NiFe]-hydrogenases, which are differentially produced in response to electron donor and acceptor availability. Another archaeon, Metallosphaera sedula, can also oxidize atmospheric H2. Our results suggest that trace gas oxidation is a common trait of Sulfolobales archaea and may play a role in their survival and niche expansion, including during dispersal through temperate environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pok Man Leung
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Rhys Grinter
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Eve Tudor-Matthew
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - James P Lingford
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Luis Jimenez
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Han-Chung Lee
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform and Department of Biochemistry, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Michael Milton
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Iresha Hanchapola
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform and Department of Biochemistry, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Erwin Tanuwidjaya
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform and Department of Biochemistry, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Ashleigh Kropp
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Hanna A Peach
- Geomicrobiology Research Group, Department of Geothermal Sciences, Te Pū Ao | GNS Science, Wairakei, Taupō, 3377, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Carlo R Carere
- Geomicrobiology Research Group, Department of Geothermal Sciences, Te Pū Ao | GNS Science, Wairakei, Taupō, 3377, Aotearoa New Zealand
- Te Tari Pūhanga Tukanga Matū | Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Matthew B Stott
- Geomicrobiology Research Group, Department of Geothermal Sciences, Te Pū Ao | GNS Science, Wairakei, Taupō, 3377, Aotearoa New Zealand
- Te Kura Pūtaiao Koiora | School of Biological Sciences, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Ralf B Schittenhelm
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform and Department of Biochemistry, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Chris Greening
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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6
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Kotsyurbenko OR, Kompanichenko VN, Brouchkov AV, Khrunyk YY, Karlov SP, Sorokin VV, Skladnev DA. Different Scenarios for the Origin and the Subsequent Succession of a Hypothetical Microbial Community in the Cloud Layer of Venus. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:423-441. [PMID: 38563825 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The possible existence of a microbial community in the venusian clouds is one of the most intriguing hypotheses in modern astrobiology. Such a community must be characterized by a high survivability potential under severe environmental conditions, the most extreme of which are very low pH levels and water activity. Considering different scenarios for the origin of life and geological history of our planet, a few of these scenarios are discussed in the context of the origin of hypothetical microbial life within the venusian cloud layer. The existence of liquid water on the surface of ancient Venus is one of the key outstanding questions influencing this possibility. We link the inherent attributes of microbial life as we know it that favor the persistence of life in such an environment and review the possible scenarios of life's origin and its evolution under a strong greenhouse effect and loss of water on Venus. We also propose a roadmap and describe a novel methodological approach for astrobiological research in the framework of future missions to Venus with the intent to reveal whether life exists today on the planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg R Kotsyurbenko
- Higher School of Ecology, Yugra State University, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Vladimir N Kompanichenko
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Institute for Complex Analysis of Regional Problems RAS, Birobidzhan, Russia
| | | | - Yuliya Y Khrunyk
- Department of Heat Treatment and Physics of Metal, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Sergey P Karlov
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Moscow Polytechnic University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir V Sorokin
- Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry A Skladnev
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Moscow, Russia
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7
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González-Madrid G, Navarro CA, Acevedo-López J, Orellana LH, Jerez CA. Possible Role of CHAD Proteins in Copper Resistance. Microorganisms 2024; 12:409. [PMID: 38399813 PMCID: PMC10892726 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Conserved Histidine Alpha-helical Domain (CHAD) proteins attached to the surface of polyphosphate (PolyP) have been studied in some bacteria and one archaeon. However, the activity of CHAD proteins is unknown beyond their interaction with PolyP granules. By using bioinformatic analysis, we report that several species of the biomining acidophilic bacteria contain orthologs of CHAD proteins with high sequence identity. Furthermore, the gene coding for the CHAD protein is in the same genetic context of the enzyme polyphosphate kinase (PPK), which is in charge of PolyP synthesis. Particularly, the group of ppk and CHAD genes is highly conserved. Metallosphaera sedula and other acidophilic archaea used in biomining also contain CHAD proteins. These archaea show high levels of identity in genes coding for a cluster having the same organization. Amongst these genes are chad and ppx. In general, both biomining bacteria and archaea contain high PolyP levels and are highly resistant to heavy metals. Therefore, the presence of this conserved genetic organization suggests a high relevance for their metabolism. It has been formerly reported that a crystallized CHAD protein contains a copper-binding site. Based on this previous knowledge, in the present report, it was determined that all analyzed CHAD proteins are very conserved at their structural level. In addition, it was found that the lack of YgiF, an Escherichia coli CHAD-containing protein, decreases copper resistance in this bacterium. This phenotype was not only complemented by transforming E. coli with YgiF but also by expressing CHAD from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in it. Interestingly, the strains in which the possible copper-binding sites were mutated were also more metal sensitive. Based on these results, we propose that CHAD proteins are involved in copper resistance in microorganisms. These findings are very interesting and may eventually improve biomining operations in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Carlos A. Jerez
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile; (G.G.-M.); (C.A.N.); (J.A.-L.); (L.H.O.)
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8
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Colman DR, Veach A, Stefánsson A, Wurch L, Belisle BS, Podar PT, Yang Z, Klingeman D, Senba K, Murakami KS, Kristjánsson JK, Björnsdóttir SH, Boyd ES, Podar M. Tectonic and geological setting influence hot spring microbiology. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2481-2497. [PMID: 37553090 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Hydrothermal systems form at divergent and convergent boundaries of lithospheric plates and within plates due to weakened crust and mantle plumes, playing host to diverse microbial ecosystems. Little is known of how differences in tectonic setting influence the geochemical and microbial compositions of these hydrothermal ecosystems. Here, coordinated geochemical and microbial community analyses were conducted on 87 high-temperature (>65°C) water and sediment samples from hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA (n = 41; mantle plume setting), Iceland (n = 41, divergent boundary), and Japan (n = 5; convergent boundary). Region-specific variation in geochemistry and sediment-associated 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence variant (ASV) composition was observed, with 16S rRNA gene assemblages being nearly completely distinguished by region and pH being the most explanatory parameter within regions. Several low abundance ASVs exhibited cosmopolitan distributions across regions, while most high-abundance ASVs were only identified in specific regions. The presence of some cosmopolitan ASVs across regions argues against dispersal limitation primarily shaping the distribution of taxa among regions. Rather, the results point to local tectonic and geologic characteristics shaping the geochemistry of continental hydrothermal systems that then select for distinct microbial assemblages. These results provide new insights into the co-evolution of hydrothermal systems and their microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Colman
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Allison Veach
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Andri Stefánsson
- Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Louie Wurch
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
| | - B Shafer Belisle
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Peter T Podar
- School of Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Zamin Yang
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Dawn Klingeman
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Kazuyo Senba
- Department of Microbiology, Beppu University, Beppu, Oita, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko S Murakami
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | - Eric S Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Mircea Podar
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
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9
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Baes R, Grünberger F, Pyr dit Ruys S, Couturier M, De Keulenaer S, Skevin S, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Vertommen D, Grohmann D, Ferreira-Cerca S, Peeters E. Transcriptional and translational dynamics underlying heat shock response in the thermophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. mBio 2023; 14:e0359322. [PMID: 37642423 PMCID: PMC10653856 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03593-22] [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: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Heat shock response is the ability to respond adequately to sudden temperature increases that could be harmful for cellular survival and fitness. It is crucial for microorganisms living in volcanic hot springs that are characterized by high temperatures and large temperature fluctuations. In this study, we investigated how S. acidocaldarius, which grows optimally at 75°C, responds to heat shock by altering its gene expression and protein production processes. We shed light on which cellular processes are affected by heat shock and propose a hypothesis on underlying regulatory mechanisms. This work is not only relevant for the organism's lifestyle, but also with regard to its evolutionary status. Indeed, S. acidocaldarius belongs to the archaea, an ancient group of microbes that is more closely related to eukaryotes than to bacteria. Our study thus also contributes to a better understanding of the early evolution of heat shock response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rani Baes
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Felix Grünberger
- Institute of Microbiology and Archaea Centre, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Mohea Couturier
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sarah De Keulenaer
- NXTGNT, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sonja Skevin
- NXTGNT, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Didier Vertommen
- Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dina Grohmann
- Institute of Microbiology and Archaea Centre, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sébastien Ferreira-Cerca
- Cellular Biochemistry of Microorganisms, Biochemie III, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Laboratoire de Biologie Structurale de la Cellule (BIOC), UMR 7654 -CNRS, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - Eveline Peeters
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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10
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Cezanne A, Hoogenberg B, Baum B. Probing archaeal cell biology: exploring the use of dyes in the imaging of Sulfolobus cells. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1233032. [PMID: 37731920 PMCID: PMC10508906 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1233032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Archaea are key players in many critical ecological processes. In comparison to eukaryotes and bacteria, however, our understanding of both the cell biology and diversity of archaea remains limited. While archaea inhabit a wide range of environmental conditions, many species are extremophiles, surviving in extreme temperature, salt or pH conditions, making their cell biology hard to study. Recently, our understanding of archaeal cell biology has been advanced significantly by the advent of live cell imaging in extremis as well as the development of genetic tools to exogenously express fluorescent proteins in some mesophilic archaeal model systems, e.g., Haloferax volcanii. However, for most archaeal species, especially thermophilic species or emerging model systems without well characterized genetic tools, live cell imaging remains dependent on fluorescent chemical probes to label and track the dynamics of living cells. While a wide range of fluorescent stains and markers that label different components of the cell are available commercially, their use has usually been optimized for use in a small number of eukaryotic cell systems. Here we report the successes and failures of the application of membrane, DNA, S-layer and cytoplasm markers in live cell imaging of archaea, as well as the optimization of fixation and immunolabelling approaches. We have applied these markers to the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, but expect some to work in other archaeal species. Furthermore, those procedures that failed in S. acidocaldarius may still prove useful for imaging archaea that grow at a more neutral pH and/or at a less extreme temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Cezanne
- Cell Biology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Baukje Hoogenberg
- Cell Biology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Buzz Baum
- Cell Biology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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11
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Chiu BK, Waldbauer J, Elling FJ, Mete ÖZ, Zhang L, Pearson A, Eggleston EM, Leavitt WD. Membrane lipid and expression responses of Saccharolobus islandicus REY15A to acid and cold stress. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1219779. [PMID: 37649629 PMCID: PMC10465181 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1219779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Archaea adjust the number of cyclopentane rings in their glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) membrane lipids as a homeostatic response to environmental stressors such as temperature, pH, and energy availability shifts. However, archaeal expression patterns that correspond with changes in GDGT composition are less understood. Here we characterize the acid and cold stress responses of the thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon Saccharolobus islandicus REY15A using growth rates, core GDGT lipid profiles, transcriptomics and proteomics. We show that both stressors result in impaired growth, lower average GDGT cyclization, and differences in gene and protein expression. Transcription data revealed differential expression of the GDGT ring synthase grsB in response to both acid stress and cold stress. Although the GDGT ring synthase encoded by grsB forms highly cyclized GDGTs with ≥5 ring moieties, S. islandicus grsB upregulation under acidic pH conditions did not correspond with increased abundances of highly cyclized GDGTs. Our observations highlight the inability to predict GDGT changes from transcription data alone. Broader analysis of transcriptomic data revealed that S. islandicus differentially expresses many of the same transcripts in response to both acid and cold stress. These included upregulation of several biosynthetic pathways and downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation and motility. Transcript responses specific to either of the two stressors tested here included upregulation of genes related to proton pumping and molecular turnover in acid stress conditions and upregulation of transposases in cold stress conditions. Overall, our study provides a comprehensive understanding of the GDGT modifications and differential expression characteristic of the acid stress and cold stress responses in S. islandicus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly K. Chiu
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Jacob Waldbauer
- Department of the Geophysical Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Felix J. Elling
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Leibniz-Laboratory for Radiometric Dating and Isotope Research, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Öykü Z. Mete
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Lichun Zhang
- Department of the Geophysical Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ann Pearson
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Erin M. Eggleston
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, United States
| | - William D. Leavitt
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
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12
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Cooper CR, Lewis AM, Notey JS, Mukherjee A, Willard DJ, Blum PH, Kelly RM. Interplay between transcriptional regulators and VapBC toxin-antitoxin loci during thermal stress response in extremely thermoacidophilic archaea. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:1200-1215. [PMID: 36752722 PMCID: PMC10580297 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16350] [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: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Thermoacidophilic archaea lack sigma factors and the large inventory of heat shock proteins (HSPs) widespread in bacterial genomes, suggesting other strategies for handling thermal stress are involved. Heat shock transcriptomes for the thermoacidophilic archaeon Saccharolobus (f. Sulfolobus) solfataricus 98/2 revealed genes that were highly responsive to thermal stress, including transcriptional regulators YtrASs (Ssol_2420) and FadRSs (Ssol_0314), as well as type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) loci VapBC6 (Ssol_2337, Ssol_2338) and VapBC22 (Ssol_0819, Ssol_0818). The role, if any, of type II TA loci during stress response in microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli, is controversial. But, when genes encoding YtrASs , FadRSs , VapC22, VapB6, and VapC6 were systematically mutated in Sa. solfataricus 98/2, significant up-regulation of the other genes within this set was observed, implicating an interconnected regulatory network during thermal stress response. VapBC6 and VapBC22 have close homologues in other Sulfolobales, as well as in other archaea (e.g. Pyrococcus furiosus and Archaeoglobus fulgidus), and their corresponding genes were also heat shock responsive. The interplay between VapBC TA loci and heat shock regulators in Sa solfataricus 98/2 not only indicates a cellular mechanism for heat shock response that differs from bacteria but one that could have common features within the thermophilic archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte R. Cooper
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905
| | - April M. Lewis
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905
| | - Jaspreet S. Notey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905
| | - Arpan Mukherjee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905
| | - Daniel J. Willard
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905
| | - Paul H. Blum
- Beadle Center for Genetics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0666
| | - Robert M. Kelly
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905
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13
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Dissection of Functional Domains of Orc1-2, the Archaeal Global DNA Damage-Responsive Regulator. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314609. [PMID: 36498936 PMCID: PMC9738581 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Orc1-2 is a non-initiator ortholog of archaeal/eukaryotic Orc1 proteins, which functions as a global regulator in DNA damage-responsive (DDR) expression. As for Orc1 initiators, the DDR regulator harbors an AAA+ ATPase domain, an Initiator-Specific Motif (ISM) and a winged-helix (wH) DNA-binding domain, which are also organized in a similar fashion. To investigate how Orc1-2 mediates the DDR regulation, the orc1-2 mutants inactivating each of these functional domains were constructed with Saccharolobus islandicus and genetically characterized. We found that disruption of each functional domain completely abolished the DDR regulation in these orc1-2 mutants. Strikingly, inactivation of ATP hydrolysis of Orc1-2 rendered an inviable mutant. However, the cell lethality can be suppressed by the deficiency of the DNA binding in the same protein, and it occurs independent of any DNA damage signal. Mutant Orc1-2 proteins were then obtained and investigated for DNA-binding in vitro. This revealed that both the AAA+ ATPase and the wH domains are involved in DNA-binding, where ISM and R381R383 in wH are responsible for specific DNA binding. We further show that Orc1-2 regulation occurs in two distinct steps: (a) eliciting cell division inhibition at a low Orc1-2 content, and this regulation is switched on by ATP binding and turned off by ATP hydrolysis; any failure in turning off the regulation leads to growth inhibition and cell death; (b) activation of the expression of DDR gene encoding DNA repair proteins at an elevated level of Orc1-2.
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14
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Chen J, Liu Y, Diep P, Mahadevan R. Harnessing synthetic biology for sustainable biomining with Fe/S-oxidizing microbes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:920639. [PMID: 36131722 PMCID: PMC9483119 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.920639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomining is a biotechnological approach where microorganisms are used to recover metals from ores and waste materials. While biomining applications are motivated by critical issues related to the climate crisis (e.g., habitat destruction due to mine effluent pollution, metal supply chains, increasing demands for cleantech-critical metals), its drawbacks hinder its widespread commercial applications: lengthy processing times, low recovery, and metal selectivity. Advances in synthetic biology provide an opportunity to engineer iron/sulfur-oxidizing microbes to address these limitations. In this forum, we review recent progress in synthetic biology-enhanced biomining with iron/sulfur-oxidizing microbes and delineate future research avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjin Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yilan Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Patrick Diep
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Radhakrishnan Mahadevan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Radhakrishnan Mahadevan,
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15
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Thermostable and O2-Insensitive Pyruvate Decarboxylases from Thermoacidophilic Archaea Catalyzing the Production of Acetaldehyde. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11081247. [PMID: 36009875 PMCID: PMC9405506 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) is a key enzyme involved in ethanol fermentation, a process for the production of biofuels. Thermostable and oxygen-stable PDC activity is highly desirable for biotechnological applications at high temperatures. The enzymes from the thermoacidophiles Saccharolobus (formerly Sulfolobus) solfataricus (Ss, Topt = 80 °C) and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius (Sa, Topt = 80 °C) were purified and characterized, and their biophysical and biochemical properties were determined comparatively. The purified enzymes were CoA-dependent and thermostable. There was no loss of activity in the presence of oxygen. In conclusion, both thermostable SsPDC and SaPDC catalyze the CoA-dependent production of acetaldehyde from pyruvate in the presence of oxygen. Abstract Pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) is a key enzyme involved in ethanol fermentation, and it catalyzes the decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetaldehyde and CO2. Bifunctional PORs/PDCs that also have additional pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (POR) activity are found in hyperthermophiles, and they are mostly oxygen-sensitive and CoA-dependent. Thermostable and oxygen-stable PDC activity is highly desirable for biotechnological applications. The enzymes from the thermoacidophiles Saccharolobus (formerly Sulfolobus) solfataricus (Ss, Topt = 80 °C) and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius (Sa, Topt = 80 °C) were purified and characterized, and their biophysical and biochemical properties were determined comparatively. Both enzymes were shown to be heterodimeric, and their two subunits were determined by SDS-PAGE to be 37 ± 3 kDa and 65 ± 2 kDa, respectively. The purified enzymes from S. solfataricus and S. acidocaldarius showed both PDC and POR activities which were CoA-dependent, and they were thermostable with half-life times of 2.9 ± 1 and 1.1 ± 1 h at 80 °C, respectively. There was no loss of activity in the presence of oxygen. Optimal pH values for their PDC and POR activity were determined to be 7.9 and 8.6, respectively. In conclusion, both thermostable SsPOR/PDC and SaPOR/PDC catalyze the CoA-dependent production of acetaldehyde from pyruvate in the presence of oxygen.
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16
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The Viral Susceptibility of the Haloferax Species. Viruses 2022; 14:v14061344. [PMID: 35746816 PMCID: PMC9229481 DOI: 10.3390/v14061344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses can infect members of all three domains of life. However, little is known about viruses infecting archaea and the mechanisms that determine their host interactions are poorly understood. Investigations of molecular mechanisms of viral infection rely on genetically accessible virus–host model systems. Euryarchaea belonging to the genus Haloferax are interesting models, as a reliable genetic system and versatile microscopy methods are available. However, only one virus infecting the Haloferax species is currently available. In this study, we tested ~100 haloarchaeal virus isolates for their infectivity on 14 Haloferax strains. From this, we identified 10 virus isolates in total capable of infecting Haloferax strains, which represented myovirus or siphovirus morphotypes. Surprisingly, the only susceptible strain of all 14 tested was Haloferax gibbonsii LR2-5, which serves as an auspicious host for all of these 10 viruses. By applying comparative genomics, we shed light on factors determining the host range of haloarchaeal viruses on Haloferax. We anticipate our study to be a starting point in the study of haloarchaeal virus–host interactions.
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17
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Counts JA, Vitko NP, Kelly RM. Fox Cluster determinants for iron biooxidation in the extremely thermoacidophilic Sulfolobaceae. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:850-865. [PMID: 34406696 PMCID: PMC8854474 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Within the extremely thermoacidophilic Sulfolobaceae, the capacity to oxidize iron varies considerably. While some species are prolific iron oxidizers (e.g. Metallosphaera sedula), other species do not oxidize iron at all (e.g. Sulfolobus acidocaldarius). Iron oxidation capacity maps to a genomic locus, referred to previously as the 'Fox Cluster', that encodes putative proteins that are mostly unique to the Sulfolobaceae. The role of putative proteins in the Fox Cluster has not been confirmed, but proteomic analysis here of iron-oxidizing membranes from M. sedula indicates that FoxA2 and FoxB (both cytochrome c oxidase-like subunits) and FoxC (CbsA/cytochrome b domain-containing) are essential. Furthermore, comparative genomics (locus organization and gene disruptions) and transcriptomics (polarity effects and differential expression) connect these genomic determinants with disparate iron biooxidation and respiration measurements among Sulfolobaceae species. While numerous homologous proteins can be identified for FoxA in genome databases (COX-like domains are prevalent across all domains of life), few homologues exist for FoxC or for most other Fox Cluster proteins. Phylogenetic reconstructions suggest this locus may have existed in early Sulfolobaceae, while the only other close homologues to the locus appear in the recently discovered candidate phylum Marsarchaota.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A. Counts
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905
| | - Nicholas P. Vitko
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905
| | - Robert M. Kelly
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905,Address correspondence to:Robert M. Kelly, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, EB-1, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, Phone: (919) 515-6396, Fax: (919) 515-3465,
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18
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Zhang C, Taluja SM, Hallett EN, Whitaker RJ. A Rapid Targeted Gene Inactivation Approach in Sulfolobus islandicus. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2522:145-162. [PMID: 36125748 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2445-6_9] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Homologous recombination-based gene targeting is a powerful and classic reverse genetics approach to precisely elucidate in vivo gene functions in the organisms across all three domains of life. Gene function studies in Archaea, particularly for those flourishing in inhospitable natural environments that are anaerobic, usually hot, and acidic, have been a great challenge; however, this situation was recently overturned with the increasing availability of genetic manipulation systems in several cultivable archaeal species. In the present chapter, we describe a detailed procedure to rapidly generate gene disruption mutants in the hyperthermophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus islandicus via a recently developed Microhomology-Mediated Gene Inactivation (MMGI) approach. We highlight crucial experimental details required to be carefully considered when using the MMGI approach for genetic manipulations. We hope this highly reproducible procedure can supplement existing genetic tools for studying the biology of archaeal order Sulfolobales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyi Zhang
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.
| | - Serina M Taluja
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
- New Beasley Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Emily N Hallett
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique-Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Rachel J Whitaker
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
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19
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Ye X, Recalde A, Albers SV, van Wolferen M. Methods for Markerless Gene Deletion and Plasmid-Based Expression in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2522:135-144. [PMID: 36125747 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2445-6_8] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A well-functioning genetic system, which is important for studying gene functions in vivo, requires a transformation method, a vector system and a selection system. Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is a crenarchaeal model organism that grows optimally at 75 °C and a pH of 3. These extreme growth conditions cause some difficulties in developing a genetic system. With continuous efforts, versatile genetic tools have been developed for different species from the order of Sulfolobales. In this chapter, we describe the methods for the available genetic tools in S. acidocaldarius including a (1) transformation method, (2) pop in/pop out strategy to generate markerless deletion mutants and (3) a plasmid-based expression system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Ye
- Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute of Biology II, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alejandra Recalde
- Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute of Biology II, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sonja-Verena Albers
- Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute of Biology II, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Marleen van Wolferen
- Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute of Biology II, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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20
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Liu LJ, Jiang Z, Wang P, Qin YL, Xu W, Wang Y, Liu SJ, Jiang CY. Physiology, Taxonomy, and Sulfur Metabolism of the Sulfolobales, an Order of Thermoacidophilic Archaea. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:768283. [PMID: 34721370 PMCID: PMC8551704 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.768283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The order Sulfolobales (phylum Crenarchaeota) is a group of thermoacidophilic archaea. The first member of the Sulfolobales was discovered in 1972, and current 23 species are validly named under the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes. The majority of members of the Sulfolobales is obligately or facultatively chemolithoautotrophic. When they grow autotrophically, elemental sulfur or reduced inorganic sulfur compounds are their energy sources. Therefore, sulfur metabolism is the most important physiological characteristic of the Sulfolobales. The functions of some enzymes and proteins involved in sulfur reduction, sulfur oxidation, sulfide oxidation, thiosulfate oxidation, sulfite oxidation, tetrathionate hydrolysis, and sulfur trafficking have been determined. In this review, we describe current knowledge about the physiology, taxonomy, and sulfur metabolism of the Sulfolobales, and note future challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Jun Liu
- School of Basic Medical Science, the Xi'an Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microorganism and Tumor Immunity, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhen Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Ling Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Xu
- School of Basic Medical Science, the Xi'an Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microorganism and Tumor Immunity, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Wang
- School of Basic Medical Science, the Xi'an Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microorganism and Tumor Immunity, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuang-Jiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cheng-Ying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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21
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Genomic Insights into the Ecological Role and Evolution of a Novel Thermoplasmata Order, " Candidatus Sysuiplasmatales". Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0106521. [PMID: 34524897 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01065-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent omics studies have provided invaluable insights into the metabolic potential, adaptation, and evolution of novel archaeal lineages from a variety of extreme environments. We utilized a genome-resolved metagenomic approach to recover eight medium- to high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) that likely represent a new order ("Candidatus Sysuiplasmatales") in the class Thermoplasmata from mine tailings and acid mine drainage (AMD) sediments sampled from two copper mines in South China. 16S rRNA gene-based analyses revealed a narrow habitat range for these uncultured archaea limited to AMD and hot spring-related environments. Metabolic reconstruction indicated a facultatively anaerobic heterotrophic lifestyle. This may allow the archaea to adapt to oxygen fluctuations and is thus in marked contrast to the majority of lineages in the domain Archaea, which typically show obligately anaerobic metabolisms. Notably, "Ca. Sysuiplasmatales" could conserve energy through degradation of fatty acids, amino acid metabolism, and oxidation of reduced inorganic sulfur compounds (RISCs), suggesting that they may contribute to acid generation in the extreme mine environments. Unlike the closely related orders Methanomassiliicoccales and "Candidatus Gimiplasmatales," "Ca. Sysuiplasmatales" lacks the capacity to perform methanogenesis and carbon fixation. Ancestral state reconstruction indicated that "Ca. Sysuiplasmatales," the closely related orders Methanomassiliicoccales and "Ca. Gimiplasmatales," and the orders SG8-5 and RBG-16-68-12 originated from a facultatively anaerobic ancestor capable of carbon fixation via the bacterial-type H4F Wood-Ljungdahl pathway (WLP). Their metabolic divergence might be attributed to different evolutionary paths. IMPORTANCE A wide array of archaea populate Earth's extreme environments; therefore, they may play important roles in mediating biogeochemical processes such as iron and sulfur cycling. However, our knowledge of archaeal biology and evolution is still limited, since the majority of the archaeal diversity is uncultured. For instance, most order-level lineages except Thermoplasmatales, Aciduliprofundales, and Methanomassiliicoccales within Thermoplasmata do not have cultured representatives. Here, we report the discovery and genomic characterization of a novel order, "Ca. Sysuiplasmatales," within Thermoplasmata in extremely acidic mine environments. "Ca. Sysuiplasmatales" are inferred to be facultatively anaerobic heterotrophs and likely contribute to acid generation through the oxidation of RISCs. The physiological divergence between "Ca. Sysuiplasmatales" and closely related Thermoplasmata lineages may be attributed to different evolutionary paths. These results expand our knowledge of archaea in the extreme mine ecosystem.
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22
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Chauhan SM, Poudel S, Rychel K, Lamoureux C, Yoo R, Al Bulushi T, Yuan Y, Palsson BO, Sastry AV. Machine Learning Uncovers a Data-Driven Transcriptional Regulatory Network for the Crenarchaeal Thermoacidophile Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:753521. [PMID: 34777307 PMCID: PMC8578740 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.753521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Dynamic cellular responses to environmental constraints are coordinated by the transcriptional regulatory network (TRN), which modulates gene expression. This network controls most fundamental cellular responses, including metabolism, motility, and stress responses. Here, we apply independent component analysis, an unsupervised machine learning approach, to 95 high-quality Sulfolobus acidocaldarius RNA-seq datasets and extract 45 independently modulated gene sets, or iModulons. Together, these iModulons contain 755 genes (32% of the genes identified on the genome) and explain over 70% of the variance in the expression compendium. We show that five modules represent the effects of known transcriptional regulators, and hypothesize that most of the remaining modules represent the effects of uncharacterized regulators. Further analysis of these gene sets results in: (1) the prediction of a DNA export system composed of five uncharacterized genes, (2) expansion of the LysM regulon, and (3) evidence for an as-yet-undiscovered global regulon. Our approach allows for a mechanistic, systems-level elucidation of an extremophile's responses to biological perturbations, which could inform research on gene-regulator interactions and facilitate regulator discovery in S. acidocaldarius. We also provide the first global TRN for S. acidocaldarius. Collectively, these results provide a roadmap toward regulatory network discovery in archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddharth M. Chauhan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Saugat Poudel
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Kevin Rychel
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Cameron Lamoureux
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Reo Yoo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Tahani Al Bulushi
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Yuan Yuan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Bernhard O. Palsson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anand V. Sastry
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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23
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Medvedeva S, Brandt D, Cvirkaite-Krupovic V, Liu Y, Severinov K, Ishino S, Ishino Y, Prangishvili D, Kalinowski J, Krupovic M. New insights into the diversity and evolution of the archaeal mobilome from three complete genomes of Saccharolobus shibatae. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:4612-4630. [PMID: 34190379 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Saccharolobus (formerly Sulfolobus) shibatae B12, isolated from a hot spring in Beppu, Japan in 1982, is one of the first hyperthermophilic and acidophilic archaeal species to be discovered. It serves as a natural host to the extensively studied spindle-shaped virus SSV1, a prototype of the Fuselloviridae family. Two additional Sa. shibatae strains, BEU9 and S38A, sensitive to viruses of the families Lipothrixviridae and Portogloboviridae, respectively, have been isolated more recently. However, none of the strains has been fully sequenced, limiting their utility for studies on archaeal biology and virus-host interactions. Here, we present the complete genome sequences of all three Sa. shibatae strains and explore the rich diversity of their integrated mobile genetic elements (MGE), including transposable insertion sequences, integrative and conjugative elements, plasmids, and viruses, some of which were also detected in the extrachromosomal form. Analysis of related MGEs in other Sulfolobales species and patterns of CRISPR spacer targeting revealed a complex network of MGE distributions, involving horizontal spread and relatively frequent host switching by MGEs over large phylogenetic distances, involving species of the genera Saccharolobus, Sulfurisphaera and Acidianus. Furthermore, we characterize a remarkable case of a virus-to-plasmid transition, whereby a fusellovirus has lost the genes encoding for the capsid proteins, while retaining the replication module, effectively becoming a plasmid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Medvedeva
- Archaeal Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France.,Center of Life Science, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205, Russia
| | - David Brandt
- Center for Biotechnology, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
| | | | - Ying Liu
- Archaeal Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France
| | - Konstantin Severinov
- Center of Life Science, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205, Russia.,Waksman Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.,Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 123182, Russia
| | - Sonoko Ishino
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yoshizumi Ishino
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - David Prangishvili
- Archaeal Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France.,Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Archaeal Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, 75015, France
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Willard DJ, Kelly RM. Intersection of Biotic and Abiotic Sulfur Chemistry Supporting Extreme Microbial Life in Hot Acid. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:5243-5257. [PMID: 33979170 PMCID: PMC10562994 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c02102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Microbial life on Earth exists within wide ranges of temperature, pressure, pH, salinity, radiation, and water activity. Extreme thermoacidophiles, in particular, are microbes found in hot, acidic biotopes laden with heavy metals and reduced inorganic sulfur species. As chemolithoautotrophs, they thrive in the absence of organic carbon, instead using sulfur and metal oxidation to fuel their bioenergetic needs, while incorporating CO2 as a carbon source. Metal oxidation by these microbes takes place extracellularly, mediated by membrane-associated oxidase complexes. In contrast, sulfur oxidation involves extracellular, membrane-associated, and cytoplasmic biotransformations, which intersect with abiotic sulfur chemistry. This novel lifestyle has been examined in the context of early aerobic life on this planet, but it is also interesting when considering the prospects of life, now or previously, on other solar bodies. Here, extreme thermoacidophily (growth at pH below 4.0, temperature above 55 °C), a characteristic of species in the archaeal order Sulfolobales, is considered from the perspective of sulfur chemistry, both biotic and abiotic, as it relates to microbial bioenergetics. Current understanding of the mechanisms involved are reviewed which are further expanded through recent experimental results focused on imparting sulfur oxidation capacity on a natively nonsulfur oxidizing extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, through metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Willard
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Robert M. Kelly
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
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