1
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Hoshino Y, Gaucher EA. Impact of steroid biosynthesis on the aerobic adaptation of eukaryotes. GEOBIOLOGY 2024; 22:e12612. [PMID: 38967402 PMCID: PMC11234327 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Steroids are indispensable components of the eukaryotic cellular membrane and the acquisition of steroid biosynthesis was a key factor that enabled the evolution of eukaryotes. The polycyclic carbon structures of steroids can be preserved in sedimentary rocks as chemical fossils for billions of years and thus provide invaluable clues to trace eukaryotic evolution from the distant past. Steroid biosynthesis consists of (1) the production of protosteroids and (2) the subsequent modifications toward "modern-type" steroids such as cholesterol and stigmasterol. While protosteroid biosynthesis requires only two genes for the cyclization of squalene, complete modification of protosteroids involves ~10 additional genes. Eukaryotes universally possess at least some of those additional genes and thus produce modern-type steroids as major final products. The geological biomarker records suggest a prolonged period of solely protosteroid production in the mid-Proterozoic before the advent of modern-type steroids in the Neoproterozoic. It has been proposed that mid-Proterozoic protosteroids were produced by hypothetical stem-group eukaryotes that presumably possessed genes only for protosteroid production, even though in modern environments protosteroid production as a final product is found exclusively in bacteria. The host identity of mid-Proterozoic steroid producers is crucial for understanding the early evolution of eukaryotes. In this perspective, we discuss how geological biomarker data and genetic data complement each other and potentially provide a more coherent scenario for the evolution of steroids and associated early eukaryotes. We further discuss the potential impacts that steroids had on the evolution of aerobic metabolism in eukaryotes, which may have been an important factor for the eventual ecological dominance of eukaryotes in many modern environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Hoshino
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Eric A Gaucher
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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2
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Schroeter KL, Rolfe N, Forrester TJ, Kimber MS, Seah SY. Shy is a Proteobacterial steroid hydratase which catalyzes steroid side chain degradation without requiring a catalytically inert partner domain. J Biol Chem 2024:107509. [PMID: 38944126 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Shy (side chain hydratase) and Sal (side chain aldolase), are involved in successive reactions in the pathway of bile acid side chain catabolism in Proteobacteria. Untagged Shy co-purified with His-tagged Sal indicating that the two enzymes form a complex. Shy contains a MaoC and a DUF35 domain. When co-expressed with Sal, the DUF35 domain but not the MaoC domain of Shy was observed to co-purify with Sal, indicating Sal interacts with Shy through its DUF35 domain. The MaoC domain of Shy (ShyMaoC) remained catalytically viable and could hydrate cholyl-enoyl-CoA with similar catalytic efficiency as in the Shy-Sal complex. Sal expressed with the DUF35 domain of Shy (Sal-ShyDUF35) was similarly competent for the retroaldol cleavage of cholyl-3-OH-CoA. ShyMaoC showed a preference for C5 side chain bile acid substrates, exhibiting low activity towards C3 side chain substrates. The ShyMaoC structure was determined by X-ray crystallography, showing a hot dog fold with a short central helix surrounded by a twisted anti-parallel β-sheet. Modeling and mutagenesis studies suggest that the bile acid substrate occupies the large open cleft formed by the truncated central helix and repositioning of the active site housing. ShyMaoC therefore contains two substrate binding sites per homodimer, making it distinct from previously characterized MaoC steroid hydratases that are (pseudo)-heterodimers with one substrate binding site per dimer. The characterization of Shy provides insight into how MaoC family hydratases have adapted to accommodate large polycyclic substrates that can facilitate future engineering of these enzymes to produce novel steroid pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt L Schroeter
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Canada
| | - Nicolas Rolfe
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Canada
| | | | - Matthew S Kimber
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Canada
| | - Stephen Yk Seah
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Canada.
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3
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Eliason O, Malitsky S, Panizel I, Feldmesser E, Porat Z, Sperfeld M, Segev E. The photo-protective role of vitamin D in the microalga Emiliania huxleyi. iScience 2024; 27:109884. [PMID: 38799580 PMCID: PMC11126961 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
An essential interaction between sunlight and eukaryotes involves vitamin D production through exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. While extensively studied in vertebrates, the role of vitamin D in non-animal eukaryotes like microalgae remains unclear. Here, we investigate the potential involvement of vitamin D in the UV-triggered response of Emiliania huxleyi, a microalga inhabiting shallow ocean depths that are exposed to UV. Our results show that E. huxleyi produces vitamin D2 and D3 in response to UV. We further demonstrate that E. huxleyi responds to external administration of vitamin D at the transcriptional level, regulating protective mechanisms that are also responsive to UV. Our data reveal that vitamin D addition enhances algal photosynthetic performance while reducing harmful reactive oxygen species buildup. This study contributes to understanding the function of vitamin D in E. huxleyi and its role in non-animal eukaryotes, as well as its potential importance in marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Eliason
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Sergey Malitsky
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Irina Panizel
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Ester Feldmesser
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Ziv Porat
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Martin Sperfeld
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Einat Segev
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
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4
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Wang Y, Wang H, Zhang L, Wang Y, Wei S, Wang L. Mechanism Analysis of OsZF8-Mediated Regulation of Rice Resistance to Sheath Blight. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5787. [PMID: 38891973 PMCID: PMC11171851 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115787] [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: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors are key molecules involved in transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in plants and play an important regulatory role in resisting biological stress. In this study, we identified a regulatory factor, OsZF8, mediating rice response to Rhizoctonia solani (R. solani) AG1-IA infection. The expression of OsZF8 affects R. solani rice infection. OsZF8 knockout and overexpressed rice plants were constructed, and the phenotypes of mutant and wild-type (WT) plants showed that OsZF8 negatively regulated rice resistance to rice sheath blight. However, it was speculated that OsZF8 plays a regulatory role at the protein level. The interacting protein PRB1 of OsZF8 was screened using the yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation test. The results showed that OsZF8 effectively inhibited PRB1-induced cell death in tobacco cells, and molecular docking results showed that PRB1 had a strong binding effect with OsZF8. Further, the binding ability of OsZF8-PRB1 to ergosterol was significantly reduced when compared with the PRB1 protein. These findings provide new insights into elucidating the mechanism of rice resistance to rice sheath blight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Department of Plant Pathology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (Y.W.); (H.W.); (L.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Haining Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Department of Plant Pathology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (Y.W.); (H.W.); (L.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Liangkun Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Department of Plant Pathology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (Y.W.); (H.W.); (L.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yiming Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Department of Plant Pathology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (Y.W.); (H.W.); (L.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Songhong Wei
- College of Plant Protection, Department of Plant Pathology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (Y.W.); (H.W.); (L.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Lili Wang
- Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110101, China
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5
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Der C, Courty PE, Recorbet G, Wipf D, Simon-Plas F, Gerbeau-Pissot P. Sterols, pleiotropic players in plant-microbe interactions. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 29:524-534. [PMID: 38565452 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Plant-microbe interactions (PMIs) are regulated through a wide range of mechanisms in which sterols from plants and microbes are involved in numerous ways, including recognition, transduction, communication, and/or exchanges between partners. Phytosterol equilibrium is regulated by PMIs through expression of genes involved in phytosterol biosynthesis, together with their accumulation. As such, PMI outcomes also include plasma membrane (PM) functionalization events, in which phytosterols have a central role, and activation of sterol-interacting proteins involved in cell signaling. In spite (or perhaps because) of such multifaceted abilities, an overall mechanism of sterol contribution is difficult to determine. However, promising approaches exploring sterol diversity, their contribution to PMI outcomes, and their localization would help us to decipher their crucial role in PMIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Der
- Agroécologie, INRAE, Institut Agro, University of Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | | | - Ghislaine Recorbet
- Agroécologie, INRAE, Institut Agro, University of Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Daniel Wipf
- Agroécologie, INRAE, Institut Agro, University of Bourgogne, Dijon, France
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6
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Zhai L, Bonds AC, Smith CA, Oo H, Chou JCC, Welander PV, Dassama LMK. Novel sterol binding domains in bacteria. eLife 2024; 12:RP90696. [PMID: 38329015 PMCID: PMC10942540 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Sterol lipids are widely present in eukaryotes and play essential roles in signaling and modulating membrane fluidity. Although rare, some bacteria also produce sterols, but their function in bacteria is not known. Moreover, many more species, including pathogens and commensal microbes, acquire or modify sterols from eukaryotic hosts through poorly understood molecular mechanisms. The aerobic methanotroph Methylococcus capsulatus was the first bacterium shown to synthesize sterols, producing a mixture of C-4 methylated sterols that are distinct from those observed in eukaryotes. C-4 methylated sterols are synthesized in the cytosol and localized to the outer membrane, suggesting that a bacterial sterol transport machinery exists. Until now, the identity of such machinery remained a mystery. In this study, we identified three novel proteins that may be the first examples of transporters for bacterial sterol lipids. The proteins, which all belong to well-studied families of bacterial metabolite transporters, are predicted to reside in the inner membrane, periplasm, and outer membrane of M. capsulatus, and may work as a conduit to move modified sterols to the outer membrane. Quantitative analysis of ligand binding revealed their remarkable specificity for 4-methylsterols, and crystallographic structures coupled with docking and molecular dynamics simulations revealed the structural bases for substrate binding by two of the putative transporters. Their striking structural divergence from eukaryotic sterol transporters signals that they form a distinct sterol transport system within the bacterial domain. Finally, bioinformatics revealed the widespread presence of similar transporters in bacterial genomes, including in some pathogens that use host sterol lipids to construct their cell envelopes. The unique folds of these bacterial sterol binding proteins should now guide the discovery of other proteins that handle this essential metabolite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liting Zhai
- Department of Chemistry and Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Amber C Bonds
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Clyde A Smith
- Department of Chemistry and Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Hannah Oo
- Department of Chemistry and Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | | | - Paula V Welander
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Laura MK Dassama
- Department of Chemistry and Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
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7
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McKinnie LJ, Cummins SF, Zhao M. Identification of Incomplete Annotations of Biosynthesis Pathways in Rhodophytes Using a Multi-Omics Approach. Mar Drugs 2023; 22:3. [PMID: 38276641 PMCID: PMC10817344 DOI: 10.3390/md22010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Rhodophytes (red algae) are an important source of natural products and are, therefore, a current research focus in terms of metabolite production. The recent increase in publicly available Rhodophyte whole genome and transcriptome assemblies provides the resources needed for in silico metabolic pathway analysis. Thus, this study aimed to create a Rhodophyte multi-omics resource, utilising both genomes and transcriptome assemblies with functional annotations to explore Rhodophyte metabolism. The genomes and transcriptomes of 72 Rhodophytes were functionally annotated and integrated with metabolic reconstruction and phylogenetic inference, orthology prediction, and gene duplication analysis to analyse their metabolic pathways. This resource was utilised via two main investigations: the identification of bioactive sterol biosynthesis pathways and the evolutionary analysis of gene duplications for known enzymes. We report that sterol pathways, including campesterol, β-sitosterol, ergocalciferol and cholesterol biosynthesis pathways, all showed incomplete annotated pathways across all Rhodophytes despite prior in vivo studies showing otherwise. Gene duplication analysis revealed high rates of duplication of halide-associated haem peroxidases in Florideophyte algae, which are involved in the biosynthesis of drug-related halogenated secondary metabolites. In summary, this research revealed trends in Rhodophyte metabolic pathways that have been under-researched and require further functional analysis. Furthermore, the high duplication of haem peroxidases and other peroxidase enzymes offers insight into the potential drug development of Rhodophyte halogenated secondary metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lachlan J. McKinnie
- Seaweed Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QSL 4558, Australia; (L.J.M.); (S.F.C.)
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QSL 4558, Australia
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QSL 4558, Australia
| | - Scott F. Cummins
- Seaweed Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QSL 4558, Australia; (L.J.M.); (S.F.C.)
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QSL 4558, Australia
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QSL 4558, Australia
| | - Min Zhao
- Seaweed Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QSL 4558, Australia; (L.J.M.); (S.F.C.)
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QSL 4558, Australia
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8
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Brunoir T, Mulligan C, Sistiaga A, Vuu KM, Shih PM, O'Reilly SS, Summons RE, Gold DA. Common origin of sterol biosynthesis points to a feeding strategy shift in Neoproterozoic animals. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7941. [PMID: 38040676 PMCID: PMC10692144 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43545-z] [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: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Steranes preserved in sedimentary rocks serve as molecular fossils, which are thought to record the expansion of eukaryote life through the Neoproterozoic Era ( ~ 1000-541 Ma). Scientists hypothesize that ancient C27 steranes originated from cholesterol, the major sterol produced by living red algae and animals. Similarly, C28 and C29 steranes are thought to be derived from the sterols of prehistoric fungi, green algae, and other microbial eukaryotes. However, recent work on annelid worms-an advanced group of eumetazoan animals-shows that they are also capable of producing C28 and C29 sterols. In this paper, we explore the evolutionary history of the 24-C sterol methyltransferase (smt) gene in animals, which is required to make C28+ sterols. We find evidence that the smt gene was vertically inherited through animals, suggesting early eumetazoans were capable of C28+ sterol synthesis. Our molecular clock of the animal smt gene demonstrates that its diversification coincides with the rise of C28 and C29 steranes in the Neoproterozoic. This study supports the hypothesis that early eumetazoans were capable of making C28+ sterols and that many animal lineages independently abandoned its biosynthesis around the end-Neoproterozoic, coinciding with the rise of abundant eukaryotic prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Brunoir
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - C Mulligan
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - A Sistiaga
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - K M Vuu
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - P M Shih
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - S S O'Reilly
- Department of Life Sciences, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, Ireland
| | - R E Summons
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - D A Gold
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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9
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Abstract
The origin of modern eukaryotes is one of the key transitions in life's history, and also one of the least understood. Although the fossil record provides the most direct view of this process, interpreting the fossils of early eukaryotes and eukaryote-grade organisms is not straightforward. We present two end-member models for the evolution of modern (i.e., crown) eukaryotes-one in which modern eukaryotes evolved early, and another in which they evolved late-and interpret key fossils within these frameworks, including where they might fit in eukaryote phylogeny and what they may tell us about the evolution of eukaryotic cell biology and ecology. Each model has different implications for understanding the rise of complex life on Earth, including different roles of Earth surface oxygenation, and makes different predictions that future paleontological studies can test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susannah M Porter
- Department of Earth Science, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA;
| | - Leigh Anne Riedman
- Department of Earth Science, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA;
- Earth Research Institute, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA;
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10
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Abstract
Ligands of the Hedgehog (HH) pathway are paracrine signaling molecules that coordinate tissue development in metazoans. A remarkable feature of HH signaling is the repeated use of cholesterol in steps spanning ligand biogenesis, secretion, dispersal, and reception on target cells. A cholesterol molecule covalently attached to HH ligands is used as a molecular baton by transfer proteins to guide their secretion, spread, and reception. On target cells, a signaling circuit composed of a cholesterol transporter and sensor regulates transmission of HH signals across the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm. The repeated use of cholesterol in signaling supports the view that the HH pathway likely evolved by coopting ancient systems to regulate the abundance or organization of sterol-like lipids in membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Siebold
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom;
| | - Rajat Rohatgi
- Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA;
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11
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Brocks JJ, Nettersheim BJ, Adam P, Schaeffer P, Jarrett AJM, Güneli N, Liyanage T, van Maldegem LM, Hallmann C, Hope JM. Lost world of complex life and the late rise of the eukaryotic crown. Nature 2023:10.1038/s41586-023-06170-w. [PMID: 37286610 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06170-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic life appears to have flourished surprisingly late in the history of our planet. This view is based on the low diversity of diagnostic eukaryotic fossils in marine sediments of mid-Proterozoic age (around 1,600 to 800 million years ago) and an absence of steranes, the molecular fossils of eukaryotic membrane sterols1,2. This scarcity of eukaryotic remains is difficult to reconcile with molecular clocks that suggest that the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) had already emerged between around 1,200 and more than 1,800 million years ago. LECA, in turn, must have been preceded by stem-group eukaryotic forms by several hundred million years3. Here we report the discovery of abundant protosteroids in sedimentary rocks of mid-Proterozoic age. These primordial compounds had previously remained unnoticed because their structures represent early intermediates of the modern sterol biosynthetic pathway, as predicted by Konrad Bloch4. The protosteroids reveal an ecologically prominent 'protosterol biota' that was widespread and abundant in aquatic environments from at least 1,640 to around 800 million years ago and that probably comprised ancient protosterol-producing bacteria and deep-branching stem-group eukaryotes. Modern eukaryotes started to appear in the Tonian period (1,000 to 720 million years ago), fuelled by the proliferation of red algae (rhodophytes) by around 800 million years ago. This 'Tonian transformation' emerges as one of the most profound ecological turning points in the Earth's history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen J Brocks
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
| | - Benjamin J Nettersheim
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
- MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Pierre Adam
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg UMR 7177, Strasbourg, France
| | - Philippe Schaeffer
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg UMR 7177, Strasbourg, France
| | - Amber J M Jarrett
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Northern Territory Geological Survey, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Nur Güneli
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Tharika Liyanage
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Lennart M van Maldegem
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | | | - Janet M Hope
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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12
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Lee AK, Wei JH, Welander PV. De novo cholesterol biosynthesis in bacteria. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2904. [PMID: 37217541 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38638-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotes produce highly modified sterols, including cholesterol, essential to eukaryotic physiology. Although few bacterial species are known to produce sterols, de novo production of cholesterol or other complex sterols in bacteria has not been reported. Here, we show that the marine myxobacterium Enhygromyxa salina produces cholesterol and provide evidence for further downstream modifications. Through bioinformatic analysis we identify a putative cholesterol biosynthesis pathway in E. salina largely homologous to the eukaryotic pathway. However, experimental evidence indicates that complete demethylation at C-4 occurs through unique bacterial proteins, distinguishing bacterial and eukaryotic cholesterol biosynthesis. Additionally, proteins from the cyanobacterium Calothrix sp. NIES-4105 are also capable of fully demethylating sterols at the C-4 position, suggesting complex sterol biosynthesis may be found in other bacterial phyla. Our results reveal an unappreciated complexity in bacterial sterol production that rivals eukaryotes and highlight the complicated evolutionary relationship between sterol biosynthesis in the bacterial and eukaryotic domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alysha K Lee
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jeremy H Wei
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Paula V Welander
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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13
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Brocks J, Bobrovskiy I. Some animals make plant sterols. Science 2023; 380:455-456. [PMID: 37141348 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh8097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Most animals abandoned plant sterols early in evolution, but some still depend on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Brocks
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Ilya Bobrovskiy
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
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14
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Michellod D, Bien T, Birgel D, Violette M, Kleiner M, Fearn S, Zeidler C, Gruber-Vodicka HR, Dubilier N, Liebeke M. De novo phytosterol synthesis in animals. Science 2023; 380:520-526. [PMID: 37141360 PMCID: PMC11139496 DOI: 10.1126/science.add7830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Sterols are vital for nearly all eukaryotes. Their distribution differs in plants and animals, with phytosterols commonly found in plants whereas most animals are dominated by cholesterol. We show that sitosterol, a common sterol of plants, is the most abundant sterol in gutless marine annelids. Using multiomics, metabolite imaging, heterologous gene expression, and enzyme assays, we show that these animals synthesize sitosterol de novo using a noncanonical C-24 sterol methyltransferase (C24-SMT). This enzyme is essential for sitosterol synthesis in plants, but not known from most bilaterian animals. Our phylogenetic analyses revealed that C24-SMTs are present in representatives of at least five animal phyla, indicating that the synthesis of sterols common to plants is more widespread in animals than currently known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolma Michellod
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Tanja Bien
- Institute of Hygiene, University of Münster, Robert-Koch-Str. 41, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Daniel Birgel
- Institute for Geology, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, University of Hamburg, Bundesstraße 55, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marlene Violette
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Manuel Kleiner
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Sarah Fearn
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Zeidler
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | | | - Nicole Dubilier
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Manuel Liebeke
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
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15
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Zhao M, Fu L, Xu P, Wang T, Li P. Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Explore the Effect and Mechanism of Kanglaite Injection Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:901-917. [PMID: 36998242 PMCID: PMC10043292 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s397969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Kanglaite injection (KLTi), made of Coix seed oil, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of numerous cancers. However, the anticancer mechanism requires further exploration. This study aimed to investigate the underlying anticancer mechanisms of KLTi in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Methods Public databases were searched for active compounds in KLTi, their potential targets and TNBC-related targets. KLTi's core targets and signaling pathways were determined through compound-target network, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Molecular docking was carried out to predict the binding activity between active ingredients and key targets. In vitro experiments were conducted to further validate the predictions of network pharmacology. Results Fourteen active components of KLTi were screened from the database. Fifty-three candidate therapeutic targets were selected, and bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify the top two active compounds and three core targets. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that KLTi exerts therapeutic effects on TNBC through the cell cycle pathway. Molecular docking results showed that the main compounds of KLTi exhibited good binding activity to key target proteins. Results from in vitro experiments showed that KLTi inhibited proliferation and migration of TNBC cell lines 231 and 468, induced apoptosis, blocked cells in the G2/M phase, downregulated the mRNA expression of seven G2/M phase-related genes cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), and checkpoint kinase 1 (CHEK1), cell division cycle 25A (CDC25A), cell division cycle 25B (CDC25B), maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK), and aurora kinase A (AURKA), as well as downregulated CDK1 protein expression and up-regulated protein expression of Phospho-CDK1. Conclusion By utilizing network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro experiments, KLTi was confirmed to have anti-TNBC effects by arresting cell cycle and inhibiting CDK1 dephosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Zhao
- Department of Chinese Integrative Medicine Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lijuan Fu
- Department of Chinese Integrative Medicine Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Panling Xu
- Department of Chinese Integrative Medicine Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Chinese Integrative Medicine Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Chinese Integrative Medicine Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
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16
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Chuang L, Liu S, Franke J. Post-Cyclization Skeletal Rearrangements in Plant Triterpenoid Biosynthesis by a Pair of Branchpoint Isomerases. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:5083-5091. [PMID: 36821810 PMCID: PMC9999417 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Triterpenoids possess potent biological activities, but their polycyclic skeletons are challenging to synthesize. The skeletal diversity of triterpenoids in plants is generated by oxidosqualene cyclases based on epoxide-triggered cationic rearrangement cascades. Normally, triterpenoid skeletons then remain unaltered during subsequent tailoring steps. In contrast, the highly modified triterpenoids found in Sapindales plants imply the existence of post-cyclization skeletal rearrangement enzymes that have not yet been found. We report here a biosynthetic pathway in Sapindales plants for the modification of already cyclized tirucallane triterpenoids, controlling the pathway bifurcation between different plant triterpenoid classes. Using a combination of bioinformatics, heterologous expression in plants and chemical analyses, we identified a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and two isomerases which harness the epoxidation-rearrangement biosynthetic logic of triterpene cyclizations for modifying the tirucallane scaffold. The two isomerases share the same epoxide substrate made by the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase CYP88A154, but generate two different rearrangement products, one containing a cyclopropane ring. Our findings reveal a process for skeletal rearrangements of triterpenoids in nature that expands their scaffold diversity after the initial cyclization. In addition, the enzymes described here are crucial for the biotechnological production of limonoid, quassinoid, apoprotolimonoid, and glabretane triterpenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Chuang
- Centre of Biomolecular Drug Research, Leibniz University Hannover, Schneiderberg 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Shenyu Liu
- Centre of Biomolecular Drug Research, Leibniz University Hannover, Schneiderberg 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jakob Franke
- Centre of Biomolecular Drug Research, Leibniz University Hannover, Schneiderberg 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany.,Institute of Botany, Leibniz University Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany
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17
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Controlling antifungal activity with light: Optical regulation of fungal ergosterol biosynthetic pathway with photo-responsive CYP51 inhibitors. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023. [PMID: 37521860 PMCID: PMC10372832 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) have been associated with high mortality, highlighting the urgent need for developing novel antifungal strategies. Herein the first light-responsive antifungal agents were designed by optical control of fungal ergosterol biosynthesis pathway with photocaged triazole lanosterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) inhibitors. The photocaged triazoles completely shielded the CYP51 inhibition. The content of ergosterol in fungi before photoactivation and after photoactivation was 4.4% and 83.7%, respectively. Importantly, the shielded antifungal activity (MIC80 ≥ 64 μg/mL) could be efficiently recovered (MIC80 = 0.5-8 μg/mL) by light irradiation. The new chemical tools enable optical control of fungal growth arrest, morphological conversion and biofilm formation. The ability for high-precision antifungal treatment was validated by in vivo models. The light-activated compound A1 was comparable to fluconazole in prolonging survival in Galleria mellonella larvae with a median survival of 14 days and reducing fungal burden in the mouse skin infection model. Overall, this study paves the way for precise regulation of antifungal therapy with improved efficacy and safety.
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18
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Bi Y, Guo P, Liu L, Chen L, Zhang W. Elucidation of sterol biosynthesis pathway and its co-regulation with fatty acid biosynthesis in the oleaginous marine protist Schizochytrium sp. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1188461. [PMID: 37180050 PMCID: PMC10174431 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1188461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sterols constitute vital structural and regulatory components of eukaryotic cells. In the oleaginous microorganism Schizochytrium sp. S31, the sterol biosynthetic pathway primarily produces cholesterol, stigmasterol, lanosterol, and cycloartenol. However, the sterol biosynthesis pathway and its functional roles in Schizochytrium remain unidentified. Through Schizochytrium genomic data mining and a chemical biology approach, we first in silico elucidated the mevalonate and sterol biosynthesis pathways of Schizochytrium. The results showed that owing to the lack of plastids in Schizochytrium, it is likely to use the mevalonate pathway as the terpenoid backbone pathway to supply isopentenyl diphosphate for the synthesis of sterols, similar to that in fungi and animals. In addition, our analysis revealed a chimeric organization of the Schizochytrium sterol biosynthesis pathway, which possesses features of both algae and animal pathways. Temporal tracking of sterol profiles reveals that sterols play important roles in Schizochytrium growth, carotenoid synthesis, and fatty acid synthesis. Furthermore, the dynamics of fatty acid and transcription levels of genes involved in fatty acid upon chemical inhibitor-induced sterol inhibition reveal possible co-regulation of sterol synthesis and fatty acid synthesis, as the inhibition of sterol synthesis could promote the accumulation of fatty acid in Schizochytrium. Sterol and carotenoid metabolisms are also found possibly co-regulated, as the inhibition of sterols led to decreased carotenoid synthesis through down-regulating the gene HMGR and crtIBY in Schizochytrium. Together, elucidation of the Schizochytrium sterol biosynthesis pathway and its co-regulation with fatty acid synthesis lay the essential foundation for engineering Schizochytrium for the sustainable production of lipids and high-value chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Bi
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, China
| | - Pengfei Guo
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, China
| | - Liangsen Liu
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, China
| | - Weiwen Zhang
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, China
- Center for Biosafety Research and Strategy, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Weiwen Zhang,
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19
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Kopel J, McDonald J, Hamood A. An Assessment of the In Vitro Models and Clinical Trials Related to the Antimicrobial Activities of Phytochemicals. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11121838. [PMID: 36551494 PMCID: PMC9774156 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11121838] [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: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
An increased number antibiotic-resistant bacteria have emerged with the rise in antibiotic use worldwide. As such, there has been a growing interest in investigating novel antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Due to the extensive history of using plants for medicinal purposes, scientists and medical professionals have turned to plants as potential alternatives to common antibiotic treatments. Unlike other antibiotics in use, plant-based antibiotics have the innate ability to eliminate a broad spectrum of microorganisms through phytochemical defenses, including compounds such as alkaloids, organosulfur compounds, phenols, coumarins, and terpenes. In recent years, these antimicrobial compounds have been refined through extraction methods and tested against antibiotic-resistant strains of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The results of the experiments demonstrated that plant extracts successfully inhibited bacteria independently or in combination with other antimicrobial products. In this review, we examine the use of plant-based antibiotics for their utilization against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. In addition, we examine recent clinical trials utilizing phytochemicals for the treatment of several microbial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Kopel
- School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | | | - Abdul Hamood
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Correspondence:
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20
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Tomato Sterol 22-desaturase Gene CYP710A11: Its Roles in Meloidogyne incognita Infection and Plant Stigmasterol Alteration. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315111. [PMID: 36499431 PMCID: PMC9735470 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315111] [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: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Sterols are isoprenoid-derived lipids that play essential structural and functional roles in eukaryotic cells. Plants produce a complex mixture of sterols, and changes in plant sterol profiles have been linked to plant-pathogen interactions. β-Sitosterol and stigmasterol, in particular, have been associated with plant defense. As nematodes have lost the ability to synthesize sterols de novo, they require sterols from the host. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants infected by the plant parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita show a reduced level of stigmasterol and a repression of the gene CYP710A11, encoding the sterol C-22 desaturase that is responsible for the conversion of β-sitosterol to stigmasterol. In this study, we investigated the role of the tomato sterol C-22 desaturase gene CYP710A11 in the response to infection by M. incognita. We explored the plant-nematode interaction over time by analyzing the plant sterol composition and CYP710A11 gene regulation in S. lycopersicum after M. incognita infection. The temporal gene expression analysis showed that 3 days after inoculation with M. incognita, the CYP710A11 expression was significantly suppressed in the tomato roots, while a significant decrease in the stigmasterol content was observed after 14 days. A cyp710a11 knockout mutant tomato line lacking stigmasterol was analyzed to better understand the role of CYP710A11 in nematode development. M. incognita grown in the mutant line showed reduced egg mass counts, presumably due to the impaired growth of the mutant. However, the nematodes developed as well as they did in the wild-type line. Thus, while the suppression of CYP710A11 expression during nematode development may be a defense response of the plant against the nematode, the lack of stigmasterol did not seem to affect the nematode. This study contributes to the understanding of the role of stigmasterol in the interaction between M. incognita and tomato plants and shows that the sterol C-22 desaturase is not essential for the success of M. incognita.
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21
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Buonanno F, Trenti F, Achille G, Vallesi A, Guella G, Ortenzi C. Chemical Defence by Sterols in the Freshwater Ciliate Stentor polymorphus. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11121749. [PMID: 36552259 PMCID: PMC9774955 DOI: 10.3390/biology11121749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Heterotrich ciliates typically retain toxic substances in specialized ejectable organelles, called extrusomes, which are used in predator-prey interactions. In this study, we analysed the chemical defence strategy of the freshwater heterotrich ciliate Stentor polymorphus against the predatory ciliate Coleps hirtus, and the microturbellarian flatworm Stenostomum sphagnetorum. The results showed that S. polymorphus is able to defend itself against these two predators by deploying a mix of bioactive sterols contained in its extrusomes. Sterols were isolated in vivo and characterized by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), as ergosterol, 7-dehydroporiferasterol, and their two peroxidized analogues. The assessment of the toxicity of ergosterol and ergosterol peroxide against various organisms, indicated that these sterols are essential for the effectiveness of the chemical defence in S. polymorphus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Buonanno
- Laboratory of Protistology and Biology Education, Department of Education, Cultural Heritage, Tourism (ECHT), University of Macerata, 62100 Macerata, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.B.); (F.T.)
| | - Francesco Trenti
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Trento, 38050 Trento, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.B.); (F.T.)
| | - Gabriele Achille
- Laboratory of Protistology and Biology Education, Department of Education, Cultural Heritage, Tourism (ECHT), University of Macerata, 62100 Macerata, Italy
| | - Adriana Vallesi
- Laboratory of Eukaryotic Microbiology and Animal Biology, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Graziano Guella
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Trento, 38050 Trento, Italy
| | - Claudio Ortenzi
- Laboratory of Protistology and Biology Education, Department of Education, Cultural Heritage, Tourism (ECHT), University of Macerata, 62100 Macerata, Italy
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22
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Maier AG, van Ooij C. The role of cholesterol in invasion and growth of malaria parasites. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:984049. [PMID: 36189362 PMCID: PMC9522969 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.984049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites are unicellular eukaryotic pathogens that develop through a complex lifecycle involving two hosts, an anopheline mosquito and a vertebrate host. Throughout this lifecycle, the parasite encounters widely differing conditions and survives in distinct ways, from an intracellular lifestyle in the vertebrate host to exclusively extracellular stages in the mosquito. Although the parasite relies on cholesterol for its growth, the parasite has an ambiguous relationship with cholesterol: cholesterol is required for invasion of host cells by the parasite, including hepatocytes and erythrocytes, and for the development of the parasites in those cells. However, the parasite is unable to produce cholesterol itself and appears to remove cholesterol actively from its own plasma membrane, thereby setting up a cholesterol gradient inside the infected host erythrocyte. Overall a picture emerges in which the parasite relies on host cholesterol and carefully controls its transport. Here, we describe the role of cholesterol at the different lifecycle stages of the parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander G. Maier
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT, Australia
- *Correspondence: Alexander G. Maier, ; Christiaan van Ooij,
| | - Christiaan van Ooij
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Alexander G. Maier, ; Christiaan van Ooij,
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23
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Trautenberg LC, Brankatschk M, Shevchenko A, Wigby S, Reinhardt K. Ecological lipidology. eLife 2022; 11:79288. [PMID: 36069772 PMCID: PMC9451535 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dietary lipids (DLs), particularly sterols and fatty acids, are precursors for endogenous lipids that, unusually for macronutrients, shape cellular and organismal function long after ingestion. These functions – cell membrane structure, intracellular signalling, and hormonal activity – vary with the identity of DLs, and scale up to influence health, survival, and reproductive fitness, thereby affecting evolutionary change. Our Ecological Lipidology approach integrates biochemical mechanisms and molecular cell biology into evolution and nutritional ecology. It exposes our need to understand environmental impacts on lipidomes, the lipid specificity of cell functions, and predicts the evolution of lipid-based diet choices. Broad interdisciplinary implications of Ecological Lipidology include food web alterations, species responses to environmental change, as well as sex differences and lifestyle impacts on human nutrition, and opportunities for DL-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marko Brankatschk
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andrej Shevchenko
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stuart Wigby
- Applied Zoology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Klaus Reinhardt
- Applied Zoology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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24
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Sanchez Granel ML, Siburu NG, Fricska A, Maldonado LL, Gargiulo LB, Nudel CB, Uttaro AD, Nusblat AD. A novel Tetrahymena thermophila sterol C-22 desaturase belongs to the Fatty Acid Hydroxylase/Desaturase superfamily. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102397. [PMID: 35988640 PMCID: PMC9485055 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Sterols in eukaryotic cells play important roles in modulating membrane fluidity and in cell signaling and trafficking. During evolution, a combination of gene losses and acquisitions gave rise to an extraordinary diversity of sterols in different organisms. The sterol C-22 desaturase identified in plants and fungi as a cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase evolved from the first eukaryotic cytochrome P450 and was lost in many lineages. Although the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila desaturates sterols at the C-22 position, no cytochrome P-450 orthologs are present in the genome. Here, we aim to identify the genes responsible for the desaturation as well as their probable origin. We used gene knockout and yeast heterologous expression approaches to identify two putative genes, retrieved from a previous transcriptomic analysis, as sterol C-22 desaturases. Furthermore, we demonstrate using bioinformatics and evolutionary analyses that both genes encode a novel type of sterol C-22 desaturase that belongs to the large fatty acid hydroxylase/desaturase superfamily and the genes originated by genetic duplication prior to functional diversification. These results stress the widespread existence of nonhomologous isofunctional enzymes among different lineages of the tree of life as well as the suitability for the use of T. thermophila as a valuable model to investigate the evolutionary process of large enzyme families.
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Affiliation(s)
- María L Sanchez Granel
- Instituto de Nanobiotecnología (NANOBIOTEC), CONICET, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás G Siburu
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda s/n, S2000FHQ, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Annamária Fricska
- Instituto de Nanobiotecnología (NANOBIOTEC), CONICET, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas L Maldonado
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), CONICET, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura B Gargiulo
- Instituto de Nanobiotecnología (NANOBIOTEC), CONICET, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Clara B Nudel
- Instituto de Nanobiotecnología (NANOBIOTEC), CONICET, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Antonio D Uttaro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda s/n, S2000FHQ, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Alejandro D Nusblat
- Instituto de Nanobiotecnología (NANOBIOTEC), CONICET, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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25
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Vitamin D in the Context of Evolution. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14153018. [PMID: 35893872 PMCID: PMC9332464 DOI: 10.3390/nu14153018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
For at least 1.2 billion years, eukaryotes have been able to synthesize sterols and, therefore, can produce vitamin D when exposed to UV-B. Vitamin D endocrinology was established some 550 million years ago in animals, when the high-affinity nuclear receptor VDR (vitamin D receptor), transport proteins and enzymes for vitamin D metabolism evolved. This enabled vitamin D to regulate, via its target genes, physiological process, the first of which were detoxification and energy metabolism. In this way, vitamin D was enabled to modulate the energy-consuming processes of the innate immune system in its fight against microbes. In the evolving adaptive immune system, vitamin D started to act as a negative regulator of growth, which prevents overboarding reactions of T cells in the context of autoimmune diseases. When, some 400 million years ago, species left the ocean and were exposed to gravitation, vitamin D endocrinology took over the additional role as a major regulator of calcium homeostasis, being important for a stable skeleton. Homo sapiens evolved approximately 300,000 years ago in East Africa and had adapted vitamin D endocrinology to the intensive exposure of the equatorial sun. However, when some 75,000 years ago, when anatomically modern humans started to populate all continents, they also reached regions with seasonally low or no UV-B, i.e., and under these conditions vitamin D became a vitamin.
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26
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Ahmed U, Ho KY, Simon SE, Saad SM, Ong SK, Anwar A, Tan KO, Sridewi N, Khan KM, Khan NA, Anwar A. Potential anti-acanthamoebic effects through inhibition of CYP51 by novel quinazolinones. Acta Trop 2022; 231:106440. [PMID: 35378058 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp. are free living amoebae which can give rise to Acanthamoeba keratitis and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. The surface of Acanthamoeba contains ergosterol which is an important target for drug development against eukaryotic microorganisms. A library of ten functionally diverse quinazolinone derivatives (Q1-Q10) were synthesised to assess their activity against Acanthamoeba castellanii T4. The in-vitro effectiveness of these quinazolinones were investigated against Acanthamoeba castellanii by amoebicidal, excystation, host cell cytopathogenicity, and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase assays. Furthermore, wound healing capability was assessed at different time durations. Maximum inhibition at 50 μg/mL was recorded for compounds Q5, Q6 and Q8, while the compound Q3 did not exhibit amoebicidal effects at tested concentrations. Moreover, LDH assay was conducted to assess the cytotoxicity of quinazolinones against HaCaT cell line. The results of wound healing assay revealed that all compounds are not cytotoxic and are likely to promote wound healing at 10 μg/mL. The excystation assays revealed that these compounds significantly inhibit the morphological transformation of A. castellanii. Compound Q3, Q7 and Q8 elevated the level of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase up to five folds. Sterol 14alpha-demethylase (CYP51) a reference enzyme in ergosterol pathway was used as a potential target for anti-amoebic drugs. In this study using i-Tasser, the protein structure of Acanthamoeba castellanii (AcCYP51) was developed in comparison with Naegleria fowleri protein (NfCYP51) structure. The sequence alignment of both proteins has shown 42.72% identity. Compounds Q1-Q10 were then molecularly docked with the predicted AcCYP51. Out of ten quinazolinones, three compounds (Q3, Q7 and Q8) showed good binding activity within 3 Å of TYR 114. The in-silico study confirmed that these compounds are the inhibitor of CYP51 target site. This report presents several potential lead compounds belonging to quinazolinone derivatives for drug discovery against Acanthamoeba infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usman Ahmed
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Keat-Yie Ho
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Samson Eugin Simon
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Seng-Kai Ong
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Areeba Anwar
- Faculty of Defence Science and Technology, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kuan Onn Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nanthini Sridewi
- Faculty of Defence Science and Technology, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Khalid Mohammed Khan
- H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan; Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, University City, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ayaz Anwar
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
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27
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Wang W, Cui T, Zhang F, Xue Z, Zhang B, Liu X. Functional Analysis of the C-5 Sterol Desaturase PcErg3 in the Sterol Auxotrophic Oomycete Pathogen Phytophthora capsici. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:811132. [PMID: 35651492 PMCID: PMC9151008 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.811132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although sterols play an important role in most eukaryotes, some oomycetes, including Phytophthora spp., have lost the sterol synthesis pathway. Nevertheless, the ERG3 gene encoding C-5 sterol desaturase in the sterol synthesis pathway is still present in the genomes of Phytophthora spp. Phytophthora capsici, a destructive pathogen with a broad range of plant hosts, poses a significant threat to the production of agriculture. This study focused on the ERG3 gene in P. capsici (PcERG3) and explored its function in this pathogen. It showed that the PcERG3 gene could be expressed in all tested developmental stages of P. capsici, with sporangium and mycelium displaying higher expression levels. A potential substrate of Erg3 (stellasterol) was used to treat the P. capsici wild-type strain and a PcERG3Δ transformant, and their sterol profiles were determined by GC-MS. The wild-type strain could convert stellasterol into the down-stream product while the transformant could not, indicating that PcErg3 retains the C-5 sterol desaturase activity. By comparing the biological characteristics of different strains, it was found that PcERG3 is not important for the development of P. capsici. The pathogenicity of the PcERG3Δ transformants and the wild-type strain was comparable, suggesting that PcERG3 is not necessary for the interaction between P. capsici and its hosts. Further investigations revealed that the PcERG3Δ transformants and the wild-type strain displayed a similar level of tolerance to external adversities such as unsuitable temperatures, high osmotic pressures, and intemperate pH, signifying that PcERG3 is not essential for P. capsici to cope with these environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhen Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Tongshan Cui
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaolin Xue
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Borui Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xili Liu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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28
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Wang W, Zhang F, Zhang S, Xue Z, Xie L, Govers F, Liu X. Phytophthora capsici sterol reductase PcDHCR7 has a role in mycelium development and pathogenicity. Open Biol 2022; 12:210282. [PMID: 35382565 PMCID: PMC8984297 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The de novo biosynthesis of sterols is critical for the majority of eukaryotes; however, some organisms lack this pathway, including most oomycetes. Phytophthora spp. are sterol auxotrophic but, remarkably, have retained a few genes encoding enzymes in the sterol biosynthesis pathway. Here, we show that PcDHCR7, a gene in Phytophthora capsici predicted to encode Δ7-sterol reductase, displays multiple functions. When expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, PcDHCR7 showed the Δ7-sterol reductase activity. Knocking out PcDHCR7 in P. capsici resulted in loss of the capacity to transform ergosterol into brassicasterol, which means PcDHCR7 has the Δ7-sterol reductase activity in P. capsici itself. This enables P. capsici to transform sterols recruited from the environment for better use. The biological characteristics of ΔPcDHCR7 transformants were compared with those of the wild-type strain and a PcDHCR7 complemented transformant, and the results showed that PcDHCR7 plays a key role in mycelium development and pathogenicity of zoospores. Further analysis of the transcriptome indicated that the expression of many genes changed in the ΔPcDHCR7 transformant, which involve in different biological processes. It is possible that P. capsici compensates for the defects caused by the loss of PcDHCR7 by remodelling its transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhen Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China,Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Sicong Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaolin Xue
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Linfang Xie
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Francine Govers
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Xili Liu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China,State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, People's Republic of China
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29
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Yang X, Jiang X, Yan W, Huang Q, Sun H, Zhang X, Zhang Z, Ye W, Wu Y, Govers F, Liang Y. The Mevalonate Pathway Is Important for Growth, Spore Production, and the Virulence of Phytophthora sojae. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:772994. [PMID: 36338274 PMCID: PMC9635365 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.772994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The mevalonate (MVA) pathway in eukaryotic organisms produces isoprenoids, sterols, ubiquinone, and dolichols. These molecules are vital for diverse cellular functions, ranging from signaling to membrane integrity, and from post-translational modification to energy homeostasis. However, information on the MVA pathway in Phytophthora species is limited. In this study, we identified the MVA pathway genes and reconstructed the complete pathway in Phytophthora sojae in silico. We characterized the function of the MVA pathway of P. sojae by treatment with enzyme inhibitor lovastatin, deletion of the geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase gene (PsBTS1), and transcriptome profiling analysis. The MVA pathway is ubiquitously conserved in Phytophthora species. Under lovastatin treatment, mycelial growth, spore production, and virulence of P. sojae were inhibited but the zoospore encystment rate increased. Heterozygous mutants of PsBTS1 showed slow growth, abnormal colony characteristics, and mycelial morphology. Mutants showed decreased numbers of sporangia and oospores as well as reduced virulence. RNA sequencing analysis identified the essential genes in sporangia formation were influenced by the enzyme inhibitor lovastatin. Our findings elucidate the role of the MVA pathway in P. sojae and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the development, reproduction, and virulence of P. sojae and possibly other oomycetes. Our results also provide potential chemical targets for management of plant Phytophthora diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Yang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xue Jiang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Weiqi Yan
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qifeng Huang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Huiying Sun
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Hunan Plant Protection Institute, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, China
| | - Zhichao Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenwu Ye
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuanhua Wu
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Francine Govers
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Yue Liang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
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30
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Lu J, Luo M, Wang L, Li K, Yu Y, Yang W, Gong P, Gao H, Li Q, Zhao J, Wu L, Zhang M, Liu X, Zhang X, Zhang X, Kang J, Yu T, Li Z, Jiao Y, Wang H, He C. The Physalis floridana genome provides insights into the biochemical and morphological evolution of Physalis fruits. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2021; 8:244. [PMID: 34795210 PMCID: PMC8602270 DOI: 10.1038/s41438-021-00705-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The fruits of Physalis (Solanaceae) have a unique structure, a lantern-like fruiting calyx known as inflated calyx syndrome (ICS) or the Chinese lantern, and are rich in steroid-related compounds. However, the genetic variations underlying the origin of these characteristic traits and diversity in Physalis remain largely unknown. Here, we present a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome assembly of Physalis floridana (~1.40 Gb in size) with a contig N50 of ~4.87 Mb. Through evolutionary genomics and experimental approaches, we found that the loss of the SEP-like MADS-box gene MBP21 subclade is likely a key mutation that, together with the previously revealed mutation affecting floral MPF2 expression, might have contributed to the origination of ICS in Physaleae, suggesting that the origination of a morphological novelty may have resulted from an evolutionary scenario in which one mutation compensated for another deleterious mutation. Moreover, the significant expansion of squalene epoxidase genes is potentially associated with the natural variation of steroid-related compounds in Physalis fruits. The results reveal the importance of gene gains (duplication) and/or subsequent losses as genetic bases of the evolution of distinct fruit traits, and the data serve as a valuable resource for the evolutionary genetics and breeding of solanaceous crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangjie Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, 310036, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meifang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
| | - Kunpeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yongyi Yu
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Co, Ltd, 100176, Beijing, China
| | - Weifei Yang
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Co, Ltd, 100176, Beijing, China
| | - Pichang Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
| | - Huihui Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Qiaoru Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Lanfeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Mingshu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Co, Ltd, 100176, Beijing, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, 310036, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jieyu Kang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, 310036, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tongyuan Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, 310036, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhimin Li
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Co, Ltd, 100176, Beijing, China
| | - Yuannian Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China.
| | - Huizhong Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, 310036, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Chaoying He
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, 100093, Xiangshan, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19, 100049, Beijing, China.
- The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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31
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Myxobacterial Genomics and Post-Genomics: A Review of Genome Biology, Genome Sequences and Related 'Omics Studies. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102143. [PMID: 34683464 PMCID: PMC8538405 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Myxobacteria are fascinating and complex microbes. They prey upon other members of the soil microbiome by secreting antimicrobial proteins and metabolites, and will undergo multicellular development if starved. The genome sequence of the model myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus DK1622 was published in 2006 and 15 years later, 163 myxobacterial genome sequences have now been made public. This explosion in genomic data has enabled comparative genomics analyses to be performed across the taxon, providing important insights into myxobacterial gene conservation and evolution. The availability of myxobacterial genome sequences has allowed system-wide functional genomic investigations into entire classes of genes. It has also enabled post-genomic technologies to be applied to myxobacteria, including transcriptome analyses (microarrays and RNA-seq), proteome studies (gel-based and gel-free), investigations into protein–DNA interactions (ChIP-seq) and metabolism. Here, we review myxobacterial genome sequencing, and summarise the insights into myxobacterial biology that have emerged as a result. We also outline the application of functional genomics and post-genomic approaches in myxobacterial research, highlighting important findings to emerge from seminal studies. The review also provides a comprehensive guide to the genomic datasets available in mid-2021 for myxobacteria (including 24 genomes that we have sequenced and which are described here for the first time).
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Chen Y, Wu J, Yu D, Du X. Advances in steroidal saponins biosynthesis. PLANTA 2021; 254:91. [PMID: 34617240 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03732-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This work reviews recent advances in the pathways and key enzymes of steroidal saponins biosynthesis and sets the foundation for the biotechnological production of these useful compounds through transformation of microorganisms. Steroidal saponins, due to their specific chemical structures and active effects, have long been important natural products and that are irreplaceable in hormone production and other pharmaceutical industries. This article comprehensively reviewed the previous and current research progress and summarized the biosynthesis pathways and key biosynthetic enzymes of steroidal saponins that have been discovered in plants and microoganisms. On the basis of the general biosynthetic pathway in plants, it was found that the starting components, intermediates and catalysing enzymes were diverse between plants and microorganisms; however, the functions of their related enzymes tended to be similar. The biosynthesis pathways of steroidal saponins in microorganisms and marine organisms have not been revealed as clearly as those in plants and need further investigation. The elucidation of biosynthetic pathways and key enzymes is essential for understanding the synthetic mechanisms of these compounds and provides researchers with important information to further develop and implement the massive production of steroidal saponins by biotechnological approaches and methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education, Pharmaceutical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, 24 Heping Road, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Junkai Wu
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education, Pharmaceutical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, 24 Heping Road, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Dan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education, Pharmaceutical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, 24 Heping Road, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Xiaowei Du
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica, Ministry of Education, Pharmaceutical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, 24 Heping Road, Harbin, 150040, China.
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33
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Trabelcy B, Gerchman Y, Sapir A. A sterol-defined system for quantitative studies of sterol metabolism in C. elegans. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100710. [PMID: 34409305 PMCID: PMC8361321 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This protocol describes the culturing of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) in a sterol-defined experimental system and the subsequent quantitative analysis of C. elegans sterols through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Although studied primarily in mammals, sterols are essential biomolecules for most eukaryotes. C. elegans cannot synthesize sterols and thus relies on the uptake of dietary sterols. Therefore, C. elegans is a powerful system to study metabolism in sterol-defined conditions that are described in our protocol. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Shamsuzzama et al. (2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Trabelcy
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
- Corresponding author
| | - Yoram Gerchman
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
| | - Amir Sapir
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838 Israel
- Corresponding author
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34
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Kořený L, Oborník M, Horáková E, Waller RF, Lukeš J. The convoluted history of haem biosynthesis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:141-162. [PMID: 34472688 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The capacity of haem to transfer electrons, bind diatomic gases, and catalyse various biochemical reactions makes it one of the essential biomolecules on Earth and one that was likely used by the earliest forms of cellular life. Since the description of haem biosynthesis, our understanding of this multi-step pathway has been almost exclusively derived from a handful of model organisms from narrow taxonomic contexts. Recent advances in genome sequencing and functional studies of diverse and previously neglected groups have led to discoveries of alternative routes of haem biosynthesis that deviate from the 'classical' pathway. In this review, we take an evolutionarily broad approach to illuminate the remarkable diversity and adaptability of haem synthesis, from prokaryotes to eukaryotes, showing the range of strategies that organisms employ to obtain and utilise haem. In particular, the complex evolutionary histories of eukaryotes that involve multiple endosymbioses and horizontal gene transfers are reflected in the mosaic origin of numerous metabolic pathways with haem biosynthesis being a striking case. We show how different evolutionary trajectories and distinct life strategies resulted in pronounced tensions and differences in the spatial organisation of the haem biosynthesis pathway, in some cases leading to a complete loss of a haem-synthesis capacity and, rarely, even loss of a requirement for haem altogether.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luděk Kořený
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Hopkins Building, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, U.K
| | - Miroslav Oborník
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice (Budweis), 370 05, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská, České Budějovice (Budweis), 31, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Horáková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice (Budweis), 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Ross F Waller
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Hopkins Building, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, U.K
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice (Budweis), 370 05, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská, České Budějovice (Budweis), 31, Czech Republic
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35
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Herman EK, Greninger A, van der Giezen M, Ginger ML, Ramirez-Macias I, Miller HC, Morgan MJ, Tsaousis AD, Velle K, Vargová R, Záhonová K, Najle SR, MacIntyre G, Muller N, Wittwer M, Zysset-Burri DC, Eliáš M, Slamovits CH, Weirauch MT, Fritz-Laylin L, Marciano-Cabral F, Puzon GJ, Walsh T, Chiu C, Dacks JB. Genomics and transcriptomics yields a system-level view of the biology of the pathogen Naegleria fowleri. BMC Biol 2021; 19:142. [PMID: 34294116 PMCID: PMC8296547 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01078-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The opportunistic pathogen Naegleria fowleri establishes infection in the human brain, killing almost invariably within 2 weeks. The amoeba performs piece-meal ingestion, or trogocytosis, of brain material causing direct tissue damage and massive inflammation. The cellular basis distinguishing N. fowleri from other Naegleria species, which are all non-pathogenic, is not known. Yet, with the geographic range of N. fowleri advancing, potentially due to climate change, understanding how this pathogen invades and kills is both important and timely. RESULTS Here, we report an -omics approach to understanding N. fowleri biology and infection at the system level. We sequenced two new strains of N. fowleri and performed a transcriptomic analysis of low- versus high-pathogenicity N. fowleri cultured in a mouse infection model. Comparative analysis provides an in-depth assessment of encoded protein complement between strains, finding high conservation. Molecular evolutionary analyses of multiple diverse cellular systems demonstrate that the N. fowleri genome encodes a similarly complete cellular repertoire to that found in free-living N. gruberi. From transcriptomics, neither stress responses nor traits conferred from lateral gene transfer are suggested as critical for pathogenicity. By contrast, cellular systems such as proteases, lysosomal machinery, and motility, together with metabolic reprogramming and novel N. fowleri proteins, are all implicated in facilitating pathogenicity within the host. Upregulation in mouse-passaged N. fowleri of genes associated with glutamate metabolism and ammonia transport suggests adaptation to available carbon sources in the central nervous system. CONCLUSIONS In-depth analysis of Naegleria genomes and transcriptomes provides a model of cellular systems involved in opportunistic pathogenicity, uncovering new angles to understanding the biology of a rare but highly fatal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Herman
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Alex Greninger
- Laboratory Medicine and Medicine / Infectious Diseases, UCSF-Abbott Viral Diagnostics and Discovery Center, UCSF Clinical Microbiology Laboratory UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington Medical Center, Montlake, USA
| | - Mark van der Giezen
- Centre for Organelle Research, Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Michael L Ginger
- School of Applied Sciences, Department of Biological and Geographical Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
| | - Inmaculada Ramirez-Macias
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital Clinico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca. Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria. Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red-Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Haylea C Miller
- CSIRO Land and Water, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences, Private Bag No.5, Wembley, Western Australia 6913, Australia
- CSIRO, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Environomics Future Science Platform, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Matthew J Morgan
- CSIRO Land and Water, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, Australia
| | | | - Katrina Velle
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, UK
| | - Romana Vargová
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Kristína Záhonová
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sebastian Rodrigo Najle
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08003, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Georgina MacIntyre
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Norbert Muller
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty Bern, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mattias Wittwer
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Denise C Zysset-Burri
- Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marek Eliáš
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Claudio H Slamovits
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Matthew T Weirauch
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology and Divisions of Biomedical Informatics and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, USA
| | | | - Francine Marciano-Cabral
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Geoffrey J Puzon
- CSIRO Land and Water, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences, Private Bag No.5, Wembley, Western Australia 6913, Australia
| | - Tom Walsh
- CSIRO Land and Water, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, Australia
| | - Charles Chiu
- Laboratory Medicine and Medicine / Infectious Diseases, UCSF-Abbott Viral Diagnostics and Discovery Center, UCSF Clinical Microbiology Laboratory UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, USA
| | - Joel B Dacks
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK.
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Lamb DC, Hargrove TY, Zhao B, Wawrzak Z, Goldstone JV, Nes WD, Kelly SL, Waterman MR, Stegeman JJ, Lepesheva GI. Concerning P450 Evolution: Structural Analyses Support Bacterial Origin of Sterol 14α-Demethylases. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:952-967. [PMID: 33031537 PMCID: PMC7947880 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sterol biosynthesis, primarily associated with eukaryotic kingdoms of life, occurs as an abbreviated pathway in the bacterium Methylococcus capsulatus. Sterol 14α-demethylation is an essential step in this pathway and is catalyzed by cytochrome P450 51 (CYP51). In M. capsulatus, the enzyme consists of the P450 domain naturally fused to a ferredoxin domain at the C-terminus (CYP51fx). The structure of M. capsulatus CYP51fx was solved to 2.7 Å resolution and is the first structure of a bacterial sterol biosynthetic enzyme. The structure contained one P450 molecule per asymmetric unit with no electron density seen for ferredoxin. We connect this with the requirement of P450 substrate binding in order to activate productive ferredoxin binding. Further, the structure of the P450 domain with bound detergent (which replaced the substrate upon crystallization) was solved to 2.4 Å resolution. Comparison of these two structures to the CYP51s from human, fungi, and protozoa reveals strict conservation of the overall protein architecture. However, the structure of an "orphan" P450 from nonsterol-producing Mycobacterium tuberculosis that also has CYP51 activity reveals marked differences, suggesting that loss of function in vivo might have led to alterations in the structural constraints. Our results are consistent with the idea that eukaryotic and bacterial CYP51s evolved from a common cenancestor and that early eukaryotes may have recruited CYP51 from a bacterial source. The idea is supported by bioinformatic analysis, revealing the presence of CYP51 genes in >1,000 bacteria from nine different phyla, >50 of them being natural CYP51fx fusion proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Lamb
- Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Tatiana Y Hargrove
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Bin Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Zdzislaw Wawrzak
- Synchrotron Research Center, Life Science Collaborative Access Team, Northwestern University, Argonne, IL
| | - Jared V Goldstone
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA
| | - William David Nes
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Steven L Kelly
- Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Michael R Waterman
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - John J Stegeman
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA
| | - Galina I Lepesheva
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN.,Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
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Bansal R, Sen SS, Muthuswami R, Madhubala R. Stigmasterol as a potential biomarker for amphotericin B resistance in Leishmania donovani. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 75:942-950. [PMID: 31886855 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkz515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmania donovani, a protozoan parasite, is the primary causative agent for visceral leishmaniasis. Toxicity and increased resistance to existing drugs have led to an urgent need for identifying new drugs and drug targets. Understanding the risks and mechanisms of resistance is of great importance. Amphotericin B (AmB) is a polyene antimicrobial, the mainstay therapy for visceral leishmaniasis in several parts of India. OBJECTIVES In the present study, we established a line of AmB-resistant L. donovani promastigotes in vitro and demonstrated the molecular basis of resistance to AmB. METHODS AmB-resistant promastigotes were generated and characterized to evaluate the mechanism of resistance to AmB. We examined the sterol composition of the promastigotes and the axenic amastigotes derived from the WT and AmB-resistant promastigotes. The role of the plant-like C-22 desaturase responsible for stigmasterol production was also evaluated in the AmB-resistant strain. RESULTS The IC50 for resistant cells was four times higher than for the WT. AmB-resistant promastigotes showed an increase in the conversion of β-sitosterol into stigmasterol. The presence of higher amounts of stigmasterol in resistant promastigotes, as well as in axenic amastigotes, signifies its role in AmB resistance in Leishmania. The resistant strain showed reduced infectivity in vitro. CONCLUSIONS We have elucidated the mode of action and resistance mechanisms to the drug. However, further work is required to validate the potential role of stigmasterol in resistance and to help develop a diagnostic kit that can assist in diagnosing potentially resistant lines in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby Bansal
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Shib Sankar Sen
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Rohini Muthuswami
- Chromatin Remodelling Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Rentala Madhubala
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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38
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Abstract
Steroids are one of three major lipid components of the eukaryotic cellular membrane, along with glycerophospolipids and sphingolipids. Steroids have critical roles in eukaryotic endocytosis and thus may have been structural prerequisites for the endocytic acquisition of mitochondria during eukaryogenesis. The evolutionary history of the eukaryotic cellular membrane is poorly understood and, as such, has limited our understanding of eukaryogenesis. We address the evolution of steroid biosynthesis by combining ancestral sequence reconstruction and phylogenetic analyses of steroid biosynthesis genes. Our results indicate that steroid biosynthesis evolved within bacteria in response to the rise of oxygen and was later horizontally transferred to eukaryotes. Membrane properties of early eukaryotes are inferred to have been different than that of modern eukaryotes. Steroids are components of the eukaryotic cellular membrane and have indispensable roles in the process of eukaryotic endocytosis by regulating membrane fluidity and permeability. In particular, steroids may have been a structural prerequisite for the acquisition of mitochondria via endocytosis during eukaryogenesis. While eukaryotes are inferred to have evolved from an archaeal lineage, there is little similarity between the eukaryotic and archaeal cellular membranes. As such, the evolution of eukaryotic cellular membranes has limited our understanding of eukaryogenesis. Despite evolving from archaea, the eukaryotic cellular membrane is essentially a fatty acid bacterial-type membrane, which implies a substantial bacterial contribution to the evolution of the eukaryotic cellular membrane. Here, we address the evolution of steroid biosynthesis in eukaryotes by combining ancestral sequence reconstruction and comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of steroid biosynthesis genes. Contrary to the traditional assumption that eukaryotic steroid biosynthesis evolved within eukaryotes, most steroid biosynthesis genes are inferred to be derived from bacteria. In particular, aerobic deltaproteobacteria (myxobacteria) seem to have mediated the transfer of key genes for steroid biosynthesis to eukaryotes. Analyses of resurrected steroid biosynthesis enzymes suggest that the steroid biosynthesis pathway in early eukaryotes may have been similar to the pathway seen in modern plants and algae. These resurrected proteins also experimentally demonstrate that molecular oxygen was required to establish the modern eukaryotic cellular membrane during eukaryogenesis. Our study provides unique insight into relationships between early eukaryotes and other bacteria in addition to the well-known endosymbiosis with alphaproteobacteria.
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39
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhen Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Xili Liu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Francine Govers
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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40
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Darnet S, Blary A, Chevalier Q, Schaller H. Phytosterol Profiles, Genomes and Enzymes - An Overview. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:665206. [PMID: 34093623 PMCID: PMC8172173 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.665206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The remarkable diversity of sterol biosynthetic capacities described in living organisms is enriched at a fast pace by a growing number of sequenced genomes. Whereas analytical chemistry has produced a wealth of sterol profiles of species in diverse taxonomic groups including seed and non-seed plants, algae, phytoplanktonic species and other unicellular eukaryotes, functional assays and validation of candidate genes unveils new enzymes and new pathways besides canonical biosynthetic schemes. An overview of the current landscape of sterol pathways in the tree of life is tentatively assembled in a series of sterolotypes that encompass major groups and provides also peculiar features of sterol profiles in bacteria, fungi, plants, and algae.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hubert Schaller
- Plant Isoprenoid Biology Team, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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41
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Hernández J, Gabrielli M, Costa J, Uttaro AD. Phagocytic and pinocytic uptake of cholesterol in Tetrahymena thermophila impact differently on gene regulation for sterol homeostasis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9067. [PMID: 33907281 PMCID: PMC8079401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88737-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila can either synthesize tetrahymanol or when available, assimilate and modify sterols from its diet. This metabolic shift is mainly driven by transcriptional regulation of genes for tetrahymanol synthesis (TS) and sterol bioconversion (SB). The mechanistic details of sterol uptake, intracellular trafficking and the associated gene expression changes are unknown. By following cholesterol incorporation over time in a conditional phagocytosis-deficient mutant, we found that although phagocytosis is the main sterol intake route, a secondary endocytic pathway exists. Different expression patterns for TS and SB genes were associated with these entry mechanisms. Squalene synthase was down-regulated by a massive cholesterol intake only attainable by phagocytosis-proficient cells, whereas C22-sterol desaturase required ten times less cholesterol and was up-regulated in both wild-type and mutant cells. These patterns are suggestive of at least two different signaling pathways. Sterol trafficking beyond phagosomes and esterification was impaired by the NPC1 inhibitor U18666A. NPC1 is a protein that mediates cholesterol export from late endosomes/lysosomes in mammalian cells. U18666A also produced a delay in the transcriptional response to cholesterol, suggesting that the regulatory signals are triggered between lysosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum. These findings could hint at partial conservation of sterol homeostasis between eukaryote lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefina Hernández
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Matías Gabrielli
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Joaquín Costa
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Antonio D Uttaro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina.
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Alnufaie R, Ali MA, Alkhaibari IS, Roy S, Day VW, Alam MA. Benign Synthesis of Fused-thiazoles with Enone-based Natural Products and Drugs for Lead Discovery. NEW J CHEM 2021; 45:6001-6017. [PMID: 33840994 DOI: 10.1039/d1nj00380a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
In an effort to synthesize a library of bioactive molecules, we present an efficient synthesis of fused-thiazole derivatives of natural products and approved drugs by using an environmentally usable solvent, acetic acid, and without any external reagent. Cholestenone, ethisterone, progesterone, and nootkatone-derived epoxyketones have been utilized to synthesize 50 novel compounds. The plausible mechanism of the reaction has been determined by theoretical calculation using M06-2X/6-31+G(d,p). These novel molecules have been tested against cancer cell lines and pathogenic bacterial strains. Several ethisterone-based fused-thiazole compounds are found to be potent growth inhibitors of cancer cell lines at submicromolar concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rawan Alnufaie
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, College of Science and Mathematics, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72467, United States
| | - Mohamad Akbar Ali
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim S Alkhaibari
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, College of Science and Mathematics, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72467, United States
| | - Subrata Roy
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, College of Science and Mathematics, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72467, United States
| | - Victor W Day
- Department of Chemistry, Integrated Science Building, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66046, United States
| | - Mohammad A Alam
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, College of Science and Mathematics, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72467, United States
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Tokashiki J, Toyama H, Mizutani O. Development of an itraconazole resistance gene as a dominant selectable marker for transformation in Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus luchuensis. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2021; 85:722-727. [PMID: 33624784 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbaa080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
There are only a few combinations of antifungal drugs with known resistance marker genes in the Aspergillus species; therefore, the transformation of their wild-type strains is limited. In this study, to develop the novel dominant selectable marker for itraconazole, a fungal cell membrane synthesis inhibitor, we focused on Aspergillus luchuensis cyp51A (Alcyp51A), which encodes a 14-α-sterol demethylase related to the steroid synthesis pathway. We found that the G52R mutation in AlCyp51A and the replacement of the native promoter with a high-expression promoter contributed to itraconazole resistance in Aspergillus oryzae, designated as itraconazole resistant gene (itrA). The random integration in the A. luchuensis genome of the itrA marker cassette gene also allowed for transformation using itraconazole. Therefore, we succeed in developing a novel itraconazole resistance marker as a dominant selectable marker for transformation in A. oryzae and A. luchuensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikian Tokashiki
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kagoshima University, Korimoto, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Hirohide Toyama
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kagoshima University, Korimoto, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima, Japan.,Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Osamu Mizutani
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kagoshima University, Korimoto, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima, Japan.,Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan
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44
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Changes in the Plant β-Sitosterol/Stigmasterol Ratio Caused by the Plant Parasitic Nematode Meloidogyne incognita. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10020292. [PMID: 33557005 PMCID: PMC7913658 DOI: 10.3390/plants10020292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Sterols play a key role in various physiological processes of plants. Commonly, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol and campesterol represent the main plant sterols, and cholesterol is often reported as a trace sterol. Changes in plant sterols, especially in β-sitosterol/stigmasterol levels, can be induced by different biotic and abiotic factors. Plant parasitic nematodes, such as the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, are devastating pathogens known to circumvent plant defense mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the changes in sterols of agricultural important crops, Brassica juncea (brown mustard), Cucumis sativus (cucumber), Glycine max (soybean), Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) and Zea mays (corn), 21 days post inoculation (dpi) with M. incognita. The main changes affected the β-sitosterol/stigmasterol ratio, with an increase of β-sitosterol and a decrease of stigmasterol in S. lycopersicum, G. max, C. sativus and Z. mays. Furthermore, cholesterol levels increased in tomato, cucumber and corn, while cholesterol levels often were below the detection limit in the respective uninfected plants. To better understand the changes in the β-sitosterol/stigmasterol ratio, gene expression analysis was conducted in tomato cv. Moneymaker for the sterol 22C-desaturase gene CYP710A11, responsible for the conversion of β-sitosterol to stigmasterol. Our results showed that the expression of CYP710A11 was in line with the sterol profile of tomato after M. incognita infection. Since sterols play a key role in plant-pathogen interactions, this finding opens novel insights in plant nematode interactions.
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45
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Abidizadegan M, Peltomaa E, Blomster J. The Potential of Cryptophyte Algae in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:618836. [PMID: 33603668 PMCID: PMC7884888 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.618836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Microalgae produce a variety of bioactive components that provide benefits to human and animal health. Cryptophytes are one of the major groups of microalgae, with more than 20 genera comprised of 200 species. Recently, cryptophytes have attracted scientific attention because of their characteristics and biotechnological potential. For example, they are rich in a number of chemical compounds, such as fatty acids, carotenoids, phycobiliproteins and polysaccharides, which are mainly used for food, medicine, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This paper provides a review of studies that assess protective algal compounds and introduce cryptophytes as a remarkable source of bioactive components that may be usable in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Abidizadegan
- Environmental Laboratory, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Lahti, Finland
| | - Elina Peltomaa
- Institute of Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR)/Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jaanika Blomster
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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46
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Kim J, Coradetti ST, Kim YM, Gao Y, Yaegashi J, Zucker JD, Munoz N, Zink EM, Burnum-Johnson KE, Baker SE, Simmons BA, Skerker JM, Gladden JM, Magnuson JK. Multi-Omics Driven Metabolic Network Reconstruction and Analysis of Lignocellulosic Carbon Utilization in Rhodosporidium toruloides. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 8:612832. [PMID: 33585414 PMCID: PMC7873862 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.612832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
An oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides is a promising host for converting lignocellulosic biomass to bioproducts and biofuels. In this work, we performed multi-omics analysis of lignocellulosic carbon utilization in R. toruloides and reconstructed the genome-scale metabolic network of R. toruloides. High-quality metabolic network models for model organisms and orthologous protein mapping were used to build a draft metabolic network reconstruction. The reconstruction was manually curated to build a metabolic model using functional annotation and multi-omics data including transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and RB-TDNA sequencing. The multi-omics data and metabolic model were used to investigate R. toruloides metabolism including lipid accumulation and lignocellulosic carbon utilization. The developed metabolic model was validated against high-throughput growth phenotyping and gene fitness data, and further refined to resolve the inconsistencies between prediction and data. We believe that this is the most complete and accurate metabolic network model available for R. toruloides to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joonhoon Kim
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Department of Energy, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Samuel T Coradetti
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Young-Mo Kim
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Yuqian Gao
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Junko Yaegashi
- Department of Energy, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Jeremy D Zucker
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Nathalie Munoz
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Erika M Zink
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Kristin E Burnum-Johnson
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Scott E Baker
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Department of Energy, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Blake A Simmons
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Department of Energy, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Jeffrey M Skerker
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - John M Gladden
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Department of Energy, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Jon K Magnuson
- Department of Energy, Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Department of Energy, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States.,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
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Girard J, Lanneau G, Delage L, Leroux C, Belcour A, Got J, Collén J, Boyen C, Siegel A, Dittami SM, Leblanc C, Markov GV. Semi-Quantitative Targeted Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Profiling Supports a Late Side-Chain Reductase Cycloartenol-to-Cholesterol Biosynthesis Pathway in Brown Algae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:648426. [PMID: 33986764 PMCID: PMC8112355 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.648426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Sterols are biologically important molecules that serve as membrane fluidity regulators and precursors of signaling molecules, either endogenous or involved in biotic interactions. There is currently no model of their biosynthesis pathways in brown algae. Here, we benefit from the availability of genome data and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) sterol profiling using a database of internal standards to build such a model. We expand the set of identified sterols in 11 species of red, brown, and green macroalgae and integrate these new data with genomic data. Our analyses suggest that some metabolic reactions may be conserved despite the loss of canonical eukaryotic enzymes, like the sterol side-chain reductase (SSR). Our findings are consistent with the principle of metabolic pathway drift through enzymatic replacement and show that cholesterol synthesis from cycloartenol may be a widespread but variable pathway among chlorophyllian eukaryotes. Among the factors contributing to this variability, one could be the recruitment of cholesterol biosynthetic intermediates to make signaling molecules, such as the mozukulins. These compounds were found in some brown algae belonging to Ectocarpales, and we here provide a first mozukulin biosynthetic model. Our results demonstrate that integrative approaches can already be used to infer experimentally testable models, which will be useful to further investigate the biological roles of those newly identified algal pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Girard
- CNRS, Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M, UMR8227), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
| | - Goulven Lanneau
- CNRS, Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M, UMR8227), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
- CNRS, Plateforme Corsaire-METABOMER (FR2424), Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
| | - Ludovic Delage
- CNRS, Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M, UMR8227), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
| | - Cédric Leroux
- CNRS, Plateforme Corsaire-METABOMER (FR2424), Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
| | - Arnaud Belcour
- Univ Rennes, Inria, CNRS, IRISA, Equipe Dyliss, Rennes, France
| | - Jeanne Got
- Univ Rennes, Inria, CNRS, IRISA, Equipe Dyliss, Rennes, France
| | - Jonas Collén
- CNRS, Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M, UMR8227), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
| | - Catherine Boyen
- CNRS, Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M, UMR8227), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
| | - Anne Siegel
- Univ Rennes, Inria, CNRS, IRISA, Equipe Dyliss, Rennes, France
| | - Simon M. Dittami
- CNRS, Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M, UMR8227), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
| | - Catherine Leblanc
- CNRS, Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M, UMR8227), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
| | - Gabriel V. Markov
- CNRS, Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M, UMR8227), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France
- *Correspondence: Gabriel V. Markov,
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48
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Four new polyhydroxylated steroids from the South Sea sponge Plakortis sp. Chin J Nat Med 2020; 18:844-849. [PMID: 33308606 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(20)60026-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Four new polyhydroxylated steroids plaksterols A-D (1-4), together with two known related steroids ergost-7,9(11),22-trien-3β,5α,6α-triol (5) and ergosta-6β-methoxy-7,22-diene-3β,5α-diol (6), were isolated from methanol extract of the South China Sea marine sponge Plakortis sp. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic analysis, including NMR, MS, and IR. The cytotoxicity of the polyhydroxylated steroids were evaluated, and compound 6 showed moderate inhibitory activities against K562, HL-60 and BEL-7402 cells.
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50
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Carreón-Palau L, Özdemir NŞ, Parrish CC, Parzanini C. Sterol Composition of Sponges, Cnidarians, Arthropods, Mollusks, and Echinoderms from the Deep Northwest Atlantic: A Comparison with Shallow Coastal Gulf of Mexico. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18120598. [PMID: 33260983 PMCID: PMC7761341 DOI: 10.3390/md18120598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Triterpenoid biosynthesis is generally anaerobic in bacteria and aerobic in Eukarya. The major class of triterpenoids in bacteria, the hopanoids, is different to that in Eukarya, the lanostanoids, and their 4,4,14-demethylated derivatives, sterols. In the deep sea, the prokaryotic contribution to primary productivity has been suggested to be higher because local environmental conditions prevent classic photosynthetic processes from occurring. Sterols have been used as trophic biomarkers because primary producers have different compositions, and they are incorporated in primary consumer tissues. In the present study, we inferred food supply to deep sea, sponges, cnidarians, mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms from euphotic zone production which is driven by phytoplankton eukaryotic autotrophy. Sterol composition was obtained by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Moreover, we compared the sterol composition of three phyla (i.e., Porifera, Cnidaria, and Echinodermata) collected between a deep and cold-water region and a shallow tropical area. We hypothesized that the sterol composition of shallow tropical benthic organisms would better reflect their photoautotrophic sources independently of the taxonomy. Shallow tropical sponges and cnidarians from environments showed plant and zooxanthellae sterols in their tissues, while their deep-sea counterparts showed phytoplankton and zooplankton sterols. In contrast, echinoids, a class of echinoderms, the most complex phylum along with hemichordates and chordates (deuterostomes), did not show significant differences in their sterol profile, suggesting that cholesterol synthesis is present in deuterostomes other than chordates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Carreón-Palau
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Marine Lab Rd., St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada; (N.Ş.Ö.); (C.C.P.); (C.P.)
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), El Comitán, La Paz, Baja California Sur 23205, Mexico
- Correspondence:
| | - Nurgül Şen Özdemir
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Marine Lab Rd., St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada; (N.Ş.Ö.); (C.C.P.); (C.P.)
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Vocational School of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Bingöl University, Bingöl 12000, Turkey
| | - Christopher C. Parrish
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Marine Lab Rd., St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada; (N.Ş.Ö.); (C.C.P.); (C.P.)
| | - Camilla Parzanini
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Marine Lab Rd., St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada; (N.Ş.Ö.); (C.C.P.); (C.P.)
- Department of Chemistry and Biolog, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
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