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Yutin N, Tolstoy I, Mutz P, Wolf YI, Krupovic M, Koonin EV. Jumping DNA polymerases in bacteriophages. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.26.591309. [PMID: 38903090 PMCID: PMC11188092 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.26.591309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Viruses with double-stranded (ds) DNA genomes in the realm Duplodnaviria share a conserved structural gene module but show a broad range of variation in their repertoires of DNA replication proteins. Some of the duplodnaviruses encode (nearly) complete replication systems whereas others lack (almost) all genes required for replication, relying on the host replication machinery. DNA polymerases (DNAPs) comprise the centerpiece of the DNA replication apparatus. The replicative DNAPs are classified into 4 unrelated or distantly related families (A-D), with the protein structures and sequences within each family being, generally, highly conserved. More than half of the duplodnaviruses encode a DNAP of family A, B or C. We showed previously that multiple pairs of closely related viruses in the order Crassvirales encode DNAPs of different families. Here we identify four additional groups of tailed phages in the class Caudoviricetes in which the DNAPs apparently were swapped on multiple occasions, with replacements occurring both between families A and B, or A and C, or between distinct subfamilies within the same family. The DNAP swapping always occurs "in situ", without changes in the organization of the surrounding genes. In several cases, the DNAP gene is the only region of substantial divergence between closely related phage genomes, whereas in others, the swap apparently involved neighboring genes encoding other proteins involved in phage replication. We hypothesize that DNAP swapping is driven by selection for avoidance of host antiphage mechanisms targeting the phage DNAP that remain to be identified, and/or by selection against replicon incompatibility. In addition, we identified two previously undetected, highly divergent groups of family A DNAPs that are encoded in some phage genomes along with the main DNAP implicated in genome replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Igor Tolstoy
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Pascal Mutz
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France
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Kannan S, Gillespie SW, Picking WL, Picking WD, Lorson CL, Singh K. Inhibitors against DNA Polymerase I Family of Enzymes: Novel Targets and Opportunities. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:204. [PMID: 38666816 PMCID: PMC11048162 DOI: 10.3390/biology13040204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
DNA polymerases replicate cellular genomes and/or participate in the maintenance of genome integrity. DNA polymerases sharing high sequence homology with E. coli DNA polymerase I (pol I) have been grouped in Family A. Pol I participates in Okazaki fragment maturation and in bacterial genome repair. Since its discovery in 1956, pol I has been extensively studied, primarily to gain deeper insights into the mechanism of DNA replication. As research on DNA polymerases advances, many novel functions of this group of polymerases are being uncovered. For example, human DNA polymerase θ (a Family A DNA pol) has been shown to synthesize DNA using RNA as a template, a function typically attributed to retroviral reverse transcriptase. Increased interest in drug discovery against pol θ has emerged due to its roles in cancer. Likewise, Pol I family enzymes also appear attractive as drug-development targets against microbial infections. Development of antimalarial compounds targeting apicoplast apPOL, an ortholog of Pol I, further extends the targeting of this family of enzymes. Here, we summarize reported drug-development efforts against Family A polymerases and future perspective regarding these enzymes as antibiotic targets. Recently developed techniques, such as artificial intelligence, can be used to facilitate the development of new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saathvik Kannan
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (S.K.); (S.W.G.); (W.L.P.); (W.D.P.); (C.L.L.)
| | - Samuel W. Gillespie
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (S.K.); (S.W.G.); (W.L.P.); (W.D.P.); (C.L.L.)
| | - Wendy L. Picking
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (S.K.); (S.W.G.); (W.L.P.); (W.D.P.); (C.L.L.)
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - William D. Picking
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (S.K.); (S.W.G.); (W.L.P.); (W.D.P.); (C.L.L.)
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Christian L. Lorson
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (S.K.); (S.W.G.); (W.L.P.); (W.D.P.); (C.L.L.)
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Kamal Singh
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (S.K.); (S.W.G.); (W.L.P.); (W.D.P.); (C.L.L.)
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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Doss RK, Palmer M, Mead DA, Hedlund BP. Functional biology and biotechnology of thermophilic viruses. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:671-684. [PMID: 37222046 PMCID: PMC10423840 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Viruses have developed sophisticated biochemical and genetic mechanisms to manipulate and exploit their hosts. Enzymes derived from viruses have been essential research tools since the first days of molecular biology. However, most viral enzymes that have been commercialized are derived from a small number of cultivated viruses, which is remarkable considering the extraordinary diversity and abundance of viruses revealed by metagenomic analysis. Given the explosion of new enzymatic reagents derived from thermophilic prokaryotes over the past 40 years, those obtained from thermophilic viruses should be equally potent tools. This review discusses the still-limited state of the art regarding the functional biology and biotechnology of thermophilic viruses with a focus on DNA polymerases, ligases, endolysins, and coat proteins. Functional analysis of DNA polymerases and primase-polymerases from phages infecting Thermus, Aquificaceae, and Nitratiruptor has revealed new clades of enzymes with strong proofreading and reverse transcriptase capabilities. Thermophilic RNA ligase 1 homologs have been characterized from Rhodothermus and Thermus phages, with both commercialized for circularization of single-stranded templates. Endolysins from phages infecting Thermus, Meiothermus, and Geobacillus have shown high stability and unusually broad lytic activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, making them targets for commercialization as antimicrobials. Coat proteins from thermophilic viruses infecting Sulfolobales and Thermus strains have been characterized, with diverse potential applications as molecular shuttles. To gauge the scale of untapped resources for these proteins, we also document over 20,000 genes encoded by uncultivated viral genomes from high-temperature environments that encode DNA polymerase, ligase, endolysin, or coat protein domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan K Doss
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A
| | - Marike Palmer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A
| | | | - Brian P Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A
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Czernecki D, Nourisson A, Legrand P, Delarue M. Reclassification of family A DNA polymerases reveals novel functional subfamilies and distinctive structural features. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:4488-4507. [PMID: 37070157 PMCID: PMC10201439 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad242] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Family A DNA polymerases (PolAs) form an important and well-studied class of extant polymerases participating in DNA replication and repair. Nonetheless, despite the characterization of multiple subfamilies in independent, dedicated works, their comprehensive classification thus far is missing. We therefore re-examine all presently available PolA sequences, converting their pairwise similarities into positions in Euclidean space, separating them into 19 major clusters. While 11 of them correspond to known subfamilies, eight had not been characterized before. For every group, we compile their general characteristics, examine their phylogenetic relationships and perform conservation analysis in the essential sequence motifs. While most subfamilies are linked to a particular domain of life (including phages), one subfamily appears in Bacteria, Archaea and Eukaryota. We also show that two new bacterial subfamilies contain functional enzymes. We use AlphaFold2 to generate high-confidence prediction models for all clusters lacking an experimentally determined structure. We identify new, conserved features involving structural alterations, ordered insertions and an apparent structural incorporation of a uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) domain. Finally, genetic and structural analyses of a subset of T7-like phages indicate a splitting of the 3'-5' exo and pol domains into two separate genes, observed in PolAs for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dariusz Czernecki
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3528, Unit of Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, 75015 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, ED 515, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Antonin Nourisson
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3528, Unit of Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, 75015 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, ED 515, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Pierre Legrand
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3528, Unit of Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, 75015 Paris, France
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, 91190 Saint-Aubin, France
| | - Marc Delarue
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3528, Unit of Architecture and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, 75015 Paris, France
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Chheda PR, Nieto N, Kaur S, Beck JM, Beck JR, Honzatko R, Kerns RJ, Nelson SW. Promising antimalarials targeting apicoplast DNA polymerase from Plasmodium falciparum. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114751. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Kumari A, Yadav A, Lahiri I. Transient State Kinetics of Plasmodium falciparum Apicoplast DNA Polymerase Suggests the Involvement of Accessory Factors for Efficient and Accurate DNA Synthesis. Biochemistry 2022; 61:2319-2333. [PMID: 36251801 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa. Most apicomplexans, including Plasmodium, contain an essential nonphotosynthetic plastid called the apicoplast that harbors its own genome that is replicated by a dedicated organellar replisome. This replisome employs a single DNA polymerase (apPol), which is expected to perform both replicative and translesion synthesis. Unlike other replicative polymerases, no processivity factor for apPol has been identified. While preliminary structural and biochemical studies have provided an overall characterization of apPol, the kinetic mechanism of apPol's activity remains unknown. We have used transient state methods to determine the kinetics of replicative and translesion synthesis by apPol and show that apPol has low processivity and efficiency while copying undamaged DNA. Moreover, while apPol can bypass oxidatively damaged lesions, the bypass is error-prone. Taken together, our results raise the following question─how does a polymerase with low processivity, efficiency, and fidelity (for translesion synthesis) faithfully replicate the apicoplast organellar DNA within the hostile environment of the human host? We hypothesize that interactions with putative components of the apicoplast replisome and/or an as-yet-undiscovered processivity factor transform apPol into an efficient and accurate enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamika Kumari
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Anjali Yadav
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Indrajit Lahiri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Punjab 140306, India.,Molecular Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, U.K
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de la Haba RR, Antunes A, Hedlund BP. Editorial: Extremophiles: Microbial genomics and taxogenomics. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:984632. [PMID: 35983330 PMCID: PMC9379316 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.984632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael R. de la Haba
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
- *Correspondence: Rafael R. de la Haba
| | - André Antunes
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- China National Space Administration (CNSA), Macau Center for Space Exploration and Science, Macau, Macau SAR, China
- André Antunes
| | - Brian P. Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Brian P. Hedlund
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Dorawa S, Werbowy O, Plotka M, Kaczorowska AK, Makowska J, Kozlowski LP, Fridjonsson OH, Hreggvidsson GO, Aevarsson A, Kaczorowski T. Molecular Characterization of a DNA Polymerase from Thermus thermophilus MAT72 Phage vB_Tt72: A Novel Type-A Family Enzyme with Strong Proofreading Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147945. [PMID: 35887293 PMCID: PMC9324360 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147945] [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] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a structural and functional analysis of the DNA polymerase of thermophilic Thermus thermophilus MAT72 phage vB_Tt72. The enzyme shows low sequence identity (<30%) to the members of the type-A family of DNA polymerases, except for two yet uncharacterized DNA polymerases of T. thermophilus phages: φYS40 (91%) and φTMA (90%). The Tt72 polA gene does not complement the Escherichia colipolA− mutant in replicating polA-dependent plasmid replicons. It encodes a 703-aa protein with a predicted molecular weight of 80,490 and an isoelectric point of 5.49. The enzyme contains a nucleotidyltransferase domain and a 3′-5′ exonuclease domain that is engaged in proofreading. Recombinant enzyme with His-tag at the N-terminus was overproduced in E. coli, subsequently purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography, and biochemically characterized. The enzyme exists in solution in monomeric form and shows optimum activity at pH 8.5, 25 mM KCl, and 0.5 mM Mg2+. Site-directed analysis proved that highly-conserved residues D15, E17, D78, D180, and D184 in 3′-5′ exonuclease and D384 and D615 in the nucleotidyltransferase domain are critical for the enzyme’s activity. Despite the source of origin, the Tt72 DNA polymerase has not proven to be highly thermoresistant, with a temperature optimum at 55 °C. Above 60 °C, the rapid loss of function follows with no activity > 75 °C. However, during heat treatment (10 min at 75 °C), trehalose, trimethylamine N-oxide, and betaine protected the enzyme against thermal inactivation. A midpoint of thermal denaturation at Tm = 74.6 °C (ΔHcal = 2.05 × 104 cal mol−1) and circular dichroism spectra > 60 °C indicate the enzyme’s moderate thermal stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Dorawa
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (S.D.); (O.W.); (M.P.)
| | - Olesia Werbowy
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (S.D.); (O.W.); (M.P.)
| | - Magdalena Plotka
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (S.D.); (O.W.); (M.P.)
| | - Anna-Karina Kaczorowska
- Collection of Plasmids and Microorganisms, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Joanna Makowska
- Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Lukasz P. Kozlowski
- Institute of Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics, University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland;
| | | | - Gudmundur O. Hreggvidsson
- Matis, 113 Reykjavik, Iceland; (O.H.F.); (G.O.H.); (A.A.)
- Department of Biology, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Tadeusz Kaczorowski
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (S.D.); (O.W.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence:
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Timmons CM, Shazib SUA, Katz LA. Epigenetic influences of mobile genetic elements on ciliate genome architecture and evolution. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12891. [PMID: 35100457 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are transient genetic material that can move either within a single organism's genome or between individuals or species. While historically considered 'junk' DNA (i.e. deleterious or at best neutral), more recent studies reveal the adaptive advantages MGEs provide in lineages across the tree of life. Ciliates, a group of single-celled microbial eukaryotes characterized by nuclear dimorphism, exemplify how epigenetic influences from MGEs shape genome architecture and patterns of molecular evolution. Ciliate nuclear dimorphism may have evolved as a response to transposon invasion and ciliates have since co-opted transposons to carry out programmed DNA deletion. Another example of the effect of MGEs is in providing mechanisms for lateral gene transfer from bacteria, which introduces genetic diversity and, in several cases, drives ecological specialization in ciliates. As a third example, the integration of viral DNA, likely through transduction, provides new genetic material and can change the way host cells defend themselves against other viral pathogens. We argue that the acquisition of MGEs through non-Mendelian patterns of inheritance, coupled with their effects on ciliate genome architecture and expression and persistence throughout evolutionary history, exemplify how the transmission of mobile elements should be considered a mechanism of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin M Timmons
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, 01063, USA
| | - Shahed U A Shazib
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, 01063, USA
| | - Laura A Katz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, 01063, USA
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Martins-Duarte ÉS, Sheiner L, Reiff SB, de Souza W, Striepen B. Replication and partitioning of the apicoplast genome of Toxoplasma gondii is linked to the cell cycle and requires DNA polymerase and gyrase. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:493-504. [PMID: 33581138 PMCID: PMC8113025 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexans are the causative agents of numerous important infectious diseases including malaria and toxoplasmosis. Most of them harbour a chloroplast-like organelle called the apicoplast that is essential for the parasites' metabolism and survival. While most apicoplast proteins are nuclear encoded, the organelle also maintains its own genome, a 35 kb circle. In this study we used Toxoplasma gondii to identify and characterise essential proteins involved in apicoplast genome replication and to understand how apicoplast genome segregation unfolds over time. We demonstrated that the DNA replication enzymes Prex, DNA gyrase and DNA single stranded binding protein localise to the apicoplast. We show in knockdown experiments that apicoplast DNA Gyrase A and B, and Prex are required for apicoplast genome replication and growth of the parasite. Analysis of apicoplast genome replication by structured illumination microscopy in T. gondii tachyzoites showed that apicoplast nucleoid division and segregation initiate at the beginning of S phase and conclude during mitosis. Thus, the replication and division of the apicoplast nucleoid is highly coordinated with nuclear genome replication and mitosis. Our observations highlight essential components of apicoplast genome maintenance and shed light on the timing of this process in the context of the overall parasite cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Érica S Martins-Duarte
- Laboratório de Quimioterapia de Protozoários Egler Chiari, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens (CENABIO) - Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Biomagens (INBEB), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Lilach Sheiner
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah B Reiff
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens (CENABIO) - Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Biomagens (INBEB), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. USA
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11
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Viruses in Extreme Environments, Current Overview, and Biotechnological Potential. Viruses 2021; 13:v13010081. [PMID: 33430116 PMCID: PMC7826561 DOI: 10.3390/v13010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus research has advanced significantly since the discovery of the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), the characterization of its infection mechanisms and the factors that determine their pathogenicity. However, most viral research has focused on pathogenic viruses to humans, animals and plants, which represent only a small fraction in the virosphere. As a result, the role of most viral genes, and the mechanisms of coevolution between mutualistic viruses, their host and their environment, beyond pathogenicity, remain poorly understood. This review focuses on general aspects of viruses that interact with extremophile organisms, characteristics and examples of mechanisms of adaptation. Finally, this review provides an overview on how knowledge of extremophile viruses sheds light on the application of new tools of relevant use in modern molecular biology, discussing their value in a biotechnological context.
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DeCastro ME, Doane MP, Dinsdale EA, Rodríguez-Belmonte E, González-Siso MI. Exploring the taxonomical and functional profile of As Burgas hot spring focusing on thermostable β-galactosidases. Sci Rep 2021; 11:101. [PMID: 33420292 PMCID: PMC7794327 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80489-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In the present study we investigate the microbial community inhabiting As Burgas geothermal spring, located in Ourense (Galicia, Spain). The approximately 23 Gbp of Illumina sequences generated for each replicate revealed a complex microbial community dominated by Bacteria in which Proteobacteria and Aquificae were the two prevalent phyla. An association between the two most prevalent genera, Thermus and Hydrogenobacter, was suggested by the relationship of their metabolism. The high relative abundance of sequences involved in the Calvin-Benson cycle and the reductive TCA cycle unveils the dominance of an autotrophic population. Important pathways from the nitrogen and sulfur cycle are potentially taking place in As Burgas hot spring. In the assembled reads, two complete ORFs matching GH2 beta-galactosidases were found. To assess their functional characterization, the two ORFs were cloned and overexpressed in E. coli. The pTsbg enzyme had activity towards o-Nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) and p-Nitrophenyl-β-D-fucopyranoside, with high thermal stability and showing maximal activity at 85 °C and pH 6, nevertheless the enzyme failed to hydrolyze lactose. The other enzyme, Tsbg, was unable to hydrolyze even ONPG or lactose. This finding highlights the challenge of finding novel active enzymes based only on their sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- María-Eugenia DeCastro
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Michael P Doane
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
- Syndey Institute of Marine Science, 19 Chowder Bay Rd, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Ann Dinsdale
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Sturt Rd, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Esther Rodríguez-Belmonte
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - María-Isabel González-Siso
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
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Palmer M, Hedlund BP, Roux S, Tsourkas PK, Doss RK, Stamereilers C, Mehta A, Dodsworth JA, Lodes M, Monsma S, Glavina del Rio T, Schoenfeld TW, Eloe-Fadrosh EA, Mead DA. Diversity and Distribution of a Novel Genus of Hyperthermophilic Aquificae Viruses Encoding a Proof-Reading Family-A DNA Polymerase. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:583361. [PMID: 33281778 PMCID: PMC7689252 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.583361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the high abundance of Aquificae in many geothermal systems, these bacteria are difficult to culture and no viruses infecting members of this phylum have been isolated. Here, we describe the complete, circular dsDNA Uncultivated Virus Genome (UViG) of Thermocrinis Octopus Spring virus (TOSV), derived from metagenomic data, along with eight related UViGs representing three additional viral species. Despite low overall similarity among viruses from different hot springs, the genomes shared a high degree of synteny, and encoded numerous genes for nucleotide metabolism, including a PolA-type DNA polymerase polyprotein with likely accessory functions, a DNA Pol III sliding clamp, a thymidylate kinase, a DNA gyrase, a helicase, and a DNA methylase. Also present were conserved genes predicted to code for phage capsid, large and small subunits of terminase, portal protein, holin, and lytic transglycosylase, all consistent with a distant relatedness to cultivated Caudovirales. These viruses are predicted to infect Aquificae, as multiple CRISPR spacers matching the viral genomes were identified within the genomes and metagenomic contigs from these bacteria. Based on the predicted atypical bi-directional replication strategy, low sequence similarity to known viral genomes, and unique position in gene-sharing networks, we propose a new putative genus, "Pyrovirus," in the order Caudovirales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marike Palmer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Brian P. Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Simon Roux
- Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Philippos K. Tsourkas
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Ryan K. Doss
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Casey Stamereilers
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Astha Mehta
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Jeremy A. Dodsworth
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | | | - Scott Monsma
- Lucigen Corporation, Middleton, WI, United States
| | | | | | | | - David A. Mead
- Varigen Biosciences Corporation, Madison, WI, United States
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14
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Heller RC, Chung S, Crissy K, Dumas K, Schuster D, Schoenfeld TW. Engineering of a thermostable viral polymerase using metagenome-derived diversity for highly sensitive and specific RT-PCR. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:3619-3630. [PMID: 30767012 PMCID: PMC6468311 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Reverse transcription is an essential initial step in the analysis of RNA for most PCR-based amplification and detection methods. Despite advancements in these technologies, efficient conversion of RNAs that form stable secondary structures and double-stranded RNA targets remains challenging as retroviral-derived reverse transcriptases are often not sufficiently thermostable to catalyze synthesis at temperatures high enough to completely relax these structures. Here we describe the engineering and improvement of a thermostable viral family A polymerase with inherent reverse transcriptase activity for use in RT-PCR. Using the 3173 PyroPhage polymerase, previously identified from hot spring metagenomic sampling, and additional thermostable orthologs as a source of natural diversity, we used gene shuffling for library generation and screened for novel variants that retain high thermostability and display elevated reverse transcriptase activity. We then created a fusion enzyme between a high-performing variant polymerase and the 5′→3′ nuclease domain of Taq DNA polymerase that provided compatibility with probe-based detection chemistries and enabled highly sensitive detection of structured RNA targets. This technology enables a flexible single-enzyme RT-PCR system that has several advantages compared with standard heat-labile reverse transcription methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Heller
- Department of Research and Development, QIAGEN Beverly, 100 Cummings Center, Suite 407J, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | - Suhman Chung
- Department of Research and Development, QIAGEN Beverly, 100 Cummings Center, Suite 407J, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | - Katarzyna Crissy
- Department of Research and Development, QIAGEN Beverly, 100 Cummings Center, Suite 407J, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | - Kyle Dumas
- Department of Research and Development, QIAGEN Beverly, 100 Cummings Center, Suite 407J, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | - David Schuster
- Department of Research and Development, QIAGEN Beverly, 100 Cummings Center, Suite 407J, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | - Thomas W Schoenfeld
- Department of Research and Development, QIAGEN Beverly, 100 Cummings Center, Suite 407J, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
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15
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Douglas GM, Langille MGI. Current and Promising Approaches to Identify Horizontal Gene Transfer Events in Metagenomes. Genome Biol Evol 2019; 11:2750-2766. [PMID: 31504488 PMCID: PMC6777429 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput shotgun metagenomics sequencing has enabled the profiling of myriad natural communities. These data are commonly used to identify gene families and pathways that were potentially gained or lost in an environment and which may be involved in microbial adaptation. Despite the widespread interest in these events, there are no established best practices for identifying gene gain and loss in metagenomics data. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) represents several mechanisms of gene gain that are especially of interest in clinical microbiology due to the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes in natural communities. Several additional mechanisms of gene gain and loss, including gene duplication, gene loss-of-function events, and de novo gene birth are also important to consider in the context of metagenomes but have been less studied. This review is largely focused on detecting HGT in prokaryotic metagenomes, but methods for detecting these other mechanisms are first discussed. For this article to be self-contained, we provide a general background on HGT and the different possible signatures of this process. Lastly, we discuss how improved assembly of genomes from metagenomes would be the most straight-forward approach for improving the inference of gene gain and loss events. Several recent technological advances could help improve metagenome assemblies: long-read sequencing, determining the physical proximity of contigs, optical mapping of short sequences along chromosomes, and single-cell metagenomics. The benefits and limitations of these advances are discussed and open questions in this area are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin M Douglas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Morgan G I Langille
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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16
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DeCastro ME, Rodríguez-Belmonte E, González-Siso MI. Metagenomics of Thermophiles with a Focus on Discovery of Novel Thermozymes. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1521. [PMID: 27729905 PMCID: PMC5037290 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial populations living in environments with temperatures above 50°C (thermophiles) have been widely studied, increasing our knowledge in the composition and function of these ecological communities. Since these populations express a broad number of heat-resistant enzymes (thermozymes), they also represent an important source for novel biocatalysts that can be potentially used in industrial processes. The integrated study of the whole-community DNA from an environment, known as metagenomics, coupled with the development of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, has allowed the generation of large amounts of data from thermophiles. In this review, we summarize the main approaches commonly utilized for assessing the taxonomic and functional diversity of thermophiles through metagenomics, including several bioinformatics tools and some metagenome-derived methods to isolate their thermozymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- María-Eugenia DeCastro
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña A Coruña, Spain
| | - Esther Rodríguez-Belmonte
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña A Coruña, Spain
| | - María-Isabel González-Siso
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña A Coruña, Spain
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17
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Milton ME, Choe JY, Honzatko RB, Nelson SW. Crystal Structure of the Apicoplast DNA Polymerase from Plasmodium falciparum: The First Look at a Plastidic A-Family DNA Polymerase. J Mol Biol 2016; 428:3920-3934. [PMID: 27487482 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2016.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum, the primary cause of malaria, contains a non-photosynthetic plastid called the apicoplast. The apicoplast exists in most members of the phylum Apicomplexa and has its own genome along with organelle-specific enzymes for its replication. The only DNA polymerase found in the apicoplast (apPOL) was putatively acquired through horizontal gene transfer from a bacteriophage and is classified as an atypical A-family polymerase. Here, we present its crystal structure at a resolution of 2.9Å. P. falciparum apPOL, the first structural representative of a plastidic A-family polymerase, diverges from typical A-family members in two of three previously identified signature motifs and in a region not implicated by sequence. Moreover, apPOL has an additional N-terminal subdomain, the absence of which severely diminishes its 3' to 5' exonuclease activity. A compound known to be toxic to Plasmodium is a potent inhibitor of apPOL, suggesting that apPOL is a viable drug target. The structure provides new insights into the structural diversity of A-family polymerases and may facilitate structurally guided antimalarial drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E Milton
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Jun-Yong Choe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
| | - Richard B Honzatko
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Scott W Nelson
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
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18
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Milton ME, Nelson SW. Replication and maintenance of the Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast genome. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2016; 208:56-64. [PMID: 27338018 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2016.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Members of the phylum Apicomplexa are responsible for many devastating diseases including malaria (Plasmodium spp.), toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii), babesiosis (Babesia bovis), and cyclosporiasis (Cyclospora cayetanensis). Most Apicomplexans contain a unique and essential organelle called the apicoplast. Derived from an ancient chloroplast, the apicoplast replicates and maintains a 35 kilobase (kb) circular genome. Due to its essential nature within the parasite, drugs targeted to proteins involved in DNA replication and repair of the apicoplast should be potent and specific. This review summarizes the current knowledge surrounding the replication and repair of the Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast genome and identifies several putative proteins involved in replication and repair pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E Milton
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames IA 50011, USA
| | - Scott W Nelson
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames IA 50011, USA.
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19
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Guo J, Wang Q, Wang X, Wang F, Yao J, Zhu H. Horizontal gene transfer in an acid mine drainage microbial community. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:496. [PMID: 26141154 PMCID: PMC4490635 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1720-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has been widely identified in complete prokaryotic genomes. However, the roles of HGT among members of a microbial community and in evolution remain largely unknown. With the emergence of metagenomics, it is nontrivial to investigate such horizontal flow of genetic materials among members in a microbial community from the natural environment. Because of the lack of suitable methods for metagenomics gene transfer detection, microorganisms from a low-complexity community acid mine drainage (AMD) with near-complete genomes were used to detect possible gene transfer events and suggest the biological significance. Results Using the annotation of coding regions by the current tools, a phylogenetic approach, and an approximately unbiased test, we found that HGTs in AMD organisms are not rare, and we predicted 119 putative transferred genes. Among them, 14 HGT events were determined to be transfer events among the AMD members. Further analysis of the 14 transferred genes revealed that the HGT events affected the functional evolution of archaea or bacteria in AMD, and it probably shaped the community structure, such as the dominance of G-plasma in archaea in AMD through HGT. Conclusions Our study provides a novel insight into HGT events among microorganisms in natural communities. The interconnectedness between HGT and community evolution is essential to understand microbial community formation and development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1720-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangtao Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems and Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Qi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems and Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Xiaoqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems and Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Fumeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems and Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Jinxian Yao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Huaiqiu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems and Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. .,Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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20
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Metzler S, Kalinina OV. Detection of atypical genes in virus families using a one-class SVM. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:913. [PMID: 25336138 PMCID: PMC4210486 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The diversity of viruses, the absence of universally common genes in them, and their ability to act as carriers of genetic material make assessment of evolutionary paths of viral genes very difficult. One important factor contributing to this complexity is horizontal gene transfer. RESULTS We explore the possibility for the systematic identification of atypical genes within virus families, including viruses whose genome is not encoded by a double-stranded DNA. Our method is based on gene statistical features that differ in genes that were subject of recent horizontal gene transfer from those of the genome in which they are observed. We employ a one-class SVM approach to detect atypical genes within a virus family basing of their statistical signatures and without explicit knowledge of the source species. The simplicity of the statistical features used makes the method applicable to various viruses irrespective of their genome size or type. CONCLUSIONS On simulated data, the method can robustly identify alien genes irrespective of the coding nucleic acid found in a virus. It also compares well to results obtained in related studies for double-stranded DNA viruses. Its value in practice is confirmed by the identification of isolated examples of horizontal gene transfer events that have already been described in the literature. A Python package implementing the method and the results for the analyzed virus families are available at http://svm-agp.bioinf.mpi-inf.mpg.de.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Olga V Kalinina
- Department for Computational Biology and Applied Algorithmics, Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Campus E1 4, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
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21
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Kemen E. Microbe-microbe interactions determine oomycete and fungal host colonization. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2014; 20:75-81. [PMID: 24845577 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2014.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2014] [Revised: 03/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Microbial organisms sharing habitats aim for maximum fitness that they can only reach by collaboration. Developing stable networks within communities are crucial and can be achieved by exchanging common goods and genes that benefit the community. Only recently was it shown that horizontal gene transfer is not only common between prokaryotes but also into eukaryotic organisms such as fungi and oomycetes benefiting communal stability. Eukaryotic plant symbionts and pathogens coevolve with the plant microbiome and can acquire the ability to communicate or even collaborate, facilitating communal host colonization. Understanding communal infection will lead to a mechanistic understanding in how new hosts can be colonized under natural conditions and how we can counteract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Kemen
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, Cologne 50829, Germany.
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22
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Oberstaller J, Pumpalova Y, Schieler A, Llinás M, Kissinger JC. The Cryptosporidium parvum ApiAP2 gene family: insights into the evolution of apicomplexan AP2 regulatory systems. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:8271-84. [PMID: 24957599 PMCID: PMC4117751 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2014] [Revised: 05/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
We provide the first comprehensive analysis of any transcription factor family in Cryptosporidium, a basal-branching apicomplexan that is the second leading cause of infant diarrhea globally. AP2 domain-containing proteins have evolved to be the major regulatory family in the phylum to the exclusion of canonical regulators. We show that apicomplexan and perkinsid AP2 domains cluster distinctly from other chromalveolate AP2s. Protein-binding specificity assays of C. parvum AP2 domains combined with motif conservation upstream of co-regulated gene clusters allowed the construction of putative AP2 regulons across the in vitro life cycle. Orthologous Apicomplexan AP2 (ApiAP2) expression has been rearranged relative to the malaria parasite P. falciparum, suggesting ApiAP2 network rewiring during evolution. C. hominis orthologs of putative C. parvum ApiAP2 proteins and target genes show greater than average variation. C. parvum AP2 domains display reduced binding diversity relative to P. falciparum, with multiple domains binding the 5'-TGCAT-3', 5'-CACACA-3' and G-box motifs (5'-G[T/C]GGGG-3'). Many overrepresented motifs in C. parvum upstream regions are not AP2 binding motifs. We propose that C. parvum is less reliant on ApiAP2 regulators in part because it utilizes E2F/DP1 transcription factors. C. parvum may provide clues to the ancestral state of apicomplexan transcriptional regulation, pre-AP2 domination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Oberstaller
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Yoanna Pumpalova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Ariel Schieler
- Department of Molecular Biology and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Manuel Llinás
- Department of Molecular Biology and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jessica C Kissinger
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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23
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Abstract
Discoveries in cytogenetics, molecular biology, and genomics have revealed that genome change is an active cell-mediated physiological process. This is distinctly at variance with the pre-DNA assumption that genetic changes arise accidentally and sporadically. The discovery that DNA changes arise as the result of regulated cell biochemistry means that the genome is best modelled as a read-write (RW) data storage system rather than a read-only memory (ROM). The evidence behind this change in thinking and a consideration of some of its implications are the subjects of this article. Specific points include the following: cells protect themselves from accidental genome change with proofreading and DNA damage repair systems; localized point mutations result from the action of specialized trans-lesion mutator DNA polymerases; cells can join broken chromosomes and generate genome rearrangements by non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) processes in specialized subnuclear repair centres; cells have a broad variety of natural genetic engineering (NGE) functions for transporting, diversifying and reorganizing DNA sequences in ways that generate many classes of genomic novelties; natural genetic engineering functions are regulated and subject to activation by a range of challenging life history events; cells can target the action of natural genetic engineering functions to particular genome locations by a range of well-established molecular interactions, including protein binding with regulatory factors and linkage to transcription; and genome changes in cancer can usefully be considered as consequences of the loss of homeostatic control over natural genetic engineering functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Shapiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, GCISW123B, 979 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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24
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Guimaraes AMS, Santos AP, do Nascimento NC, Timenetsky J, Messick JB. Comparative genomics and phylogenomics of hemotrophic mycoplasmas. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91445. [PMID: 24642917 PMCID: PMC3958358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2013] [Accepted: 02/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemotrophic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) are a group of animal pathogens of the Mollicutes class. Recently, the genomes of 8 hemoplasmas have been completely sequenced. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of their genomic features and relationship to other Mycoplasma species. The genome structure and dynamics of hemoplasmas were analyzed by evaluating gene synteny, adaptive evolution of paralogous gene families (PGF) and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The Mollicutes class was then phylogenetically analyzed by constructing a distance matrix of the 16S rRNA genes and a phylogenetic tree with 32 conserved, concatenated proteins. Our results suggest that the hemoplasmas have dynamic genomes. The genome size variation (from 547 to 1,545 genes) indicates substantial gene gain/loss throughout evolution. Poorly conserved gene syntenies among hemoplasmas, positional shuffling of paralogous genes between strains, HGT, and codons under positive selection in PGFs were also observed. When compared to other Mollicutes species, the hemoplasmas experienced further metabolic reduction, and the 16S rRNA gene distance matrix of the available mollicutes suggests that these organisms presently constitute the most divergent clade within its class. Our phylogenetic tree of concatenated proteins showed some differences when compared to the 16S rRNA gene tree, but non-mycoplasma organisms, such as Ureaplasma spp. and Mesoplasma spp., continue to branch within Mycoplasma clades. In conclusion, while the hemoplasmas experienced further metabolic shrinkage through gene loss, PGFs with positively selected codons are likely beneficial to these species. Phylogeny of the mollicutes based on 16S rRNA genes or concatenated proteins do not obey the current taxonomy. The metabolism and genetic diversity of the mollicutes, the presence of HGT, and lack of standard for genus circumscription are likely to hinder attempts to classify these organisms based on phylogenetic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M. S. Guimaraes
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Ensino Superior (CAPES)-Fulbright Program, Ministério da Educação, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Andrea P. Santos
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Naíla C. do Nascimento
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Jorge Timenetsky
- Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Joanne B. Messick
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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25
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Kodavali PK, Dudkiewicz M, Pikuła S, Pawłowski K. Bioinformatics analysis of bacterial annexins--putative ancestral relatives of eukaryotic annexins. PLoS One 2014; 9:e85428. [PMID: 24454864 PMCID: PMC3894181 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Annexins are Ca(2+)-binding, membrane-interacting proteins, widespread among eukaryotes, consisting usually of four structurally similar repeated domains. It is accepted that vertebrate annexins derive from a double genome duplication event. It has been postulated that a single domain annexin, if found, might represent a molecule related to the hypothetical ancestral annexin. The recent discovery of a single-domain annexin in a bacterium, Cytophaga hutchinsonii, apparently confirmed this hypothesis. Here, we present a more complex picture. Using remote sequence similarity detection tools, a survey of bacterial genomes was performed in search of annexin-like proteins. In total, we identified about thirty annexin homologues, including single-domain and multi-domain annexins, in seventeen bacterial species. The thorough search yielded, besides the known annexin homologue from C. hutchinsonii, homologues from the Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi phylum, from Gemmatimonadetes, from beta- and delta-Proteobacteria, and from Actinobacteria. The sequences of bacterial annexins exhibited remote but statistically significant similarity to sequence profiles built of the eukaryotic ones. Some bacterial annexins are equipped with additional, different domains, for example those characteristic for toxins. The variation in bacterial annexin sequences, much wider than that observed in eukaryotes, and different domain architectures suggest that annexins found in bacteria may actually descend from an ancestral bacterial annexin, from which eukaryotic annexins also originate. The hypothesis of an ancient origin of bacterial annexins has to be reconciled with the fact that remarkably few bacterial strains possess annexin genes compared to the thousands of known bacterial genomes and with the patchy, anomalous phylogenetic distribution of bacterial annexins. Thus, a massive annexin gene loss in several bacterial lineages or very divergent evolution would appear a likely explanation. Alternative evolutionary scenarios, involving horizontal gene transfer between bacteria and protozoan eukaryotes, in either direction, appear much less likely. Altogether, current evidence does not allow unequivocal judgement as to the origin of bacterial annexins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Kumar Kodavali
- Department of Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Dudkiewicz
- Faculty of Agriculture and Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sławomir Pikuła
- Department of Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Pawłowski
- Faculty of Agriculture and Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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26
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Bhowmick K, Dhar SK. Plasmodium falciparum single-stranded DNA-binding protein (PfSSB) interacts with PfPrex helicase and modulates its activity. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2013; 351:78-87. [PMID: 24267922 DOI: 10.1111/1574-6968.12343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2013] [Revised: 11/09/2013] [Accepted: 11/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) apicoplast is an essential organelle harbouring a ~35-kb circular genome. Prokaryotic nature of this organelle and its components makes it an attractive therapeutic target. The single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) and multidomain protein PfPrex are important apicoplast replication proteins. However, regulation of these proteins through protein-protein interaction remains largely unknown. Here, we report that P. falciparum single-stranded DNA-binding protein (PfSSB) interacts with PfPrex helicase and modulates its activity. N-terminal domain of PfSSB is involved in this interaction, whereas C-terminal domain plays a pivotal role in the modulation of helicase activity. These results further, to our knowledge, understand apicoplast DNA replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishanu Bhowmick
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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27
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Wingert BM, Parrott EE, Nelson SW. Fidelity, mismatch extension, and proofreading activity of the Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast DNA polymerase. Biochemistry 2013; 52:7723-30. [PMID: 24147857 DOI: 10.1021/bi400708m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum, a parasitic organism and one of the causative agents of malaria, contains an unusual organelle called the apicoplast. The apicoplast is a nonphotosynthetic plastid responsible for supplying the parasite with isoprenoid units and is therefore indispensable. Like mitochondria and the chloroplast, the apicoplast contains its own genome and harbors the enzymes responsible for its replication. In this report, we determine the relative probabilities of nucleotide misincorporation by the apicoplast polymerase (apPOL), examine the kinetics and sequence dependence of mismatch extension, and determine the rates of mismatch removal by the 3' to 5' proofreading activity of the DNA polymerase. While the intrinsic polymerase fidelity varies by >50-fold for the 12 possible nucleotide misincorporations, the most dominant selection step for overall polymerase fidelity is conducted at the level of mismatch extension, which varies by >350-fold. The efficiency of mismatch extension depends on both the nature of the DNA mismatch and the templating base. The proofreading activity of the 12 possible mismatches varies <3-fold. The data for these three determinants of polymerase-induced mutations indicate that the overall mutation frequency of apPOL is highly dependent on both the intrinsic fidelity of the polymerase and the identity of the template surrounding the potential mismatch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bentley M Wingert
- Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University , Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
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