1
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Şimşek E, Kim K, Lu J, Silver A, Luo N, Lee CT, You L. A 'rich-get-richer' mechanism drives patchy dynamics and resistance evolution in antibiotic-treated bacteria. Mol Syst Biol 2024:10.1038/s44320-024-00046-5. [PMID: 38877321 DOI: 10.1038/s44320-024-00046-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteria in nature often form surface-attached communities that initially comprise distinct subpopulations, or patches. For pathogens, these patches can form at infection sites, persist during antibiotic treatment, and develop into mature biofilms. Evidence suggests that patches can emerge due to heterogeneity in the growth environment and bacterial seeding, as well as cell-cell signaling. However, it is unclear how these factors contribute to patch formation and how patch formation might affect bacterial survival and evolution. Here, we demonstrate that a 'rich-get-richer' mechanism drives patch formation in bacteria exhibiting collective survival (CS) during antibiotic treatment. Modeling predicts that the seeding heterogeneity of these bacteria is amplified by local CS and global resource competition, leading to patch formation. Increasing the dose of a non-eradicating antibiotic treatment increases the degree of patchiness. Experimentally, we first demonstrated the mechanism using engineered Escherichia coli and then demonstrated its applicability to a pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We further showed that the formation of P. aeruginosa patches promoted the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Our work provides new insights into population dynamics and resistance evolution during surface-attached bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emrah Şimşek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Kyeri Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Jia Lu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Anita Silver
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Nan Luo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
| | - Charlotte T Lee
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
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2
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Shoaib M, Murugesan A, Devanesan S, AlSalhi MS, Kandhavelu M. Growth phase-dependent ribonucleic acid production dynamics. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 270:132457. [PMID: 38772467 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Transcriptional events play a crucial role in major cellular processes that specify the activity of an individual cells and influences cell population behavior in response to environment. Active (ON) and an inactive (OFF) states controls the transcriptional burst. Yet, the mechanism and kinetics of ON/OFF-state across the different growth phases of Escherichia coli remains elusive. Here, we have used a single mRNA detection method in live-cells to comprehend the ON/OFF mechanism of the first transcriptional (TF) and consecutive events (TC) controlled by lactose promoters, Plac and Plac/ara1. We determined that the duration of TF ON/OFF has different modes, exhibiting a close to inverse behavior to that of TC ON/OFF. Dynamics of ON/OFF states in fast and slow-dividing cells were affected by the promoter region during the initiation of transcription. Period of TF ON-state defines the behavior of TC by altering the number and the frequency of mRNAs formed. Furthermore, we have shown that delayed OFF-time in TF affects the dynamics of TC in both states, which is mainly determined by the upstream promoter region. Furthermore, using elongation arrest experiments, we independently validate that mRNA noise in TC is governed by the delayed OFF-period in TF. We have identified the position of the regulatory regions that plays a crucial role in noise (Fano) modulation. Taken together, our results suggest that the dynamics of the first transcriptional event, TF, pre-defines the diversity of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Shoaib
- Molecular Signaling Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and BioMediTech, P.O. Box 553, 33101 Tampere, Finland
| | - Akshaya Murugesan
- Molecular Signaling Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and BioMediTech, P.O. Box 553, 33101 Tampere, Finland; Department of Biotechnology, Lady Doak College, Madurai Kamaraj University, Thallakulam, Madurai 625002, India
| | - Sandhanasamy Devanesan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamad S AlSalhi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Meenakshisundaram Kandhavelu
- Molecular Signaling Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and BioMediTech, P.O. Box 553, 33101 Tampere, Finland; BioMeditech and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University, Hospital, P.O. Box 553, 33101 Tampere, Finland.
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3
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Bacon EE, Tran JS, Nadig N, Peters JM. Modular, inducible, and titratable expression systems for Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.28.596346. [PMID: 38853957 PMCID: PMC11160707 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.28.596346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Gene expression systems that transcend species barriers are needed for cross-species analysis of gene function. In particular, expression systems that can be utilized in both model and pathogenic bacteria underpin comparative functional approaches that inform conserved and variable features of bacterial physiology. Here, we develop replicative and integrative vectors alongside a novel, IPTG-inducible promoter that can be used in the model bacterium Escherichia coli K-12 as well as strains of the antibiotic-resistant pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii. We generate modular vectors that transfer by conjugation at high efficiency and either replicate or integrate into the genome, depending on design. Embedded in these vectors, we also developed a synthetic, IPTG-inducible promoter, P abstBR , that induces to a high level, but is less leaky than the commonly used trc promoter. We show that P abstBR is titratable at both the population and single cell level, regardless of species, highlighting the utility of our expression systems for cross-species functional studies. Finally, as a proof of principle, we use our integrating vector to develop a reporter for the E. coli envelope stress σ factor, RpoE, and deploy the reporter in E. coli and A. baumannii, finding that A. baumannii does not recognize RpoE-dependent promoters unless RpoE is heterologously expressed. We envision that these vector and promoter tools will be valuable for the community of researchers that study fundamental biology of E. coli and A. baumannii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Bacon
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Jennifer S Tran
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Nischala Nadig
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Jason M Peters
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
- Center for Genomic Science Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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4
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Cardiff RL, Faulkner I, Beall J, Carothers JM, Zalatan J. CRISPR-Cas tools for simultaneous transcription & translation control in bacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5406-5419. [PMID: 38613390 PMCID: PMC11109947 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae275] [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: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Robust control over gene translation at arbitrary mRNA targets is an outstanding challenge in microbial synthetic biology. The development of tools that can regulate translation will greatly expand our ability to precisely control genes across the genome. In Escherichia coli, most genes are contained in multi-gene operons, which are subject to polar effects where targeting one gene for repression leads to silencing of other genes in the same operon. These effects pose a challenge for independently regulating individual genes in multi-gene operons. Here, we use CRISPR-dCas13 to address this challenge. We find dCas13-mediated repression exhibits up to 6-fold lower polar effects compared to dCas9. We then show that we can selectively activate single genes in a synthetic multi-gene operon by coupling dCas9 transcriptional activation of an operon with dCas13 translational repression of individual genes within the operon. We also show that dCas13 and dCas9 can be multiplexed for improved biosynthesis of a medically-relevant human milk oligosaccharide. Taken together, our findings suggest that combining transcriptional and translational control can access effects that are difficult to achieve with either mode independently. These combined tools for gene regulation will expand our abilities to precisely engineer bacteria for biotechnology and perform systematic genetic screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A L Cardiff
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute and Center for Synthetic Biology University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Ian D Faulkner
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Juliana G Beall
- Department of Chemistry University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - James M Carothers
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute and Center for Synthetic Biology University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Jesse G Zalatan
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute and Center for Synthetic Biology University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 USA
- Department of Chemistry University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 USA
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5
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Kohram M, Sanderson AE, Loui A, Thompson PV, Vashistha H, Shomar A, Oltvai ZN, Salman H. Nonlethal deleterious mutation-induced stress accelerates bacterial aging. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316271121. [PMID: 38709929 PMCID: PMC11098108 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316271121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Random mutagenesis, including when it leads to loss of gene function, is a key mechanism enabling microorganisms' long-term adaptation to new environments. However, loss-of-function mutations are often deleterious, triggering, in turn, cellular stress and complex homeostatic stress responses, called "allostasis," to promote cell survival. Here, we characterize the differential impacts of 65 nonlethal, deleterious single-gene deletions on Escherichia coli growth in three different growth environments. Further assessments of select mutants, namely, those bearing single adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase subunit deletions, reveal that mutants display reorganized transcriptome profiles that reflect both the environment and the specific gene deletion. We also find that ATP synthase α-subunit deleted (ΔatpA) cells exhibit elevated metabolic rates while having slower growth compared to wild-type (wt) E. coli cells. At the single-cell level, compared to wt cells, individual ΔatpA cells display near normal proliferation profiles but enter a postreplicative state earlier and exhibit a distinct senescence phenotype. These results highlight the complex interplay between genomic diversity, adaptation, and stress response and uncover an "aging cost" to individual bacterial cells for maintaining population-level resilience to environmental and genetic stress; they also suggest potential bacteriostatic antibiotic targets and -as select human genetic diseases display highly similar phenotypes, - a bacterial origin of some human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Kohram
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15260
| | - Amy E. Sanderson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15260
| | - Alicia Loui
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15260
| | | | - Harsh Vashistha
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15260
| | - Aseel Shomar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa32000, Israel
| | - Zoltán N. Oltvai
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15260
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15260
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY14627
| | - Hanna Salman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15260
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6
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Meger AT, Spence MA, Sandhu M, Matthews D, Chen J, Jackson CJ, Raman S. Rugged fitness landscapes minimize promiscuity in the evolution of transcriptional repressors. Cell Syst 2024; 15:374-387.e6. [PMID: 38537640 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
How a protein's function influences the shape of its fitness landscape, smooth or rugged, is a fundamental question in evolutionary biochemistry. Smooth landscapes arise when incremental mutational steps lead to a progressive change in function, as commonly seen in enzymes and binding proteins. On the other hand, rugged landscapes are poorly understood because of the inherent unpredictability of how sequence changes affect function. Here, we experimentally characterize the entire sequence phylogeny, comprising 1,158 extant and ancestral sequences, of the DNA-binding domain (DBD) of the LacI/GalR transcriptional repressor family. Our analysis revealed an extremely rugged landscape with rapid switching of specificity, even between adjacent nodes. Further, the ruggedness arises due to the necessity of the repressor to simultaneously evolve specificity for asymmetric operators and disfavors potentially adverse regulatory crosstalk. Our study provides fundamental insight into evolutionary, molecular, and biophysical rules of genetic regulation through the lens of fitness landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony T Meger
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Matthew A Spence
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Mahakaran Sandhu
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Dana Matthews
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Jackie Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Colin J Jackson
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide & Protein Science, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Synthetic Biology, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Srivatsan Raman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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7
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Kopkowski PW, Zhang Z, Saier MH. The effect of DNA-binding proteins on insertion sequence element transposition upstream of the bgl operon in Escherichia coli. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1388522. [PMID: 38666260 PMCID: PMC11043490 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1388522] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The bglGFB operon in Escherichia coli K-12 strain BW25113, encoding the proteins necessary for the uptake and metabolism of β-glucosides, is normally not expressed. Insertion of either IS1 or IS5 upstream of the bgl promoter activates expression of the operon only when the cell is starving in the presence of a β-glucoside, drastically increasing transcription and allowing the cell to survive and grow using this carbon source. Details surrounding the exact mechanism and regulation of the IS insertional event remain unclear. In this work, the role of several DNA-binding proteins in how they affect the rate of insertion upstream of bgl are examined via mutation assays and protocols measuring transcription. Both Crp and IHF exert a positive effect on insertional Bgl+ mutations when present, active, and functional in the cell. Our results characterize IHF's effect in conjunction with other mutations, show that IHF's effect on IS insertion into bgl also affects other operons, and indicate that it may exert its effect by binding to and altering the DNA conformation of IS1 and IS5 in their native locations, rather than by directly influencing transposase gene expression. In contrast, the cAMP-CRP complex acts directly upon the bgl operon by binding upstream of the promoter, presumably altering local DNA into a conformation that enhances IS insertion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhongge Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Milton H. Saier
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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8
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Zhang Z, Huo J, Velo J, Zhou H, Flaherty A, Saier MH. Comprehensive Characterization of fucAO Operon Activation in Escherichia coli. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3946. [PMID: 38612757 PMCID: PMC11011485 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Wildtype Escherichia coli cells cannot grow on L-1,2-propanediol, as the fucAO operon within the fucose (fuc) regulon is thought to be silent in the absence of L-fucose. Little information is available concerning the transcriptional regulation of this operon. Here, we first confirm that fucAO operon expression is highly inducible by fucose and is primarily attributable to the upstream operon promoter, while the fucO promoter within the 3'-end of fucA is weak and uninducible. Using 5'RACE, we identify the actual transcriptional start site (TSS) of the main fucAO operon promoter, refuting the originally proposed TSS. Several lines of evidence are provided showing that the fucAO locus is within a transcriptionally repressed region on the chromosome. Operon activation is dependent on FucR and Crp but not SrsR. Two Crp-cAMP binding sites previously found in the regulatory region are validated, where the upstream site plays a more critical role than the downstream site in operon activation. Furthermore, two FucR binding sites are identified, where the downstream site near the first Crp site is more important than the upstream site. Operon transcription relies on Crp-cAMP to a greater degree than on FucR. Our data strongly suggest that FucR mainly functions to facilitate the binding of Crp to its upstream site, which in turn activates the fucAO promoter by efficiently recruiting RNA polymerase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongge Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093-0116, USA; (J.H.); (J.V.); (A.F.)
| | | | | | | | | | - Milton H. Saier
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093-0116, USA; (J.H.); (J.V.); (A.F.)
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9
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Rill A, Zhao L, Bode HB. Genetic toolbox for Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus: pSEVA based heterologous expression systems and CRISPR/Cpf1 based genome editing for rapid natural product profiling. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:98. [PMID: 38561780 PMCID: PMC10983751 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02363-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacteria of the genus Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus are motile, Gram-negative bacteria that live in symbiosis with entomopathogenic nematodes. Due to their complex life cycle, they produce a large number of specialized metabolites (natural products) encoded in biosynthetic gene clusters (BGC). Genetic tools for Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus have been rare and applicable to only a few strains. In the past, several tools have been developed for the activation of BGCs and the deletion of individual genes. However, these often have limited efficiency or are time consuming. Among the limitations, it is essential to have versatile expression systems and genome editing tools that could facilitate the practical work. RESULTS In the present study, we developed several expression vectors and a CRISPR-Cpf1 genome editing vector for genetic manipulations in Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus using SEVA plasmids. The SEVA collection is based on modular vectors that allow exchangeability of different elements (e.g. origin of replication and antibiotic selection markers with the ability to insert desired sequences for different end applications). Initially, we tested different SEVA vectors containing the broad host range origins and three different resistance genes for kanamycin, gentamycin and chloramphenicol, respectively. We demonstrated that these vectors are replicative not only in well-known representatives, e.g. Photorhabdus laumondii TTO1, but also in other rarely described strains like Xenorhabdus sp. TS4. For our CRISPR/Cpf1-based system, we used the pSEVA231 backbone to delete not only small genes but also large parts of BGCs. Furthermore, we were able to activate and refactor BGCs to obtain high production titers of high value compounds such as safracin B, a semisynthetic precursor for the anti-cancer drug ET-743. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study provide new inducible expression vectors and a CRISPR/CPf1 encoding vector all based on the SEVA (Standard European Vector Architecture) collection, which can improve genetic manipulation and genome editing processes in Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Rill
- Department of Natural Products in Organismic Interactions, Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043, Marburg, Germany
- Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Phillips University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Lei Zhao
- Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-organic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Helge B Bode
- Department of Natural Products in Organismic Interactions, Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043, Marburg, Germany.
- Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Phillips University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Phillips University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany.
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany.
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10
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Zhou X, Xiang Q, Wu Y, Li Y, Peng T, Xu X, Zhou Y, Zhang L, Li J, Du L, Tan G, Wang W. A low-cost and eco-friendly recombinant protein expression system using copper-containing industrial wastewater. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1367583. [PMID: 38585706 PMCID: PMC10995868 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1367583] [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: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of innovative methods for highly efficient production of recombinant proteins remains a prominent focus of research in the biotechnology field, primarily due to the fact that current commercial protein expression systems rely on expensive chemical inducers, such as isopropyl β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG). In our study, we designed a novel approach for protein expression by creating a plasmid that responds to copper. This specialized plasmid was engineered through the fusion of a copper-sensing element with an optimized multiple cloning site (MCS) sequence. This MCS sequence can be easily customized by inserting the coding sequences of target recombinant proteins. Once the plasmid was generated, it was introduced into an engineered Escherichia coli strain lacking copA and cueO. With this modified E. coli strain, we demonstrated that the presence of copper ions can efficiently trigger the induction of recombinant protein expression, resulting in the production of active proteins. Most importantly, this expression system can directly utilize copper-containing industrial wastewater as an inducer for protein expression while simultaneously removing copper from the wastewater. Thus, this study provides a low-cost and eco-friendly strategy for the large-scale recombinant protein production. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the induction of recombinant proteins using industrial wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiyu Xiang
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yubei Wu
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongjuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tiantian Peng
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xianxian Xu
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongguang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lihe Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jianghui Li
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Linyong Du
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guoqiang Tan
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
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11
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Blake KS, Kumar H, Loganathan A, Williford EE, Diorio-Toth L, Xue YP, Tang WK, Campbell TP, Chong DD, Angtuaco S, Wencewicz TA, Tolia NH, Dantas G. Sequence-structure-function characterization of the emerging tetracycline destructase family of antibiotic resistance enzymes. Commun Biol 2024; 7:336. [PMID: 38493211 PMCID: PMC10944477 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06023-w] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Tetracycline destructases (TDases) are flavin monooxygenases which can confer resistance to all generations of tetracycline antibiotics. The recent increase in the number and diversity of reported TDase sequences enables a deep investigation of the TDase sequence-structure-function landscape. Here, we evaluate the sequence determinants of TDase function through two complementary approaches: (1) constructing profile hidden Markov models to predict new TDases, and (2) using multiple sequence alignments to identify conserved positions important to protein function. Using the HMM-based approach we screened 50 high-scoring candidate sequences in Escherichia coli, leading to the discovery of 13 new TDases. The X-ray crystal structures of two new enzymes from Legionella species were determined, and the ability of anhydrotetracycline to inhibit their tetracycline-inactivating activity was confirmed. Using the MSA-based approach we identified 31 amino acid positions 100% conserved across all known TDase sequences. The roles of these positions were analyzed by alanine-scanning mutagenesis in two TDases, to study the impact on cell and in vitro activity, structure, and stability. These results expand the diversity of TDase sequences and provide valuable insights into the roles of important residues in TDases, and flavin monooxygenases more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin S Blake
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hirdesh Kumar
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology section (HPISV), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anisha Loganathan
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Emily E Williford
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Luke Diorio-Toth
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yao-Peng Xue
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Wai Kwan Tang
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology section (HPISV), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tayte P Campbell
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David D Chong
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Steven Angtuaco
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Timothy A Wencewicz
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Niraj H Tolia
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology section (HPISV), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Gautam Dantas
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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12
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Fristot E, Cambray G, Bonnet J. LactoSpanks: A Collection of IPTG Inducible Promoters for the Commensal Lactic Acid Bacteria Lactobacillus gasseri. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:951-957. [PMID: 38335132 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are important for many biotechnological applications such as bioproduction and engineered probiotics for therapy. Inducible promoters are key gene expression control elements, yet those available in LAB are mainly based on bacteriocin systems and have many drawbacks, including large gene clusters, costly inducer peptides, and little portability to in vivo settings. Using Lactobacillus gasseri, a model commensal bacteria from the human gut, we report the engineering of synthetic LactoSpanks promoters (Pls), a collection of variable strength inducible promoters controlled by the LacI repressor from E. coli and induced by isopropyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). We first show that the Phyper-spank promoter from Bacillus subtilis is functional in L. gasseri, albeit with substantial leakage. We then construct and screen a semirational library of Phyper-spank variants to select a set of four IPTG-inducible promoters that span a range of expression levels and exhibit reduced leakages and operational dynamic ranges (from ca. 9 to 28 fold-change). With their low genetic footprint and simplicity of use, LactoSpanks will support many applications in L. gasseri, and potentially other lactic acid and Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Fristot
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), University of Montpellier, INSERM U1054, CNRS UMR 5048, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Guillaume Cambray
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), University of Montpellier, INSERM U1054, CNRS UMR 5048, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Diversité des Génomes et Interactions Microorganismes Insectes (DGIMI), University of Montpellier, INRAE UMR1333, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Jerome Bonnet
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), University of Montpellier, INSERM U1054, CNRS UMR 5048, 34090 Montpellier, France
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13
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Shenkutie SM, Nagano S, Hughes J. Expression, purification and crystallization of the photosensory module of phytochrome B (phyB) from Sorghum bicolor. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2024; 80:59-66. [PMID: 38376821 PMCID: PMC10910535 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x24000827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Sorghum, a short-day tropical plant, has been adapted for temperate grain production, in particular through the selection of variants at the MATURITY loci (Ma1-Ma6) that reduce photoperiod sensitivity. Ma3 encodes phytochrome B (phyB), a red/far-red photochromic biliprotein photoreceptor. The multi-domain gene product, comprising 1178 amino acids, autocatalytically binds the phytochromobilin chromophore to form the photoactive holophytochrome (Sb.phyB). This study describes the development of an efficient heterologous overproduction system which allows the production of large quantities of various holoprotein constructs, along with purification and crystallization procedures. Crystals of the Pr (red-light-absorbing) forms of NPGP, PGP and PG (residues 1-655, 114-655 and 114-458, respectively), each C-terminally tagged with His6, were successfully produced. While NPGP crystals did not diffract, those of PGP and PG diffracted to 6 and 2.1 Å resolution, respectively. Moving the tag to the N-terminus and replacing phytochromobilin with phycocyanobilin as the ligand produced PG crystals that diffracted to 1.8 Å resolution. These results demonstrate that the diffraction quality of challenging protein crystals can be improved by removing flexible regions, shifting fusion tags and altering small-molecule ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sintayehu Manaye Shenkutie
- Department of Plant Physiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstrasse 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Hawassa University, PO Box 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia
| | - Soshichiro Nagano
- Department of Plant Physiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstrasse 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany
| | - Jon Hughes
- Department of Plant Physiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstrasse 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany
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14
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Zou Y, Zhang J, Wang J, Gong X, Jiang T, Yan Y. A self-regulated network for dynamically balancing multiple precursors in complex biosynthetic pathways. Metab Eng 2024; 82:69-78. [PMID: 38316239 PMCID: PMC10947840 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2024.02.001] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Microbial synthesis has emerged as a promising and sustainable alternative to traditional chemical synthesis and plant extraction. However, the competition between synthetic pathways and central metabolic pathways for cellular resources may impair final production efficiency. Moreover, when the synthesis of target product requires multiple precursors from the same node, the conflicts of carbon flux have further negative impacts on yields. In this study, a self-regulated network was developed to relieve the competition of precursors in complex synthetic pathways. Using 4-hydroxycoumarin (4-HC) synthetic pathway as a proof of concept, we employed an intermediate as a trigger to dynamically rewire the metabolic flux of pyruvate and control the expression levels of genes in 4-HC synthetic pathway, achieving self-regulation of multiple precursors and enhanced titer. Transcriptomic analysis results additionally demonstrated that the gene transcriptional levels of both pyruvate kinase PykF and synthetic pathway enzyme SdgA dynamically changed according to the intermediate concentrations. Overall, our work established a self-regulated network to dynamically balance the metabolic flux of two precursors in 4-HC biosynthesis, providing insight into balancing biosynthetic pathways where multiple precursors compete and interfere with each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusong Zou
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Jianli Zhang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Jian Wang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Xinyu Gong
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Tian Jiang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Yajun Yan
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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15
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Lee SH, Hu Y, Chou A, Chen J, Gonzalez R. Metabolic flux optimization of iterative pathways through orthogonal gene expression control: Application to the β-oxidation reversal. Metab Eng 2024; 82:262-273. [PMID: 38387675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Balancing relative expression of pathway genes to minimize flux bottlenecks and metabolic burden is one of the key challenges in metabolic engineering. This is especially relevant for iterative pathways, such as reverse β-oxidation (rBOX) pathway, which require control of flux partition at multiple nodes to achieve efficient synthesis of target products. Here, we develop a plasmid-based inducible system for orthogonal control of gene expression (referred to as the TriO system) and demonstrate its utility in the rBOX pathway. Leveraging effortless construction of TriO vectors in a plug-and-play manner, we simultaneously explored the solution space for enzyme choice and relative expression levels. Remarkably, varying individual expression levels led to substantial change in product specificity ranging from no production to optimal performance of about 90% of the theoretical yield of the desired products. We obtained titers of 6.3 g/L butyrate, 2.2 g/L butanol and 4.0 g/L hexanoate from glycerol in E. coli, which exceed the best titers previously reported using equivalent enzyme combinations. Since a similar system behavior was observed with alternative termination routes and higher-order iterations, we envision our approach to be broadly applicable to other iterative pathways besides the rBOX. Considering that high throughput, automated strain construction using combinatorial promoter and RBS libraries remain out of reach for many researchers, especially in academia, tools like the TriO system could democratize the testing and evaluation of pathway designs by reducing cost, time and infrastructure requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Hwan Lee
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Yang Hu
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Alexander Chou
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ramon Gonzalez
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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16
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Wenner N, Zhu X, Rowe WPM, Händler K, Hinton JCD. Succinate utilisation by Salmonella is inhibited by multiple regulatory systems. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011142. [PMID: 38457455 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Succinate is a potent immune signalling molecule that is present in the mammalian gut and within macrophages. Both of these infection niches are colonised by the pathogenic bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium during infection. Succinate is a C4-dicarboyxlate that can serve as a source of carbon for bacteria. When succinate is provided as the sole carbon source for in vitro cultivation, Salmonella and other enteric bacteria exhibit a slow growth rate and a long lag phase. This growth inhibition phenomenon was known to involve the sigma factor RpoS, but the genetic basis of the repression of bacterial succinate utilisation was poorly understood. Here, we use an experimental evolution approach to isolate fast-growing mutants during growth of S. Typhimurium on succinate containing minimal medium. Our approach reveals novel RpoS-independent systems that inhibit succinate utilisation. The CspC RNA binding protein restricts succinate utilisation, an inhibition that is antagonised by high levels of the small regulatory RNA (sRNA) OxyS. We discovered that the Fe-S cluster regulatory protein IscR inhibits succinate utilisation by repressing the C4-dicarboyxlate transporter DctA. Furthermore, the ribose operon repressor RbsR is required for the complete RpoS-driven repression of succinate utilisation, suggesting a novel mechanism of RpoS regulation. Our discoveries shed light on the redundant regulatory systems that tightly regulate the utilisation of succinate. We speculate that the control of central carbon metabolism by multiple regulatory systems in Salmonella governs the infection niche-specific utilisation of succinate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Wenner
- Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaojun Zhu
- Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Will P M Rowe
- Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Kristian Händler
- Department of Microbiology, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jay C D Hinton
- Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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17
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Liu Y, Van Horn AM, Pham MTN, Dinh BNN, Chen R, Raphael SDR, Paulino A, Thaker K, Somadder A, Frost DJ, Menke CC, Slimak ZC, Slonczewski JL. Fitness trade-offs of multidrug efflux pumps in Escherichia coli K-12 in acid or base, and with aromatic phytochemicals. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0209623. [PMID: 38289137 PMCID: PMC10880634 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02096-23] [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: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Multidrug efflux pumps are the frontline defense mechanisms of Gram-negative bacteria, yet little is known of their relative fitness trade-offs under gut conditions such as low pH and the presence of antimicrobial food molecules. Low pH contributes to the proton-motive force (PMF) that drives most efflux pumps. We show how the PMF-dependent pumps AcrAB-TolC, MdtEF-TolC, and EmrAB-TolC undergo selection at low pH and in the presence of membrane-permeant phytochemicals. Competition assays were performed by flow cytometry of co-cultured Escherichia coli K-12 strains possessing or lacking a given pump complex. All three pumps showed negative selection under conditions that deplete PMF (pH 5.5 with carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone or at pH 8.0). At pH 5.5, selection against AcrAB-TolC was increased by aromatic acids, alcohols, and related phytochemicals such as methyl salicylate. The degree of fitness cost for AcrA was correlated with the phytochemical's lipophilicity (logP). Methyl salicylate and salicylamide selected strongly against AcrA, without genetic induction of drug resistance regulons. MdtEF-TolC and EmrAB-TolC each had a fitness cost at pH 5.5, but salicylate or benzoate made the fitness contribution positive. Pump fitness effects were not explained by gene expression (measured by digital PCR). Between pH 5.5 and 8.0, acrA and emrA were upregulated in the log phase, whereas mdtE expression was upregulated in the transition-to-stationary phase and at pH 5.5 in the log phase. Methyl salicylate did not affect pump gene expression. Our results suggest that lipophilic non-acidic molecules select against a major efflux pump without inducing antibiotic resistance regulons.IMPORTANCEFor drugs that are administered orally, we need to understand how ingested phytochemicals modulate drug resistance in our gut microbiome. Bacteria maintain low-level resistance by proton-motive force (PMF)-driven pumps that efflux many different antibiotics and cell waste products. These pumps play a key role in bacterial defense by conferring resistance to antimicrobial agents at first exposure while providing time for a pathogen to evolve resistance to higher levels of the antibiotic exposed. Nevertheless, efflux pumps confer energetic costs due to gene expression and pump energy expense. The bacterial PMF includes the transmembrane pH difference (ΔpH), which may be depleted by permeant acids and membrane disruptors. Understanding the fitness costs of efflux pumps may enable us to develop resistance breakers, that is, molecules that work together with antibiotics to potentiate their effect. Non-acidic aromatic molecules have the advantage that they avoid the Mar-dependent induction of regulons conferring other forms of drug resistance. We show that different pumps have distinct selection criteria, and we identified non-acidic aromatic molecules as promising candidates for drug resistance breakers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Liu
- Department of Biology, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, USA
| | | | | | | | - Rachel Chen
- Department of Biology, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, USA
| | | | | | - Kavya Thaker
- Department of Biology, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, USA
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18
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Cronan GE, Kuzminov A. Degron-Controlled Protein Degradation in Escherichia coli: New Approaches and Parameters. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:669-682. [PMID: 38317378 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00768] [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: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Protein degron tags have proven to be uniquely useful for the characterization of gene function. Degrons can mediate quick depletion, usually within minutes, of a protein of interest, allowing researchers to characterize cellular responses to the loss of function. To develop a general-purpose degron tool in Escherichia coli, we sought to build upon a previously characterized system of SspB-dependent inducible protein degradation. For this, we created a family of expression vectors containing a destabilized allele of SspB, capable of a rapid and nearly perfect "off-to-on" induction response. Using this system, we demonstrated excellent control over several DNA metabolism enzymes. However, other substrates did not respond to degron tagging in such an ideal manner, indicating the apparent limitations of SspB-dependent systems. Several degron-tagged proteins were degraded too slowly to be completely depleted during active growth, whereas others appeared to be completely refractory to degron-promoted degradation. Thus, only a minority of our, admittedly biased, selection of degron substrates proved to be amenable to efficient SspB-catalyzed degradation. We also uncovered an apparent stalling and/or disengagement of ClpXP from a degron-tagged allele of beta-galactosidase (beta-gal). While a degron-containing fusion peptide attached to the carboxy-terminus of beta-gal was degraded quantitatively, no reductions in beta-gal activity or concentration were detected, demonstrating an apparently novel mechanism of protease resistance. We conclude that substrate-dependent effects of the SspB system present a continued challenge to the widespread adoption of this degron system. For substrates that prove to be degradable, we provide a series of titratable SspB-expression vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glen E Cronan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana─Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Andrei Kuzminov
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana─Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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19
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Dolcemascolo R, Heras-Hernández M, Goiriz L, Montagud-Martínez R, Requena-Menéndez A, Ruiz R, Pérez-Ràfols A, Higuera-Rodríguez RA, Pérez-Ropero G, Vranken WF, Martelli T, Kaiser W, Buijs J, Rodrigo G. Repurposing the mammalian RNA-binding protein Musashi-1 as an allosteric translation repressor in bacteria. eLife 2024; 12:RP91777. [PMID: 38363283 PMCID: PMC10942595 DOI: 10.7554/elife.91777] [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: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA recognition motif (RRM) is the most common RNA-binding protein domain identified in nature. However, RRM-containing proteins are only prevalent in eukaryotic phyla, in which they play central regulatory roles. Here, we engineered an orthogonal post-transcriptional control system of gene expression in the bacterium Escherichia coli with the mammalian RNA-binding protein Musashi-1, which is a stem cell marker with neurodevelopmental role that contains two canonical RRMs. In the circuit, Musashi-1 is regulated transcriptionally and works as an allosteric translation repressor thanks to a specific interaction with the N-terminal coding region of a messenger RNA and its structural plasticity to respond to fatty acids. We fully characterized the genetic system at the population and single-cell levels showing a significant fold change in reporter expression, and the underlying molecular mechanism by assessing the in vitro binding kinetics and in vivo functionality of a series of RNA mutants. The dynamic response of the system was well recapitulated by a bottom-up mathematical model. Moreover, we applied the post-transcriptional mechanism engineered with Musashi-1 to specifically regulate a gene within an operon, implement combinatorial regulation, and reduce protein expression noise. This work illustrates how RRM-based regulation can be adapted to simple organisms, thereby adding a new regulatory layer in prokaryotes for translation control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roswitha Dolcemascolo
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
- Department of Biotechnology, Polytechnic University of ValenciaValenciaSpain
| | - María Heras-Hernández
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
| | - Lucas Goiriz
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Polytechnic University of ValenciaValenciaSpain
| | - Roser Montagud-Martínez
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
- Department of Biotechnology, Polytechnic University of ValenciaValenciaSpain
| | | | - Raúl Ruiz
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
| | - Anna Pérez-Ràfols
- Giotto Biotech SRLSesto FiorentinoItaly
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM), Department of Chemistry Ugo Schiff, Consorzio Interuniversitario Risonanze Magnetiche di Metalloproteine (CIRMMP), University of FlorenceSesto FiorentinoItaly
| | - R Anahí Higuera-Rodríguez
- Dynamic Biosensors GmbHPlaneggGermany
- Department of Physics, Technical University of MunichGarchingGermany
| | - Guillermo Pérez-Ropero
- Ridgeview Instruments ABUppsalaSweden
- Department of Chemistry – BMC, Uppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Wim F Vranken
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles – Vrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | | | | | - Jos Buijs
- Ridgeview Instruments ABUppsalaSweden
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Uppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Guillermo Rodrigo
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
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20
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Gencay YE, Jasinskytė D, Robert C, Semsey S, Martínez V, Petersen AØ, Brunner K, de Santiago Torio A, Salazar A, Turcu IC, Eriksen MK, Koval L, Takos A, Pascal R, Schou TS, Bayer L, Bryde T, Johansen KC, Bak EG, Smrekar F, Doyle TB, Satlin MJ, Gram A, Carvalho J, Jessen L, Hallström B, Hink J, Damholt B, Troy A, Grove M, Clube J, Grøndahl C, Haaber JK, van der Helm E, Zdravkovic M, Sommer MOA. Engineered phage with antibacterial CRISPR-Cas selectively reduce E. coli burden in mice. Nat Biotechnol 2024; 42:265-274. [PMID: 37142704 PMCID: PMC10869271 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01759-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic treatments have detrimental effects on the microbiome and lead to antibiotic resistance. To develop a phage therapy against a diverse range of clinically relevant Escherichia coli, we screened a library of 162 wild-type (WT) phages, identifying eight phages with broad coverage of E. coli, complementary binding to bacterial surface receptors, and the capability to stably carry inserted cargo. Selected phages were engineered with tail fibers and CRISPR-Cas machinery to specifically target E. coli. We show that engineered phages target bacteria in biofilms, reduce the emergence of phage-tolerant E. coli and out-compete their ancestral WT phages in coculture experiments. A combination of the four most complementary bacteriophages, called SNIPR001, is well tolerated in both mouse models and minipigs and reduces E. coli load in the mouse gut better than its constituent components separately. SNIPR001 is in clinical development to selectively kill E. coli, which may cause fatal infections in hematological cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lev Koval
- SNIPR BIOME ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael J Satlin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Morten Otto Alexander Sommer
- SNIPR BIOME ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, DTU Biosustain, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
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21
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Lolicato F, Steringer JP, Saleppico R, Beyer D, Fernandez-Sobaberas J, Unger S, Klein S, Riegerová P, Wegehingel S, Müller HM, Schmitt XJ, Kaptan S, Freund C, Hof M, Šachl R, Chlanda P, Vattulainen I, Nickel W. Disulfide bridge-dependent dimerization triggers FGF2 membrane translocation into the extracellular space. eLife 2024; 12:RP88579. [PMID: 38252473 PMCID: PMC10945597 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88579] [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: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) exits cells by direct translocation across the plasma membrane, a type I pathway of unconventional protein secretion. This process is initiated by phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2)-dependent formation of highly dynamic FGF2 oligomers at the inner plasma membrane leaflet, inducing the formation of lipidic membrane pores. Cell surface heparan sulfate chains linked to glypican-1 (GPC1) capture FGF2 at the outer plasma membrane leaflet, completing FGF2 membrane translocation into the extracellular space. While the basic steps of this pathway are well understood, the molecular mechanism by which FGF2 oligomerizes on membrane surfaces remains unclear. In the current study, we demonstrate the initial step of this process to depend on C95-C95 disulfide-bridge-mediated FGF2 dimerization on membrane surfaces, producing the building blocks for higher FGF2 oligomers that drive the formation of membrane pores. We find FGF2 with a C95A substitution to be defective in oligomerization, pore formation, and membrane translocation. Consistently, we demonstrate a C95A variant of FGF2 to be characterized by a severe secretion phenotype. By contrast, while also important for efficient FGF2 secretion from cells, a second cysteine residue on the molecular surface of FGF2 (C77) is not involved in FGF2 oligomerization. Rather, we find C77 to be part of the interaction interface through which FGF2 binds to the α1 subunit of the Na,K-ATPase, the landing platform for FGF2 at the inner plasma membrane leaflet. Using cross-linking mass spectrometry, atomistic molecular dynamics simulations combined with a machine learning analysis and cryo-electron tomography, we propose a mechanism by which disulfide-bridged FGF2 dimers bind with high avidity to PI(4,5)P2 on membrane surfaces. We further propose a tight coupling between FGF2 secretion and the formation of ternary signaling complexes on cell surfaces, hypothesizing that C95-C95-bridged FGF2 dimers are functioning as the molecular units triggering autocrine and paracrine FGF2 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Lolicato
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry CenterHeidelbergGermany
- Department of Physics, University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | | | | | - Daniel Beyer
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry CenterHeidelbergGermany
| | | | | | - Steffen Klein
- Schaller Research Group, Department of Infectious Diseases-Virology, Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
| | - Petra Riegerová
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | | | | | - Xiao J Schmitt
- Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Shreyas Kaptan
- Department of Physics, University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Christian Freund
- Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Martin Hof
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Radek Šachl
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Petr Chlanda
- Schaller Research Group, Department of Infectious Diseases-Virology, Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Walter Nickel
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry CenterHeidelbergGermany
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22
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Bassett S, Ding Y, Roy MK, Reisz JA, D'Alessandro A, Nagpal P, Chatterjee A. Light-Driven Metabolic Pathways in Non-Photosynthetic Biohybrid Bacteria. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300572. [PMID: 37861981 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300572] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Biomanufacturing via microorganisms relies on carbon substrates for molecular feedstocks and a source of energy to carry out enzymatic reactions. This creates metabolic bottlenecks and lowers the efficiency for substrate conversion. Nanoparticle biohybridization with proteins and whole cell surfaces can bypass the need for redox cofactor regeneration for improved secondary metabolite production in a non-specific manner. Here we propose using nanobiohybrid organisms (Nanorgs), intracellular protein-nanoparticle hybrids formed through the spontaneous coupling of core-shell quantum dots (QDs) with histidine-tagged enzymes in non-photosynthetic bacteria, for light-mediated control of bacterial metabolism. This proved to eliminate metabolic constrictions and replace glucose with light as the source of energy in Escherichia coli, with an increase in growth by 1.7-fold in 75 % reduced nutrient media. Metabolomic tracking through carbon isotope labeling confirmed flux shunting through targeted pathways, with accumulation of metabolites downstream of respective targets. Finally, application of Nanorgs with the Ehrlich pathway improved isobutanol titers/yield by 3.9-fold in 75 % less sugar from E. coli strains with no genetic alterations. These results demonstrate the promise of Nanorgs for metabolic engineering and low-cost biomanufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane Bassett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Yuchen Ding
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Micaela K Roy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Julie A Reisz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Angelo D'Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Prashant Nagpal
- ARC Labs, Louisville, CO 80027, USA
- Sachi Bio, Inc., Louisville, CO 80027, USA
| | - Anushree Chatterjee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- ARC Labs, Louisville, CO 80027, USA
- Sachi Bio, Inc., Louisville, CO 80027, USA
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23
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Wang Y, Fu H, Shi XJ, Zhao GP, Lyu LD. Genome-wide screen reveals cellular functions that counteract rifampicin lethality in Escherichia coli. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0289523. [PMID: 38054714 PMCID: PMC10782999 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02895-23] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Rifamycins are a group of antibiotics with a wide antibacterial spectrum. Although the binding target of rifamycin has been well characterized, the mechanisms underlying the discrepant killing efficacy between gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria remain poorly understood. Using a high-throughput screen combined with targeted gene knockouts in the gram-negative model organism Escherichia coli, we established that rifampicin efficacy is strongly dependent on several cellular pathways, including iron acquisition, DNA repair, aerobic respiration, and carbon metabolism. In addition, we provide evidence that these pathways modulate rifampicin efficacy in a manner distinct from redox-related killing. Our findings provide insights into the mechanism of rifamycin efficacy and may aid in the development of new antimicrobial adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of the Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Han Fu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of the Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jie Shi
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of the Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Ping Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of the Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Liang-Dong Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of the Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease (Tuberculosis), Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Shanghai, China
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24
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Nie M, Wang J, Chen Z, Cao C, Zhang K. Systematic engineering enables efficient biosynthesis of L-phenylalanine in E. coli from inexpensive aromatic precursors. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:12. [PMID: 38183119 PMCID: PMC10768146 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02282-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND L-phenylalanine is an essential amino acid with various promising applications. The microbial pathway for L-phenylalanine synthesis from glucose in wild strains involves lengthy steps and stringent feedback regulation that limits the production yield. It is attractive to find other candidates, which could be used to establish a succinct and cost-effective pathway for L-phenylalanine production. Here, we developed an artificial bioconversion process to synthesize L-phenylalanine from inexpensive aromatic precursors (benzaldehyde or benzyl alcohol). In particular, this work opens the possibility of L-phenylalanine production from benzyl alcohol in a cofactor self-sufficient system without any addition of reductant. RESULTS The engineered L-phenylalanine biosynthesis pathway comprises two modules: in the first module, aromatic precursors and glycine were converted into phenylpyruvate, the key precursor for L-phenylalanine. The highly active enzyme combination was natural threonine aldolase LtaEP.p and threonine dehydratase A8HB.t, which could produce phenylpyruvate in a titer of 4.3 g/L. Overexpression of gene ridA could further increase phenylpyruvate production by 16.3%, reaching up to 5 g/L. The second module catalyzed phenylpyruvate to L-phenylalanine, and the conversion rate of phenylpyruvate was up to 93% by co-expressing PheDH and FDHV120S. Then, the engineered E. coli containing these two modules could produce L-phenylalanine from benzaldehyde with a conversion rate of 69%. Finally, we expanded the aromatic precursors to produce L-phenylalanine from benzyl alcohol, and firstly constructed the cofactor self-sufficient biosynthetic pathway to synthesize L-phenylalanine without any additional reductant such as formate. CONCLUSION Systematical bioconversion processes have been designed and constructed, which could provide a potential bio-based strategy for the production of high-value L-phenylalanine from low-cost starting materials aromatic precursors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengzhen Nie
- Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310030, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jingyu Wang
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310030, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zeyao Chen
- Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310030, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chenkai Cao
- Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310030, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kechun Zhang
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310030, Zhejiang, China.
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25
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Schilder A, Göpel Y, Khan MA, Görke B. Evaluation of 5'-End Phosphorylation for Small RNA Stability and Target Regulation In Vivo. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2741:255-272. [PMID: 38217658 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3565-0_14] [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: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) can be equipped at the 5' end with triphosphate (5'PPP) or monophosphate (5'P) groups, depending on whether they are primary transcripts, undergo dephosphorylation or originate via processing. Often, 5' groups hallmark RNAs for rapid decay, but whether this also applies to sRNAs is little explored. Moreover, the sRNA 5'P group could activate endoribonuclease RNase E to cleave the base-paired target RNA, but a tool for investigation in vivo was lacking. Here, we describe a two-plasmid system suitable for the generation of 5' monophosphorylated RNAs on demand inside the cell. The sRNA gene of interest is fused to the 3' end of a fragment of sRNA GlmZ and transcribed from a plasmid in an IPTG-inducible manner. The fusion RNA gets cleaved upon arabinose-controlled expression of rapZ, provided on a compatible plasmid. Adaptor protein RapZ binds the GlmZ aptamer and directs RNase E to release the sRNA of choice with 5'P ends. An isogenic plasmid generating the same sRNA with a 5'PPP end allows for direct comparison. The fates of the sRNA variants and target RNA(s) are monitored by Northern blotting. This tool is applicable to E. coli and likely other enteric bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Schilder
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yvonne Göpel
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Lexogen, Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, Vienna, Austria
| | - Muna Ayesha Khan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Lexogen, Campus Vienna Biocenter 5, Vienna, Austria
| | - Boris Görke
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
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26
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Jiang T, Teng Y, Li C, Gan Q, Zhang J, Zou Y, Desai BK, Yan Y. Establishing Tunable Genetic Logic Gates with Versatile Dynamic Performance by Varying Regulatory Parameters. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:3730-3742. [PMID: 38033235 PMCID: PMC10729296 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Genetic logic gates can be employed in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology to regulate gene expression based on diverse inputs. Design of tunable genetic logic gates with versatile dynamic performance is essential for expanding the usability of these toolsets. Here, using the p-coumaric acid biosensor system as a proof-of-concept, we initially investigated the parameters influencing the buffer (BUF) genetic logic gates. Subsequently, integrating binding sequences from the p-coumaric acid biosensor system and tetR or lacI regulation systems into a constitutive promoter yielded AND genetic logic gates. Additionally, characterized antisense RNAs (asRNAs) or single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) with various repression efficiencies were combined with BUF gates to construct a suite of p-coumaric acid-triggered NOT genetic logic gates. Finally, the designed BUF and NOT gates were combined to construct bifunctional genetic circuits that were subjected to orthogonality evaluation. The genetic logic gates established in this study can serve as valuable tools in future applications of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Jiang
- School
of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Yuxi Teng
- School
of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Chenyi Li
- School
of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Qi Gan
- School
of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Jianli Zhang
- School
of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Yusong Zou
- School
of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Bhaven Kalpesh Desai
- School
of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Yajun Yan
- School
of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
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27
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McFarlane JA, Hansen EG, Ortega EC, Iskender I, Noireaux V, Bowden SD. A ToxIN homolog from Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis impairs bacteriophage infection. J Appl Microbiol 2023; 134:lxad299. [PMID: 38059866 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxad299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
AIMS To determine if the bacteriophage abortive infection system ToxIN is present in foodborne Salmonella and if it protects against infection by bacteriophages specific to enteric bacteria. METHODS AND RESULTS A set of foodborne Salmonella enteritidis isolates from a 2010 eggshell outbreak was identified via BLASTN (basic local alignment search tool nucleotide) queries as harboring a close homolog of ToxIN, carried on a plasmid with putative mobilization proteins. This homolog was cloned into a plasmid vector and transformed into the laboratory strain Salmonella typhimurium LT2 and tested against a set of Salmonella-specific phages (FelixO1, S16, Sp6, LPST153, and P22 HT105/1 int-201). ToxIN reduced infection by FelixO1, S16, and LPST153 by ∼1-4 log PFU ml-1 while reducing the plaque size of Sp6. When present in LT2 and Escherichia coli MG1655, ToxIN conferred cross-genus protection against phage isolates, which infect both bacteria. Finally, the putative ToxIN plasmid was found in whole-genome sequence contigs of several Salmonella serovars, pathogenic E. coli, and other pathogenic enterobacteria. CONCLUSIONS Salmonella and E. coli can resist infection by several phages via ToxIN under laboratory conditions; ToxIN is present in foodborne pathogens including Salmonella and Shiga-toxigenic E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A McFarlane
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Eleanore G Hansen
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Estephany C Ortega
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Irem Iskender
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Vincent Noireaux
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Steven D Bowden
- BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
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28
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Voß Y, Klaus S, Lichti NP, Ganter M, Guizetti J. Malaria parasite centrins can assemble by Ca2+-inducible condensation. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011899. [PMID: 38150475 PMCID: PMC10775985 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011899] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Centrins are small calcium-binding proteins that have a variety of roles and are universally associated with eukaryotic centrosomes. Rapid proliferation of the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum in the human blood depends on a particularly divergent and acentriolar centrosome, which incorporates several essential centrins. Their precise mode of action, however, remains unclear. In this study calcium-inducible liquid-liquid phase separation is revealed as an evolutionarily conserved principle of assembly for multiple centrins from P. falciparum and other species. Furthermore, the disordered N-terminus and calcium-binding motifs are defined as essential features for reversible biomolecular condensation, and we demonstrate that certain centrins can form co-condensates. In vivo analysis using live cell STED microscopy shows liquid-like dynamics of centrosomal centrin. Additionally, implementation of an inducible protein overexpression system reveals concentration-dependent formation of extra-centrosomal centrin assemblies with condensate-like properties. The timing of foci formation and dissolution suggests that centrin assembly is regulated. This study thereby provides a new model for centrin accumulation at eukaryotic centrosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannik Voß
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Severina Klaus
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicolas P. Lichti
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Ganter
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julien Guizetti
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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29
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Cronan GE, Kuzminov A. Degron-controlled protein degradation in Escherichia coli: New Approaches and Parameters. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.08.566101. [PMID: 37986802 PMCID: PMC10659297 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.08.566101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Protein degron tags have proven uniquely useful for characterization of gene function. Degrons mediate quick depletion, usually within minutes, of a protein of interest - allowing researchers to characterize cellular responses to the loss of function. To develop a general purpose degron tool in E. coli, we sought to build upon a previously characterized system of SspB-dependent inducible protein degradation. For this, we created a family of expression vectors containing a destabilized allele of SspB, capable of a rapid and nearly perfect "off-to-on" induction response. Using this system, we demonstrated control over several enzymes of DNA metabolism, but also found with other substates apparent limitations of a SspB-dependent system. Several degron target proteins were degraded too slowly to affect their complete depletion during active growth, whereas others appeared completely refractory to degron-promoted degradation. We demonstrated that a model substrate, beta-galactosidase, was positively recognized as a degron substrate, but failed to be degraded by the ClpXP protease - demonstrating an apparently unknown mechanism of protease resistance. Thus, only a minority of our, admittedly biased, selection of degron substates proved amenable to rapid SspB-catalyzed degradation. We conclude that substrate-dependence of the SspB system remains a critical factor for the success of this degron system. For substrates that prove degradable, we provide a series of titratable SspB-expression vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glen E. Cronan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Andrei Kuzminov
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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30
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Bi Y, Wang J, Li J, Chou HH, Ren T, Li J, Zhang K. Engineering acetylation platform for the total biosynthesis of D-amino acids. Metab Eng 2023; 80:25-32. [PMID: 37689258 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Optically pure D-amino acids are key chemicals with various applications. Although the production of specific D-amino acids has been achieved by chemical synthesis or with in vitro enzyme catalysts, it is challenging to convert a simple carbon source into D-amino acids with high efficiency. Here, we design an artificial metabolic pathway by engineering bacteria to heterologously express racemase and N-acetyltransferase to produce N-acetyl-D-amino acids from L-amino acids. This new platform allows the cytotoxicity of D-amino acids to be avoided. The universal potential of this acetylation protection strategy for effectively synthesizing optically pure D-amino acids is demonstrated by testing sixteen amino acid targets. Furthermore, we combine pathway optimization and metabolic engineering in Escherichia coli and achieve practically useful efficiency with four specific examples, including N-acetyl-D-valine, N-acetyl-D-serine, N-acetyl-D-phenylalanine and N-acetyl-D-phenylglycine, with titers reaching 5.65 g/L, 5.25 g/L, 8.025 g/L and 130 mg/L, respectively. This work opens up opportunities for synthesizing D-amino acids directly from simple carbon sources, avoiding costly and unsustainable conventional approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Bi
- Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai, 201100, China; School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jingyu Wang
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jialong Li
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Hsiang-Hui Chou
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Tianhua Ren
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jinlin Li
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Kechun Zhang
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.
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31
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Treece TR, Pattanayak S, Matson MM, Cepeda MM, Berben LA, Atsumi S. Electrical-biological hybrid system for carbon efficient isobutanol production. Metab Eng 2023; 80:142-150. [PMID: 37739158 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
We have developed an electrical-biological hybrid system wherein an engineered microorganism consumes electrocatalytically produced formate from CO2 to supplement the bioproduction of isobutanol, a valuable fuel chemical. Biological CO2 sequestration is notoriously slow compared to electrochemical CO2 reduction, while electrochemical methods struggle to generate carbon-carbon bonds which readily form in biological systems. A hybrid system provides a promising method for combining the benefits of both biology and electrochemistry. Previously, Escherichia coli was engineered to assimilate formate and CO2 in central metabolism using the reductive glycine pathway. In this work, we have shown that chemical production in E. coli can benefit from single carbon substrates when equipped with the RGP. By installing the RGP and the isobutanol biosynthetic pathway into E. coli and by further genetic modifications, we have generated a strain of E. coli that can consume formate and produce isobutanol at a yield of >100% of theoretical maximum from glucose. Our results demonstrate that carbon produced from electrocatalytically reduced CO2 can bolster chemical production in E. coli. This study shows that E. coli can be engineered towards carbon efficient methods of chemical production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanner R Treece
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Santanu Pattanayak
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Morgan M Matson
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Mateo M Cepeda
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Louise A Berben
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Shota Atsumi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Mason G, Footer MJ, Rojas ER. Mechanosensation induces persistent bacterial growth during bacteriophage predation. mBio 2023; 14:e0276622. [PMID: 37909775 PMCID: PMC10746221 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02766-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the relationship between bacteria and lytic bacteriophage is fundamentally antagonistic, these microbes not only coexist but thrive side by side in myriad ecological environments. The mechanisms by which coexistence is achieved, however, are not fully understood. By examining Escherichia coli and bacteriophage T7 population dynamics at the single-cell and single-virion level using a novel microfluidics assay, we observed bacteria growing "persistently" when perfused with high-titer bacteriophage. Bacteriophage persistence occurred at a frequency five orders of magnitude higher than is expected from the natural selection of bacteriophage-resistant mutants. Rather, the frequency of persistence was correlated with the degree to which the bacteria were mechanically compressed by the microfluidic perfusion chamber. Using a combination of mutagenesis and fluorescent imaging techniques, we discovered that compression induces persistence by activating the Rcs phosphorelay pathway, which results in the synthesis of extracellular capsule that sterically blocks bacteriophage adsorption. Other forms of mechanical perturbation also promoted Rcs activity and persistence. These findings have important implications for our understanding of microbial ecology in many important environments, including the gut and the soil, where bacteria grow in confinement. IMPORTANCE Bacteria and bacteriophage form one of the most important predator-prey relationships on earth, yet how the long-term stability of this ecological interaction is achieved is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that Escherichia coli can rapidly grow during bacteriophage predation if they are doing so in spatially confined environments. This discovery revises our understanding of bacteria-bacteriophage population dynamics in many real-world environments where bacteria grow in confinement, such as the gut and the soil. Additionally, this result has clear implications for the potential of bacteriophage therapy and the role of mechanosensation during bacterial pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Mason
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Matthew J. Footer
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Enrique R. Rojas
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
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Manoli MT, Blanco FG, Rivero-Buceta V, Kniewel R, Alarcon SH, Salgado S, Prieto MA. Heterologous constitutive production of short-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates in Pseudomonas putida KT2440: the involvement of IbpA inclusion body protein. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1275036. [PMID: 38026847 PMCID: PMC10646324 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1275036] [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: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Designing cell factories for the production of novel polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) via smart metabolic engineering is key to obtain à la carte materials with tailored physicochemical properties. To this end, we used the model medium-chain-length-PHA producing bacterium, P. putida KT2440 as a chassis, which is characterized by its metabolic versatility and stress tolerance. Different PHA biosynthetic modules were assembled in expression plasmids using the Golden gate/MoClo modular assembly technique to implement an orthogonal short-chain-lengh-PHA (scl-PHA) switch in a "deaf" PHA mutant. This was specifically constructed to override endogenous multilevel regulation of PHA synthesis in the native strain. We generated a panel of engineered approaches carrying the genes from Rhodospirillum rubrum, Cupriavidus necator and Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, demonstrating that diverse scl-PHAs can be constitutively produced in the chassis strain to varying yields from 23% to 84% PHA/CDW. Co-feeding assays of the most promising engineered strain harboring the PHA machinery from C. necator resulted to a panel of PHBV from 0.6% to 19% C5 monomeric incorporation. Chromosomally integrated PHA machineries with high PhaCCn synthase dosage successfully resulted in 68% PHA/CDW production. Interestingly, an inverse relationship between PhaC synthase dosage and granule size distribution was demonstrated in the heterologous host. In this vein, it is proposed the key involvement of inclusion body protein IbpA to the heterologous production of tailored PHA in P. putida KT2440.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Tsampika Manoli
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco G. Blanco
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Virginia Rivero-Buceta
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ryan Kniewel
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Herrera Alarcon
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Salgado
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - M. Auxiliadora Prieto
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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Melamed S, Zhang A, Jarnik M, Mills J, Silverman A, Zhang H, Storz G. σ 28-dependent small RNA regulation of flagella biosynthesis. eLife 2023; 12:RP87151. [PMID: 37843988 PMCID: PMC10578931 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Flagella are important for bacterial motility as well as for pathogenesis. Synthesis of these structures is energy intensive and, while extensive transcriptional regulation has been described, little is known about the posttranscriptional regulation. Small RNAs (sRNAs) are widespread posttranscriptional regulators, most base pairing with mRNAs to affect their stability and/or translation. Here, we describe four UTR-derived sRNAs (UhpU, MotR, FliX and FlgO) whose expression is controlled by the flagella sigma factor σ28 (fliA) in Escherichia coli. Interestingly, the four sRNAs have varied effects on flagellin protein levels, flagella number and cell motility. UhpU, corresponding to the 3´ UTR of a metabolic gene, likely has hundreds of targets including a transcriptional regulator at the top flagella regulatory cascade connecting metabolism and flagella synthesis. Unlike most sRNAs, MotR and FliX base pair within the coding sequences of target mRNAs and act on ribosomal protein mRNAs connecting ribosome production and flagella synthesis. The study shows how sRNA-mediated regulation can overlay a complex network enabling nuanced control of flagella synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Melamed
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Aixia Zhang
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Michal Jarnik
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Joshua Mills
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Aviezer Silverman
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Hongen Zhang
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Computing Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Gisela Storz
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
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Taylor JE, Palur DSK, Zhang A, Gonzales JN, Arredondo A, Coulther TA, Lechner ABJ, Rodriguez EP, Fiehn O, Didzbalis J, Siegel JB, Atsumi S. Awakening the natural capability of psicose production in Escherichia coli. NPJ Sci Food 2023; 7:54. [PMID: 37838768 PMCID: PMC10576766 DOI: 10.1038/s41538-023-00231-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the rampant rise in obesity and diabetes, consumers are desperately seeking for ways to reduce their sugar intake, but to date there are no options that are both accessible and without sacrifice of palatability. One of the most promising new ingredients in the food system as a non-nutritive sugar substitute with near perfect palatability is D-psicose. D-psicose is currently produced using an in vitro enzymatic isomerization of D-fructose, resulting in low yield and purity, and therefore requiring substantial downstream processing to obtain a high purity product. This has made adoption of D-psicose into products limited and results in significantly higher per unit costs, reducing accessibility to those most in need. Here, we found that Escherichia coli natively possesses a thermodynamically favorable pathway to produce D-psicose from D-glucose through a series of phosphorylation-epimerization-dephosphorylation steps. To increase carbon flux towards D-psicose production, we introduced a series of genetic modifications to pathway enzymes, central carbon metabolism, and competing metabolic pathways. In an attempt to maximize both cellular viability and D-psicose production, we implemented methods for the dynamic regulation of key genes including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats inhibition (CRISPRi) and stationary-phase promoters. The engineered strains achieved complete consumption of D-glucose and production of D-psicose, at a titer of 15.3 g L-1, productivity of 2 g L-1 h-1, and yield of 62% under test tube conditions. These results demonstrate the viability of whole-cell catalysis as a sustainable alternative to in vitro enzymatic synthesis for the accessible production of D-psicose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayce E Taylor
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | | | - Angela Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jake N Gonzales
- Plant Biology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Augustine Arredondo
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | | | | | - Elys P Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- West Coast Metabolomics Center, UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Oliver Fiehn
- West Coast Metabolomics Center, UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - John Didzbalis
- Mars, Incorporated, 6885 Elm Street, McLean, VA, 22101, USA
| | - Justin B Siegel
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Shota Atsumi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Plant Biology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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36
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Gonzales JN, Treece TR, Mayfield SP, Simkovsky R, Atsumi S. Utilization of lignocellulosic hydrolysates for photomixotrophic chemical production in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1022. [PMID: 37813969 PMCID: PMC10562401 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05394-w] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
To meet the need for environmentally friendly commodity chemicals, feedstocks for biological chemical production must be diversified. Lignocellulosic biomass are an carbon source with the potential for effective use in a large scale and cost-effective production systems. Although the use of lignocellulosic biomass lysates for heterotrophic chemical production has been advancing, there are challenges to overcome. Here we aim to investigate the obligate photoautotroph cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 as a chassis organism for lignocellulosic chemical production. When modified to import monosaccharides, this cyanobacterium is an excellent candidate for lysates-based chemical production as it grows well at high lysate concentrations and can fix CO2 to enhance carbon efficiency. This study is an important step forward in enabling the simultaneous use of two sugars as well as lignocellulosic lysate. Incremental genetic modifications enable catabolism of both sugars concurrently without experiencing carbon catabolite repression. Production of 2,3-butanediol is demonstrated to characterize chemical production from the sugars in lignocellulosic hydrolysates. The engineered strain achieves a titer of 13.5 g L-1 of 2,3-butanediol over 12 days under shake-flask conditions. This study can be used as a foundation for industrial scale production of commodity chemicals from a combination of sunlight, CO2, and lignocellulosic sugars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake N Gonzales
- Plant Biology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Tanner R Treece
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Stephen P Mayfield
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- California Center for Algae Biotechnology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Ryan Simkovsky
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- California Center for Algae Biotechnology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Shota Atsumi
- Plant Biology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Zhang P, Wang H, Xu H, Wei L, Liu L, Hu Z, Wang X. Deep flanking sequence engineering for efficient promoter design using DeepSEED. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6309. [PMID: 37813854 PMCID: PMC10562447 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41899-y] [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: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Designing promoters with desirable properties is essential in synthetic biology. Human experts are skilled at identifying strong explicit patterns in small samples, while deep learning models excel at detecting implicit weak patterns in large datasets. Biologists have described the sequence patterns of promoters via transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). However, the flanking sequences of cis-regulatory elements, have long been overlooked and often arbitrarily decided in promoter design. To address this limitation, we introduce DeepSEED, an AI-aided framework that efficiently designs synthetic promoters by combining expert knowledge with deep learning techniques. DeepSEED has demonstrated success in improving the properties of Escherichia coli constitutive, IPTG-inducible, and mammalian cell doxycycline (Dox)-inducible promoters. Furthermore, our results show that DeepSEED captures the implicit features in flanking sequences, such as k-mer frequencies and DNA shape features, which are crucial for determining promoter properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Haochen Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hanwen Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Wei
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Liyang Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhirui Hu
- Center for Statistical Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaowo Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology; Bioinformatics Division, Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology; Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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An N, Zhou S, Chen X, Wang J, Sun X, Shen X, Yuan Q. High-yield production of β-arbutin by identifying and eliminating byproducts formation. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:6193-6204. [PMID: 37597019 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12706-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
β-Arbutin is a plant-derived glycoside and widely used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries because of its safe and effective skin-lightening property as well as anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory activities. In recent years, microbial fermentation has become a highly promising method for the production of β-arbutin. However, this method suffers from low titer and low yield, which has become the bottleneck for its widely industrial application. In this study, we used β-arbutin to demonstrate methods for improving yields for industrial-scale production in Escherichia coli. First, the supply of precursors phosphoenolpyruvate and uridine diphosphate glucose was improved, leading to a 4.6-fold increase in β-arbutin production in shaking flasks. The engineered strain produced 36.12 g/L β-arbutin with a yield of 0.11 g/g glucose in a 3-L bioreactor. Next, based on the substrate and product's structural similarity, an endogenous O-acetyltransferase was identified as responsible for 6-O-acetylarbutin formation for the first time. Eliminating the formation of byproducts, including 6-O-acetylarbutin, tyrosine, and acetate, resulted in an engineered strain producing 43.79 g/L β-arbutin with a yield of 0.22 g/g glucose in fed-batch fermentation. Thus, the yield increased twofold by eliminating byproducts formation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest titer and yield of β-arbutin ever reported, paving the way for the industrial production of β-arbutin. This study demonstrated a systematic strategy to alleviate undesirable byproduct accumulation and improve the titer and yield of target products. KEY POINTS: • A systematic strategy to improve titer and yield was showed • Genes responsible for 6-O-acetylarbutin formation were firstly identified • 43.79 g/L β-arbutin was produced in bioreactor, which is the highest titer so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning An
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Shubin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xinxiao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xiaolin Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Qipeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
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Glasscock CJ, Pecoraro R, McHugh R, Doyle LA, Chen W, Boivin O, Lonnquist B, Na E, Politanska Y, Haddox HK, Cox D, Norn C, Coventry B, Goreshnik I, Vafeados D, Lee GR, Gordan R, Stoddard BL, DiMaio F, Baker D. Computational design of sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.20.558720. [PMID: 37790440 PMCID: PMC10542524 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.20.558720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins (DBPs) play critical roles in biology and biotechnology, and there has been considerable interest in the engineering of DBPs with new or altered specificities for genome editing and other applications. While there has been some success in reprogramming naturally occurring DBPs using selection methods, the computational design of new DBPs that recognize arbitrary target sites remains an outstanding challenge. We describe a computational method for the design of small DBPs that recognize specific target sequences through interactions with bases in the major groove, and employ this method in conjunction with experimental screening to generate binders for 5 distinct DNA targets. These binders exhibit specificity closely matching the computational models for the target DNA sequences at as many as 6 base positions and affinities as low as 30-100 nM. The crystal structure of a designed DBP-target site complex is in close agreement with the design model, highlighting the accuracy of the design method. The designed DBPs function in both Escherichia coli and mammalian cells to repress and activate transcription of neighboring genes. Our method is a substantial step towards a general route to small and hence readily deliverable sequence-specific DBPs for gene regulation and editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron J. Glasscock
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Robert Pecoraro
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ryan McHugh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lindsey A. Doyle
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Olivier Boivin
- Program in Genetics and Genomic, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Beau Lonnquist
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Emily Na
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yuliya Politanska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hugh K. Haddox
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - David Cox
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christoffer Norn
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- BioInnovation Institute, DK2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Brian Coventry
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Inna Goreshnik
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dionne Vafeados
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gyu Rie Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Raluca Gordan
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Computer Science, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Barry L. Stoddard
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Frank DiMaio
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- BioInnovation Institute, DK2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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40
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Li C, Zhou Y, Zou Y, Jiang T, Gong X, Yan Y. Identifying, Characterizing, and Engineering a Phenolic Acid-Responsive Transcriptional Factor from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:2382-2392. [PMID: 37499217 PMCID: PMC10443031 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00206] [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: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional factors-based biosensors are commonly used in metabolic engineering for inducible control of gene expression and related applications such as high-throughput screening and dynamic pathway regulations. Mining for novel transcriptional factors is essential for expanding the usability of these toolsets. Here, we report the identification, characterization, and engineering of a phenolic acid responsive regulator PadR from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BaPadR). This BaPadR-based biosensor system showed a unique ligand preference and exhibited a high output strength comparable to that of commonly used inducible expression systems. Through engineering the DNA binding region of BaPadR, we further enhanced the dynamic range of the biosensor system. The DNA sequences that are responsible for BaPadR recognition were located by promoter truncation and hybrid promoter building. To further explore the tunability of the sensor system, base substitutions were performed on the BaPadR binding region of the phenolic acid decarboxylase promoter (PpadC) and the hybrid promoter. This novel biosensor system can serve as a valuable tool in future synthetic biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyi Li
- School
of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Yuyang Zhou
- School
of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Yusong Zou
- School
of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Tian Jiang
- School
of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Xinyu Gong
- School
of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Yajun Yan
- School
of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
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41
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Cooper RM, Wright JA, Ng JQ, Goyne JM, Suzuki N, Lee YK, Ichinose M, Radford G, Ryan FJ, Kumar S, Thomas EM, Vrbanac L, Knight R, Woods SL, Worthley DL, Hasty J. Engineered bacteria detect tumor DNA. Science 2023; 381:682-686. [PMID: 37561843 PMCID: PMC10852993 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf3974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology has developed sophisticated cellular biosensors to detect and respond to human disease. However, biosensors have not yet been engineered to detect specific extracellular DNA sequences and mutations. Here, we engineered naturally competent Acinetobacter baylyi to detect donor DNA from the genomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, organoids, and tumors. We characterized the functionality of the biosensors in vitro with coculture assays and then validated them in vivo with sensor bacteria delivered to mice harboring colorectal tumors. We observed horizontal gene transfer from the tumor to the sensor bacteria in our mouse model of CRC. This cellular assay for targeted, CRISPR-discriminated horizontal gene transfer (CATCH) enables the biodetection of specific cell-free DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M. Cooper
- Synthetic Biology Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA, 92093
| | - Josephine A. Wright
- Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Jia Q. Ng
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Jarrad M. Goyne
- Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Nobumi Suzuki
- Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Young K. Lee
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Mari Ichinose
- Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Georgette Radford
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Feargal J. Ryan
- Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia, 5042
| | - Shalni Kumar
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093
| | - Elaine M. Thomas
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Laura Vrbanac
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Rob Knight
- Molecular Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA, 92093
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093
| | - Susan L. Woods
- Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
| | - Daniel L. Worthley
- Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
- Colonoscopy Clinic, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 4000
| | - Jeff Hasty
- Synthetic Biology Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA, 92093
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093
- Molecular Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA, 92093
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093
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42
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Nasr MA, Martin VJJ, Kwan DH. Divergent directed evolution of a TetR-type repressor towards aromatic molecules. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:7675-7690. [PMID: 37377432 PMCID: PMC10415137 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Reprogramming cellular behaviour is one of the hallmarks of synthetic biology. To this end, prokaryotic allosteric transcription factors (aTF) have been repurposed as versatile tools for processing small molecule signals into cellular responses. Expanding the toolbox of aTFs that recognize new inducer molecules is of considerable interest in many applications. Here, we first establish a resorcinol responsive aTF-based biosensor in Escherichia coli using the TetR-family repressor RolR from Corynebacterium glutamicum. We then perform an iterative walk along the fitness landscape of RolR to identify new inducer specificities, namely catechol, methyl catechol, caffeic acid, protocatechuate, L-DOPA, and the tumour biomarker homovanillic acid. Finally, we demonstrate the versatility of these engineered aTFs by transplanting them into the model eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This work provides a framework for efficient aTF engineering to expand ligand specificity towards novel molecules on laboratory timescales, which, more broadly, is invaluable across a wide range of applications such as protein and metabolic engineering, as well as point-of-care diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A Nasr
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- PROTEO, Québec Network for Research on Protein Function, Structure, and Engineering, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Vincent J J Martin
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - David H Kwan
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- PROTEO, Québec Network for Research on Protein Function, Structure, and Engineering, Québec City, Québec, Canada
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43
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Ge ZB, Chen MM, Xie WY, Huang K, Zhao FJ, Wang P. Natural Microbial Reactor-Based Sensing Platform for Highly Sensitive Detection of Inorganic Arsenic in Rice Grains. Anal Chem 2023; 95:11467-11474. [PMID: 37462477 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Rice is a major dietary source of inorganic arsenic (iAs), a highly toxic arsenical that accumulates in rice and poses health risks to rice-based populations. However, the availability of detection methods for iAs in rice grains is limited. In this study, we developed a novel approach utilizing a natural bacterial biosensor, Escherichia coli AW3110 (pBB-ArarsR-mCherry), in conjunction with amylase hydrolysis for efficient extraction, enabling high-throughput and quantitative detection of iAs in rice grains. The biosensor exhibits high specificity for arsenic and distinguishes between arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)] by modulating the concentration of PO43- in the detection system. We determined the iAs concentrations in 19 rice grain samples with varying total As concentrations and compared our method with the standard technique of microwave digestion coupled with HPLC-ICP-MS. Both methods exhibited comparable results, without no significant bias in the concentrations of As(III) and As(V). The whole-cell biosensor demonstrated excellent reproducibility and a high signal-to-noise ratio, achieving a limit of detection of 16 μg kg-1 [As(III)] and 29 μg kg-1 [As(V)]. These values are considerably lower than the maximum allowable level (100 μg kg-1) for infant rice supplements established by the European Union. Our straightforward sensing strategy presents a promising tool for detecting iAs in other food samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan-Biao Ge
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ming-Ming Chen
- Centre for Agriculture and Health, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Wan-Ying Xie
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ke Huang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Fang-Jie Zhao
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Centre for Agriculture and Health, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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44
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Bhatia RP, Kirit HA, Lewis CM, Sankaranarayanan K, Bollback JP. Evolutionary barriers to horizontal gene transfer in macrophage-associated Salmonella. Evol Lett 2023; 7:227-239. [PMID: 37475746 PMCID: PMC10355182 DOI: 10.1093/evlett/qrad020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a powerful evolutionary force facilitating bacterial adaptation and emergence of novel phenotypes. Several factors, including environmental ones, are predicted to restrict HGT, but we lack systematic and experimental data supporting these predictions. Here, we address this gap by measuring the relative fitness of 44 genes horizontally transferred from Escherichia coli to Salmonella enterica in infection-relevant environments. We estimated the distribution of fitness effects in each environment and identified that dosage-dependent effects across different environments are a significant barrier to HGT. The majority of genes were found to be deleterious. We also found longer genes had stronger negative fitness consequences than shorter ones, showing that gene length was negatively associated with HGT. Furthermore, fitness effects of transferred genes were found to be environmentally dependent. In summary, a substantial fraction of transferred genes had a significant fitness cost on the recipient, with both gene characteristics and the environment acting as evolutionary barriers to HGT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rama P Bhatia
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Hande Acar Kirit
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research (LMAMR), University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Cecil M Lewis
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research (LMAMR), University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Krithivasan Sankaranarayanan
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research (LMAMR), University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Jonathan P Bollback
- Corresponding author: Institute of Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, United Kingdom.
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45
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Nie M, Wang J, Zhang K. A novel strategy for L-arginine production in engineered Escherichia coli. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:138. [PMID: 37495979 PMCID: PMC10373293 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02145-8] [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: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND L-arginine is an important amino acid with applications in diverse industrial and pharmaceutical fields. N-acetylglutamate, synthesized from L-glutamate and acetyl-CoA, is a precursor of the L-arginine biosynthetic branch in microorganisms. The enzyme that produces N-acetylglutamate, N-acetylglutamate synthase, is allosterically inhibited by L-arginine. L-glutamate, as a central metabolite, provides carbon backbone for diverse biological compounds besides L-arginine. When glucose is the sole carbon source, the theoretical maximum carbon yield towards L-arginine is 96.7%, but the experimental highest yield was 51%. The gap of L-arginine yield indicates the regulation complexity of carbon flux and energy during the L-arginine biosynthesis. Besides endogenous biosynthesis, N-acetylglutamate, the key precursor of L-arginine, can be obtained by chemical acylation of L-glutamate with a high yield of 98%. To achieve high-yield production of L-arginine, we demonstrated a novel approach by directly feeding precursor N-acetylglutamate to engineered Escherichia coli. RESULTS We reported a new approach for the high yield of L-arginine production in E. coli. Gene argA encoding N-acetylglutamate synthase was deleted to disable endogenous biosynthesis of N-acetylglutamate. The feasibility of external N-acetylglutamate towards L-arginine was verified via growth assay in argA- strain. To improve L-arginine production, astA encoding arginine N-succinyltransferase, speF encoding ornithine decarboxylase, speB encoding agmatinase, and argR encoding an arginine responsive repressor protein were disrupted. Based on overexpression of argDGI, argCBH operons, encoding enzymes of the L-arginine biosynthetic pathway, ~ 4 g/L L-arginine was produced in shake flask fermentation, resulting in a yield of 0.99 mol L-arginine/mol N-acetylglutamate. This strain was further engineered for the co-production of L-arginine and pyruvate by removing genes adhE, ldhA, poxB, pflB, and aceE, encoding enzymes involved in the conversion and degradation of pyruvate. The resulting strain was shown to produce 4 g/L L-arginine and 11.3 g/L pyruvate in shake flask fermentation. CONCLUSIONS Here, we developed a novel approach to avoid the strict regulation of L-arginine on ArgA and overcome the metabolism complexity in the L-arginine biosynthesis pathway. We achieve a high yield of L-arginine production from N-acetylglutamate in E. coli. Co-production pyruvate and L-arginine was used as an example to increase the utilization of input carbon sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengzhen Nie
- Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 Zhejiang China
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310030 Zhejiang China
| | - Jingyu Wang
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310030 Zhejiang China
| | - Kechun Zhang
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310030 Zhejiang China
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46
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Jaworska K, Konarska J, Gomza P, Rożen P, Nieckarz M, Krawczyk-Balska A, Brzostek K, Raczkowska A. Interplay between the RNA Chaperone Hfq, Small RNAs and Transcriptional Regulator OmpR Modulates Iron Homeostasis in the Enteropathogen Yersinia enterocolitica. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11157. [PMID: 37446335 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is both essential for and potentially toxic to bacteria, so the precise maintenance of iron homeostasis is necessary for their survival. Our previous study indicated that in the human enteropathogen Yersinia enterocolitica, the regulator OmpR directly controls the transcription of the fur, fecA and fepA genes, encoding the ferric uptake repressor and two transporters of ferric siderophores, respectively. This study was undertaken to determine the significance of the RNA chaperone Hfq and the small RNAs OmrA and RyhB1 in the post-transcriptional control of the expression of these OmpR targets. We show that Hfq silences fur, fecA and fepA expression post-transcriptionally and negatively affects the production of FLAG-tagged Fur, FecA and FepA proteins. In addition, we found that the fur gene is under the negative control of the sRNA RyhB1, while fecA and fepA are negatively regulated by the sRNA OmrA. Finally, our data revealed that the role of OmrA results from a complex interplay of transcriptional and post-transcriptional effects in the feedback circuit between the regulator OmpR and the sRNA OmrA. Thus, the expression of fur, fecA and fepA is subject to complex transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in order to maintain iron homeostasis in Y. enterocolitica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Jaworska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Julia Konarska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Patrycja Gomza
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paula Rożen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Nieckarz
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agata Krawczyk-Balska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Brzostek
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adrianna Raczkowska
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
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47
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Fostier CR, Ousalem F, Leroy EC, Ngo S, Soufari H, Innis CA, Hashem Y, Boël G. Regulation of the macrolide resistance ABC-F translation factor MsrD. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3891. [PMID: 37393329 PMCID: PMC10314930 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39553-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance ABC-Fs (ARE ABC-Fs) are translation factors that provide resistance against clinically important ribosome-targeting antibiotics which are proliferating among pathogens. Here, we combine genetic and structural approaches to determine the regulation of streptococcal ARE ABC-F gene msrD in response to macrolide exposure. We show that binding of cladinose-containing macrolides to the ribosome prompts insertion of the leader peptide MsrDL into a crevice of the ribosomal exit tunnel, which is conserved throughout bacteria and eukaryotes. This leads to a local rearrangement of the 23 S rRNA that prevents peptide bond formation and accommodation of release factors. The stalled ribosome obstructs the formation of a Rho-independent terminator structure that prevents msrD transcriptional attenuation. Erythromycin induction of msrD expression via MsrDL, is suppressed by ectopic expression of mrsD, but not by mutants which do not provide antibiotic resistance, showing correlation between MsrD function in antibiotic resistance and its action on this stalled complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corentin R Fostier
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Farès Ousalem
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Elodie C Leroy
- ARNA Laboratory, UMR 5320, U1212, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Univ. Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, 33607, Pessac, France
| | - Saravuth Ngo
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Heddy Soufari
- ARNA Laboratory, UMR 5320, U1212, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Univ. Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, 33607, Pessac, France
- SPT Labtech Ltd., SG8 6HB, Melbourn, United Kingdom
| | - C Axel Innis
- ARNA Laboratory, UMR 5320, U1212, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Univ. Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, 33607, Pessac, France
| | - Yaser Hashem
- ARNA Laboratory, UMR 5320, U1212, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Univ. Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, 33607, Pessac, France.
| | - Grégory Boël
- Expression Génétique Microbienne, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 75005, Paris, France.
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48
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Trujillo Rodríguez L, Ellington AJ, Reisch CR, Chevrette MG. CRISPR-Associated Transposase for Targeted Mutagenesis in Diverse Proteobacteria. ACS Synth Biol 2023. [PMID: 37368499 PMCID: PMC10367135 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Genome editing tools, through the disruption of an organism's native genetic material or the introduction of non-native DNA, facilitate functional investigations to link genotypes to phenotypes. Transposons have been instrumental genetic tools in microbiology, enabling genome-wide, randomized disruption of genes and insertions of new genetic elements. Due to this randomness, identifying and isolating particular transposon mutants (i.e., those with modifications at a genetic locus of interest) can be laborious, often requiring one to sift through hundreds or thousands of mutants. Programmable, site-specific targeting of transposons became possible with recently described CRISPR-associated transposase (CASTs) systems, allowing the streamlined recovery of desired mutants in a single step. Like other CRISPR-derived systems, CASTs can be programmed by guide-RNA that is transcribed from short DNA sequence(s). Here, we describe a CAST system and demonstrate its function in bacteria from three classes of Proteobacteria. A dual plasmid strategy is demonstrated: (i) CAST genes are expressed from a broad-host-range replicative plasmid and (ii) guide-RNA and transposon are encoded on a high-copy, suicidal pUC plasmid. Using our CAST system, single-gene disruptions were performed with on-target efficiencies approaching 100% in Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria (Burkholderia thailandensis and Pseudomonas putida, respectively). We also report a peak efficiency of 45% in the Alphaproteobacterium Agrobacterium fabrum. In B. thailandensis, we performed simultaneous co-integration of transposons at two different target sites, demonstrating CAST's utility in multilocus strategies. The CAST system is also capable of high-efficiency large transposon insertion totaling over 11 kbp in all three bacteria tested. Lastly, the dual plasmid system allowed for iterative transposon mutagenesis in all three bacteria without loss of efficiency. Given these iterative capabilities and large payload capacity, this system will be helpful for genome engineering experiments across several fields of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidimarie Trujillo Rodríguez
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Adam J Ellington
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Christopher R Reisch
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Marc G Chevrette
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, Gainesville, Florida 32610, United States
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49
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Guet CC, Bruneaux L, Oikonomou P, Aldana M, Cluzel P. Monitoring lineages of growing and dividing bacteria reveals an inducible memory of mar operon expression. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1049255. [PMID: 37485524 PMCID: PMC10359894 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1049255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In Gram negative bacteria, the multiple antibiotic resistance or mar operon, is known to control the expression of multi-drug efflux genes that protect bacteria from a wide range of drugs. As many different chemical compounds can induce this operon, identifying the parameters that govern the dynamics of its induction is crucial to better characterize the processes of tolerance and resistance. Most experiments have assumed that the properties of the mar transcriptional network can be inferred from population measurements. However, measurements from an asynchronous population of cells can mask underlying phenotypic variations of single cells. We monitored the activity of the mar promoter in single Escherichia coli cells in linear micro-colonies and established that the response to a steady level of inducer was most heterogeneous within individual colonies for an intermediate value of inducer. Specifically, sub-lineages defined by contiguous daughter-cells exhibited similar promoter activity, whereas activity was greatly variable between different sub-lineages. Specific sub-trees of uniform promoter activity persisted over several generations. Statistical analyses of the lineages suggest that the presence of these sub-trees is the signature of an inducible memory of the promoter state that is transmitted from mother to daughter cells. This single-cell study reveals that the degree of epigenetic inheritance changes as a function of inducer concentration, suggesting that phenotypic inheritance may be an inducible phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calin C. Guet
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and the James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Luke Bruneaux
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and the James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Panos Oikonomou
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and the James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Maximino Aldana
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas and Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Philippe Cluzel
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and the James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Gu F, Jiang W, Kang F, Su T, Yang X, Qi Q, Liang Q. A synthetic population-level oscillator in non-microfluidic environments. Commun Biol 2023; 6:515. [PMID: 37179427 PMCID: PMC10183009 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04904-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic oscillators have become a research hotspot because of their complexity and importance. The construction and stable operation of oscillators in large-scale environments are important and challenging. Here, we introduce a synthetic population-level oscillator in Escherichia coli that operates stably during continuous culture in non-microfluidic environments without the addition of inducers or frequent dilution. Specifically, quorum-sensing components and protease regulating elements are employed, which form delayed negative feedback to trigger oscillation and accomplish the reset of signals through transcriptional and post-translational regulation. We test the circuit in devices with 1 mL, 50 mL, 400 mL of medium, and demonstrate that the circuit could maintain stable population-level oscillations. Finally, we explore potential applications of the circuit in regulating cellular morphology and metabolism. Our work contributes to the design and testing of synthetic biological clocks that function in large populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72, Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Fangbing Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72, Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Tianyuan Su
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72, Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaoya Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72, Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China
| | - Qingsheng Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72, Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China.
| | - Quanfeng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72, Binhai Road, 266237, Qingdao, China.
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