1
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Mager M, Pineda Hernandez H, Brandenburg F, López-Maury L, McCormick AJ, Nürnberg DJ, Orthwein T, Russo DA, Victoria AJ, Wang X, Zedler JAZ, Branco dos Santos F, Schmelling NM. Interlaboratory Reproducibility in Growth and Reporter Expression in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:1823-1835. [PMID: 37246820 PMCID: PMC10278186 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, a plethora of new synthetic biology tools for use in cyanobacteria have been published; however, their reported characterizations often cannot be reproduced, greatly limiting the comparability of results and hindering their applicability. In this interlaboratory study, the reproducibility of a standard microbiological experiment for the cyanobacterial model organism Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was assessed. Participants from eight different laboratories quantified the fluorescence intensity of mVENUS as a proxy for the transcription activity of the three promoters PJ23100, PrhaBAD, and PpetE over time. In addition, growth rates were measured to compare growth conditions between laboratories. By establishing strict and standardized laboratory protocols, reflecting frequently reported methods, we aimed to identify issues with state-of-the-art procedures and assess their effect on reproducibility. Significant differences in spectrophotometer measurements across laboratories from identical samples were found, suggesting that commonly used reporting practices of optical density values need to be supplemented by cell count or biomass measurements. Further, despite standardized light intensity in the incubators, significantly different growth rates between incubators used in this study were observed, highlighting the need for additional reporting requirements of growth conditions for phototrophic organisms beyond the light intensity and CO2 supply. Despite the use of a regulatory system orthogonal to Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, PrhaBAD, and a high level of protocol standardization, ∼32% variation in promoter activity under induced conditions was found across laboratories, suggesting that the reproducibility of other data in the field of cyanobacteria might be affected similarly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurice Mager
- Institute
for Synthetic Microbiology, Heinrich Heine
University Duesseldorf, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Hugo Pineda Hernandez
- Molecular
Microbial Physiology Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences,
Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, Amsterdam 1098 XH, The Netherlands
| | - Fabian Brandenburg
- Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Luis López-Maury
- Instituto
de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, University of Seville − CSIC, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
- Departamento
de Bioquímica Vegetal y Biología Molecular, Facultad
de Biología, University of Seville, Avenida Reina Mercedes, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Alistair J. McCormick
- Institute
of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 1.04 Daniel Rutherford Building, King’s
Buildings, EH9 3BF Edinburgh, U.K.
| | - Dennis J. Nürnberg
- Department
of Physics, Experimental Biophysics, Freie
University Berlin, Arnimallee
14, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Dahlem
Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität
Berlin, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tim Orthwein
- Interfaculty
Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - David A. Russo
- Institute
for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Bioorganic Analytics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Lessingstrasse 8, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Angelo Joshua Victoria
- Institute
of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 1.04 Daniel Rutherford Building, King’s
Buildings, EH9 3BF Edinburgh, U.K.
| | - Xiaoran Wang
- Department
of Physics, Experimental Biophysics, Freie
University Berlin, Arnimallee
14, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Julie A. Z. Zedler
- Matthias
Schleiden Institute for Genetics, Bioinformatics and Molecular Botany,
Synthetic Biology of Photosynthetic Organisms, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburgerstrasse 159, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Filipe Branco dos Santos
- Molecular
Microbial Physiology Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences,
Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, Amsterdam 1098 XH, The Netherlands
| | - Nicolas M. Schmelling
- Institute
for Synthetic Microbiology, Heinrich Heine
University Duesseldorf, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
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2
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Satta A, Esquirol L, Ebert BE. Current Metabolic Engineering Strategies for Photosynthetic Bioproduction in Cyanobacteria. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020455. [PMID: 36838420 PMCID: PMC9964548 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020455] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms capable of using solar energy to convert CO2 and H2O into O2 and energy-rich organic compounds, thus enabling sustainable production of a wide range of bio-products. More and more strains of cyanobacteria are identified that show great promise as cell platforms for the generation of bioproducts. However, strain development is still required to optimize their biosynthesis and increase titers for industrial applications. This review describes the most well-known, newest and most promising strains available to the community and gives an overview of current cyanobacterial biotechnology and the latest innovative strategies used for engineering cyanobacteria. We summarize advanced synthetic biology tools for modulating gene expression and their use in metabolic pathway engineering to increase the production of value-added compounds, such as terpenoids, fatty acids and sugars, to provide a go-to source for scientists starting research in cyanobacterial metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Satta
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, 35100 Padua, Italy
| | - Lygie Esquirol
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Natha, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Birgitta E. Ebert
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- Correspondence:
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3
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Malihan‐Yap L, Grimm HC, Kourist R. Recent Advances in Cyanobacterial Biotransformations. CHEM-ING-TECH 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/cite.202200077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lenny Malihan‐Yap
- Graz University of Technology Institute of Molecular Biotechnology NAWI Graz 8010 Graz Austria
| | - Hanna C. Grimm
- Graz University of Technology Institute of Molecular Biotechnology NAWI Graz 8010 Graz Austria
| | - Robert Kourist
- Graz University of Technology Institute of Molecular Biotechnology NAWI Graz 8010 Graz Austria
- ACIB GmbH 8010 Graz Austria
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4
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Lima S, Matinha-Cardoso J, Giner-Lamia J, Couto N, Pacheco CC, Florencio FJ, Wright PC, Tamagnini P, Oliveira P. Extracellular vesicles as an alternative copper-secretion mechanism in bacteria. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 431:128594. [PMID: 35259694 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Metal homeostasis is fundamental for optimal performance of cell metabolic pathways. Over the course of evolution, several systems emerged to warrant an intracellular metal equilibrium. When exposed to growth-challenging copper concentrations, Gram-negative bacteria quickly activate copper-detoxification mechanisms, dependent on transmembrane-protein complexes and metallochaperones that mediate metal efflux. Here, we show that vesiculation is also a common bacterial response mechanism to high copper concentrations, and that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a role in transporting copper. We present evidence that bacteria from different ecological niches release copious amounts of EVs when exposed to copper. Along with the activation of the classical detoxification systems, we demonstrate that copper-stressed cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 release EVs loaded with the copper-binding metallochaperone CopM. Under standard growth conditions, CopM-loaded EVs could also be isolated from a Synechocystis strain lacking a functional TolC-protein, which we characterize here as exhibiting a copper-sensitive phenotype. Analyses of Synechocystis tolC-mutant's EVs isolated from cells cultivated under standard conditions indicated the presence of copper therein, in significantly higher levels as compared to those from the wild-type. Altogether, these results suggest that release of EVs in bacteria represent a novel copper-secretion mechanism, shedding light into alternative mechanisms of bacterial metal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steeve Lima
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; MCbiology Doctoral Program, ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge Matinha-Cardoso
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquín Giner-Lamia
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Universidad de Sevilla-CSIC C, Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Parque Científico y Tecnológico, UPM Campus de Montegancedo, Ctra, M-40, km 38, 28223 Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Campus, Av. Puerta de Hierro, nº 2, 4, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Narciso Couto
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mappin St, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 4NL, United Kingdom
| | - Catarina C Pacheco
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Francisco J Florencio
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Universidad de Sevilla-CSIC C, Américo Vespucio, 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica Vegetal y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Avenida Reina Mercedes s/n, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Phillip C Wright
- University of Southampton, Office of the President and Vice Chancellor B37, University Rd, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Paula Tamagnini
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Oliveira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
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5
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Baldanta S, Guevara G, Navarro-Llorens JM. SEVA-Cpf1, a CRISPR-Cas12a vector for genome editing in cyanobacteria. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:103. [PMID: 35643551 PMCID: PMC9148489 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01830-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic autotrophs that have tremendous potential for fundamental research and industrial applications due to their high metabolic plasticity and ability to grow using CO2 and sunlight. CRISPR technology using Cas9 and Cpf1 has been applied to different cyanobacteria for genome manipulations and metabolic engineering. Despite significant advances with genome editing in several cyanobacteria strains, the lack of proper genetic toolboxes is still a limiting factor compared to other model laboratory species. Among the limitations, it is essential to have versatile plasmids that could ease the benchwork when using CRISPR technology. Results In the present study, several CRISPR-Cpf1 vectors were developed for genetic manipulations in cyanobacteria using SEVA plasmids. SEVA collection is based on modular vectors that enable the exchangeability of diverse elements (e.g. origins of replication and antibiotic selection markers) and the combination with many cargo sequences for varied end-applications. Firstly, using SEVA vectors containing the broad host range RSF1010 origin we demonstrated that these vectors are replicative not only in model cyanobacteria but also in a new cyanobacterium specie, Chroococcidiopsis sp., which is different from those previously published. Then, we constructed SEVA vectors by harbouring CRISPR elements and showed that they can be easily assimilated not only by conjugation, but also by natural transformation. Finally, we used our SEVA-Cpf1 tools to delete the nblA gene in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, demonstrating that our plasmids can be applied for CRISPR-based genome editing technology. Conclusions The results of this study provide new CRISPR-based vectors based on the SEVA (Standard European Vector Architecture) collection that can improve editing processes using the Cpf1 nuclease in cyanobacteria. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12934-022-01830-4.
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6
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Opel F, Siebert NA, Klatt S, Tüllinghoff A, Hantke JG, Toepel J, Bühler B, Nürnberg DJ, Klähn S. Generation of Synthetic Shuttle Vectors Enabling Modular Genetic Engineering of Cyanobacteria. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:1758-1771. [PMID: 35405070 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria have raised great interest in biotechnology due to their potential for a sustainable, photosynthesis-driven production of fuels and value-added chemicals. This has led to a concomitant development of molecular tools to engineer the metabolism of those organisms. In this regard, however, even cyanobacterial model strains lag behind compared to their heterotrophic counterparts. For instance, replicative shuttle vectors that allow gene transfer independent of recombination into host DNA are still scarce. Here, we introduce the pSOMA shuttle vector series comprising 10 synthetic plasmids for comprehensive genetic engineering of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The series is based on the small endogenous plasmids pCA2.4 and pCB2.4, each combined with a replicon from Escherichia coli, different selection markers as well as features facilitating molecular cloning and the insulated introduction of gene expression cassettes. We made use of genes encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase (BVMO) to demonstrate functional gene expression from the pSOMA plasmids in vivo. Moreover, we demonstrate the expression of distinct heterologous genes from individual plasmids maintained in the same strain and thereby confirmed compatibility between the two pSOMA subseries as well as with derivatives of the broad-host-range plasmid RSF1010. We also show that gene transfer into the filamentous model strain Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 is generally possible, which is encouraging to further explore the range of cyanobacterial host species that could be engineered via pSOMA plasmids. Altogether, the pSOMA shuttle vector series displays an attractive alternative to existing plasmid series and thus meets the current demand for the introduction of complex genetic setups and to perform extensive metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz Opel
- Department of Solar Materials (SOMA), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research─UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nina A. Siebert
- Department of Solar Materials (SOMA), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research─UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sabine Klatt
- Department of Solar Materials (SOMA), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research─UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Adrian Tüllinghoff
- Department of Solar Materials (SOMA), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research─UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Janis G. Hantke
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Biochemistry and Biophysics of Photosynthetic Organisms, Free University Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörg Toepel
- Department of Solar Materials (SOMA), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research─UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bruno Bühler
- Department of Solar Materials (SOMA), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research─UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dennis J. Nürnberg
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Biochemistry and Biophysics of Photosynthetic Organisms, Free University Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephan Klähn
- Department of Solar Materials (SOMA), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research─UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
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7
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Matinha-Cardoso J, Coutinho F, Lima S, Eufrásio A, Carvalho AP, Oliva-Teles A, Bessa J, Tamagnini P, Serra CR, Oliveira P. Novel protein carrier system based on cyanobacterial nano-sized extracellular vesicles for application in fish. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:2191-2207. [PMID: 35419949 PMCID: PMC9328742 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaculture has been one of the fastest‐growing food industry sectors, expanding at the pace of consumers' demands. To promote safe and effective fish growth performance strategies, and to stimulate environmentally friendly solutions to protect fish against disease outbreaks, new approaches are needed to safeguard fish welfare, as well as farmers and consumers interests. Here, we tested the use of cyanobacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a novel nanocarrier system of heterologous proteins for applications in fish. We started by incubating zebrafish larvae with Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 EVs, isolated from selected mutant strains with different cell envelope characteristics. Results show that Synechocystis EVs are biocompatible with fish larvae, regardless of their structural composition, as EVs neither induced fish mortality nor triggered significant inflammatory responses. We establish also that cyanobacteria are amenable to engineering heterologous protein expression and loading into EVs, for which we used the reporter sfGFP. Moreover, upon immersion treatment, we successfully demonstrate that sfGFP‐loaded Synechocystis EVs accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract of zebrafish larvae. This work opens the possibility of using cyanobacterial EVs as a novel biotechnological tool in fish, with prospective applications in carrying proteins/enzymes, for example for modulating their nutritional status or stimulating specific adaptive immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Matinha-Cardoso
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
| | - Filipe Coutinho
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Universidade do Porto, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, Matosinhos, 4450-208, Portugal
| | - Steeve Lima
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,MCbiology Doctoral Program, ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, Porto, 4050-313, Portugal
| | - Ana Eufrásio
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,MCbiology Doctoral Program, ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, Porto, 4050-313, Portugal
| | - António Paulo Carvalho
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Universidade do Porto, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, Matosinhos, 4450-208, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, Porto, 4169-007, Portugal
| | - Aires Oliva-Teles
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Universidade do Porto, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, Matosinhos, 4450-208, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, Porto, 4169-007, Portugal
| | - José Bessa
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
| | - Paula Tamagnini
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, Porto, 4169-007, Portugal
| | - Cláudia R Serra
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Universidade do Porto, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, Matosinhos, 4450-208, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, Porto, 4169-007, Portugal
| | - Paulo Oliveira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, Porto, 4169-007, Portugal
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8
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Ferreira EA, Pacheco CC, Rodrigues JS, Pinto F, Lamosa P, Fuente D, Urchueguía J, Tamagnini P. Heterologous Production of Glycine Betaine Using Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803-Based Chassis Lacking Native Compatible Solutes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 9:821075. [PMID: 35071221 PMCID: PMC8777070 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.821075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Among compatible solutes, glycine betaine has various applications in the fields of nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Currently, this compound can be extracted from sugar beet plants or obtained by chemical synthesis, resulting in low yields or high carbon footprint, respectively. Hence, in this work we aimed at exploring the production of glycine betaine using the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 as a photoautotrophic chassis. Synechocystis mutants lacking the native compatible solutes sucrose or/and glucosylglycerol-∆sps, ∆ggpS, and ∆sps∆ggpS-were generated and characterized. Under salt stress conditions, the growth was impaired and accumulation of glycogen decreased by ∼50% whereas the production of compatible solutes and extracellular polymeric substances (capsular and released ones) increased with salinity. These mutants were used as chassis for the implementation of a synthetic device based on the metabolic pathway described for the halophilic cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica for the production of the compatible solute glycine betaine. Transcription of ORFs comprising the device was shown to be stable and insulated from Synechocystis' native regulatory network. Production of glycine betaine was achieved in all chassis tested, and was shown to increase with salinity. The introduction of the glycine betaine synthetic device into the ∆ggpS background improved its growth and enabled survival under 5% NaCl, which was not observed in the absence of the device. The maximum glycine betaine production [64.29 µmol/gDW (1.89 µmol/mg protein)] was reached in the ∆ggpS chassis grown under 3% NaCl. Taking into consideration this production under seawater-like salinity, and the identification of main key players involved in the carbon fluxes, this work paves the way for a feasible production of this, or other compatible solutes, using optimized Synechocystis chassis in a pilot-scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunice A. Ferreira
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina C. Pacheco
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - João S. Rodrigues
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Filipe Pinto
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Lamosa
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, ITQB NOVA, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - David Fuente
- Instituto de Aplicaciones de las Tecnologías de la Información y de las Comunicaciones Avanzadas, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Javier Urchueguía
- Instituto de Aplicaciones de las Tecnologías de la Información y de las Comunicaciones Avanzadas, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Paula Tamagnini
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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9
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Sengupta A, Liu D, Pakrasi HB. CRISPR-Cas mediated genome engineering of cyanobacteria. Methods Enzymol 2022; 676:403-432. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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10
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The Molecular Toolset and Techniques Required to Build Cyanobacterial Cell Factories. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/10_2022_210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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11
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Juteršek M, Dolinar M. A chimeric vector for dual use in cyanobacteria and Escherichia coli, tested with cystatin, a nonfluorescent reporter protein. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12199. [PMID: 34760347 PMCID: PMC8571960 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Developing sustainable autotrophic cell factories depends heavily on the availability of robust and well-characterized biological parts. For cyanobacteria, these still lag behind the more advanced E. coli toolkit. In the course of previous protein expression experiments with cyanobacteria, we encountered inconveniences in working with currently available RSF1010-based shuttle plasmids, particularly due to their low biosafety and low yields of recombinant proteins. We also recognized some drawbacks of the commonly used fluorescent reporters, as quantification can be affected by the intrinsic fluorescence of cyanobacteria. To overcome these drawbacks, we envisioned a new chimeric vector and an alternative reporter that could be used in cyanobacterial synthetic biology and tested them in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Methods We designed the pMJc01 shuttle plasmid based on the broad host range RSFmob-I replicon. Standard cloning techniques were used for vector construction following the RFC10 synthetic biology standard. The behavior of pMJC01 was tested with selected regulatory elements in E. coli and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 for the biosynthesis of the established GFP reporter and of a new reporter protein, cystatin. Cystatin activity was assayed using papain as a cognate target. Results With the new vector we observed a significantly higher GFP expression in E. coli and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 compared to the commonly used RSF1010-based pPMQAK1. Cystatin, a cysteine protease inhibitor, was successfully expressed with the new vector in both E. coli and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Its expression levels allowed quantification comparable to the standardly used fluorescent reporter GFPmut3b. An important advantage of the new vector is its improved biosafety due to the absence of plasmid regions encoding conjugative transfer components. The broadhost range vector pMJc01 could find application in synthetic biology and biotechnology of cyanobacteria due to its relatively small size, stability and ease of use. In addition, cystatin could be a useful reporter in all cell systems that do not contain papain-type proteases and inhibitors, such as cyanobacteria, and provides an alternative to fluorescent reporters or complements them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojca Juteršek
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Current Affiliation: National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marko Dolinar
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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12
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Vavitsas K, Kugler A, Satta A, Hatzinikolaou DG, Lindblad P, Fewer DP, Lindberg P, Toivari M, Stensjö K. Doing synthetic biology with photosynthetic microorganisms. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2021; 173:624-638. [PMID: 33963557 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The use of photosynthetic microbes as synthetic biology hosts for the sustainable production of commodity chemicals and even fuels has received increasing attention over the last decade. The number of studies published, tools implemented, and resources made available for microalgae have increased beyond expectations during the last few years. However, the tools available for genetic engineering in these organisms still lag those available for the more commonly used heterotrophic host organisms. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the photosynthetic microbes most commonly used in synthetic biology studies, namely cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, eustigmatophytes and diatoms. We provide basic information on the techniques and tools available for each model group of organisms, we outline the state-of-the-art, and we list the synthetic biology tools that have been successfully used. We specifically focus on the latest CRISPR developments, as we believe that precision editing and advanced genetic engineering tools will be pivotal to the advancement of the field. Finally, we discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of each group of organisms and examine the challenges that need to be overcome to achieve their synthetic biology potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Vavitsas
- Enzyme and Microbial Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Athens, Greece
| | - Amit Kugler
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Satta
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dimitris G Hatzinikolaou
- Enzyme and Microbial Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Athens, Greece
| | - Peter Lindblad
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David P Fewer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pia Lindberg
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mervi Toivari
- VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Espoo, Finland
| | - Karin Stensjö
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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13
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Kallio P, Kugler A, Pyytövaara S, Stensjö K, Allahverdiyeva Y, Gao X, Lindblad P, Lindberg P. Photoautotrophic production of renewable ethylene by engineered cyanobacteria: Steering the cell metabolism towards biotechnological use. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2021; 173:579-590. [PMID: 33864400 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ethylene is a volatile hydrocarbon with a massive global market in the plastic industry. The ethylene now used for commercial applications is produced exclusively from nonrenewable petroleum sources, while competitive biotechnological production systems do not yet exist. This review focuses on the currently developed photoautotrophic bioproduction strategies that enable direct solar-driven conversion of CO2 into ethylene, based on the use of genetically engineered photosynthetic cyanobacteria expressing heterologous ethylene forming enzyme (EFE) from Pseudomonas syringae. The emphasis is on the different engineering strategies to express EFE and to direct the cellular carbon flux towards the primary metabolite 2-oxoglutarate, highlighting associated metabolic constraints, and technical considerations on cultivation strategies and conditional parameters. While the research field has progressed towards more robust strains with better production profiles, and deeper understanding of the associated metabolic limitations, it is clear that there is room for significant improvement to reach industrial relevance. At the same time, existing information and the development of synthetic biology tools for engineering cyanobacteria open new possibilities for improving the prospects for the sustainable production of renewable ethylene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauli Kallio
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Amit Kugler
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Samuli Pyytövaara
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Karin Stensjö
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yagut Allahverdiyeva
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Xiang Gao
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, China
| | - Peter Lindblad
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pia Lindberg
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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14
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Nagy C, Thiel K, Mulaku E, Mustila H, Tamagnini P, Aro EM, Pacheco CC, Kallio P. Comparison of alternative integration sites in the chromosome and the native plasmids of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 in respect to expression efficiency and copy number. Microb Cell Fact 2021; 20:130. [PMID: 34246263 PMCID: PMC8272380 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-021-01622-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 provides a well-established reference point to cyanobacterial metabolic engineering as part of basic photosynthesis research, as well as in the development of next-generation biotechnological production systems. This study focused on expanding the current knowledge on genomic integration of expression constructs in Synechocystis, targeting a range of novel sites in the chromosome and in the native plasmids, together with established loci used in literature. The key objective was to obtain quantitative information on site-specific expression in reference to replicon copy numbers, which has been speculated but never compared side by side in this host. Results An optimized sYFP2 expression cassette was successfully integrated in two novel sites in Synechocystis chromosome (slr0944; sll0058) and in all four endogenous megaplasmids (pSYSM/slr5037-slr5038; pSYSX/slr6037; pSYSA/slr7023; pSYSG/slr8030) that have not been previously evaluated for the purpose. Fluorescent analysis of the segregated strains revealed that the expression levels between the megaplasmids and chromosomal constructs were very similar, and reinforced the view that highest expression in Synechocystis can be obtained using RSF1010-derived replicative vectors or the native small plasmid pCA2.4 evaluated in comparison. Parallel replicon copy number analysis by RT-qPCR showed that the expression from the alternative loci is largely determined by the gene dosage in Synechocystis, thereby confirming the dependence formerly proposed based on literature. Conclusions This study brings together nine different integrative loci in the genome of Synechocystis to demonstrate quantitative differences between target sites in the chromosome, the native plasmids, and a RSF1010-based replicative expression vector. To date, this is the most comprehensive comparison of alternative integrative sites in Synechocystis, and provides the first direct reference between expression efficiency and replicon gene dosage in the context. In the light of existing literature, the findings support the view that the small native plasmids can be notably more difficult to target than the chromosome or the megaplasmids, and that the RSF1010-derived vectors may be surprisingly well maintained under non-selective culture conditions in this cyanobacterial host. Altogether, the work broadens our views on genomic integration and the rational use of different integrative loci versus replicative plasmids, when aiming at expressing heterologous genes in Synechocystis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12934-021-01622-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Nagy
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 C, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Kati Thiel
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 C, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Edita Mulaku
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 C, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Henna Mustila
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 C, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Paula Tamagnini
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, Edifício FC4, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Eva-Mari Aro
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 C, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Catarina C Pacheco
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pauli Kallio
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 C, 20520, Turku, Finland.
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15
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Choi YN, Shin YR, Park JM, Lee JW. Cell-Free Transcription-Coupled CRISPR/Cas12a Assay for Prototyping Cyanobacterial Promoters. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:1300-1307. [PMID: 34015913 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are promising microbial hosts for the production of diverse biofuels and biochemicals. However, compared to other model microbial hosts such as Escherichia coli and yeast, it takes a long time to genetically modify cyanobacteria. One way to efficiently engineer cyanobacteria while minimizing genetic engineering would be to develop a fast, high-throughput prototyping tool for cyanobacteria. In this study, we developed a CRISPR/Cas12a-based assay coupled with cyanobacteria cell-free systems to rapidly prototype promoter characteristics. Using this newly developed assay, we demonstrated cyanobacteria cell-free transcription for the first time and confirmed a positive correlation between the in vitro and in vivo transcription performance. Furthermore, we generated a synthetic promoter library and evaluated the characteristics of promoter subregions by using the assay. Varied promoter strength derived from random mutations were rapidly and effectively measured in a high-throughput way. We believe that this study offers an easily applicable and rapid prototyping platform to characterize promoters for cyanobacterial engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Nam Choi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
| | - Ye Rim Shin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
| | - Jong Moon Park
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
- Division of Advanced Nuclear Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University (POSTECH-Yonsei Open Campus), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyungbuk, 37673, Korea
| | - Jeong Wook Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University (POSTECH-Yonsei Open Campus), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyungbuk, 37673, Korea
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16
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Santos M, Pereira SB, Flores C, Príncipe C, Couto N, Karunakaran E, Cravo SM, Oliveira P, Tamagnini P. Absence of KpsM (Slr0977) Impairs the Secretion of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) and Impacts Carbon Fluxes in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. mSphere 2021; 6:e00003-21. [PMID: 33504656 PMCID: PMC7885315 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00003-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Many cyanobacteria produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), composed mainly of heteropolysaccharides, that play a variety of physiological roles, being crucial for cell protection, motility, and biofilm formation. However, due to their complexity, the EPS biosynthetic pathways as well as their assembly and export mechanisms are still far from being fully understood. Here, we show that the absence of a putative EPS-related protein, KpsM (Slr0977), has a pleiotropic effect on Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 physiology, with a strong impact on the export of EPS and carbon fluxes. The kpsM mutant exhibits a significant reduction of released polysaccharides and a smaller decrease of capsular polysaccharides, but it accumulates more polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) than the wild type. In addition, this strain shows a light/cell density-dependent clumping phenotype and exhibits an altered protein secretion capacity. Furthermore, the most important structural component of pili, the protein PilA, was found to have a modified glycosylation pattern in the mutant compared to the wild type. Proteomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed significant changes in the mechanisms of energy production and conversion, namely, photosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and carbon metabolism, in response to the inactivation of slr0977 Overall, this work shows for the first time that cells with impaired EPS secretion undergo transcriptomic and proteomic adjustments, highlighting the importance of EPS as a major carbon sink in cyanobacteria. The accumulation of PHB in cells of the mutant, without affecting significantly its fitness/growth rate, points to its possible use as a chassis for the production of compounds of interest.IMPORTANCE Most cyanobacteria produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that fulfill different biological roles depending on the strain/environmental conditions. The interest in the cyanobacterial EPS synthesis/export pathways has been increasing, not only to optimize EPS production but also to efficiently redirect carbon flux toward the production of other compounds, allowing the implementation of industrial systems based on cyanobacterial cell factories. Here, we show that a Synechocystis kpsM (slr0977) mutant secretes less EPS than the wild type, accumulating more carbon intracellularly, as polyhydroxybutyrate. Further characterization showed a light/cell density-dependent clumping phenotype, altered protein secretion, and modified glycosylation of PilA. The proteome and transcriptome of the mutant revealed significant changes, namely, in photosynthesis and carbon metabolism. Altogether, this work provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of kpsM disruption on Synechocystis physiology, highlighting the importance of EPS as a carbon sink and showing how cells adapt when their secretion is impaired, and the redirection of the carbon fluxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Santos
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Programa Doutoral em Biologia Molecular e Celular (MCbiology), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara B Pereira
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carlos Flores
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina Príncipe
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Narciso Couto
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Esther Karunakaran
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Sara M Cravo
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Matosinhos, Portugal
- Laboratório de Química Orgânica, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Oliveira
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Tamagnini
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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17
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Gale GAR, Wang B, McCormick AJ. Evaluation and Comparison of the Efficiency of Transcription Terminators in Different Cyanobacterial Species. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:624011. [PMID: 33519785 PMCID: PMC7843447 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.624011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria utilize sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into a wide variety of secondary metabolites and show great potential for green biotechnology applications. Although cyanobacterial synthetic biology is less mature than for other heterotrophic model organisms, there are now a range of molecular tools available to modulate and control gene expression. One area of gene regulation that still lags behind other model organisms is the modulation of gene transcription, particularly transcription termination. A vast number of intrinsic transcription terminators are now available in heterotrophs, but only a small number have been investigated in cyanobacteria. As artificial gene expression systems become larger and more complex, with short stretches of DNA harboring strong promoters and multiple gene expression cassettes, the need to stop transcription efficiently and insulate downstream regions from unwanted interference is becoming more important. In this study, we adapted a dual reporter tool for use with the CyanoGate MoClo Assembly system that can quantify and compare the efficiency of terminator sequences within and between different species. We characterized 34 intrinsic terminators in Escherichia coli, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, and Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 and observed significant differences in termination efficiencies. However, we also identified five terminators with termination efficiencies of >96% in all three species, indicating that some terminators can behave consistently in both heterotrophic species and cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant A. R. Gale
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Baojun Wang
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Alistair J. McCormick
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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18
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Jeong Y, Cho SH, Lee H, Choi HK, Kim DM, Lee CG, Cho S, Cho BK. Current Status and Future Strategies to Increase Secondary Metabolite Production from Cyanobacteria. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1849. [PMID: 33255283 PMCID: PMC7761380 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8121849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria, given their ability to produce various secondary metabolites utilizing solar energy and carbon dioxide, are a potential platform for sustainable production of biochemicals. Until now, conventional metabolic engineering approaches have been applied to various cyanobacterial species for enhanced production of industrially valued compounds, including secondary metabolites and non-natural biochemicals. However, the shortage of understanding of cyanobacterial metabolic and regulatory networks for atmospheric carbon fixation to biochemical production and the lack of available engineering tools limit the potential of cyanobacteria for industrial applications. Recently, to overcome the limitations, synthetic biology tools and systems biology approaches such as genome-scale modeling based on diverse omics data have been applied to cyanobacteria. This review covers the synthetic and systems biology approaches for advanced metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujin Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences and KAIST Institutes for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (Y.J.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Sang-Hyeok Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences and KAIST Institutes for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (Y.J.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Hookeun Lee
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Korea;
| | | | - Dong-Myung Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea;
| | - Choul-Gyun Lee
- Department of Biological Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Korea;
| | - Suhyung Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences and KAIST Institutes for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (Y.J.); (S.-H.C.)
| | - Byung-Kwan Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences and KAIST Institutes for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (Y.J.); (S.-H.C.)
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19
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Sleutels T, Sebastião Bernardo R, Kuntke P, Janssen M, Buisman CJN, Hamelers HVM. Enhanced Phototrophic Biomass Productivity through Supply of Hydrogen Gas. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2020; 7:861-865. [PMID: 33195732 PMCID: PMC7659310 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Industrial production of phototrophic microorganisms is often hindered by low productivity due to limited light availability and therefore requires large land areas. This letter demonstrates that supply of hydrogen gas (H2) increases in phototrophic biomass productivity compared to a culture growing on light only. Experiments were performed growing Synechocystis sp. in batch bottles, with and without H2 in the headspace, which were exposed to light intensities of 70 and 100 μmol/m2/s. At 70 μmol/m2/s with H2, the average increase in biomass was 96 mg DW/L/d, whereas at 100 μmol/m2/s without H2, the average increase in biomass was 27 mg DW/L/d. Even at lower light intensity, the addition of H2 tripled the biomass yield compared to growth under light only. Photoreduction and photosynthesis occurred simultaneously, as both H2 consumption and O2 production were measured during biomass growth. Photoreduction used 1.85 mmol of H2 to produce 1.0 mmol of biomass, while photosynthesis produced 1.95 mmol of biomass. After transferring the culture to the dark, growth ceased, also in the presence of H2, showing that both light and H2 were needed for growth. A renewable H2 supply for higher biomass productivity is attractive since the combined efficiency of photovoltaics and electrolysis exceeds the photosynthetic efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Sleutels
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, Leeuwarden 8911MA, The
Netherlands
| | - Rita Sebastião Bernardo
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, Leeuwarden 8911MA, The
Netherlands
| | - Philipp Kuntke
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, Leeuwarden 8911MA, The
Netherlands
- Environmental
Technology, Wageningen University, Bornse Weilanden 9, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Janssen
- Bioprocess
Engineering, AlgaePARC, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Cees J. N. Buisman
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, Leeuwarden 8911MA, The
Netherlands
- Environmental
Technology, Wageningen University, Bornse Weilanden 9, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hubertus V. M. Hamelers
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, Leeuwarden 8911MA, The
Netherlands
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20
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Mahbub M, Hemm L, Yang Y, Kaur R, Carmen H, Engl C, Huokko T, Riediger M, Watanabe S, Liu LN, Wilde A, Hess WR, Mullineaux CW. mRNA localization, reaction centre biogenesis and thylakoid membrane targeting in cyanobacteria. NATURE PLANTS 2020; 6:1179-1191. [PMID: 32895528 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-020-00764-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The thylakoid membranes of cyanobacteria form a complex intracellular membrane system with a distinctive proteome. The sites of biogenesis of thylakoid proteins remain uncertain, as do the signals that direct thylakoid membrane-integral proteins to the thylakoids rather than to the plasma membrane. Here, we address these questions by using fluorescence in situ hybridization to probe the subcellular location of messenger RNA molecules encoding core subunits of the photosystems in two cyanobacterial species. These mRNAs cluster at thylakoid surfaces mainly adjacent to the central cytoplasm and the nucleoid, in contrast to mRNAs encoding proteins with other locations. Ribosome association influences the distribution of the photosynthetic mRNAs on the thylakoid surface, but thylakoid affinity is retained in the absence of ribosome association. However, thylakoid association is disrupted in a mutant lacking two mRNA-binding proteins, which probably play roles in targeting photosynthetic proteins to the thylakoid membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moontaha Mahbub
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Department of Botany, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Luisa Hemm
- Institute of Biology III, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Yuxiao Yang
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Ramanpreet Kaur
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Helder Carmen
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Christoph Engl
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Tuomas Huokko
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Satoru Watanabe
- Department of Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lu-Ning Liu
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- College of Marine Life Sciences, and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Annegret Wilde
- Institute of Biology III, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang R Hess
- Institute of Biology III, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Conrad W Mullineaux
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
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21
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Sengupta A, Madhu S, Wangikar PP. A Library of Tunable, Portable, and Inducer-Free Promoters Derived from Cyanobacteria. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:1790-1801. [PMID: 32551554 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are emerging as hosts for various biotechnological applications. The ability to engineer these photosynthetic prokaryotes greatly depends on the availability of well-characterized promoters. Inducer-free promoters of a range of activities may be desirable for the eventual large-scale, outdoor cultivations. Further, several native promoters of cyanobacteria are repressed by high carbon dioxide or light, and it would be of interest to alter this property. We started with PrbcL and PcpcB, the well-characterized native promoters of the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, found upstream of the two abundantly expressed genes, Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase, and phycocyanin β-1 subunit, respectively. The library of 48 promoters created via error-prone PCR of these 300-bp-long native promoters showed 2 orders of magnitude dynamic range with activities that were both lower and higher than those of the wild-type promoters. A few mutants of the PrbcL showed greater strength than PcpcB, which is widely considered a superstrong promoter. A number of mutant promoters did not show repression by high CO2 or light, typically found for PrbcL and PcpcB, respectively. Further, the wild-type and mutant promoters showed comparable activities in the fast-growing and stress-tolerant strains S. elongatus PCC 11801 and PCC 11802, suggesting that the library can be used in different cyanobacteria. Interestingly, the majority of the promoters showed strong expression in E. coli, thus adding to the repertoire of inducer-free promoters for this heterotrophic workhorse. Our results have implications in the metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria and E. coli.
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22
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Harrison DJA, Thompson EP. A rapid and low-cost method for genomic DNA extraction from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis. Biol Methods Protoc 2020; 5:bpaa011. [PMID: 32913895 PMCID: PMC7474859 DOI: 10.1093/biomethods/bpaa011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A two-step method is reported for preparation of genomic DNA from the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis that can be performed with minimal equipment and reagents in about an hour. High yields of genetic material can be obtained (200-450 ng/μl) with reasonable purity. A further ethanol precipitation step can be included but is not necessary if template is simply required for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or digestion. This new protocol is helpful for amplification of genes of interest in early-stage research projects and for low throughput screening of transformants. It is more reliable than colony PCR of Synechocystis cultures, and less involved and cheaper than existing clean-DNA preparation methods. It represents an unusually simple and reliable extraction protocol for the growing body of research making use of this cyanobacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale J A Harrison
- School of Science, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Elinor P Thompson
- School of Science, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
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23
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Sebesta J, Peebles CAM. Improving heterologous protein expression in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 for alpha-bisabolene production. Metab Eng Commun 2020; 10:e00117. [PMID: 31908923 PMCID: PMC6940699 DOI: 10.1016/j.mec.2019.e00117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacterial biofuels have the potential to reduce the cost and climate impacts of biofuel production because primary carbon fixation and conversion to fuel are completed together in the cultivation of the cyanobacteria. Cyanobacterial biofuels, therefore, do not rely on costly organic carbon feedstocks that heterotrophs require, which reduces competition for agricultural resources such as arable land and freshwater. However, the published product titer achieved for most molecules of interest using cyanobacteria lag behind what has been achieved using yeast and Escherichia coli (E. coli) cultures. In Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (S. 6803), we attempted to increase the product titer of the sesquiterpene, bisabolene, which may be converted to bisabolane, a possible diesel replacement. We tested 19 strains of genetically modified S. 6803 with five different codon usage sequences of the bisabolene synthase from the grand fir tree (Abies grandis). At least three ribosome binding sites (most designed using the RBS Calculator) were tested for each codon usage sequence. We also tested strains with and without the farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase gene from E. coli. Bisabolene titers after five days of growth in continuous light ranged from un-detected to 7.8 mg/L. Bisabolene synthase abundance was measured and found to be well correlated with titer. Select strains were also tested in 12:12 light:dark cycles, where similar titers were reached after the same amount of light exposure time. One engineered strain was also tested in photobioreactors exposed to a simulated outdoor light pattern with maximum light intensity of 1600 μmol photons m-2 s-1. Here, the bisabolene titer reached 22.2 mg/L after 36 days of growth. Dramatic improvements in our ability to control gene expression in cyanobacteria such as S. 6803, and the co-utilization of additional metabolic engineering methods, are needed in order for these titers to improve to the levels reported for engineered E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Sebesta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Christie AM. Peebles
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
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24
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Behle A, Saake P, Germann AT, Dienst D, Axmann IM. Comparative Dose-Response Analysis of Inducible Promoters in Cyanobacteria. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:843-855. [PMID: 32134640 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Design and implementation of synthetic biological circuits highly depends on well-characterized, robust promoters with predictable input-output responses. While great progress has been made with heterotrophic model organisms such as Escherichia coli, the available variety of tunable promoter parts for phototrophic cyanobacteria is still limited. Commonly used synthetic and semisynthetic promoters show weak dynamic ranges or no regulation at all in cyanobacterial models. Well-controlled alternatives such as native metal-responsive promoters, however, pose the problems of inducer toxicity and lacking orthogonality. Here, we present the comparative assessment of dose-response functions of four different inducible promoter systems in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Using the novel bimodular reporter plasmid pSHDY, dose-response dynamics of the re-established vanillate-inducible promoter PvanCC was compared to the previously described rhamnose-inducible Prha, the anhydrotetracycline-inducible PL03, and the Co2+-inducible PcoaT. We estimate individual advantages and disadvantages regarding dynamic range and strength of each promoter, also in comparison with well-established constitutive systems. We observed a delicate balance between transcription factor toxicity and sufficient expression to obtain a dose-dependent response to the inducer. In summary, we expand the current understanding and employability of inducible promoters in cyanobacteria, facilitating the scalability and robustness of synthetic regulatory network designs and of complex metabolic pathway engineering strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Behle
- Institute for Synthetic Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Pia Saake
- Institute for Synthetic Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Anna T. Germann
- Institute for Synthetic Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Dennis Dienst
- Department of Chemistry − Ångström, Uppsala University, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ilka M. Axmann
- Institute for Synthetic Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
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25
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Ng I, Keskin BB, Tan S. A Critical Review of Genome Editing and Synthetic Biology Applications in Metabolic Engineering of Microalgae and Cyanobacteria. Biotechnol J 2020; 15:e1900228. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201900228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I‐Son Ng
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Cheng Kung University Tainan 701 Taiwan
| | - Batuhan Birol Keskin
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Cheng Kung University Tainan 701 Taiwan
| | - Shih‐I Tan
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Cheng Kung University Tainan 701 Taiwan
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26
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Yunus IS, Palma A, Trudeau DL, Tawfik DS, Jones PR. Methanol-free biosynthesis of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Metab Eng 2020; 57:217-227. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2019.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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27
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Gale GAR, Schiavon Osorio AA, Mills LA, Wang B, Lea-Smith DJ, McCormick AJ. Emerging Species and Genome Editing Tools: Future Prospects in Cyanobacterial Synthetic Biology. Microorganisms 2019; 7:E409. [PMID: 31569579 PMCID: PMC6843473 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7100409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in synthetic biology and an emerging algal biotechnology market have spurred a prolific increase in the availability of molecular tools for cyanobacterial research. Nevertheless, work to date has focused primarily on only a small subset of model species, which arguably limits fundamental discovery and applied research towards wider commercialisation. Here, we review the requirements for uptake of new strains, including several recently characterised fast-growing species and promising non-model species. Furthermore, we discuss the potential applications of new techniques available for transformation, genetic engineering and regulation, including an up-to-date appraisal of current Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) and CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) research in cyanobacteria. We also provide an overview of several exciting molecular tools that could be ported to cyanobacteria for more advanced metabolic engineering approaches (e.g., genetic circuit design). Lastly, we introduce a forthcoming mutant library for the model species Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 that promises to provide a further powerful resource for the cyanobacterial research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant A R Gale
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK.
| | - Alejandra A Schiavon Osorio
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
| | - Lauren A Mills
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Baojun Wang
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK.
| | - David J Lea-Smith
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Alistair J McCormick
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
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28
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CyanoFactory, a European consortium to develop technologies needed to advance cyanobacteria as chassis for production of chemicals and fuels. ALGAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2019.101510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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29
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Santos-Merino M, Singh AK, Ducat DC. New Applications of Synthetic Biology Tools for Cyanobacterial Metabolic Engineering. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:33. [PMID: 30873404 PMCID: PMC6400836 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are promising microorganisms for sustainable biotechnologies, yet unlocking their potential requires radical re-engineering and application of cutting-edge synthetic biology techniques. In recent years, the available devices and strategies for modifying cyanobacteria have been increasing, including advances in the design of genetic promoters, ribosome binding sites, riboswitches, reporter proteins, modular vector systems, and markerless selection systems. Because of these new toolkits, cyanobacteria have been successfully engineered to express heterologous pathways for the production of a wide variety of valuable compounds. Cyanobacterial strains with the potential to be used in real-world applications will require the refinement of genetic circuits used to express the heterologous pathways and development of accurate models that predict how these pathways can be best integrated into the larger cellular metabolic network. Herein, we review advances that have been made to translate synthetic biology tools into cyanobacterial model organisms and summarize experimental and in silico strategies that have been employed to increase their bioproduction potential. Despite the advances in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering during the last years, it is clear that still further improvements are required if cyanobacteria are to be competitive with heterotrophic microorganisms for the bioproduction of added-value compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Santos-Merino
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Amit K. Singh
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Daniel C. Ducat
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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30
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Angeleri M, Muth-Pawlak D, Wilde A, Aro EM, Battchikova N. Global proteome response ofSynechocystis6803 to extreme copper environments applied to control the activity of the induciblepetJpromoter. J Appl Microbiol 2019; 126:826-841. [DOI: 10.1111/jam.14182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Angeleri
- Molecular Plant Biology; Department of Biochemistry; University of Turku; Turku Finland
| | - D. Muth-Pawlak
- Molecular Plant Biology; Department of Biochemistry; University of Turku; Turku Finland
| | - A. Wilde
- Molecular Genetics of Prokaryotes; University of Freiburg; Freiburg Germany
| | - E.-M. Aro
- Molecular Plant Biology; Department of Biochemistry; University of Turku; Turku Finland
| | - N. Battchikova
- Molecular Plant Biology; Department of Biochemistry; University of Turku; Turku Finland
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