Intragenic position of UUA codons in streptomycetes

The Use of the Rare TTA Codon in Streptomyces Genes: Significance of the Codon Context?

Streptomycetes, Gram-positive bacteria with huge and GC-rich genomes provide an ample example of codon usage bias taken to the extreme. Particularly, in all sequenced to date streptomycete genomes leucyl codon TTA is the rarest one. It is present (usually once or twice) in 70-200 out of 7000-8000 coding sequences that make up a typical streptomycete genome. tRNA^Leu _UAA of streptomycetes, encoded by the bldA gene, has been shown to be present in mature form only after the onset of morphological differentiation and activation of secondary metabolism. Consequently, during the early stages of cell growth, the translation of genes carrying the TTA codon can be interrupted due to the absence of tRNA^Leu _UAA. Several reports show that mutations of TTA to synonymous codons in certain genes indeed relieve their expression from bldA dependence. However, the deletion of bldA does not always arrest the expression of TTA-containing genes. The nucleotides T/C downstream of TTA were suggested, in 2002, to favor TTA mistranslation. We tested this hypothesis using sizable datasets derived from individual Streptomyces genome and a subset of TTA+ genes for secondary metabolism known for their active expression. Our results revealed nucleotide biases downstream of NNA codons family, such as the preference for C and the avoidance of A. Yet, none of the observed biases was sufficient to claim a special case for TTA codon. Hence, the issue of codon context and TTA codon mistranslation in Streptomyces deserves further elaboration.

Genomic Insights into Evolution of AdpA Family Master Regulators of Morphological Differentiation and Secondary Metabolism in Streptomyces

The AdpA protein from a streptomycin producer Streptomyces griseus is a founding member of the AdpA family of pleiotropic regulators, known to be ubiquitously present in streptomycetes. Functional genomic approaches revealed a huge number of AdpA targets, leading to the claim that the AdpA regulon is the largest one in bacteria. The expression of adpA is limited at the level of translation of the rare leucyl UUA codon. All known properties of AdpA regulators were discovered on a few streptomycete strains. There are open questions about the true abundance and diversity of AdpA across actinobacterial taxa (and beyond) and about the possible evolutionary forces that shape the AdpA orthologous group in Streptomyces. Here we show that, with respect to the TTA codon, streptomycete adpA is more diverse than has been previously thought, as the genes differ in presence/position of this codon. Reciprocal best hits to AdpA can be found in many actinobacterial orders, with a domain organization resembling that of the prototypical AdpA, but other configurations also exist. Diversifying positive selection was detected within the DNA-binding (AraC) domain in adpA of Streptomyces origin, most likely affecting residues enabling AdpA to recognize a degenerate operator. Sequence coding for putative glutamine amidotransferase (GATase-1) domain also shows signs of positive selection. The two-domain organization of AdpA most likely arose from a fusion of genes encoding separate GATase-1 and AraC domains. Indeed, we show that the AraC domain retains a biological function in the absence of the GATase-1 part. We suggest that acquisition of the regulatory role by TTA codon is a relatively recent event in the evolution of AdpA, which coincided with the rise of the Streptomycetales clade and, at present, is under relaxed selective constraints. Further experimental scrutiny of our findings is invited, which should provide new insights into the evolution and prospects for engineering of an AdpA-centered regulatory network.

The Jackprot Simulation Couples Mutation Rate with Natural Selection to Illustrate How Protein Evolution Is Not Random

Protein evolution is not a random process. Views which attribute randomness to molecular change, deleterious nature to single-gene mutations, insufficient geological time, or population size for molecular improvements to occur, or invoke "design creationism" to account for complexity in molecular structures and biological processes, are unfounded. Scientific evidence suggests that natural selection tinkers with molecular improvements by retaining adaptive peptide sequence. We used slot-machine probabilities and ion channels to show biological directionality on molecular change. Because ion channels reside in the lipid bilayer of cell membranes, their residue location must be in balance with the membrane's hydrophobic/philic nature; a selective "pore" for ion passage is located within the hydrophobic region. We contrasted the random generation of DNA sequence for KcsA, a bacterial two-transmembrane-domain (2TM) potassium channel, from Streptomyces lividans, with an under-selection scenario, the "jackprot," which predicted much faster evolution than by chance. We wrote a computer program in JAVA APPLET version 1.0 and designed an online interface, The Jackprot Simulation http://faculty.rwu.edu/cbai/JackprotSimulation.htm, to model a numerical interaction between mutation rate and natural selection during a scenario of polypeptide evolution. Winning the "jackprot," or highest-fitness complete-peptide sequence, required cumulative smaller "wins" (rewarded by selection) at the first, second, and third positions in each of the 161 KcsA codons ("jackdons" that led to "jackacids" that led to the "jackprot"). The "jackprot" is a didactic tool to demonstrate how mutation rate coupled with natural selection suffices to explain the evolution of specialized proteins, such as the complex six-transmembrane (6TM) domain potassium, sodium, or calcium channels. Ancestral DNA sequences coding for 2TM-like proteins underwent nucleotide "edition" and gene duplications to generate the 6TMs. Ion channels are essential to the physiology of neurons, ganglia, and brains, and were crucial to the evolutionary advent of consciousness. The Jackprot Simulation illustrates in a computer model that evolution is not and cannot be a random process as conceived by design creationists.

TTA Lynx: a web-based service for analysis of actinomycete genes containing rare TTA codon

MOTIVATION

TTA Lynx is a web-based service for finding, assessing and comparing coding sequences that contain TTA codons. This codon is most notable for being a regulatory switch that governs different aspects of the physiology of several GC-rich, Gram-positive bacteria belonging to genus Streptomyces, prolific producers of clinically important natural products. The ever-increasing pace of genome sequencing is creating a huge volume of data that could be utilized to improve our understanding of rare codons in actinomycete biology (and other biological systems.) The service described here is designed to facilitate analysis of TTA-containing genes and to assess the importance of TTA-mediated regulation in an organism of interest. This service and its database of organisms with well-known or hypothetical TTA-based regulation provides an opportunity for the identification of such regulation on a genome-wide scale.

AVAILABILITY

http://ttalynx.bio.lnu.edu.ua.

Genomics of Actinobacteria: tracing the evolutionary history of an ancient phylum

Actinobacteria constitute one of the largest phyla among bacteria and represent gram-positive bacteria with a high G+C content in their DNA. This bacterial group includes microorganisms exhibiting a wide spectrum of morphologies, from coccoid to fragmenting hyphal forms, as well as possessing highly variable physiological and metabolic properties. Furthermore, Actinobacteria members have adopted different lifestyles, and can be pathogens (e.g., Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Tropheryma, and Propionibacterium), soil inhabitants (Streptomyces), plant commensals (Leifsonia), or gastrointestinal commensals (Bifidobacterium). The divergence of Actinobacteria from other bacteria is ancient, making it impossible to identify the phylogenetically closest bacterial group to Actinobacteria. Genome sequence analysis has revolutionized every aspect of bacterial biology by enhancing the understanding of the genetics, physiology, and evolutionary development of bacteria. Various actinobacterial genomes have been sequenced, revealing a wide genomic heterogeneity probably as a reflection of their biodiversity. This review provides an account of the recent explosion of actinobacterial genomics data and an attempt to place this in a biological and evolutionary context.

A genetic and bioinformatic analysis ofStreptomyces coelicolorgenes containing TTA codons, possible targets for regulation by a developmentally significant tRNA

The rarest codon in the high G+C genome of Streptomyces coelicolor is TTA, corresponding in mRNA to the UUA codon that is recognized by a developmentally important tRNA encoded by the bldA gene. There are 145 TTA-containing genes in the chromosome of S. coelicolor. Only 42 of these are represented in the genome of Streptomyces avermitilis, among which only 12 have a TTA codon in both species. The TTA codon is less represented in housekeeping genes and orthologous genes, and is more represented in functional-unknown, extrachromosomal or weakly expressed genes. Twenty one TTA-containing chromosomal genes in S. coelicolor were disrupted, including 12 of the 42 genes that are common to both S. avermitillis and S. coelicolor. None of the mutant strains showed any obvious phenotypic differences from the wild-type strain under tested conditions. Possible reasons for this, and the role and evolution of the observed distribution of TTA codons among Streptomyces genes were discussed.

The evolution of development inStreptomycesanalysed by genome comparisons

There is considerable information about the genetic control of the processes by which mycelial Streptomyces bacteria form spore-bearing aerial hyphae. The recent acquisition of genome sequences for 16 species of actinobacteria, including two streptomycetes, makes it possible to try to reconstruct the evolution of Streptomyces differentiation by a comparative genomic approach, and to place the results in the context of current views on the evolution of bacteria. Most of the developmental genes evaluated are found only in actinobacteria that form sporulating aerial hyphae, with several being peculiar to streptomycetes. Only four (whiA, whiB, whiD, crgA) are generally present in nondifferentiating actinobacteria, and only two (whiA, whiG) are found in other bacteria, where they are widespread. Thus, the evolution of Streptomyces development has probably involved the stepwise acquisition of laterally transferred DNA, each successive acquisition giving rise either to regulatory changes that affect the conditions under which development is initiated, or to changes in cellular structure or morphology.

Whole genome analysis of non-optimal codon usage in secretory signal sequences of Streptomyces coelicolor

Non-optimal (rare) codons have been suggested to reduce translation rate and facilitate secretion in Escherichia coli. In this study, the complete genome analysis of non-optimal codon usage in secretory signal sequences and non-secretory sequences of Streptomyces coelicolor was performed. The result showed that there was a higher proportion of non-optimal codons in secretory signal sequences than in non-secretory sequences. The increased tendency was more obvious when tested with the experimental data of secretory proteins from proteomics analysis. Some non-optimal codons for Arg (AGA, CGU and CGA), Ile (AUA) and Lys (AAA) were significantly over presented in the secretary signal sequences. It may reveal that a balanced non-optimal codon usage was necessary for protein secretion and expression in Streptomyces.