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Takayesu A, Mahoney BJ, Goring AK, Jessup T, Ogorzalek Loo RR, Loo JA, Clubb RT. Insight into the autoproteolysis mechanism of the RsgI9 anti-σ factor from Clostridium thermocellum. Proteins 2024; 92:946-958. [PMID: 38597224 PMCID: PMC11222046 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Clostridium thermocellum is a potential microbial platform to convert abundant plant biomass to biofuels and other renewable chemicals. It efficiently degrades lignocellulosic biomass using a surface displayed cellulosome, a megadalton sized multienzyme containing complex. The enzymatic composition and architecture of the cellulosome is controlled by several transmembrane biomass-sensing RsgI-type anti-σ factors. Recent studies suggest that these factors transduce signals from the cell surface via a conserved RsgI extracellular (CRE) domain (also called a periplasmic domain) that undergoes autoproteolysis through an incompletely understood mechanism. Here we report the structure of the autoproteolyzed CRE domain from the C. thermocellum RsgI9 anti-σ factor, revealing that the cleaved fragments forming this domain associate to form a stable α/β/α sandwich fold. Based on AlphaFold2 modeling, molecular dynamics simulations, and tandem mass spectrometry, we propose that a conserved Asn-Pro bond in RsgI9 autoproteolyzes via a succinimide intermediate whose formation is promoted by a conserved hydrogen bond network holding the scissile peptide bond in a strained conformation. As other RsgI anti-σ factors share sequence homology to RsgI9, they likely autoproteolyze through a similar mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen Takayesu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Brendan J. Mahoney
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute. University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Andrew K. Goring
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Tobie Jessup
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rachel R Ogorzalek Loo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute. University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Joseph A. Loo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute. University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Robert T. Clubb
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute. University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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2
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Li J, Zhang H, Li D, Liu YJ, Bayer EA, Cui Q, Feng Y, Zhu P. Structure of the transcription open complex of distinct σ I factors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6455. [PMID: 37833284 PMCID: PMC10575876 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41796-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial σI factors of the σ70-family are widespread in Bacilli and Clostridia and are involved in the heat shock response, iron metabolism, virulence, and carbohydrate sensing. A multiplicity of σI paralogues in some cellulolytic bacteria have been shown to be responsible for the regulation of the cellulosome, a multienzyme complex that mediates efficient cellulose degradation. Here, we report two structures at 3.0 Å and 3.3 Å of two transcription open complexes formed by two σI factors, SigI1 and SigI6, respectively, from the thermophilic, cellulolytic bacterium, Clostridium thermocellum. These structures reveal a unique, hitherto-unknown recognition mode of bacterial transcriptional promoters, both with respect to domain organization and binding to promoter DNA. The key characteristics that determine the specificities of the σI paralogues were further revealed by comparison of the two structures. Consequently, the σI factors represent a distinct set of the σ70-family σ factors, thus highlighting the diversity of bacterial transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Haonan Zhang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Dongyu Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Jun Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Edward A Bayer
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Life Sciences and the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8499000, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Qiu Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yingang Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
- Shandong Energy Institute, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, 266101, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
| | - Ping Zhu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
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3
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Brogan AP, Habib C, Hobbs SJ, Kranzusch PJ, Rudner DZ. Bacterial SEAL domains undergo autoproteolysis and function in regulated intramembrane proteolysis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2310862120. [PMID: 37756332 PMCID: PMC10556640 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310862120] [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: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Gram-positive bacteria use SigI/RsgI-family sigma factor/anti-sigma factor pairs to sense and respond to cell wall defects and plant polysaccharides. In Bacillus subtilis, this signal transduction pathway involves regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) of the membrane-anchored anti-sigma factor RsgI. However, unlike most RIP signaling pathways, site-1 cleavage of RsgI on the extracytoplasmic side of the membrane is constitutive and the cleavage products remain stably associated, preventing intramembrane proteolysis. The regulated step in this pathway is their dissociation, which is hypothesized to involve mechanical force. Release of the ectodomain enables intramembrane cleavage by the RasP site-2 protease and activation of SigI. The constitutive site-1 protease has not been identified for any RsgI homolog. Here, we report that RsgI's extracytoplasmic domain has structural and functional similarities to eukaryotic SEA domains that undergo autoproteolysis and have been implicated in mechanotransduction. We show that site-1 proteolysis in B. subtilis and Clostridial RsgI family members is mediated by enzyme-independent autoproteolysis of these SEA-like domains. Importantly, the site of proteolysis enables retention of the ectodomain through an undisrupted β-sheet that spans the two cleavage products. Autoproteolysis can be abrogated by relief of conformational strain in the scissile loop, in a mechanism analogous to eukaryotic SEA domains. Collectively, our data support the model that RsgI-SigI signaling is mediated by mechanotransduction in a manner that has striking parallels with eukaryotic mechanotransducive signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna P. Brogan
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Cameron Habib
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Samuel J. Hobbs
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA02115
| | - Philip J. Kranzusch
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA02115
| | - David Z. Rudner
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
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4
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Chen C, Dong S, Yu Z, Qiao Y, Li J, Ding X, Li R, Lin J, Bayer EA, Liu YJ, Cui Q, Feng Y. Essential autoproteolysis of bacterial anti-σ factor RsgI for transmembrane signal transduction. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg4846. [PMID: 37418529 PMCID: PMC10328401 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg4846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Autoproteolysis has been discovered to play key roles in various biological processes, but functional autoproteolysis has been rarely reported for transmembrane signaling in prokaryotes. In this study, an autoproteolytic effect was discovered in the conserved periplasmic domain of anti-σ factor RsgIs from Clostridium thermocellum, which was found to transmit extracellular polysaccharide-sensing signals into cells for regulation of the cellulosome system, a polysaccharide-degrading multienzyme complex. Crystal and NMR structures of periplasmic domains from three RsgIs demonstrated that they are different from all known proteins that undergo autoproteolysis. The RsgI-based autocleavage site was located at a conserved Asn-Pro motif between the β1 and β2 strands in the periplasmic domain. This cleavage was demonstrated to be essential for subsequent regulated intramembrane proteolysis to activate the cognate SigI, in a manner similar to that of autoproteolysis-dependent activation of eukaryotic adhesion G protein-coupled receptors. These results indicate the presence of a unique prevalent type of autoproteolytic phenomenon in bacteria for signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Sheng Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhaoli Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yichen Qiao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoke Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Renmin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinzhong Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Edward A. Bayer
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- Department of Life Sciences and The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8499000, Israel
| | - Ya-Jun Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qiu Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yingang Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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5
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Brogan AP, Habib C, Hobbs SJ, Kranzusch PJ, Rudner DZ. Bacterial SEAL domains undergo autoproteolysis and function in regulated intramembrane proteolysis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.27.546760. [PMID: 37425962 PMCID: PMC10327162 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.27.546760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Gram-positive bacteria use SigI/RsgI-family sigma factor/anti-sigma factor pairs to sense and respond to cell wall defects and plant polysaccharides. In Bacillus subtilis this signal transduction pathway involves regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) of the membrane-anchored anti-sigma factor RsgI. However, unlike most RIP signaling pathways, site-1 cleavage of RsgI on the extracytoplasmic side of the membrane is constitutive and the cleavage products remain stably associated, preventing intramembrane proteolysis. The regulated step in this pathway is their dissociation, which is hypothesized to involve mechanical force. Release of the ectodomain enables intramembrane cleavage by the RasP site-2 protease and activation of SigI. The constitutive site-1 protease has not been identified for any RsgI homolog. Here, we report that RsgI's extracytoplasmic domain has structural and functional similarities to eukaryotic SEA domains that undergo autoproteolysis and have been implicated in mechanotransduction. We show that site-1 proteolysis in B. subtilis and Clostridial RsgI family members is mediated by enzyme-independent autoproteolysis of these SEA-like (SEAL) domains. Importantly, the site of proteolysis enables retention of the ectodomain through an undisrupted ß-sheet that spans the two cleavage products. Autoproteolysis can be abrogated by relief of conformational strain in the scissile loop, in a mechanism analogous to eukaryotic SEA domains. Collectively, our data support the model that RsgI-SigI signaling is mediated by mechanotransduction in a manner that has striking parallels with eukaryotic mechanotransducive signaling pathways. SIGNIFICANCE SEA domains are broadly conserved among eukaryotes but absent in bacteria. They are present on diverse membrane-anchored proteins some of which have been implicated in mechanotransducive signaling pathways. Many of these domains have been found to undergo autoproteolysis and remain noncovalently associated following cleavage. Their dissociation requires mechanical force. Here, we identify a family of bacterial SEA-like (SEAL) domains that arose independently from their eukaryotic counterparts but have structural and functional similarities. We show these SEAL domains autocleave and the cleavage products remain stably associated. Importantly, these domains are present on membrane-anchored anti-sigma factors that have been implicated in mechanotransduction pathways analogous to those in eukaryotes. Our findings suggest that bacterial and eukaryotic signaling systems have evolved a similar mechanism to transduce mechanical stimuli across the lipid bilayer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna P. Brogan
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Cameron Habib
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Samuel J. Hobbs
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Philip J. Kranzusch
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115
| | - David Z. Rudner
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
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6
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de Camargo BR, Steindorff AS, da Silva LA, de Oliveira AS, Hamann PRV, Noronha EF. Expression profiling of Clostridium thermocellum B8 during the deconstruction of sugarcane bagasse and straw. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 39:105. [PMID: 36840776 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03546-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
The gram-positive bacterium Clostridium thermocellum contains a set of carbohydrate-active enzymes that can potentially be employed to generate high-value-added products from lignocellulose. In this study, the gene expression profiling of C. thermocellum B8 was provided during growth in the presence of sugarcane bagasse and straw as a carbon source in comparison to growth using microcrystalline cellulose. A total of 625 and 509 genes were up-regulated for growth in the presence of bagasse and straw, respectively. These genes were mainly grouped into carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), cell motility, chemotaxis, quorum sensing pathway and expression control of glycoside hydrolases. These results show that type of carbon source modulates the gene expression profiling of carbohydrate-active enzymes. In addition, highlight the importance of cell motility, attachment to the substrate and communication in deconstructing complex substrates. This present work may contribute to the development of enzymatic cocktails and industrial strains for biorefineries based on sugarcane residues as feedstock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Rabello de Camargo
- Laboratory of Enzymology, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasília, Brasilia, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | | | - Leonardo Assis da Silva
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Athos Silva de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Pedro Ricardo Vieira Hamann
- São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, Avenida Trabalhador São-Carlense,400, Parque Arnold Schimidt, São Carlos, SP, 13566-590, Brazil
| | - Eliane Ferreira Noronha
- Laboratory of Enzymology, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasília, Brasilia, DF, 70910-900, Brazil.
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Deciphering Cellodextrin and Glucose Uptake in Clostridium thermocellum. mBio 2022; 13:e0147622. [PMID: 36069444 PMCID: PMC9601137 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01476-22] [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] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sugar uptake is of great significance in industrially relevant microorganisms. Clostridium thermocellum has extensive potential in lignocellulose biorefineries as an environmentally prominent, thermophilic, cellulolytic bacterium. The bacterium employs five putative ATP-binding cassette transporters which purportedly take up cellulose hydrolysates. Here, we first applied combined genetic manipulations and biophysical titration experiments to decipher the key glucose and cellodextrin transporters. In vivo gene inactivation of each transporter and in vitro calorimetric and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) titration of each putative sugar-binding protein with various saccharides supported the conclusion that only transporters A and B play the roles of glucose and cellodextrin transport, respectively. To gain insight into the structural mechanism of the transporter specificities, 11 crystal structures, both alone and in complex with appropriate saccharides, were solved for all 5 putative sugar-binding proteins, thus providing detailed specific interactions between the proteins and the corresponding saccharides. Considering the importance of transporter B as the major cellodextrin transporter, we further identified its cryptic, hitherto unknown ATPase-encoding gene as clo1313_2554, which is located outside the transporter B gene cluster. The crystal structure of the ATPase was solved, showing that it represents a typical nucleotide-binding domain of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter. Moreover, we determined that the inducing effect of cellobiose (G2) and cellulose on cellulosome production could be eliminated by deletion of transporter B genes, suggesting the coupling of sugar transport and regulation of cellulosome components. This study provides key basic information on the sugar uptake mechanism of C. thermocellum and will promote rational engineering of the bacterium for industrial application.
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Mahoney BJ, Takayesu A, Zhou A, Cascio D, Clubb RT. The structure of the Clostridium thermocellum RsgI9 ectodomain provides insight into the mechanism of biomass sensing. Proteins 2022; 90:1457-1467. [PMID: 35194841 PMCID: PMC9177573 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium thermocellum is actively being developed as a microbial platform to produce biofuels and chemicals from renewable plant biomass. An attractive feature of this bacterium is its ability to efficiently degrade lignocellulose using surface-displayed cellulosomes, large multi-protein complexes that house different types of cellulase enzymes. Clostridium thermocellum tailors the enzyme composition of its cellulosome using nine membrane-embedded anti-σ factors (RsgI1-9), which are thought to sense different types of extracellular carbohydrates and then elicit distinct gene expression programs via cytoplasmic σ factors. Here we show that the RsgI9 anti-σ factor interacts with cellulose via a C-terminal bi-domain unit. A 2.0 Å crystal structure reveals that the unit is constructed from S1C peptidase and NTF2-like protein domains that contain a potential binding site for cellulose. Small-angle X-ray scattering experiments of the intact ectodomain indicate that it adopts a bi-lobed, elongated conformation. In the structure, a conserved RsgI extracellular (CRE) domain is connected to the bi-domain via a proline-rich linker, which is expected to project the carbohydrate-binding unit ~160 Å from the cell surface. The CRE and proline-rich elements are conserved in several other C. thermocellum anti-σ factors, suggesting that they will also form extended structures that sense carbohydrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J. Mahoney
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Allen Takayesu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Anqi Zhou
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Duilio Cascio
- UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Robert T. Clubb
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,UCLA-DOE Institute of Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 611 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,To whom correspondence should be addressed: Prof. Robert T. Clubb, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 602 Boyer Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095
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9
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Glekas PD, Kalantzi S, Dalios A, Hatzinikolaou DG, Mamma D. Biochemical and Thermodynamic Studies on a Novel Thermotolerant GH10 Xylanase from Bacillus safensis. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12060790. [PMID: 35740915 PMCID: PMC9221164 DOI: 10.3390/biom12060790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Xylanases have a broad range of applications in agro-industrial processes. In this study, we report on the discovery and characterization of a new thermotolerant GH10 xylanase from Bacillus safensis, designated as BsXyn10. The xylanase gene (bsxyn10) was cloned from Bacillus safensis and expressed in Escherichia coli. The reduced molecular mass of BsXyn10 was 48 kDa upon SDS-PAGE. Bsxyn10 was optimally active at pH 7.0 and 60 °C, stable over a broad range of pH (5.0–8.0), and also revealed tolerance toward different modulators (metal cations, EDTA). The enzyme was active toward various xylans with no activity on the glucose-based polysaccharides. KM, vmax, and kcat for oat spelt xylan hydrolysis were found to be 1.96 g·L−1, 58.6 μmole·min−1·(mg protein)−1, and 49 s−1, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters for oat spelt xylan hydrolysis at 60 °C were ΔS* = −61.9 J·mol−1·K−1, ΔH* = 37.0 kJ·mol−1 and ΔG* = 57.6 kJ·mol−1. BsXyn10 retained high levels of activity at temperatures up to 60 °C. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH*D, ΔG*D, ΔS*D) for the thermal deactivation of BsXyn10 at a temperature range of 40–80 °C were: 192.5 ≤ ΔH*D ≤ 192.8 kJ·mol−1, 262.1 ≤ ΔS*D ≤ 265.8 J·mol−1·K−1, and 99.9 ≤ ΔG*D ≤ 109.6 kJ·mol−1. The BsXyn10-treated oat spelt xylan manifested the catalytic release of xylooligosaccharides of 2–6 DP, suggesting that BsXyn10 represents a promising candidate biocatalyst appropriate for several biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayiotis D. Glekas
- Enzyme and Microbial Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biology, Zografou Campus, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece;
| | - Styliani Kalantzi
- Biotechnology Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str, 15700 Athens, Greece; (S.K.); (A.D.)
| | - Anargiros Dalios
- Biotechnology Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str, 15700 Athens, Greece; (S.K.); (A.D.)
| | - Dimitris G. Hatzinikolaou
- Enzyme and Microbial Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biology, Zografou Campus, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece;
- Correspondence: (D.G.H.); (D.M.)
| | - Diomi Mamma
- Biotechnology Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str, 15700 Athens, Greece; (S.K.); (A.D.)
- Correspondence: (D.G.H.); (D.M.)
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10
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Ichikawa S, Ito D, Asaoka S, Abe R, Katsuo N, Ito T, Ito D, Karita S. The expression of alternative sigma-I7 factor induces the transcription of cellulosomal genes in the cellulolytic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum. Enzyme Microb Technol 2022; 156:110002. [DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2022.110002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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11
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Gardner JG, Schreier HJ. Unifying themes and distinct features of carbon and nitrogen assimilation by polysaccharide-degrading bacteria: a summary of four model systems. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:8109-8127. [PMID: 34611726 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11614-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Our current understanding of enzymatic polysaccharide degradation has come from a huge number of in vitro studies with purified enzymes. While this vast body of work has been invaluable in identifying and characterizing novel mechanisms of action and engineering desirable traits into these enzymes, a comprehensive picture of how these enzymes work as part of a native in vivo system is less clear. Recently, several model bacteria have emerged with genetic systems that allow for a more nuanced study of carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) and how their activity affects bacterial carbon metabolism. With these bacterial model systems, it is now possible to not only study a single nutrient system in isolation (i.e., carbohydrate degradation and carbon metabolism), but also how multiple systems are integrated. Given that most environmental polysaccharides are carbon rich but nitrogen poor (e.g., lignocellulose), the interplay between carbon and nitrogen metabolism in polysaccharide-degrading bacteria can now be studied in a physiologically relevant manner. Therefore, in this review, we have summarized what has been experimentally determined for CAZyme regulation, production, and export in relation to nitrogen metabolism for two Gram-positive (Caldicellulosiruptor bescii and Clostridium thermocellum) and two Gram-negative (Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Cellvibrio japonicus) polysaccharide-degrading bacteria. By comparing and contrasting these four bacteria, we have highlighted the shared and unique features of each, with a focus on in vivo studies, in regard to carbon and nitrogen assimilation. We conclude with what we believe are two important questions that can act as guideposts for future work to better understand the integration of carbon and nitrogen metabolism in polysaccharide-degrading bacteria. KEY POINTS: • Regardless of CAZyme deployment system, the generation of a local pool of oligosaccharides is a common strategy among Gram-negative and Gram-positive polysaccharide degraders as a means to maximally recoup the energy expenditure of CAZyme production and export. • Due to the nitrogen deficiency of insoluble polysaccharide-containing substrates, Gram-negative and Gram-positive polysaccharide degraders have a diverse set of strategies for supplementation and assimilation. • Future work needs to precisely characterize the energetic expenditures of CAZyme deployment and bolster our understanding of how carbon and nitrogen metabolism are integrated in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive polysaccharide-degrading bacteria, as both of these will significantly influence a given bacterium's suitability for biotechnology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey G Gardner
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Harold J Schreier
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
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12
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Hebdon SD, Gerritsen AT, Chen YP, Marcano JG, Chou KJ. Genome-Wide Transcription Factor DNA Binding Sites and Gene Regulatory Networks in Clostridium thermocellum. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:695517. [PMID: 34566906 PMCID: PMC8457756 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.695517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium thermocellum is a thermophilic bacterium recognized for its natural ability to effectively deconstruct cellulosic biomass. While there is a large body of studies on the genetic engineering of this bacterium and its physiology to-date, there is limited knowledge in the transcriptional regulation in this organism and thermophilic bacteria in general. The study herein is the first report of a large-scale application of DNA-affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) to transcription factors (TFs) from a bacterium. We applied DAP-seq to > 90 TFs in C. thermocellum and detected genome-wide binding sites for 11 of them. We then compiled and aligned DNA binding sequences from these TFs to deduce the primary DNA-binding sequence motifs for each TF. These binding motifs are further validated with electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and are used to identify individual TFs’ regulatory targets in C. thermocellum. Our results led to the discovery of novel, uncharacterized TFs as well as homologues of previously studied TFs including RexA-, LexA-, and LacI-type TFs. We then used these data to reconstruct gene regulatory networks for the 11 TFs individually, which resulted in a global network encompassing the TFs with some interconnections. As gene regulation governs and constrains how bacteria behave, our findings shed light on the roles of TFs delineated by their regulons, and potentially provides a means to enable rational, advanced genetic engineering of C. thermocellum and other organisms alike toward a desired phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skyler D Hebdon
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Alida T Gerritsen
- Computational Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Yi-Pei Chen
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Joan G Marcano
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Katherine J Chou
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
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13
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Utilization of Monosaccharides by Hungateiclostridium thermocellum ATCC 27405 through Adaptive Evolution. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9071445. [PMID: 34361881 PMCID: PMC8303734 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9071445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hungateiclostridium thermocellum ATCC 27405 is a promising bacterium for consolidated bioprocessing with a robust ability to degrade lignocellulosic biomass through a multienzyme cellulosomal complex. The bacterium uses the released cellodextrins, glucose polymers of different lengths, as its primary carbon source and energy. In contrast, the bacterium exhibits poor growth on monosaccharides such as fructose and glucose. This phenomenon raises many important questions concerning its glycolytic pathways and sugar transport systems. Until now, the detailed mechanisms of H. thermocellum adaptation to growth on hexose sugars have been relatively poorly explored. In this study, adaptive laboratory evolution was applied to train the bacterium in hexose sugars-based media, and genome resequencing was used to detect the genes that got mutated during adaptation period. RNA-seq data of the first culture growing on either fructose or glucose revealed that several glycolytic genes in the Embden–Mayerhof–Parnas pathway were expressed at lower levels in these cells than in cellobiose-grown cells. After seven consecutive transfer events on fructose and glucose (~42 generations for fructose-adapted cells and ~40 generations for glucose-adapted cells), several genes in the EMP glycolysis of the evolved strains increased the levels of mRNA expression, accompanied by a faster growth, a greater biomass yield, a higher ethanol titer than those in their parent strains. Genomic screening also revealed several mutation events in the genomes of the evolved strains, especially in those responsible for sugar transport and central carbon metabolism. Consequently, these genes could be applied as potential targets for further metabolic engineering to improve this bacterium for bio-industrial usage.
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14
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Abstract
Cellulosomes are elaborate multienzyme complexes capable of efficiently deconstructing lignocellulosic substrates, produced by cellulolytic anaerobic microorganisms, colonizing a large variety of ecological niches. These macromolecular structures have a modular architecture and are composed of two main elements: the cohesin-bearing scaffoldins, which are non-catalytic structural proteins, and the various dockerin-bearing enzymes that tenaciously bind to the scaffoldins. Cellulosome assembly is mediated by strong and highly specific interactions between the cohesin modules, present in the scaffoldins, and the dockerin modules, present in the catalytic units. Cellulosomal architecture and composition varies between species and can even change within the same organism. These differences seem to be largely influenced by external factors, including the nature of the available carbon-source. Even though cellulosome producing organisms are relatively few, the development of new genomic and proteomic technologies has allowed the identification of cellulosomal components in many archea, bacteria and even some primitive eukaryotes. This reflects the importance of this cellulolytic strategy and suggests that cohesin-dockerin interactions could be involved in other non-cellulolytic processes. Due to their building-block nature and highly cellulolytic capabilities, cellulosomes hold many potential biotechnological applications, such as the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass in the production of biofuels or the development of affinity based technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor D Alves
- CIISA, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, ULisboa, Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carlos M G A Fontes
- CIISA, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, ULisboa, Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Bule
- CIISA, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, ULisboa, Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal.
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15
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Transcriptomic analysis of a Clostridium thermocellum strain engineered to utilize xylose: responses to xylose versus cellobiose feeding. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14517. [PMID: 32884054 PMCID: PMC7471329 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71428-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium (Ruminiclostridium) thermocellum is recognized for its ability to ferment cellulosic biomass directly, but it cannot naturally grow on xylose. Recently, C. thermocellum (KJC335) was engineered to utilize xylose through expressing a heterologous xylose catabolizing pathway. Here, we compared KJC335′s transcriptomic responses to xylose versus cellobiose as the primary carbon source and assessed how the bacteria adapted to utilize xylose. Our analyses revealed 417 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with log2 fold change (FC) >|1| and 106 highly DEGs (log2 FC >|2|). Among the DEGs, two putative sugar transporters, cbpC and cbpD, were up-regulated, suggesting their contribution to xylose transport and assimilation. Moreover, the up-regulation of specific transketolase genes (tktAB) suggests the importance of this enzyme for xylose metabolism. Results also showed remarkable up-regulation of chemotaxis and motility associated genes responding to xylose feeding, as well as widely varying gene expression in those encoding cellulosomal enzymes. For the down-regulated genes, several were categorized in gene ontology terms oxidation–reduction processes, ATP binding and ATPase activity, and integral components of the membrane. This study informs potentially critical, enabling mechanisms to realize the conceptually attractive Next-Generation Consolidated BioProcessing approach where a single species is sufficient for the co-fermentation of cellulose and hemicellulose.
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16
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Seo H, Nicely PN, Trinh CT. Endogenous carbohydrate esterases of Clostridium thermocellum are identified and disrupted for enhanced isobutyl acetate production from cellulose. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:2223-2236. [PMID: 32333614 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Medium-chain esters are versatile chemicals with broad applications as flavors, fragrances, solvents, and potential drop-in biofuels. Currently, these esters are largely produced by the conventional chemical process that uses harsh operating conditions and requires high energy input. Alternatively, the microbial conversion route has recently emerged as a promising platform for sustainable and renewable ester production. The ester biosynthesis pathways can utilize either lipases or alcohol acyltransferase (AAT), but the AAT-dependent pathway is more thermodynamically favorable in an aqueous fermentation environment. Even though a cellulolytic thermophile Clostridium thermocellum harboring an AAT-dependent pathway has recently been engineered for direct conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into esters, the production is not efficient. One potential bottleneck is the ester degradation caused by the endogenous carbohydrate esterases (CEs) whose functional roles are poorly understood. The challenge is to identify and disrupt CEs that can alleviate ester degradation while not negatively affecting the efficient and robust capability of C. thermocellum for lignocellulosic biomass deconstruction. In this study, by using bioinformatics, comparative genomics, and enzymatic analysis to screen a library of CEs, we identified and disrupted the two most critical CEs, Clo1313_0613 and Clo1313_0693, that significantly contribute to isobutyl acetate degradation in C. thermocellum. We demonstrated that an engineered esterase-deficient C. thermocellum strain not only reduced ester hydrolysis but also improved isobutyl acetate production while maintaining effective cellulose assimilation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeongmin Seo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.,Center of Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Preston N Nicely
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Cong T Trinh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.,Center of Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
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17
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Consolidated bio-saccharification: Leading lignocellulose bioconversion into the real world. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 40:107535. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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18
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Wei Z, Chen C, Liu YJ, Dong S, Li J, Qi K, Liu S, Ding X, Ortiz de Ora L, Muñoz-Gutiérrez I, Li Y, Yao H, Lamed R, Bayer EA, Cui Q, Feng Y. Alternative σI/anti-σI factors represent a unique form of bacterial σ/anti-σ complex. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:5988-5997. [PMID: 31106374 PMCID: PMC6582324 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 04/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The σ70 family alternative σI factors and their cognate anti-σI factors are widespread in Clostridia and Bacilli and play a role in heat stress response, virulence, and polysaccharide sensing. Multiple σI/anti-σI factors exist in some lignocellulolytic clostridial species, specifically for regulation of components of a multienzyme complex, termed the cellulosome. The σI and anti-σI factors are unique, because the C-terminal domain of σI (SigIC) and the N-terminal inhibitory domain of anti-σI (RsgIN) lack homology to known proteins. Here, we report structure and interaction studies of a pair of σI and anti-σI factors, SigI1 and RsgI1, from the cellulosome-producing bacterium, Clostridium thermocellum. In contrast to other known anti-σ factors that have N-terminal helical structures, RsgIN has a β-barrel structure. Unlike other anti-σ factors that bind both σ2 and σ4 domains of the σ factors, RsgIN binds SigIC specifically. Structural analysis showed that SigIC contains a positively charged surface region that recognizes the promoter -35 region, and the synergistic interactions among multiple interfacial residues result in the specificity displayed by different σI/anti-σI pairs. We suggest that the σI/anti-σI factors represent a distinctive mode of σ/anti-σ complex formation, which provides the structural basis for understanding the molecular mechanism of the intricate σI/anti-σI system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chao Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Ya-Jun Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Sheng Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kuan Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shiyue Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoke Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Lizett Ortiz de Ora
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Iván Muñoz-Gutiérrez
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yifei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Hongwei Yao
- High-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Xiamen University, 422 South Siming Road, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Raphael Lamed
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Edward A Bayer
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Qiu Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Yingang Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +86 532 80662706; Fax: +86 532 80662707;
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19
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Sivadon P, Barnier C, Urios L, Grimaud R. Biofilm formation as a microbial strategy to assimilate particulate substrates. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2019; 11:749-764. [PMID: 31342619 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In most ecosystems, a large part of the organic carbon is not solubilized in the water phase. Rather, it occurs as particles made of aggregated hydrophobic and/or polymeric natural or man-made organic compounds. These particulate substrates are degraded by extracellular digestion/solubilization implemented by heterotrophic bacteria that form biofilms on them. Organic particle-degrading biofilms are widespread and have been observed in aquatic and terrestrial natural ecosystems, in polluted and man-driven environments and in the digestive tracts of animals. They have central ecological functions as they are major players in carbon recycling and pollution removal. The aim of this review is to highlight bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation as central mechanisms to exploit the nutritive potential of organic particles. It focuses on the mechanisms that allow access and assimilation of non-dissolved organic carbon, and considers the advantage provided by biofilms for gaining a net benefit from feeding on particulate substrates. Cooperative and competitive interactions taking place in biofilms feeding on particulate substrates are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Sivadon
- CNRS/Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour/E2S UPPA, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux UMR5254, Pau, 64000, France
| | - Claudie Barnier
- CNRS/Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour/E2S UPPA, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux UMR5254, Pau, 64000, France
| | - Laurent Urios
- CNRS/Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour/E2S UPPA, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux UMR5254, Pau, 64000, France
| | - Régis Grimaud
- CNRS/Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour/E2S UPPA, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux UMR5254, Pau, 64000, France
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20
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Grinberg IR, Yaniv O, de Ora LO, Muñoz-Gutiérrez I, Hershko A, Livnah O, Bayer EA, Borovok I, Frolow F, Lamed R, Voronov-Goldman M. Distinctive ligand-binding specificities of tandem PA14 biomass-sensory elements from Clostridium thermocellum and Clostridium clariflavum. Proteins 2019; 87:917-930. [PMID: 31162722 PMCID: PMC6852018 DOI: 10.1002/prot.25753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Cellulolytic clostridia use a highly efficient cellulosome system to degrade polysaccharides. To regulate genes encoding enzymes of the multi‐enzyme cellulosome complex, certain clostridia contain alternative sigma I (σI) factors that have cognate membrane‐associated anti‐σI factors (RsgIs) which act as polysaccharide sensors. In this work, we analyzed the structure‐function relationship of the extracellular sensory elements of Clostridium (Ruminiclostridium) thermocellum and Clostridium clariflavum (RsgI3 and RsgI4, respectively). These elements were selected for comparison, as each comprised two tandem PA14‐superfamily motifs. The X‐ray structures of the PA14 modular dyads from the two bacterial species were determined, both of which showed a high degree of structural and sequence similarity, although their binding preferences differed. Bioinformatic approaches indicated that the DNA sequence of promoter of sigI/rsgI operons represents a strong signature, which helps to differentiate binding specificity of the structurally similar modules. The σI4‐dependent C. clariflavum promoter sequence correlates with binding of RsgI4_PA14 to xylan and was identified in genes encoding xylanases, whereas the σI3‐dependent C. thermocellum promoter sequence correlates with RsgI3_PA14 binding to pectin and regulates pectin degradation‐related genes. Structural similarity between clostridial PA14 dyads to PA14‐containing proteins in yeast helped identify another crucial signature element: the calcium‐binding loop 2 (CBL2), which governs binding specificity. Variations in the five amino acids that constitute this loop distinguish the pectin vs xylan specificities. We propose that the first module (PA14A) is dominant in directing the binding to the ligand in both bacteria. The two X‐ray structures of the different PA14 dyads represent the first reported structures of tandem PA14 modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Rozman Grinberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oren Yaniv
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lizett Ortiz de Ora
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Iván Muñoz-Gutiérrez
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.,Outreach Research Training and Minority Science Programs, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Almog Hershko
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Oded Livnah
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Wolfson Centre for Applied Structural Biology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Edward A Bayer
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ilya Borovok
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Felix Frolow
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Raphael Lamed
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Milana Voronov-Goldman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Zhivin-Nissan O, Dassa B, Morag E, Kupervaser M, Levin Y, Bayer EA. Unraveling essential cellulosomal components of the ( Pseudo) Bacteroides cellulosolvens reveals an extensive reservoir of novel catalytic enzymes. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:115. [PMID: 31086567 PMCID: PMC6507058 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1447-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND (Pseudo)Bacteroides cellulosolvens is a cellulolytic bacterium that produces the most extensive and intricate cellulosomal system known in nature. Recently, the elaborate architecture of the B. cellulosolvens cellulosomal system was revealed from analysis of its genome sequence, and the first evidence regarding the interactions between its structural and enzymatic components were detected in vitro. Yet, the understanding of the cellulolytic potential of the bacterium in carbohydrate deconstruction is inextricably linked to its high-molecular-weight protein complexes, which are secreted from the bacterium. RESULTS The current proteome-wide work reveals patterns of protein expression of the various cellulosomal components, and explores the signature of differential expression upon growth of the bacterium on two major carbon sources-cellobiose and microcrystalline cellulose. Mass spectrometry analysis of the bacterial secretome revealed the expression of 24 scaffoldin structural units and 166 dockerin-bearing components (mainly enzymes), in addition to free enzymatic subunits. The dockerin-bearing components comprise cell-free and cell-bound cellulosomes for more efficient carbohydrate degradation. Various glycoside hydrolase (GH) family members were represented among 102 carbohydrate-degrading enzymes, including the omnipresent, most abundant GH48 exoglucanase. Specific cellulosomal components were found in different molecular-weight fractions associated with cell growth on different carbon sources. Overall, microcrystalline cellulose-derived cellulosomes showed markedly higher expression levels of the structural and enzymatic components, and exhibited the highest degradation activity on five different cellulosic and/or hemicellulosic carbohydrates. The cellulosomal activity of B. cellulosolvens showed high degradation rates that are very promising in biotechnological terms and were compatible with the activity levels exhibited by Clostridium thermocellum purified cellulosomes. CONCLUSIONS The current research demonstrates the involvement of key cellulosomal factors that participate in the mechanism of carbohydrate degradation by B. cellulosolvens. The powerful ability of the bacterium to exhibit different degradation strategies on various carbon sources was revealed. The novel reservoir of cellulolytic components of the cellulosomal degradation machineries may serve as a pool for designing new cellulolytic cocktails for biotechnological purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Zhivin-Nissan
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Bareket Dassa
- Bioinformatics Unit, Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ely Morag
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Meital Kupervaser
- Proteomics Unit, Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yishai Levin
- Proteomics Unit, Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Edward A. Bayer
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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22
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An Extracytoplasmic Function Sigma Factor Controls Cellulose Utilization by Regulating the Expression of an Outer Membrane Protein in Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.02606-18. [PMID: 30578269 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02606-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The common soil cellulolytic bacterium known as Cytophaga hutchinsonii makes use of a unique but poorly understood strategy in order to utilize cellulose. While several genes have been identified as being an active part of the utilization of cellulose, the mechanism(s) by which C. hutchinsonii both (i) senses its environment and (ii) regulates the expression of those genes are not as yet known. In this study, we identified and characterized the gene CHU_3097 encoding an extracytoplasmic function (ECF) σ factor (σcel1), the disruption of which compromised C. hutchinsonii cellulose assimilation to a large degree. The σcel1 and its putative partner anti-σcel1, encoded by the CHU_3096 gene found immediately downstream from CHU_3097, copurified in vitro The σcel1 was discovered to be associated with inner membrane when cells were cultured on glucose and yet was partially released from the membrane in response to cellulose. This release was found to occur on glucose when the anti-σcel1 was absent. Transcriptome analyses found a σcel1-regulated, cellulose-responsive gene regulon, within which an outer membrane protein encoding the gene CHU_1276, essential for cellulose utilization, was discovered to be significantly downregulated by CHU_3097 disruption. The expression of CHU_1276 almost fully restored cellulose utilization to the CHU_3097 mutant, demonstrating that CHU_1276 represents a critical regulatory target of σcel1 In this way, our study provided insights into the role of an ECF σ factor in coordinating the cellulolytic response of C. hutchinsonii IMPORTANCE The common cellulolytic bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii uses a unique but poorly understood strategy in order to make use of cellulose. Throughout the process of cellulosic biomass breakdown, outer membrane proteins are thought to play key roles; this is evidenced by CHU_1276, which is required for the utilization of cellulose. However, the regulatory mechanism of its expression is not yet known. We found and characterized an extracytoplasmic function σ factor that is involved in coordinating the cellulolytic response of C. hutchinsonii by directly regulating the expression of CHU_1276 This study makes a contribution to our understanding of the regulatory mechanism used by C. hut chinsonii in order to adjust its genetic programs and so deal with novel environmental cues.
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Abstract
Bacterial signal transduction systems are responsible for sensing environmental cues and adjusting the cellular behaviour and/or metabolism in response to these cues. They also monitor the intracellular conditions and the status of the cell envelope and the cytoplasmic membrane and trigger various stress responses to counteract adverse changes. This surveillance involves several classes of sensor proteins: histidine kinases; chemoreceptors; membrane components of the sugar phosphotransferase system; adenylate, diadenylate and diguanylate cyclases and certain cAMP, c-di-AMP and c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases; extracytoplasmic function sigma factors and Ser/Thr/Tyr protein kinases and phosphoprotein phosphatases. We have compiled a detailed listing of sensor proteins that are encoded in the genomes of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and 10 widespread pathogens: Chlamydia trachomatis, Haemophilus influenzae, Helicobacter pylori, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Rickettsia typhi, Streptococcus pyogenes and Treponema pallidum, and checked what, if anything, is known about their functions. This listing shows significant gaps in the understanding of which environmental and intracellular cues are perceived by these bacteria and which cellular responses are triggered by the changes in the respective parameters. A better understanding of bacterial preferences may suggest new ways to modulate the expression of virulence factors and therefore decrease the reliance on antibiotics to fight infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Y Galperin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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24
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Ortiz de Ora L, Lamed R, Liu YJ, Xu J, Cui Q, Feng Y, Shoham Y, Bayer EA, Muñoz-Gutiérrez I. Regulation of biomass degradation by alternative σ factors in cellulolytic clostridia. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11036. [PMID: 30038431 PMCID: PMC6056542 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29245-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria can adjust their genetic programs via alternative σ factors to face new environmental pressures. Here, we analyzed a unique set of paralogous alternative σ factors, termed σIs, which fine-tune the regulation of one of the most intricate cellulolytic systems in nature, the bacterial cellulosome, that is involved in degradation of environmental polysaccharides. We combined bioinformatics with experiments to decipher the regulatory networks of five σIs in Clostridium thermocellum, the epitome of cellulolytic microorganisms, and one σI in Pseudobacteroides cellulosolvens which produces the cellulosomal system with the greatest known complexity. Despite high homology between different σIs, our data suggest limited cross-talk among them. Remarkably, the major cross-talk occurs within the main cellulosomal genes which harbor the same σI-dependent promoter elements, suggesting a promoter-based mechanism to guarantee the expression of relevant genes. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms used by σIs to differentiate among their corresponding regulons, representing a comprehensive overview of the regulation of the cellulosome to date. Finally, we show the advantage of using a heterologous host system for analysis of multiple σIs, since information generated by their analysis in their natural host can be misinterpreted owing to a cascade of interactions among the different σIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizett Ortiz de Ora
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Raphael Lamed
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ya-Jun Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jian Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Qiu Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yingang Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yuval Shoham
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-IIT, Haifa, Israel
| | - Edward A Bayer
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Iván Muñoz-Gutiérrez
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. .,Outreach Research Training and Minority Science Programs, Francisco Ayala School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.
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25
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Li R, Feng Y, Liu S, Qi K, Cui Q, Liu YJ. Inducing effects of cellulosic hydrolysate components of lignocellulose on cellulosome synthesis in Clostridium thermocellum. Microb Biotechnol 2018; 11:905-916. [PMID: 29943510 PMCID: PMC6116742 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellulosome is a highly efficient supramolecular machine for lignocellulose degradation, and its substrate‐coupled regulation requires soluble transmembrane signals. However, the inducers for cellulosome synthesis and the inducing effect have not been clarified quantitatively. Values of cellulosome production capacity (CPC) and estimated specific activity (eSA) were calculated based on the primary scaffoldin ScaA to define the stimulating effects on the cellulosome synthesis in terms of quantity and quality respectively. The estimated cellulosome production of Clostridium thermocellum on glucose was at a low housekeeping level. Both Avicel and cellobiose increased CPCs of the cells instead of the eSAs of the cellulosome. The CPC of Avicel‐grown cells was over 20‐fold of that of glucose‐grown cells, while both Avicel‐ and glucose‐derived cellulosomes showed similar eSA. The CPC of cellobiose‐grown cells was also over three times higher than glucose‐grown cells, but the eSA of cellobiose‐derived cellulosome was 16% lower than that of the glucose‐derived cellulosome. Our results indicated that cello‐oligosaccharides played the key roles in inducing the synthesis of the cellulosome, but non‐cellulosic polysaccharides showed no inducing effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renmin Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yingang Feng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Shiyue Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kuan Qi
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiu Cui
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Ya-Jun Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
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26
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Apiwatanapiwat W, Vaithanomsat P, Thanapase W, Ratanakhanokchai K, Kosugi A. Xylan supplement improves 1,3-propanediol fermentation by Clostridium butyricum. J Biosci Bioeng 2018. [PMID: 29534944 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass as co-substrate enhances the 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) production of anaerobic fermenters by increasing their conversion yield from glycerol. To improve 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) production by this efficient approach, Clostridium butyricum I5-42 was supplemented with lignocellulosic biomasses (starch free fiber (CPF) from cassava pulp and xylan) as co-substrates. The 1,3-PD production and growth of C. butyricum were considerably higher in glycerol plus CPF and xylan than in glycerol alone, whereas another major polysaccharide (cellulose co-substrate) failed to improve the 1,3-PD production. C. butyricum I5-42 showed no degradation ability on cellulose powder, and only weak activity and slight growth on xylan. However CPF supplemented with xylan strongly enhanced the transcription levels of the major enzymes of 1,3-PD production (glycerol dehydratase, 1,3-propanediol dehydrogenase, and glycerol dehydrogenase). The intracellular redox reactions maintained equal balance in the supplemented media, suggesting that CPF plus xylan promotes 1,3-PD production in the reductive pathway. This promotion is probably mediated by NADH, which is effectively regenerated by small amounts of released oligosaccharides and subsequent activation of the glycerol oxidative pathway. Both supplements also improved the 1,3-PD production at high glycerol concentration. Therefore, supplementation with lignocellulolytic polysaccharides such as xylan can improve the production and productivity of 1,3-PD from glycerol in C. butyricum. Direct supplementation of CPF with xylan in 1,3-PD production has not been previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waraporn Apiwatanapiwat
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan; Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute, Kasetsart University, 50 Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Pilanee Vaithanomsat
- Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute, Kasetsart University, 50 Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; Center for Advanced Studies in Tropical Natural Resources, National Research University-Kasetsart University (CASTNAR, NRU-KU), Kasetsart University, 50 Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Warunee Thanapase
- Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute, Kasetsart University, 50 Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Khanok Ratanakhanokchai
- School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkuntien, Bangkok 10150, Thailand
| | - Akihiko Kosugi
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan; Biological Resources and Post-Harvest Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, 1-1 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8686, Japan.
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27
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Colocalization and Disposition of Cellulosomes in Clostridium clariflavum as Revealed by Correlative Superresolution Imaging. mBio 2018; 9:mBio.00012-18. [PMID: 29437917 PMCID: PMC5801460 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00012-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellulosomes are multienzyme complexes produced by anaerobic, cellulolytic bacteria for highly efficient breakdown of plant cell wall polysaccharides. Clostridium clariflavum is an anaerobic, thermophilic bacterium that produces the largest assembled cellulosome complex in nature to date, comprising three types of scaffoldins: a primary scaffoldin, ScaA; an adaptor scaffoldin, ScaB; and a cell surface anchoring scaffoldin, ScaC. This complex can contain 160 polysaccharide-degrading enzymes. In previous studies, we proposed potential types of cellulosome assemblies in C. clariflavum and demonstrated that these complexes are released into the extracellular medium. In the present study, we explored the disposition of the highly structured, four-tiered cell-anchored cellulosome complex of this bacterium. Four separate, integral cellulosome components were subjected to immunolabeling: ScaA, ScaB, ScaC, and the cellulosome’s most prominent enzyme, GH48. Imaging of the cells by correlating scanning electron microscopy and three-dimensional (3D) superresolution fluorescence microscopy revealed that some of the protuberance-like structures on the cell surface represent cellulosomes and that the components are highly colocalized and organized by a defined hierarchy on the cell surface. The display of the cellulosome on the cell surface was found to differ between cells grown on soluble or insoluble substrates. Cell growth on microcrystalline cellulose and wheat straw exhibited dramatic enhancement in the amount of cellulosomes displayed on the bacterial cell surface. Conversion of plant biomass into soluble sugars is of high interest for production of fermentable industrial materials, such as biofuels. Biofuels are a very attractive alternative to fossil fuels, both for recycling of agricultural wastes and as a source of sustainable energy. Cellulosomes are among the most efficient enzymatic degraders of biomass known to date, due to the incorporation of a multiplicity of enzymes into a potent, multifunctional nanomachine. The intimate association with the bacterial cell surface is inherent in its efficient action on lignocellulosic substrates, although this property has not been properly addressed experimentally. The dramatic increase in cellulosome performance on recalcitrant feedstocks is critical for the design of cost-effective processes for efficient biomass degradation.
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28
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Revisiting the Regulation of the Primary Scaffoldin Gene in Clostridium thermocellum. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:AEM.03088-16. [PMID: 28159788 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03088-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellulosomes are considered to be one of the most efficient systems for the degradation of plant cell wall polysaccharides. The central cellulosome component comprises a large, noncatalytic protein subunit called scaffoldin. Multiple saccharolytic enzymes are incorporated into the scaffoldins via specific high-affinity cohesin-dockerin interactions. Recently, the regulation of genes encoding certain cellulosomal components by multiple RNA polymerase alternative σI factors has been demonstrated in Clostridium (Ruminiclostridium) thermocellum In the present report, we provide experimental evidence demonstrating that the C. thermocellum cipA gene, which encodes the primary cellulosomal scaffoldin, is regulated by several alternative σI factors and by the vegetative σA factor. Furthermore, we show that previously suggested transcriptional start sites (TSSs) of C. thermocellum cipA are actually posttranscriptional processed sites. By using comparative bioinformatic analysis, we have also identified highly conserved σI- and σA-dependent promoters upstream of the primary scaffoldin-encoding genes of other clostridia, namely, Clostridium straminisolvens, Clostridium clariflavum, Acetivibrio cellulolyticus, and Clostridium sp. strain Bc-iso-3. Interestingly, a previously identified TSS of the primary scaffoldin CbpA gene of Clostridium cellulovorans matches the predicted σI-dependent promoter identified in the present work rather than the previously proposed σA promoter. With the exception of C. cellulovorans, both σI and σA promoters of primary scaffoldin genes are located more than 600 nucleotides upstream of the start codon, yielding long 5'-untranslated regions (5'-UTRs). Furthermore, these 5'-UTRs have highly conserved stem-loop structures located near the start codon. We propose that these large 5'-UTRs may be involved in the regulation of both the primary scaffoldin and other cellulosomal components.IMPORTANCE Cellulosome-producing bacteria are among the most effective cellulolytic microorganisms known. This group of bacteria has biotechnological potential for the production of second-generation biofuels and other biocommodities from cellulosic wastes. The efficiency of cellulose hydrolysis is due to their cellulosomes, which arrange enzymes in close proximity on the cellulosic substrate, thereby increasing synergism among the catalytic domains. The backbone of these multienzyme nanomachines is the scaffoldin subunit, which has been the subject of study for many years. However, its genetic regulation is poorly understood. Hence, from basic and applied points of view, it is imperative to unravel the regulatory mechanisms of the scaffoldin genes. The understanding of these regulatory mechanisms can help to improve the performance of the industrially relevant strains of C. thermocellum and related cellulosome-producing bacteria en route to the consolidated bioprocessing of biomass.
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LacI Transcriptional Regulatory Networks in Clostridium thermocellum DSM1313. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:AEM.02751-16. [PMID: 28003194 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02751-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Organisms regulate gene expression in response to the environment to coordinate metabolic reactions. Clostridium thermocellum expresses enzymes for both lignocellulose solubilization and its fermentation to produce ethanol. One LacI regulator termed GlyR3 in C. thermocellum ATCC 27405 was previously identified as a repressor of neighboring genes with repression relieved by laminaribiose (a β-1,3 disaccharide). To better understand the three C. thermocellum LacI regulons, deletion mutants were constructed using the genetically tractable DSM1313 strain. DSM1313 lacI genes Clo1313_2023, Clo1313_0089, and Clo1313_0396 encode homologs of GlyR1, GlyR2, and GlyR3 from strain ATCC 27405, respectively. Growth on cellobiose or pretreated switchgrass was unaffected by any of the gene deletions under controlled-pH fermentations. Global gene expression patterns from time course analyses identified glycoside hydrolase genes encoding hemicellulases, including cellulosomal enzymes, that were highly upregulated (5- to 100-fold) in the absence of each LacI regulator, suggesting that these were repressed under wild-type conditions and that relatively few genes were controlled by each regulator under the conditions tested. Clo1313_2022, encoding lichenase enzyme LicB, was derepressed in a ΔglyR1 strain. Higher expression of Clo1313_1398, which encodes the Man5A mannanase, was observed in a ΔglyR2 strain, and α-mannobiose was identified as a probable inducer for GlyR2-regulated genes. For the ΔglyR3 strain, upregulation of the two genes adjacent to glyR3 in the celC-glyR3-licA operon was consistent with earlier studies. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays have confirmed LacI transcription factor binding to specific regions of gene promoters.IMPORTANCE Understanding C. thermocellum gene regulation is of importance for improved fundamental knowledge of this industrially relevant bacterium. Most LacI transcription factors regulate local genomic regions; however, a small number of those genes encode global regulatory proteins with extensive regulons. This study indicates that there are small specific C. thermocellum LacI regulons. The identification of LacI repressor activity for hemicellulase gene expression is a key result of this work and will add to the small body of existing literature on the area of gene regulation in C. thermocellum.
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Artzi L, Bayer EA, Moraïs S. Cellulosomes: bacterial nanomachines for dismantling plant polysaccharides. Nat Rev Microbiol 2017; 15:83-95. [PMID: 27941816 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2016.164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cellulosomes are multienzyme complexes that are produced by anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria for the degradation of lignocellulosic biomass. They comprise a complex of scaffoldin, which is the structural subunit, and various enzymatic subunits. The intersubunit interactions in these multienzyme complexes are mediated by cohesin and dockerin modules. Cellulosome-producing bacteria have been isolated from a large variety of environments, which reflects their prevalence and the importance of this microbial enzymatic strategy. In a given species, cellulosomes exhibit intrinsic heterogeneity, and between species there is a broad diversity in the composition and configuration of cellulosomes. With the development of modern technologies, such as genomics and proteomics, the full protein content of cellulosomes and their expression levels can now be assessed and the regulatory mechanisms identified. Owing to their highly efficient organization and hydrolytic activity, cellulosomes hold immense potential for application in the degradation of biomass and are the focus of much effort to engineer an ideal microorganism for the conversion of lignocellulose to valuable products, such as biofuels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lior Artzi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl Street, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Edward A Bayer
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl Street, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Sarah Moraïs
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 234 Herzl Street, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
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Hastie JL, Williams KB, Bohr LL, Houtman JC, Gakhar L, Ellermeier CD. The Anti-sigma Factor RsiV Is a Bacterial Receptor for Lysozyme: Co-crystal Structure Determination and Demonstration That Binding of Lysozyme to RsiV Is Required for σV Activation. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006287. [PMID: 27602573 PMCID: PMC5014341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
σ factors provide RNA polymerase with promoter specificity in bacteria. Some σ factors require activation in order to interact with RNA polymerase and transcribe target genes. The Extra-Cytoplasmic Function (ECF) σ factor, σV, is encoded by several Gram-positive bacteria and is specifically activated by lysozyme. This activation requires the proteolytic destruction of the anti-σ factor RsiV via a process of regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP). In many cases proteases that cleave at site-1 are thought to directly sense a signal and initiate the RIP process. We previously suggested binding of lysozyme to RsiV initiated the proteolytic destruction of RsiV and activation of σV. Here we determined the X-ray crystal structure of the RsiV-lysozyme complex at 2.3 Å which revealed that RsiV and lysozyme make extensive contacts. We constructed RsiV mutants with altered abilities to bind lysozyme. We find that mutants that are unable to bind lysozyme block site-1 cleavage of RsiV and σV activation in response to lysozyme. Taken together these data demonstrate that RsiV is a receptor for lysozyme and binding of RsiV to lysozyme is required for σV activation. In addition, the co-structure revealed that RsiV binds to the lysozyme active site pocket. We provide evidence that in addition to acting as a sensor for the presence of lysozyme, RsiV also inhibits lysozyme activity. Thus we have demonstrated that RsiV is a protein with multiple functions. RsiV inhibits σV activity in the absence of lysozyme, RsiV binds lysozyme triggering σV activation and RsiV inhibits the enzymatic activity of lysozyme. The exposed cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria renders them particularly susceptible to the innate immune defense enzyme lysozyme. Several Gram-positive bacteria activate lysozyme resistance via a signal transduction system, σV, which is induced by lysozyme. Here we report the co-structure of lysozyme with its bacterial receptor the anti-σ factor RsiV. In the absence of lysozyme, RsiV inhibits activity of σV. In the presence of lysozyme, RsiV is destroyed via proteolytic cascade. We demonstrate that binding of lysozyme to RsiV triggers the proteolytic destruction of the anti-σ factor RsiV and thus activation of σV. In addition, we demonstrate that RsiV also acts as an inhibitor of lysozyme activity. Thus, the anti-σ factor RsiV allows for the cell to sense lysozyme and inhibit its activity as well as inducing additional lysozyme resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Hastie
- Department of Microbiology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Kyle B. Williams
- Department of Microbiology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Lindsey L. Bohr
- Department of Microbiology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Jon C. Houtman
- Department of Microbiology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Lokesh Gakhar
- Department of Biochemistry & Protein Crystallography Facility, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Craig D. Ellermeier
- Department of Microbiology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Decoding Biomass-Sensing Regulons of Clostridium thermocellum Alternative Sigma-I Factors in a Heterologous Bacillus subtilis Host System. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146316. [PMID: 26731480 PMCID: PMC4711584 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-positive, anaerobic, cellulolytic, thermophile Clostridium (Ruminiclostridium) thermocellum secretes a multi-enzyme system called the cellulosome to solubilize plant cell wall polysaccharides. During the saccharolytic process, the enzymatic composition of the cellulosome is modulated according to the type of polysaccharide(s) present in the environment. C. thermocellum has a set of eight alternative RNA polymerase sigma (σ) factors that are activated in response to extracellular polysaccharides and share sequence similarity to the Bacillus subtilis σI factor. The aim of the present work was to demonstrate whether individual C. thermocellum σI-like factors regulate specific cellulosomal genes, focusing on C. thermocellum σI6 and σI3 factors. To search for putative σI6- and σI3-dependent promoters, bioinformatic analysis of the upstream regions of the cellulosomal genes was performed. Because of the limited genetic tools available for C. thermocellum, the functionality of the predicted σI6- and σI3-dependent promoters was studied in B. subtilis as a heterologous host. This system enabled observation of the activation of 10 predicted σI6-dependent promoters associated with the C. thermocellum genes: sigI6 (itself, Clo1313_2778), xyn11B (Clo1313_0522), xyn10D (Clo1313_0177), xyn10Z (Clo1313_2635), xyn10Y (Clo1313_1305), cel9V (Clo1313_0349), cseP (Clo1313_2188), sigI1 (Clo1313_2174), cipA (Clo1313_0627), and rsgI5 (Clo1313_0985). Additionally, we observed the activation of 4 predicted σI3-dependent promoters associated with the C. thermocellum genes: sigI3 (itself, Clo1313_1911), pl11 (Clo1313_1983), ce12 (Clo1313_0693) and cipA. Our results suggest possible regulons of σI6 and σI3 in C. thermocellum, as well as the σI6 and σI3 promoter consensus sequences. The proposed -35 and -10 promoter consensus elements of σI6 are CNNAAA and CGAA, respectively. Additionally, a less conserved CGA sequence next to the C in the -35 element and a highly conserved AT sequence three bases downstream of the -10 element were also identified as important nucleotides for promoter recognition. Regarding σI3, the proposed -35 and -10 promoter consensus elements are CCCYYAAA and CGWA, respectively. The present study provides new clues for understanding these recently discovered alternative σI factors.
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Munir R, Levin DB. Enzyme Systems of Anaerobes for Biomass Conversion. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2016; 156:113-138. [PMID: 26907548 DOI: 10.1007/10_2015_5002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Biofuels from abundantly available cellulosic biomass are an attractive alternative to current petroleum-based fuels (fossil fuels). Although several strategies exist for commercial production of biofuels, conversion of biomass to biofuels via consolidated bioprocessing offers the potential to reduce production costs and increase processing efficiencies. In consolidated bioprocessing (CBP), enzyme production, cellulose hydrolysis, and fermentation are all carried out in a single-step by microorganisms that efficiently employ a multitude of intricate enzymes which act synergistically to breakdown cellulose and its associated cell wall components. Various strategies employed by anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria for biomass hydrolysis are described in this chapter. In addition, the regulation of CAZymes, the role of "omics" technologies in assessing lignocellulolytic ability, and current strategies for improving biomass hydrolysis for optimum biofuel production are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riffat Munir
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 5V6
| | - David B Levin
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 5V6.
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Chen C, Cui Z, Song X, Liu YJ, Cui Q, Feng Y. Integration of bacterial expansin-like proteins into cellulosome promotes the cellulose degradation. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 100:2203-12. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-7071-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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35
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Ding X, Chen C, Cui Q, Li W, Feng Y. Resonance assignments of the periplasmic domain of a cellulose-sensing trans-membrane anti-sigma factor from Clostridium thermocellum. BIOMOLECULAR NMR ASSIGNMENTS 2015; 9:321-324. [PMID: 25682099 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-015-9601-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The cellulosome of Clostridium thermocellum is an elegant and efficient multi-enzyme complex for degrading lignocellulose. The cellulosome contains several dozens of carbohydrate hydrolysis enzymes, which are regulated by the presence of environmental substrates through several pairs of sigma and anti-sigma factors. The anti-sigma factors sense the presence of substrates and transduce the signals into the cell. The sigma factors are then released from the corresponding anti-sigma factors, and they recruit RNA polymerase to transcribe specific cellulosomal genes. However, it is not clear how the extracellular signals are transduced into the cell by the anti-sigma factors. The anti-sigma factors of C. thermocellum contain an N-terminal intracellular domain, a trans-membrane helix, a periplasmic domain, a proline-rich region which is probably required for crossing the cell wall, and a C-terminal carbohydrate-binding domain or glycoside hydrolase domain. The periplasmic domain may play a key role in signal transduction; however, its three-dimensional structure is still unknown. Here we report the NMR resonance assignments of the periplasmic domain of anti-sigma factor RsgI2 from C. thermocellum as a basis for further structural determination and functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoke Ding
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Qiu Cui
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao, 266101, Shandong, China
| | - Wenli Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
| | - Yingang Feng
- Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao, 266101, China.
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao, 266101, China.
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Sand A, Holwerda EK, Ruppertsberger NM, Maloney M, Olson DG, Nataf Y, Borovok I, Sonenshein AL, Bayer EA, Lamed R, Lynd LR, Shoham Y. Three cellulosomal xylanase genes inClostridium thermocellumare regulated by both vegetative SigA (σA) and alternative SigI6 (σI6) factors. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:3133-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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37
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Daly K, Darby AC, Hall N, Wilkinson MC, Pongchaikul P, Bravo D, Shirazi-Beechey SP. Bacterial sensing underlies artificial sweetener-induced growth of gut Lactobacillus. Environ Microbiol 2015; 18:2159-71. [PMID: 26058469 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Disruption in stable establishment of commensal gut microbiota by early weaning is an important factor in susceptibility of young animals to enteric disorders. The artificial sweetener SUCRAM [consisting of neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC) and saccharin] included in piglets' feed reduces incidence of enteric disease. Pyrosequencing of pig caecal 16S rRNA gene amplicons identified 25 major families encompassing seven bacterial classes with Bacteroidia, Clostridia and Bacilli dominating the microbiota. There were significant shifts in microbial composition in pigs maintained on a diet containing SUCRAM, establishing SUCRAM as a major influence driving bacterial community dynamics. The most notable change was a significant increase of Lactobacillaceae population abundance, almost entirely due to a single phylotype, designated Lactobacillus 4228. The sweetener-induced increase in Lactobacillaceae was observed in two different breeds of pigs signifying a general effect. We isolated Lactobacillus 4228, sequenced its genome and found it to be related to Lactobacillus amylovorus. In vitro analyses of Lactobacillus 4228 growth characteristics showed that presence of NHDC significantly reduces the lag phase of growth and enhances expression of specific sugar transporters, independently of NHDC metabolism. This study suggests that sensing of NHDC by a bacterial plasma membrane receptor underlies sweetener-induced growth of a health promoting gut bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian Daly
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Alistair C Darby
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Neil Hall
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Mark C Wilkinson
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Pisut Pongchaikul
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | | | - Soraya P Shirazi-Beechey
- Department of Functional and Comparative Genomics, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
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Slutzki M, Reshef D, Barak Y, Haimovitz R, Rotem-Bamberger S, Lamed R, Bayer EA, Schueler-Furman O. Crucial roles of single residues in binding affinity, specificity, and promiscuity in the cellulosomal cohesin-dockerin interface. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:13654-66. [PMID: 25833947 PMCID: PMC4447945 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.651208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions between cohesin and dockerin modules play a crucial role in the assembly of multienzyme cellulosome complexes. Although intraspecies cohesin and dockerin modules bind in general with high affinity but indiscriminately, cross-species binding is rare. Here, we combined ELISA-based experiments with Rosetta-based computational design to evaluate the contribution of distinct residues at the Clostridium thermocellum cohesin-dockerin interface to binding affinity, specificity, and promiscuity. We found that single mutations can show distinct and significant effects on binding affinity and specificity. In particular, mutations at cohesin position Asn(37) show dramatic variability in their effect on dockerin binding affinity and specificity: the N37A mutant binds promiscuously both to cognate (C. thermocellum) as well as to non-cognate Clostridium cellulolyticum dockerin. N37L in turn switches binding specificity: compared with the wild-type C. thermocellum cohesin, this mutant shows significantly increased preference for C. cellulolyticum dockerin combined with strongly reduced binding to its cognate C. thermocellum dockerin. The observation that a single mutation can overcome the naturally observed specificity barrier provides insights into the evolutionary dynamics of this system that allows rapid modulation of binding specificity within a high affinity background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Slutzki
- From the Department of Biological Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Dan Reshef
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, 9112102 Jerusalem, Israel, and
| | - Yoav Barak
- From the Department of Biological Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Rachel Haimovitz
- From the Department of Biological Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shahar Rotem-Bamberger
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, 9112102 Jerusalem, Israel, and
| | - Raphael Lamed
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, 6997801 Ramat Aviv, Israel
| | - Edward A Bayer
- From the Department of Biological Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ora Schueler-Furman
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, 9112102 Jerusalem, Israel, and
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Shulami S, Shenker O, Langut Y, Lavid N, Gat O, Zaide G, Zehavi A, Sonenshein AL, Shoham Y. Multiple regulatory mechanisms control the expression of the Geobacillus stearothermophilus gene for extracellular xylanase. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:25957-75. [PMID: 25070894 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.592873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Geobacillus stearothermophilus T-6 produces a single extracellular xylanase (Xyn10A) capable of producing short, decorated xylo-oligosaccharides from the naturally branched polysaccharide, xylan. Gel retardation assays indicated that the master negative regulator, XylR, binds specifically to xylR operators in the promoters of xylose and xylan-utilization genes. This binding is efficiently prevented in vitro by xylose, the most likely molecular inducer. Expression of the extracellular xylanase is repressed in medium containing either glucose or casamino acids, suggesting that carbon catabolite repression plays a role in regulating xynA. The global transcriptional regulator CodY was shown to bind specifically to the xynA promoter region in vitro, suggesting that CodY is a repressor of xynA. The xynA gene is located next to an uncharacterized gene, xynX, that has similarity to the NIF3 (Ngg1p interacting factor 3)-like protein family. XynX binds specifically to a 72-bp fragment in the promoter region of xynA, and the expression of xynA in a xynX null mutant appeared to be higher, indicating that XynX regulates xynA. The specific activity of the extracellular xylanase increases over 50-fold during early exponential growth, suggesting cell density regulation (quorum sensing). Addition of conditioned medium to fresh and low cell density cultures resulted in high expression of xynA, indicating that a diffusible extracellular xynA density factor is present in the medium. The xynA density factor is heat-stable, sensitive to proteases, and was partially purified using reverse phase liquid chromatography. Taken together, these results suggest that xynA is regulated by quorum-sensing at low cell densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smadar Shulami
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel and
| | - Ofer Shenker
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel and
| | - Yael Langut
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel and
| | - Noa Lavid
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel and
| | - Orit Gat
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel and
| | - Galia Zaide
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel and
| | - Arie Zehavi
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel and
| | - Abraham L Sonenshein
- the Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Yuval Shoham
- From the Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel and
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40
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Abstract
Mammals rely entirely on symbiotic microorganisms within their digestive tract to gain energy from plant biomass that is resistant to mammalian digestive enzymes. Especially in herbivorous animals, specialized organs (the rumen, cecum, and colon) have evolved that allow highly efficient fermentation of ingested plant biomass by complex anaerobic microbial communities. We consider here the two most intensively studied, representative gut microbial communities involved in degradation of plant fiber: those of the rumen and the human large intestine. These communities are dominated by bacteria belonging to the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla. In Firmicutes, degradative capacity is largely restricted to the cell surface and involves elaborate cellulosome complexes in specialized cellulolytic species. By contrast, in the Bacteroidetes, utilization of soluble polysaccharides, encoded by gene clusters (PULs), entails outer membrane binding proteins, and degradation is largely periplasmic or intracellular. Biomass degradation involves complex interplay between these distinct groups of bacteria as well as (in the rumen) eukaryotic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan A White
- Department of Animal Sciences and Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801;
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41
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Blumer-Schuette SE, Brown SD, Sander KB, Bayer EA, Kataeva I, Zurawski JV, Conway JM, Adams MWW, Kelly RM. Thermophilic lignocellulose deconstruction. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2014; 38:393-448. [DOI: 10.1111/1574-6976.12044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2012] [Revised: 08/20/2013] [Accepted: 08/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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42
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Wei H, Fu Y, Magnusson L, Baker JO, Maness PC, Xu Q, Yang S, Bowersox A, Bogorad I, Wang W, Tucker MP, Himmel ME, Ding SY. Comparison of transcriptional profiles of Clostridium thermocellum grown on cellobiose and pretreated yellow poplar using RNA-Seq. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:142. [PMID: 24782837 PMCID: PMC3990059 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The anaerobic, thermophilic bacterium, Clostridium thermocellum, secretes multi-protein enzyme complexes, termed cellulosomes, which synergistically interact with the microbial cell surface and efficiently disassemble plant cell wall biomass. C. thermocellum has also been considered a potential consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) organism due to its ability to produce the biofuel products, hydrogen, and ethanol. We found that C. thermocellum fermentation of pretreated yellow poplar (PYP) produced 30 and 39% of ethanol and hydrogen product concentrations, respectively, compared to fermentation of cellobiose. RNA-seq was used to analyze the transcriptional profiles of these cells. The PYP-grown cells taken for analysis at the late stationary phase showed 1211 genes up-regulated and 314 down-regulated by more than two-fold compared to the cellobiose-grown cells. These affected genes cover a broad spectrum of specific functional categories. The transcriptional analysis was further validated by sub-proteomics data taken from the literature; as well as by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses of selected genes. Specifically, 47 cellulosomal protein-encoding genes, genes for 4 pairs of SigI-RsgI for polysaccharide sensing, 7 cellodextrin ABC transporter genes, and a set of NAD(P)H hydogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase genes were up-regulated for cells growing on PYP compared to cellobiose. These genes could be potential candidates for future studies aimed at gaining insight into the regulatory mechanism of this organism as well as for improvement of C. thermocellum in its role as a CBP organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wei
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Yan Fu
- Center for Plant Genomics, Iowa State University Ames, IA, USA
| | - Lauren Magnusson
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - John O Baker
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Pin-Ching Maness
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Qi Xu
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Shihui Yang
- National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Andrew Bowersox
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA ; National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Igor Bogorad
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Melvin P Tucker
- National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Michael E Himmel
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
| | - Shi-You Ding
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO, USA
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Yaniv O, Fichman G, Borovok I, Shoham Y, Bayer EA, Lamed R, Shimon LJW, Frolow F. Fine-structural variance of family 3 carbohydrate-binding modules as extracellular biomass-sensing components of Clostridium thermocellum anti-σI factors. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 70:522-34. [PMID: 24531486 DOI: 10.1107/s139900471302926x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The anaerobic, thermophilic, cellulosome-producing bacterium Clostridium thermocellum relies on a variety of carbohydrate-active enzymes in order to efficiently break down complex carbohydrates into utilizable simple sugars. The regulation mechanism of the cellulosomal genes was unknown until recently, when genomic analysis revealed a set of putative operons in C. thermocellum that encode σI factors (i.e. alternative σ factors that control specialized regulon activation) and their cognate anti-σI factor (RsgI). These putative anti-σI-factor proteins have modules that are believed to be carbohydrate sensors. Three of these modules were crystallized and their three-dimensional structures were solved. The structures show a high overall degree of sequence and structural similarity to the cellulosomal family 3 carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM3s). The structures of the three carbohydrate sensors (RsgI-CBM3s) and a reference CBM3 are compared in the context of the structural determinants for the specificity of cellulose and complex carbohydrate binding. Fine structural variations among the RsgI-CBM3s appear to result in alternative substrate preferences for each of the sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oren Yaniv
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Galit Fichman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ilya Borovok
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yuval Shoham
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Edward A Bayer
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Raphael Lamed
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Linda J W Shimon
- Department of Chemical Research Support, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Felix Frolow
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
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Linville JL, Rodriguez M, Land M, Syed MH, Engle NL, Tschaplinski TJ, Mielenz JR, Cox CD. Industrial robustness: understanding the mechanism of tolerance for the Populus hydrolysate-tolerant mutant strain of Clostridium thermocellum. PLoS One 2013; 8:e78829. [PMID: 24205326 PMCID: PMC3804516 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An industrially robust microorganism that can efficiently degrade and convert lignocellulosic biomass into ethanol and next-generation fuels is required to economically produce future sustainable liquid transportation fuels. The anaerobic, thermophilic, cellulolytic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum is a candidate microorganism for such conversions but it, like many bacteria, is sensitive to potential toxic inhibitors developed in the liquid hydrolysate produced during biomass processing. Microbial processes leading to tolerance of these inhibitory compounds found in the pretreated biomass hydrolysate are likely complex and involve multiple genes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In this study, we developed a 17.5% v/v Populus hydrolysate tolerant mutant strain of C. thermocellum by directed evolution. The genome of the wild type strain, six intermediate population samples and seven single colony isolates were sequenced to elucidate the mechanism of tolerance. Analysis of the 224 putative mutations revealed 73 high confidence mutations. A longitudinal analysis of the intermediate population samples, a pan-genomic analysis of the isolates, and a hotspot analysis revealed 24 core genes common to all seven isolates and 8 hotspots. Genetic mutations were matched with the observed phenotype through comparison of RNA expression levels during fermentation by the wild type strain and mutant isolate 6 in various concentrations of Populus hydrolysate (0%, 10%, and 17.5% v/v). CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE The findings suggest that there are multiple mutations responsible for the Populus hydrolysate tolerant phenotype resulting in several simultaneous mechanisms of action, including increases in cellular repair, and altered energy metabolism. To date, this study provides the most comprehensive elucidation of the mechanism of tolerance to a pretreated biomass hydrolysate by C. thermocellum. These findings make important contributions to the development of industrially robust strains of consolidated bioprocessing microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Linville
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America ; Bioenergy Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States of America
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Wilson CM, Yang S, Rodriguez M, Ma Q, Johnson CM, Dice L, Xu Y, Brown SD. Clostridium thermocellum transcriptomic profiles after exposure to furfural or heat stress. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2013; 6:131. [PMID: 24028713 PMCID: PMC3848806 DOI: 10.1186/1754-6834-6-131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2012] [Accepted: 09/04/2013] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The thermophilic anaerobe Clostridium thermocellum is a candidate consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) biocatalyst for cellulosic ethanol production. It is capable of both cellulose solubilization and its fermentation to produce lignocellulosic ethanol. Intolerance to stresses routinely encountered during industrial fermentations may hinder the commercial development of this organism. A previous C. thermocellum ethanol stress study showed that the largest transcriptomic response was in genes and proteins related to nitrogen uptake and metabolism. RESULTS In this study, C. thermocellum was grown to mid-exponential phase and treated with furfural or heat to a final concentration of 3 g.L-1 or 68°C respectively to investigate general and specific physiological and regulatory stress responses. Samples were taken at 10, 30, 60 and 120 min post-shock, and from untreated control fermentations, for transcriptomic analyses and fermentation product determinations and compared to a published dataset from an ethanol stress study. Urea uptake genes were induced following furfural stress, but not to the same extent as ethanol stress and transcription from these genes was largely unaffected by heat stress. The largest transcriptomic response to furfural stress was genes for sulfate transporter subunits and enzymes in the sulfate assimilatory pathway, although these genes were also affected late in the heat and ethanol stress responses. Lactate production was higher in furfural treated culture, although the lactate dehydrogenase gene was not differentially expressed under this condition. Other redox related genes such as a copy of the rex gene, a bifunctional acetaldehyde-CoA/alcohol dehydrogenase and adjacent genes did show lower expression after furfural stress compared to the control, heat and ethanol fermentation profiles. Heat stress induced expression from chaperone related genes and overlap was observed with the responses to the other stresses. This study suggests the involvement of C. thermocellum genes with functions in oxidative stress protection, electron transfer, detoxification, sulfur and nitrogen acquisition, and DNA repair mechanisms in its stress responses and the use of different regulatory networks to coordinate and control adaptation. CONCLUSIONS This study has identified C. thermocellum gene regulatory motifs and aspects of physiology and gene regulation for further study. The nexus between future systems biology studies and recently developed genetic tools for C. thermocellum offers the potential for more rapid strain development and for broader insights into this organism's physiology and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M Wilson
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 37831 TN, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Shihui Yang
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 37831 TN, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Present address: National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Miguel Rodriguez
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 37831 TN, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Qin Ma
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Institute of Bioinformatics, Computational Systems Biology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Courtney M Johnson
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 37831 TN, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Lezlee Dice
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 37831 TN, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Ying Xu
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Institute of Bioinformatics, Computational Systems Biology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Steven D Brown
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 37831 TN, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
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Ferdinand PH, Borne R, Trotter V, Pagès S, Tardif C, Fierobe HP, Perret S. Are cellulosome scaffolding protein CipC and CBM3-containing protein HycP, involved in adherence of Clostridium cellulolyticum to cellulose? PLoS One 2013; 8:e69360. [PMID: 23935995 PMCID: PMC3723904 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2013] [Accepted: 06/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium cellulolyticum, a mesophilic anaerobic bacterium, produces highly active enzymatic complexes called cellulosomes. This strain was already shown to bind to cellulose, however the molecular mechanism(s) involved is not known. In this context we focused on the gene named hycP, encoding a 250-kDa protein of unknown function, containing a Family-3 Carbohydrate Binding Module (CBM3) along with 23 hyaline repeat modules (HYR modules). In the microbial kingdom the gene hycP is only found in C. cellulolyticum and the very close strain recently sequenced Clostridium sp BNL1100. Its presence in C. cellulolyticum guided us to analyze its function and its putative role in adhesion of the cells to cellulose. The CBM3 of HycP was shown to bind to crystalline cellulose and was assigned to the CBM3b subfamily. No hydrolytic activity on cellulose was found with a mini-protein displaying representative domains of HycP. A C. cellulolyticum inactivated hycP mutant strain was constructed, and we found that HycP is neither involved in binding of the cells to cellulose nor that the protein has an obvious role in cell growth on cellulose. We also characterized the role of the cellulosome scaffolding protein CipC in adhesion of C. cellulolyticum to cellulose, since cellulosome scaffolding protein has been proposed to mediate binding of other cellulolytic bacteria to cellulose. A second mutant was constructed, where cipC was inactivated. We unexpectedly found that CipC is only partly involved in binding of C. cellulolyticum to cellulose. Other mechanisms for cellulose adhesion may therefore exist in C. cellulolyticum. In addition, no cellulosomal protuberances were observed at the cellular surface of C. cellulolyticum, what is in contrast to reports from several other cellulosomes producing strains. These findings may suggest that C. cellulolyticum has no dedicated molecular mechanism to aggregate the cellulosomes at the cellular surface.
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Abstract
Bacillus subtilis is a plant-beneficial Gram-positive bacterium widely used as a biofertilizer. However, relatively little is known regarding the molecular processes underlying this bacterium's ability to colonize roots. In contrast, much is known about how this bacterium forms matrix-enclosed multicellular communities (biofilms) in vitro. Here, we show that, when B. subtilis colonizes Arabidopsis thaliana roots it forms biofilms that depend on the same matrix genes required in vitro. B. subtilis biofilm formation was triggered by certain plant polysaccharides. These polysaccharides served as a signal for biofilm formation transduced via the kinases controlling the phosphorylation state of the master regulator Spo0A. In addition, plant polysaccharides are used as a source of sugars for the synthesis of the matrix exopolysaccharide. The bacterium's response to plant polysaccharides was observed across several different strains of the species, some of which are known to have beneficial effects on plants. These observations provide evidence that biofilm genes are crucial for Arabidopsis root colonization by B. subtilis and provide insights into how matrix synthesis may be triggered by this plant.
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Yaniv O, Jindou S, Frolow F, Lamed R, Bayer EA. A simple method for determining specificity of carbohydrate-binding modules for purified and crude insoluble polysaccharide substrates. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2012; 908:101-7. [PMID: 22843393 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-61779-956-3_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Experimental identification of carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM) and determination of ligand specificity of each CBM are complementary and compulsory steps for their characterization. Some CBMs are very specific for their primary substrate (e.g., cellulose), whereas others are relatively promiscuous or nonspecific in their substrate preference. Here we describe a simple procedure based on in-tube adsorption of a CBM to various insoluble polysaccharides, followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE) for determining the distribution of the CBM between the bound and unbound fractions. This technique enables qualitative assessment of the binding strength and ligand specificity for each CBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oren Yaniv
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, The Daniella Rich Institute for Structural Biology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel
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Rydzak T, McQueen PD, Krokhin OV, Spicer V, Ezzati P, Dwivedi RC, Shamshurin D, Levin DB, Wilkins JA, Sparling R. Proteomic analysis of Clostridium thermocellum core metabolism: relative protein expression profiles and growth phase-dependent changes in protein expression. BMC Microbiol 2012; 12:214. [PMID: 22994686 PMCID: PMC3492117 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-12-214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2012] [Accepted: 09/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Clostridium thermocellum produces H2 and ethanol, as well as CO2, acetate, formate, and lactate, directly from cellulosic biomass. It is therefore an attractive model for biofuel production via consolidated bioprocessing. Optimization of end-product yields and titres is crucial for making biofuel production economically feasible. Relative protein expression profiles may provide targets for metabolic engineering, while understanding changes in protein expression and metabolism in response to carbon limitation, pH, and growth phase may aid in reactor optimization. We performed shotgun 2D-HPLC-MS/MS on closed-batch cellobiose-grown exponential phase C. thermocellum cell-free extracts to determine relative protein expression profiles of core metabolic proteins involved carbohydrate utilization, energy conservation, and end-product synthesis. iTRAQ (isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation) based protein quantitation was used to determine changes in core metabolic proteins in response to growth phase. Results Relative abundance profiles revealed differential levels of putative enzymes capable of catalyzing parallel pathways. The majority of proteins involved in pyruvate catabolism and end-product synthesis were detected with high abundance, with the exception of aldehyde dehydrogenase, ferredoxin-dependent Ech-type [NiFe]-hydrogenase, and RNF-type NADH:ferredoxin oxidoreductase. Using 4-plex 2D-HPLC-MS/MS, 24% of the 144 core metabolism proteins detected demonstrated moderate changes in expression during transition from exponential to stationary phase. Notably, proteins involved in pyruvate synthesis decreased in stationary phase, whereas proteins involved in glycogen metabolism, pyruvate catabolism, and end-product synthesis increased in stationary phase. Several proteins that may directly dictate end-product synthesis patterns, including pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductases, alcohol dehydrogenases, and a putative bifurcating hydrogenase, demonstrated differential expression during transition from exponential to stationary phase. Conclusions Relative expression profiles demonstrate which proteins are likely utilized in carbohydrate utilization and end-product synthesis and suggest that H2 synthesis occurs via bifurcating hydrogenases while ethanol synthesis is predominantly catalyzed by a bifunctional aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase. Differences in expression profiles of core metabolic proteins in response to growth phase may dictate carbon and electron flux towards energy storage compounds and end-products. Combined knowledge of relative protein expression levels and their changes in response to physiological conditions may aid in targeted metabolic engineering strategies and optimization of fermentation conditions for improvement of biofuels production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Rydzak
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
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50
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Yang S, Giannone RJ, Dice L, Yang ZK, Engle NL, Tschaplinski TJ, Hettich RL, Brown SD. Clostridium thermocellum ATCC27405 transcriptomic, metabolomic and proteomic profiles after ethanol stress. BMC Genomics 2012; 13:336. [PMID: 22823947 PMCID: PMC3478167 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2011] [Accepted: 07/01/2012] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Clostridium thermocellum is a candidate consolidated bioprocessing biocatalyst, which is a microorganism that expresses enzymes for both cellulose hydrolysis and its fermentation to produce fuels such as lignocellulosic ethanol. However, C. thermocellum is relatively sensitive to ethanol compared to ethanologenic microorganisms such as yeast and Zymomonas mobilis that are used in industrial fermentations but do not possess native enzymes for industrial cellulose hydrolysis. Results In this study, C. thermocellum was grown to mid-exponential phase and then treated with ethanol to a final concentration of 3.9 g/L to investigate its physiological and regulatory responses to ethanol stress. Samples were taken pre-shock and 2, 12, 30, 60, 120, and 240 min post-shock, and from untreated control fermentations for systems biology analyses. Cell growth was arrested by ethanol supplementation with intracellular accumulation of carbon sources such as cellobiose, and sugar phosphates, including fructose-6-phosphate and glucose-6-phosphate. The largest response of C. thermocellum to ethanol shock treatment was in genes and proteins related to nitrogen uptake and metabolism, which is likely important for redirecting the cells physiology to overcome inhibition and allow growth to resume. Conclusion This study suggests possible avenues for metabolic engineering and provides comprehensive, integrated systems biology datasets that will be useful for future metabolic modeling and strain development endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihui Yang
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
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