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Glycosyltransferase-Related Protein GtrA Is Essential for Localization of Type IX Secretion System Cargo Protein Cellulase Cel9A and Affects Cellulose Degradation in Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0107622. [PMID: 36197104 PMCID: PMC9599414 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01076-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-negative bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii digests cellulose through a novel cellulose degradation mechanism. It possesses the lately characterized type IX secretion system (T9SS). We recently discovered that N-glycosylation of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of a hypothetical T9SS substrate protein in the periplasmic space of C. hutchinsonii affects protein secretion and localization. In this study, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-CTDCel9A recombinant protein was found with increased molecular weight in the periplasm of C. hutchinsonii. Site-directed mutagenesis studies on the CTD of cellulase Cel9A demonstrated that asparagine residue 900 in the D-X-N-X-S motif is important for the processing of the recombinant protein. We found that the glycosyltransferase-related protein GtrA (CHU_0012) located in the cytoplasm of C. hutchinsonii is essential for outer membrane localization of the recombinant protein. The deletion of gtrA decreased the abundance of the outer membrane proteins and affected cellulose degradation by C. hutchinsonii. This study provided a link between the glycosylation system and cellulose degradation in C. hutchinsonii. IMPORTANCE N-Glycosylation systems are generally limited to some pathogenic bacteria in prokaryotes. The disruption of the N-glycosylation pathway is related to adherence, invasion, colonization, and other phenotypic characteristics. We recently found that the cellulolytic bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii also has an N-glycosylation system. The cellulose degradation mechanism of C. hutchinsonii is novel and mysterious; cellulases and other proteins on the cell surface are involved in utilizing cellulose. In this study, we identified an asparagine residue in the C-terminal domain of cellulase Cel9A that is necessary for the processing of the T9SS cargo protein. Moreover, the glycosyltransferase-related protein GtrA is essential for the localization of the GFP-CTDCel9A recombinant protein. Deletion of gtrA affected cellulose degradation and the abundance of outer membrane proteins. This study enriched the understanding of the N-glycosylation system in C. hutchinsonii and provided a link between N-glycosylation and cellulose degradation, which also expanded the role of the N-glycosylation system in bacteria.
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Tan Y, Song W, Gao L, Zhang W, Lu X. Cytophaga hutchinsonii chu_2177, encoding the O-antigen ligase, is essential for cellulose degradation. J Microbiol 2022; 60:364-374. [DOI: 10.1007/s12275-022-1531-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Fan G, Song W, Guan Z, Zhang W, Lu X. Some novel features of strong promoters discovered in Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:2529-2540. [PMID: 35318522 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11869-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii is an important Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the Bacteroides phylum that can efficiently degrade cellulose. But the promoter that mediates the initiation of gene transcription has been unknown for a long time. In this study, we determined the transcription start site (TSS) of C. hutchinsonii by 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'RACE). The promoter structure was first identified as TAAT and TATTG which are located -5 and -31 bp upstream of TSS, respectively. The function of -5 and -31 regions and the spacer length of the promoter Pchu_1284 were explored by site directed ligase-independent mutagenesis (SLIM). The results showed that the promoter activities were sharply decreased when the TTG motif was mutated into guanine (G) or cytosine (C). Interestingly, we found that the strong promoter was accompanied with many TTTG motifs which could enhance the promoter activities within certain copies. These characteristics were different from other promoters of Bacteriodes species. Furthermore, we carried out genome scanning analysis for C. hutchinsonii and another Bacteroides species by Perl6.0. The results indicated that the promoter structure of C. hutchinsonii possessed more unique features than other species. Also, the screened inducible promoter Pchu_2268 was used to overexpress protein CHU_2196 with a molecular weight of 120 kDa in C. hutchinsonii. The present study enriched the promoter structure of Bacteroidetes species and also provided a novel method for the highly expressed large protein (cellulase) in vivo, which was helpful to elucidate the unique cellulose degradation mechanism of C. hutchinsonii.Key points• The conserved structure of strong promoter of C. hutchinsonii was elucidated.• Two novel regulation motifs of TTTG and AATTATG in the promoter were discovered.• A new method for induced expression of cellulase in vivo was established.• Helpful for explained the unique cellulose degradation mechanism of C. hutchinsonii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqing Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266200, China
| | - Wenxia Song
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266200, China
| | - Zhiwei Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266200, China.,School of Life Science, Qilu Normal University, Jinan, 250200, China
| | - Weican Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266200, China
| | - Xuemei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266200, China.
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Zhao D, Song W, Wang S, Zhang W, Zhao Y, Lu X. Identification of the Type IX Secretion System Component, PorV (CHU_3238), Involved in Secretion and Localization of Proteins in Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:742673. [PMID: 34745042 PMCID: PMC8564354 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.742673] [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: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii can efficiently degrade cellulose and rapidly glide over surfaces, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The type IX secretion system (T9SS) is involved in protein secretion and gliding motility, which is unique to the phylum Bacteroidetes. In this study, we deleted a homologous gene of PorV (chu_3238), a shuttle protein in the T9SS. The Δ3238 mutant caused cellulolytic and gliding defects, while the porV deletion mutants in other Bacteroidetes could glide normally. Adding Ca2+ and K+ improved growth in the PY6 medium, suggesting a potential role of chu_3238 in ion uptake. A proteomic analysis showed an increase in the number of extracellular proteins in the Δ3238 mutant and a decrease in the outer membrane proteins compared to the wild type (WT). Endoglucanase activity in the Δ3238 intact cells was reduced by approximately 70% compared to that of the WT. These results indicate that the secreted proteins could not attach to the cell surface but were released into the extracellular space in the Δ3238 mutant. However, the cargo proteins accumulated in the periplasm of other reported porV deletion mutants. In addition, the homologs of the translocon SprA and a Plug protein were pulled down by co-immunoprecipitation in the 3238-FLAG strain, which are involved in protein transport in the T9SS of Flavobacterium johnsoniae. The integrity of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was also affected in the Δ3238 mutant, which may be the reason for the sensitivity of the cell to toxic reagents. The functional diversity of CHU_3238 suggests its important role in the T9SS of C. hutchinsonii and highlights the functional differences of PorV in the T9SS among the Bacteroidetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.,School of Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Wenxia Song
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.,Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Weican Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xuemei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
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A T9SS Substrate Involved in Crystalline Cellulose Degradation by Affecting Crucial Cellulose Binding Proteins in Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 88:e0183721. [PMID: 34731049 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01837-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii is an abundant soil cellulolytic bacterium that uses a unique cellulose degradation mechanism different from those that involve free cellulases or cellulosomes. Though several proteins were identified to be important for cellulose degradation, the mechanism used by C. hutchinsonii to digest crystalline cellulose remains a mystery. In this study, chu_0922 was identified by insertional mutation and gene deletion as an important gene locus indispensable for crystalline cellulose utilization. Deletion of chu_0922 resulted in defect in crystalline cellulose utilization. The Δ0922 mutant completely lost the ability to grow on crystalline cellulose even with extended incubation, and selectively utilized the amorphous region of cellulose leading to the increased crystallinity. As a protein secreted by the type Ⅸ secretion system (T9SS), CHU_0922 was found to be located on the outer membrane, and the outer membrane localization of CHU_0922 relied on the T9SS. Comparative analysis of the outer membrane proteins revealed that the abundance of several cellulose binding proteins, including CHU_1276, CHU_1277, and CHU_1279, was reduced in the Δ0922 mutant. Further study showed that CHU_0922 is crucial for the full expression of the gene cluster containing chu_1276, chu_1277, chu_1278, chu_1279, and chu_1280 (cel9C), which is essential for cellulose utilization. Moreover, CHU_0922 is required for the cell surface localization of CHU_3220, a cellulose binding protein that is essential for crystalline cellulose utilization. Our study provides insights into the complex system that C. hutchinsonii uses to degrade crystalline cellulose. IMPORTANCE The widespread aerobic cellulolytic bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii, belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes, utilizes a novel mechanism to degrade crystalline cellulose. No genes encoding proteins specialized in loosening or disruption the crystalline structure of cellulose were identified in the genome of C. hutchinsonii, except for chu_3220 and chu_1557. The crystalline cellulose degradation mechanism remains enigmatic. This study identified a new gene locus, chu_0922, encoding a typical T9SS substrate that is essential for crystalline cellulose degradation. Notably, CHU_0922 is crucial for the normal transcription of chu_1276, chu_1277, chu_1278, chu_1279, and chu_1280 (cel9C), which play important roles in the degradation of cellulose. Moreover, CHU_0922 participates in the cell surface localization of CHU_3220. These results demonstrated that CHU_0922 plays a key role in the crystalline cellulose degradation network. Our study will promote the uncovering of the novel cellulose utilization mechanism of C. hutchinsonii.
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Gao L, Tan Y, Zhang W, Qi Q, Lu X. Cytophaga hutchinsonii SprA and SprT Are Essential Components of the Type IX Secretion System Required for Ca 2+ Acquisition, Cellulose Degradation, and Cell Motility. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:628555. [PMID: 33643255 PMCID: PMC7906972 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.628555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The type IX secretion system (T9SS) is a novel protein secretion system, which is found in and confined to the phylum Bacteroidetes. T9SS is involved in the secretion of virulence factors, cell surface adhesins, and complex biopolymer degrading enzymes to the cell surface or extracellular medium. Cytophaga hutchinsonii is a widely distributed bacterium, which is able to efficiently digest cellulose and rapidly glide along the solid surfaces. C. hutchinsonii has a full set of orthologs of T9SS components. However, the functions of most homologous proteins have not been verified. In C. hutchinsonii, CHU_0029 and CHU_2709 are similar in sequence to Flavobacterium johnsoniae T9SS components SprA and SprT, respectively. In this study, the single deletion mutants of chu_0029 (sprA) and chu_2709 (sprT) were obtained using a complex medium with the addition of Ca2+ and Mg2+. Single deletion of sprA or sprT resulted in defects in cellulose utilization and gliding motility. Moreover, the ΔsprA and ΔsprT mutants showed growth defects in Ca2+- and Mg2+-deficient media. The results of ICP-MS test showed that both the whole cell and intracellular concentrations of Ca2+ were dramatically reduced in the ΔsprA and ΔsprT mutants, indicating that SprA and SprT are both important for the assimilation of trace amount of Ca2+. While the assimilation of Mg2+ was not obviously influenced in the ΔsprA and ΔsprT mutants. Through proteomics analysis of the cell surface proteins of the wild type and mutants, we found that the ΔsprA and ΔsprT mutants were defective in secretion of the majority of T9SS substrates. Together, these results indicate that SprA and SprT are both essential components of C. hutchinsonii T9SS, which is required for protein secretion, Ca2+ acquisition, cellulose degradation, and gliding motility in C. hutchinsonii. Our study shed more light on the functions of SprA and SprT in T9SS, and further proved the link between the T9SS and Ca2+ uptake system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yahong Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Weican Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Qingsheng Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xuemei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
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Jiang N, Ma XD, Fu LH, Li CX, Feng JX, Duan CJ. Identification of a unique 1,4-β-D-glucan glucohydrolase of glycoside hydrolase family 9 from Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:7051-7066. [PMID: 32577801 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10731-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii is an aerobic cellulolytic soil bacterium that rapidly digests crystalline cellulose. The predicted mechanism by which C. hutchinsonii digests cellulose differs from that of other known cellulolytic bacteria and fungi. The genome of C. hutchinsonii contains 22 glycoside hydrolase (GH) genes, which may be involved in cellulose degradation. One predicted GH with uncertain specificity, CHU_0961, is a modular enzyme with several modules. In this study, phylogenetic tree of the catalytic modules of the GH9 enzymes showed that CHU_0961 and its homologues formed a new group (group C) of GH9 enzymes. The catalytic module of CHU_0961 (CHU_0961B) was identified as a 1,4-β-D-glucan glucohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.74) that has unique properties compared with known GH9 cellulases. CHU_0961B showed highest activity against barley glucan, but low activity against other polysaccharides. Interestingly, CHU_0961B showed similar activity against ρ-nitrophenyl β-D-cellobioside (ρ-NPC) and ρ-nitrophenyl β-D-glucopyranoside. CHU_0961B released glucose from the nonreducing end of cello-oligosaccharides, ρ-NPC, and barley glucan in a nonprocessive exo-type mode. CHU_0961B also showed same hydrolysis mode against deacetyl-chitooligosaccharides as against cello-oligosaccharides. The kcat/Km values for CHU_0961B against cello-oligosaccharides increased as the degree of polymerization increased, and its kcat/Km for cellohexose was 750 times higher than that for cellobiose. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that threonine 321 in CHU_0961 played a role in hydrolyzing cellobiose to glucose. CHU_0961 may act synergistically with other cellulases to convert cellulose to glucose on the bacterial cell surface. The end product, glucose, may initiate cellulose degradation to provide nutrients for bacterial proliferation in the early stage of C. hutchinsonii growth. KEY POINTS: • CHU_0961 and its homologues formed a novel group (group C) of GH9 enzymes. • CHU_0961 was identified as a 1,4-β-d-glucan glucohydrolase with unique properties. • CHU_0961 may play an important role in the early stage of C. hutchinsonii growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, 100 Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Dan Ma
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, 100 Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Hao Fu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, 100 Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Xi Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, 100 Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Xun Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, 100 Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Jie Duan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, 100 Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
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Cytophaga hutchinsonii gldN, Encoding a Core Component of the Type IX Secretion System, Is Essential for Ion Assimilation, Cellulose Degradation, and Cell Motility. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.00242-20. [PMID: 32245758 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00242-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The type IX secretion system (T9SS), which is involved in pathogenicity, motility, and utilization of complex biopolymers, is a novel protein secretion system confined to the phylum Bacteroidetes Cytophaga hutchinsonii, a common cellulolytic soil bacterium belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes, can rapidly digest crystalline cellulose using a novel strategy. In this study, the deletion mutant of chu_0174 (gldN) was obtained using PY6 medium supplemented with Stanier salts. GldN was verified to be a core component of C. hutchinsonii T9SS, and is indispensable for cellulose degradation, motility, and secretion of C-terminal domain (CTD) proteins. Notably, the ΔgldN mutant showed significant growth defects in Ca2+- and Mg2+-deficient media. These growth defects could be relieved by the addition of Ca2+ or Mg2+ The intracellular concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ were markedly reduced in ΔgldN These results demonstrated that GldN is essential for the acquisition of trace amounts of Ca2+ and Mg2+, especially for Ca2+ Moreover, an outer membrane efflux protein, CHU_2807, which was decreased in abundance on the outer membrane of ΔgldN, is essential for normal growth in PY6 medium. The reduced intracellular accumulation of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the Δ2807 mutant indicated that CHU_2807 is involved in the uptake of trace amounts of Ca2+ and Mg2+ This study provides insights into the role of T9SS in metal ion assimilation in C. hutchinsonii IMPORTANCE The widespread Gram-negative bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii uses a novel but poorly understood strategy to utilize crystalline cellulose. Recent studies showed that a T9SS exists in C. hutchinsonii and is involved in cellulose degradation and motility. However, the main components of the C. hutchinsonii T9SS and their functions are still unclear. Our study characterized the function of GldN, which is a core component of the T9SS. GldN was proved to play vital roles in cellulose degradation and cell motility. Notably, GldN is essential for the acquisition of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions under Ca2+- and Mg2+-deficient conditions, revealing a link between the T9SS and the metal ion transport system. The outer membrane abundance of CHU_2807, which is essential for Ca2+ and Mg2+ uptake in PY6 medium, was affected by the deletion of GldN. This study demonstrated that the C. hutchinsonii T9SS has extensive functions, including cellulose degradation, motility, and metal ion assimilation, and contributes to further understanding of the function of the T9SS in the phylum Bacteroidetes.
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A Disulfide Oxidoreductase (CHU_1165) Is Essential for Cellulose Degradation by Affecting Outer Membrane Proteins in Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.02789-19. [PMID: 32033954 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02789-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii cells can bind to the surface of insoluble cellulose and degrade it by utilizing a novel cell contact-dependent mechanism, in which the outer membrane proteins may play important roles. In this study, the deletion of a gene locus, chu_1165, which encodes a hypothetical protein with 32% identity with TlpB, a disulfide oxidoreductase in Flavobacterium psychrophilum, caused a complete cellulolytic defect in C. hutchinsonii Further study showed that cells of the Δ1165 strain could not bind to cellulose, and the levels of many outer membrane proteins that can bind to cellulose were significantly decreased. The N-terminal region of CHU_1165 is anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane with five predicted transmembrane helices, and the C-terminal region is predicted to stretch to the periplasm and has a similar thioredoxin (Trx) fold containing a Cys-X-X-Cys motif that is conserved in disulfide oxidoreductases. Recombinant CHU_1165His containing the Cys-X-X-Cys motif was able to reduce the disulfide bonds of insulin in vitro Site-directed mutation showed that the cysteines in the Cys-X-X-Cys motif and at residues 106 and 108 were indispensable for the function of CHU_1165. Western blotting showed that CHU_1165 was in an oxidized state in vivo, suggesting that it may act as an oxidase to catalyze disulfide bond formation. However, many of the decreased outer membrane proteins that were essential for cellulose degradation contained no or one cysteine, and mutation of the cysteine in these proteins did not affect cellulose degradation, indicating that CHU_1165 may have an indirect or pleiotropic effect on the function of these outer membrane proteins.IMPORTANCE Cytophaga hutchinsonii can rapidly digest cellulose in a contact-dependent manner, in which the outer membrane proteins may play important roles. In this study, a hypothetical protein, CHU_1165, characterized as a disulfide oxidoreductase, is essential for cellulose degradation by affecting the cellulose binding ability of many outer membrane proteins in C. hutchinsonii Disulfide oxidoreductases are involved in disulfide bond formation. However, our studies show that many of the decreased outer membrane proteins that were essential for cellulose degradation contained no or one cysteine, and mutation of cysteine did not affect their function, indicating that CHU_1165 did not facilitate the formation of a disulfide bond in these proteins. It may have an indirect or pleiotropic effect on the function of these outer membrane proteins. Our study provides an orientation for exploring the proteins that assist in the appropriate conformation of many outer membrane proteins essential for cellulose degradation, which is important for exploring the novel mechanism of cellulose degradation in C. hutchinsonii.
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López-Mondéjar R, Algora C, Baldrian P. Lignocellulolytic systems of soil bacteria: A vast and diverse toolbox for biotechnological conversion processes. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:107374. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Wang S, Zhao D, Zhang W, Lu X. Identification of a cell-surface protein involved in glucose assimilation and disruption of the crystalline region of cellulose by Cytophaga hutchinsonii. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 46:1479-1490. [PMID: 31321576 DOI: 10.1007/s10295-019-02212-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The crystalline region of cellulose is the main barrier to the utilization of crystalline cellulose. Cytophaga hutchinsonii actively digests the crystalline region of cellulose by an unknown mechanism. Transposon mutagenesis was done to identify a novel gene locus chu_1557, which is required for efficient disruption of the crystalline region of cellulose, and the absence of CHU_1557 resulted in decreased glucose assimilation efficiency. The defect of the mutant in the disruption of the crystalline region of cellulose was partially retained by additional glucose or pre-culturing the mutant in a low glucose concentration medium which could improve its glucose absorption efficiency. These results suggested that extracellular glucose has important roles in the disruption of crystalline cellulose by C. hutchinsonii. Further study showed that the expression of an outer membrane protein CHU_3732 was downregulated by the absence of CHU_1557 in a low glucose concentration medium. CHU_3732 was involved in uptake of glucose and its expression was induced by a low concentration of glucose. CHU_3732 was predicted to be a porin, so we inferred that it may work as a glucose transport channel in the outer membrane. Based on these results, we deduced that CHU_1557 played a role in the process of glucose assimilation and its disruption affected the expression of other proteins related to glucose transportation such as CHU_3732, and then affected the cell growth in a low glucose concentration medium and disruption of the crystalline region of cellulose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266200, China
| | - Dong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266200, China
| | - Weican Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266200, China
| | - Xuemei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266200, China.
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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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Proteomic Dissection of the Cellulolytic Machineries Used by Soil-Dwelling Bacteroidetes. mSystems 2018; 3:mSystems00240-18. [PMID: 30505945 PMCID: PMC6247017 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00240-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria of the phylum Bacteroidetes are regarded as highly efficient carbohydrate metabolizers, but most species are limited to (semi)soluble glycans. The soil Bacteroidetes species Cytophaga hutchinsonii and Sporocytophaga myxococcoides have long been known as efficient cellulose metabolizers, but neither species conforms to known cellulolytic mechanisms. Both species require contact with their substrate but do not encode cellulosomal systems of cell surface-attached enzyme complexes or the polysaccharide utilization loci found in many other Bacteroidetes species. Here, we have fractionated the cellular compartments of each species from cultures growing on crystalline cellulose and pectin, respectively, and analyzed them using label-free quantitative proteomics as well as enzymatic activity assays. The combined results enabled us to highlight enzymes likely to be important for cellulose conversion and to infer their cellular localization. The combined proteomes represent a wide array of putative cellulolytic enzymes and indicate specific and yet highly redundant mechanisms for cellulose degradation. Of the putative endoglucanases, especially enzymes of hitherto-unstudied glycoside hydrolase family, 8 were abundant, indicating an overlooked important role during cellulose metabolism. Furthermore, both species generated a large number of abundant hypothetical proteins during cellulose conversion, providing a treasure trove of targets for future enzymology studies. IMPORTANCE Cellulose is the most abundant renewable polymer on earth, but its recalcitrance limits highly efficient conversion methods for energy-related and material applications. Though microbial cellulose conversion has been studied for decades, recent advances showcased that large knowledge gaps still exist. Bacteria of the phylum Bacteroidetes are regarded as highly efficient carbohydrate metabolizers, but most species are limited to (semi)soluble glycans. A few species, including the soil bacteria C. hutchinsonii and S. myxococcoides, are regarded as cellulose specialists, but their cellulolytic mechanisms are not understood, as they do not conform to the current models for enzymatic cellulose turnover. By unraveling the proteome setups of these two bacteria during growth on both crystalline cellulose and pectin, we have taken a significant step forward in understanding their idiosyncratic mode of cellulose conversion. This report provides a plethora of new enzyme targets for improved biomass conversion.
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Kouzuma S, Fujii K. Biochemical characteristics of cellulose and a green alga degradation by Gilvimarinus japonicas 12-2 T, and its application potential for seaweed saccharification. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2018; 82:2198-2204. [PMID: 30198387 DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2018.1516542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Cellulose is one of the major constituents of seaweeds, but reports of mechanisms in microbial seaweed degradation in marine environment are limited, in contrast to the multitude of reports for lignocellulose degradation in terrestrial environment. We studied the biochemical characteristics for marine cellulolytic bacterium Gilvimarinus japonicas 12-2T in seaweed degradation. The bacterial strain was found to degrade green and red algae, but not brown algae. It was shown that the bacterial strain employs various polysaccharide hydrolases (endocellulase, agarase, carrageenanase, xylanase, and laminarinase) to degrade seaweed polysaccharides. Electrophoretic analysis and peptide sequencing showed that the major protein bands on the electrophoresis gel were homologous to known glucanases and glycoside hydrolases. A seaweed hydrolysate harvested from the bacterial culture was found useful as a substrate for yeasts to produce ethanol. These findings will provide insights into possible seaweed decomposition mechanisms of Gilvimarinus, and its biotechnological potential for ethanol production from inedible seaweeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shousei Kouzuma
- a Faculty of Agriculture , Yamaguchi University , Yoshida , Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Fujii
- a Faculty of Agriculture , Yamaguchi University , Yoshida , Japan.,b Graduate School of Science and Technology for Innovation , Yamaguchi University , Yoshida , Japan
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Guan Z, Wang Y, Gao L, Zhang W, Lu X. Effects of the histone-like protein HU on cellulose degradation and biofilm formation of Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 102:6593-6611. [PMID: 29876607 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-9071-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii, belonging to Bacteroidetes, is speculated to use a novel cell-contact mode to digest cellulose. In this study, we identified a histone-like protein HU, CHU_2750, in C. hutchinsonii, whose transcription could be induced by crystalline but not amorphous cellulose. We constructed a CHU_2750-deleted mutant and expressed CHU_2750 in Escherichia coli to study the gene's functions. Our results showed that although the deletion of CHU_2750 was not lethal to C. hutchinsonii, the mutant displayed an abnormal filamentous morphology, loose nucleoid, and obvious defects in the degradation of crystalline cellulose and cell motility. Further study indicated that the mutant displayed significantly decreased cell surface and intracellular endoglucanase activities but with β-glucosidase activities similar to the wild-type strain. Analyses by real-time quantitative PCR revealed that the transcription levels of many genes involved in cellulose degradation and/or cell motility were significantly downregulated in the mutant. In addition, we found that CHU_2750 was important for biofilm formation of C. hutchinsonii. The main extracellular components of the biofilm were analyzed, and the results showed that the mutant yielded significantly less exopolysaccharide but more extracellular DNA and protein than the wild-type strain. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that CHU_2750 is important for cellulose degradation, cell motility, and biofilm formation of C. hutchinsonii by modulating transcription of certain related genes, and it is the first identified transcriptional regulator in these processes of C. hutchinsonii. Our study shed more light on the mechanisms of cellulose degradation, cell motility, and biofilm formation by C. hutchinsonii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China.,School of Life Science, Qilu Normal University, Jinan, 250200, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Central Laboratory, Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, 223300, China
| | - Lijuan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Weican Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Xuemei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China.
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Wang X, Wang Z, Bai X, Zhao Y, Zhang W, Lu X. Deletion of a Gene Encoding a Putative Peptidoglycan-Associated Lipoprotein Prevents Degradation of the Crystalline Region of Cellulose in Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:632. [PMID: 29666619 PMCID: PMC5891637 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii is a gliding Gram-negative bacterium in the phylum Bacteroidetes with the capability to digest crystalline cellulose rapidly, but the mechanism is unclear. In this study, deletion of chu_0125, encoding a homolog of the peptidoglycan-associated lipoprotein (Pal), was determined to prevent degradation of the crystalline region of cellulose. We found that the chu_0125 deletion mutant grew normally in regenerated amorphous cellulose medium but displayed defective growth in crystalline cellulose medium and increased the degree of crystallinity of Avicel. The endoglucanase and β-glucosidase activities on the cell surface were reduced by 60 and 30% without chu_0125, respectively. Moreover, compared with the wild type, the chu_0125 deletion mutant was found to be more sensitive to some harmful compounds and to release sixfold more outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) whose protein varieties were dramatically increased. These results indicated that CHU_0125 played a critical role in maintaining the integrity of the outer membrane. Further study showed that the amounts of some outer membrane proteins were remarkably decreased in the chu_0125 deletion mutant. Western blotting revealed that CHU_3220, the only reported outer membrane protein that was necessary and specialized for degradation of the crystalline region of cellulose, was largely leaked from the outer membrane and packaged into OMVs. We concluded that the deletion of chu_0125 affected the integrity of outer membrane and thus influenced the localization of some outer membrane proteins including CHU_3220. This might be the reason why deletion of chu_0125 prevented degradation of the crystalline region of cellulose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xifeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhiquan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xinfeng Bai
- Key Laboratory for Biosensors of Shandong Province, Biology Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Weican Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xuemei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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The unusual cellulose utilization system of the aerobic soil bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 101:7113-7127. [PMID: 28849247 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8467-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/05/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cellulolytic microorganisms play important roles in global carbon cycling and have evolved diverse strategies to digest cellulose. Some are 'generous,' releasing soluble sugars from cellulose extracellularly to feed both themselves and their neighbors. The gliding soil bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii exhibits a more 'selfish' strategy. It digests crystalline cellulose using cell-associated cellulases and releases little soluble sugar outside of the cell. The mechanism of C. hutchinsonii cellulose utilization is still poorly understood. In this review, we discuss novel aspects of the C. hutchinsonii cellulolytic system. Recently developed genetic manipulation tools allowed the identification of proteins involved in C. hutchinsonii cellulose utilization. These include periplasmic and cell-surface endoglucanases and novel cellulose-binding proteins. The recently discovered type IX secretion system is needed for cellulose utilization and appears to deliver some of the cellulolytic enzymes and other proteins to the cell surface. The requirement for periplasmic endoglucanases for cellulose utilization is unusual and suggests that cello-oligomers must be imported across the outer membrane before being further digested. Cellobiohydrolases or other predicted processive cellulases that play important roles in many other cellulolytic bacteria appear to be absent in C. hutchinsonii. Cells of C. hutchinsonii attach to and glide along cellulose fibers, which may allow them to find sites most amenable to attack. A model of C. hutchinsonii cellulose utilization summarizing recent progress is proposed.
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Wang X, Han Q, Chen G, Zhang W, Liu W. A Putative Type II Secretion System Is Involved in Cellulose Utilization in Cytophaga hutchisonii. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1482. [PMID: 28848505 PMCID: PMC5553014 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii is a gliding cellulolytic bacterium that degrades cellulose in a substrate contact-dependent manner. Specific proteins are speculated to be translocated to its extracellular milieu or outer membrane surface to participate in adhesion to cellulose and further digestion. In this study, we show that three orthologous genes encoding the major components (T2S-D, -F, and -G) of type II secretion system (T2SS) are involved in cellulose degradation but not in cell motility. The individual disruption of the three t2s genes results in a significantly retarded growth on cellobiose, regenerated amorphous cellulose, and Avicel cellulose. Enzymatic analyses demonstrate that, whereas the endoglucanase activity of the t2s mutant cells is increased, the β-glucosidase activity is remarkably reduced compared to that of WT cells. Further analyses reveal that the t2s mutant cells not only exhibit a different profile of cellulose-bound outer membrane proteins from that of wild-type cells, but also display a significant decrease in their capability to adhere to cellulose. These results indicate that a functional link exits between the putative T2SS and cellulose utilization in C. hutchinsonii, and thus provide a conceptual framework to understand the unique strategy deployed by C. hutchinsonii to assimilate cellulose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
| | - Qingqing Han
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
| | - Guanjun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
| | - Weixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
| | - Weifeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong UniversityJinan, China
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Bai X, Wang X, Wang S, Ji X, Guan Z, Zhang W, Lu X. Functional Studies of β-Glucosidases of Cytophaga hutchinsonii and Their Effects on Cellulose Degradation. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:140. [PMID: 28210251 PMCID: PMC5288383 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii can rapidly digest crystalline cellulose without free cellulases or cellulosomes. Its cell-contact cellulose degradation mechanism is unknown. In this study, the four β-glucosidase (bgl) genes in C. hutchinsonii were singly and multiply deleted, and the functions of these β-glucosidases in cellobiose and cellulose degradation were investigated. We found that the constitutively expressed BglB played a key role in cellobiose utilization, while BglA which was induced by cellobiose could partially make up for the deletion of bglB. The double deletion mutant ΔbglA/bglB lost the ability to digest cellobiose and could not thrive in cellulose medium, indicating that β-glucosidases were important for cellulose degradation. When cultured in cellulose medium, a small amount of glucose accumulated in the medium in the initial stage of growth for the wild type, while almost no glucose accumulated for ΔbglA/bglB. When supplemented with a small amount of glucose, ΔbglA/bglB started to degrade cellulose and grew in cellulose medium. We inferred that glucose might be essential for initiating cellulose degradation, and with additional glucose, C. hutchinsonii could partially utilize cellulose without β-glucosidases. We also found that there were both cellulose binding cells and free cells when cultured in cellulose. Since direct contact between C. hutchinsonii cells and cellulose is necessary for cellulose degradation, we deduced that the free cells which were convenient to explore new territory in the environment might be fed by the adherent cells which could produce cello-oligosaccharide and glucose into the environment. This study enriched our knowledge of the cellulolytic pathway of C. hutchinsonii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinfeng Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Xifeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Xiaofei Ji
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Binzhou Medical University Yantai, China
| | - Zhiwei Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Weican Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Xuemei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University Jinan, China
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Identification and Characterization of a Large Protein Essential for Degradation of the Crystalline Region of Cellulose by Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 83:AEM.02270-16. [PMID: 27742681 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02270-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii is a Gram-negative bacterium that can efficiently degrade crystalline cellulose by a unique mechanism different from the free cellulase or cellulosome strategy. In this study, chu_3220, encoding the hypothetical protein CHU_3220 (205 kDa), was identified by insertional mutation and gene deletion as the first gene essential for degradation of the crystalline region but not the amorphous region of cellulose by C. hutchinsonii A chu_3220 deletion mutant was defective in the degradation of crystalline cellulose and increased the degree of crystallinity of Avicel PH101 but could still degrade amorphous cellulose completely. CHU_3220 was found to be located on the outer surface of the outer membrane and could bind to cellulose. It contains 15 PbH1 domains and a C-terminal domain (CHU_C) that was proved to be critical for the localization of CHU_3220 on the cell surface and the function of CHU_3220 in crystalline cellulose degradation. Moreover, the degradation of crystalline cellulose was intact-cell dependent and inhibited by NaN3 Further study showed that chu_3220 was induced by cellulose and that the endoglucanase activity on the cell surface was significantly reduced without chu_3220 Real-time PCR revealed that the transcription of most genes encoding endoglucanases located on the cell surface was decreased in the chu_3220 deletion mutant, indicating that chu_3220 might also play a role in the regulation of the expression of some endoglucanases. IMPORTANCE Cytophaga hutchinsonii could efficiently degrade crystalline cellulose with a unique mechanism without cellulosomes and free cellulases. It lacks proteins that are thought to play important roles in disruption of the crystalline region of cellulose, including exoglucanases, lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases, expansins, expansin-like proteins, or swollenins, and most of its endoglucanases lack carbohydrate binding modules. The mechanism of the degradation of crystalline cellulose is still unknown. In this study, chu_3220 was identified as the first gene essential for the degradation of the crystalline region but not the amorphous region of cellulose. CHU_3220 is a high-molecular-weight protein located on the outer surface of the outer membrane and could bind to cellulose. We proposed that CHU_3220 might be an essential component of a protein complex on the cell surface in charge of the decrystallization of crystalline cellulose. The degradation of crystalline cellulose by C. hutchinsonii was not only dependent on intact cells but also required the energy supplied by the cells. This was obviously different from other known cellulose depolymerization system. Our study has shed more light on the novel strategy of crystalline cellulose degradation by C. hutchinsonii.
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Expression and characterization of a glucose-tolerant β-1,4-glucosidase with wide substrate specificity from Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 101:1919-1926. [PMID: 27822737 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-016-7927-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2016] [Revised: 10/01/2016] [Accepted: 10/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii is a gram-negative bacterium that can efficiently degrade crystalline cellulose by a novel strategy without cell-free cellulases or cellulosomes. Genomic analysis implied that C. hutchinsonii had endoglucanases and β-glucosidases but no exoglucanases which could processively digest cellulose and produce cellobiose. In this study, BglA was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli and found to be a β-glucosidase with wide substrate specificity. It can hydrolyze pNPG, pNPC, cellobiose, and cellodextrins. Moreover, unlike most β-glucosidases whose activity greatly decreases with increasing length of the substrate chains, BglA has similar activity on cellobiose and larger cellodextrins. The K m values of BglA on cellobiose, cellotriose, and cellotetraose were calculated to be 4.8 × 10-2, 5.6 × 10-2, and 5.3 × 10-2 mol/l, respectively. These properties give BglA a great advantage to cooperate with endoglucanases in C. hutchinsonii in cellulose degradation. We proposed that C. hutchinsonii could utilize a simple cellulase system which consists of endoglucanases and β-glucosidases to completely digest amorphous cellulose into glucose. Moreover, BglA was also found to be highly tolerant to glucose as it retained 40 % activity when the concentration of glucose was 100 times higher than that of the substrate, showing potential application in the bioenergy industry.
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Periplasmic Cytophaga hutchinsonii Endoglucanases Are Required for Use of Crystalline Cellulose as the Sole Source of Carbon and Energy. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:4835-4845. [PMID: 27260354 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01298-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The soil bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii actively digests crystalline cellulose by a poorly understood mechanism. Genome analyses identified nine genes predicted to encode endoglucanases with roles in this process. No predicted cellobiohydrolases, which are usually involved in the utilization of crystalline cellulose, were identified. Chromosomal deletions were performed in eight of the endoglucanase-encoding genes: cel5A, cel5B, cel5C, cel9A, cel9B, cel9C, cel9E, and cel9F Each mutant retained the ability to digest crystalline cellulose, although the deletion of cel9C caused a modest decrease in cellulose utilization. Strains with multiple deletions were constructed to identify the critical cellulases. Cells of a mutant lacking both cel5B and cel9C were completely deficient in growth on cellulose. Cell fractionation and biochemical analyses indicate that Cel5B and Cel9C are periplasmic nonprocessive endoglucanases. The requirement of periplasmic endoglucanases for cellulose utilization suggests that cellodextrins are transported across the outer membrane during this process. Bioinformatic analyses predict that Cel5A, Cel9A, Cel9B, Cel9D, and Cel9E are secreted across the outer membrane by the type IX secretion system, which has been linked to cellulose utilization. These secreted endoglucanases may perform the initial digestion within amorphous regions on the cellulose fibers, releasing oligomers that are transported into the periplasm for further digestion by Cel5B and Cel9C. The results suggest that both cell surface and periplasmic endoglucanases are required for the growth of C. hutchinsonii on cellulose and that novel cell surface proteins may solubilize and transport cellodextrins across the outer membrane. IMPORTANCE The bacterium Cytophaga hutchinsonii digests crystalline cellulose by an unknown mechanism. It lacks processive cellobiohydrolases that are often involved in cellulose digestion. Critical cellulolytic enzymes were identified by genetic analyses. Intracellular (periplasmic) nonprocessive endoglucanases performed an important role in cellulose utilization. The results suggest a model involving partial digestion at the cell surface, solubilization and uptake of cellodextrins across the outer membrane by an unknown mechanism, and further digestion within the periplasm. The ability to sequester cellodextrins and digest them intracellularly may limit losses of soluble cellobiose to other organisms. C. hutchinsonii uses an unusual approach to digest cellulose and is a potential source of novel proteins to increase the efficiency of conversion of cellulose into soluble sugars and biofuels.
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An Outer Membrane Protein Involved in the Uptake of Glucose Is Essential for Cytophaga hutchinsonii Cellulose Utilization. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:1933-1944. [PMID: 26773084 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03939-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii specializes in cellulose digestion by employing a collection of novel cell-associated proteins. Here, we identified a novel gene locus, CHU_1276, that is essential for C. hutchinsonii cellulose utilization. Disruption of CHU_1276 in C. hutchinsonii resulted in complete deficiency in cellulose degradation, as well as compromised assimilation of cellobiose or glucose at a low concentration. Further analysis showed that CHU_1276 was an outer membrane protein that could be induced by cellulose and low concentrations of glucose. Transcriptional profiling revealed that CHU_1276 exerted a profound effect on the genome-wide response to both glucose and Avicel and that the mutant lacking CHU_1276 displayed expression profiles very different from those of the wild-type strain under different culture conditions. Specifically, comparison of their transcriptional responses to cellulose led to the identification of a gene set potentially regulated by CHU_1276. These results suggest that CHU_1276 plays an essential role in cellulose utilization, probably by coordinating the extracellular hydrolysis of cellulose substrate with the intracellular uptake of the hydrolysis product in C. hutchinsonii.
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A small periplasmic protein essential for Cytophaga hutchinsonii cellulose digestion. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 100:1935-1944. [PMID: 26649736 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-7204-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii is a gliding cellulolytic bacterium that is ubiquitously distributed in soil. The mechanism by which C. hutchinsonii achieves cellulose digestion, however, is still largely unknown. In this study, we obtained a C. hutchinsonii mutant that was defective in utilizing filter paper or Avicel as the sole carbon source by transposon mutagenesis. The interrupted gene locus, CHU_2981, encodes a hypothetical protein with only 130 amino acids. Cell fractionation and western blot detection of CHU_2981 fused with a C-terminal green fluorescence protein (GFP) indicated that CHU_2981 is located in the periplasm. The CHU_2981-disrupted mutant cells exhibited a significant growth defect on Avicel but not on glucose and cellobiose. The absence of CHU_2981 also resulted in a significant defect in colony spreading and individual cell motility compared to wild-type cells. Further analysis demonstrated that the CHU_2981-disrupted mutant cells exhibited a different profile of cellulose-absorbed outer membrane proteins from that of wild-type cells, in which protein varieties and amounts were markedly decreased. Our results showed that CHU_2981, the periplasmic non-cellulolytic protein, plays an important role in both cellulose utilization and cell motility probably by being involved in the appropriate production of outer membrane proteins.
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Zhu Y, Kwiatkowski KJ, Yang T, Kharade SS, Bahr CM, Koropatkin NM, Liu W, McBride MJ. Outer membrane proteins related to SusC and SusD are not required for Cytophaga hutchinsonii cellulose utilization. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:6339-50. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6555-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Revised: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Zhou H, Wang X, Yang T, Zhang W, Chen G, Liu W. Identification and characterization of a novel locus in Cytophaga hutchinsonii involved in colony spreading and cellulose digestion. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:4321-31. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6412-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Revised: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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FLP-FRT-based method to obtain unmarked deletions of CHU_3237 (porU) and large genomic fragments of Cytophaga hutchinsonii. Appl Environ Microbiol 2014; 80:6037-45. [PMID: 25063660 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01785-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytophaga hutchinsonii is a widely distributed cellulolytic bacterium in the phylum Bacteroidetes. It can digest crystalline cellulose rapidly without free cellulases or cellulosomes. The mechanism of its cellulose utilization remains a mystery. We developed an efficient method based on a linear DNA double-crossover and FLP-FRT recombination system to obtain unmarked deletions of both single genes and large genomic fragments in C. hutchinsonii. Unmarked deletion of CHU_3237 (porU), an ortholog of the C-terminal signal peptidase of a type IX secretion system (T9SS), resulted in defects in colony spreading, cellulose degradation, and protein secretion, indicating that it is a component of the T9SS and that T9SS plays an important role in cellulose degradation by C. hutchinsonii. Furthermore, deletions of four large genomic fragments were obtained using our method, and the sizes of the excised fragments varied from 9 to 19 kb, spanning from 6 to 22 genes. The customized FLP-FRT method provides an efficient tool for more rapid progress in the cellulose degradation mechanism and other physiological aspects of C. hutchinsonii.
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