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Yang R, Viswanatham T, Huang S, Li Y, Yu Y, Zhang J, Chen J, Herzberg M, Feng R, Rosen BP, Rensing C. A Sb(III)-specific efflux transporter from Ensifer adhaerens E-60. Microbiol Res 2024; 286:127830. [PMID: 39004025 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127830] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Antimony is pervasive environmental toxic substance, and numerous genes encoding mechanisms to resist, transform and extrude the toxic metalloid antimony have been discovered in various microorganisms. Here we identified a major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporter, AntB, on the chromosome of the arsenite-oxidizing bacterium Ensifer adhaerens E-60 that confers resistance to Sb(III) and Sb(V). The antB gene is adjacent to gene encoding a LysR family transcriptional regulator termed LysRars, which is an As(III)/Sb(III)-responsive transcriptional repressor that is predicted to control expression of antB. Similar antB and lysRars genes are found in related arsenic-resistant bacteria, especially strains of Ensifer adhaerens, and the lysRars gene adjacent to antB encodes a member of a divergent subgroup of putative LysR-type regulators. Closely related AntB and LysRars orthologs contain three conserved cysteine residues, which are Cys17, Cys99, and Cys350 in AntB and Cys81, Cys289 and Cys294 in LysRars, respectively. Expression of antB is induced by As(III), Sb(III), Sb(V) and Rox(III) (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl arsenite). Heterologous expression of antB in E. coli AW3110 (Δars) conferred resistance to Sb(III) and Sb(V) and reduced the intracellular concentration of Sb(III). The discovery of the Sb(III) efflux transporter AntB enriches our knowledge of the role of the efflux transporter in the antimony biogeochemical cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixiang Yang
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Thiruselvam Viswanatham
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International Universitygrid.65456.34, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Shuangqin Huang
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Yuanping Li
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Yanshuang Yu
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Jinlin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Center for Grassland Microbiome, State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International Universitygrid.65456.34, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Martin Herzberg
- Molecular Microbiology, Institute for Biology/Microbiology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany
| | - Renwei Feng
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Barry P Rosen
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International Universitygrid.65456.34, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
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Wang W, Lei J, Li M, Zhang X, Xiang X, Wang H, Lu X, Ma L, Liu X, Tuovinen OH. Archaea are better adapted to antimony stress than their bacterial counterparts in Xikuangshan groundwater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166999. [PMID: 37714340 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Archaea are important ecological components of microbial communities in various environments, but are currently poorly investigated in antimony (Sb) contaminated groundwater particularly on their ecological differences in comparison with bacteria. To address this issue, groundwater samples were collected from Xikuangshan aquifer along an Sb gradient and subjected to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. The results demonstrated that bacterial communities were more susceptibly affected by elevated Sb concentration than their archaeal counterparts, and the positive stimulation of Sb concentration on bacterial diversity coincided with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. Overall, the balance of environmental variables (Sb, pH, and EC), competitive interactions, and stochastic events jointly regulated bacterial and archaeal communities. Linear fitting analysis revealed that Sb significantly drove the deterministic process (heterogeneous selection) of bacterial communities, whereas stochastic process (dispersal limitation) contributed more to archaeal community assembly. In contract, the assembly of Sb-resistant bacteria and archaea was dominated by the stochastic process (undominated), which implied the important role of diversification and drift instead of selection. Compared with Sb-resistant microorganisms, bacterial and archaeal communities showed lower niche width, which may result from the constraints of Sb concentration and competitive interaction. Moreover, Sb-resistant archaea had a higher niche than that of Sb-resistant bacteria via investing on flexible metabolic pathways such as organic metabolism, ammonia oxidation; and carbon fixation to enhance their competitiveness. Our results offered new insights into the ecological adaptation mechanisms of bacteria and archaea in Sb-contaminated groundwater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jingwen Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xing Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; College of Life Science, Shangrao Normal University, Shangrao 334000, China
| | - Hongmei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Xiaolu Lu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Liyuan Ma
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Olli H Tuovinen
- Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA
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Yu Y, Xie Z, Yang J, Yang R, Li Y, Zhu Y, Zhao Y, Yang Q, Chen J, Alwathnani HA, Feng R, Rensing C, Herzberg M. Citrobacter portucalensis Sb-2 contains a metalloid resistance determinant transmitted by Citrobacter phage Chris1. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 443:130184. [PMID: 36270189 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial adaptation to extreme environments is often mediated by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) via genetic mobile elements. Nevertheless, phage-mediated HGT conferring bacterial arsenic resistance determinants has rarely been investigated. In this study, a highly arsenite and antimonite resistant bacterium, Citrobacter portucalensis strain Sb-2, was isolated, and genome analysis showed that several putative arsenite and antimonite resistance determinants were flanked or embedded in prophages. Furthermore, an active bacteriophage carrying one of the ars clusters (arsRDABC arsR-yraQ/arsP) was obtained and sequenced. These genes encoding putative arsenic resistance determinants were induced by arsenic and antimony as demonstrated by RT-qPCR, and one gene arsP/yraQ of the ars cluster was shown to give resistance to MAs(III) and Rox(III), thereby showing function. Here, we were able to directly show that these phage-mediated arsenic and antimony resistances play a significant role in adapting to As- and Sb-contaminated environments. In addition, we demonstrate that this phage is responsible for conferring arsenic and antimony resistances to C. portucalensis strain Sb-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanshuang Yu
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Zhenchen Xie
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Jigang Yang
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Ruixiang Yang
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Yuanping Li
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Yongguan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Regional and Urban Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Yanlin Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Qiue Yang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jichen Chen
- Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Hend A Alwathnani
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Renwei Feng
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China.
| | - Martin Herzberg
- Molecular Microbiology, Institute for Biology/Microbiology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle(Saale), Germany
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Zhang J, Li YN, Shen J, Nadar VS, Chen J. Characterization of a novel ArsR regulates divergent ars operon in Ensifer adhaerens strain ST2. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2023; 370:fnad113. [PMID: 37881019 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnad113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbes evolved resistance determinates for coping with arsenic toxicity are commonly regulated by a variety of transcriptional repressors (ArsRs). Ensifer adhaerens strain ST2 was previously shown tolerance to environmental organoarsenical methylarsenite (MAs(III)), which has been proposed to be a primordial antibiotic. In E. adhaerens strain ST2 chromosomal ars operon, two MAs(III) resistance genes, arsZ, encoding MAs(III) oxidase, and arsK, encoding MAs(III) efflux transporter, are controlled by a novel ArsR transcriptional repressor, EaArsR. It has two conserved cysteine pairs, Cys91-92 and Cys108-109. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) demonstrate that EaArsR binds to two inverted-repeat sequences within the ars promoter between arsR and arsZ to repress ars operon transcription and that DNA binding is relieved upon binding of As(III) and MAs(III). Mutation of either Cys91 or Cys92 to serine (or both) abolished these mutants binding to the ars promoter. In contrast, both C108S and C109S mutants kept responsiveness to As(III) and MAs(III). These results suggest that cysteine pair Cys91-Cys92 and either Cys108 or Cys109 contribute to form arsenic binding site. Homology modeling of EaArsR indicates the binding site consisted of Cys91-Cys92 pair from one monomer and Cys108-Cys109 pair from the other monomer, which displays the diverse evolution of arsenic binding site in the ArsR metalloregulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yan-Ning Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Venkadesh Sarkarai Nadar
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, United Sates
| | - Jian Chen
- Institute of Environmental Remediation and Human Health, College of Ecology and Environment, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
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Zhang J, Wu YF, Tang ST, Chen J, Rosen BP, Zhao FJ. A PadR family transcriptional repressor controls transcription of a trivalent metalloid resistance operon of Azospirillum halopraeferens strain Au 4. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:5139-5150. [PMID: 35880613 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Methylarsenite [MAs(III)] is a highly toxic arsenical produced by some microbes as an antibiotic. In this study, we demonstrate that a PadR family transcriptional regulator, PadRars , from Azospirillum halopraeferens strain Au 4 directly binds to the promoter region of the arsenic resistance (ars) operon (consisting of padRars , arsV, and arsW) and represses transcription of arsV and arsW genes involved in MAs(III) resistance. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and transcriptional reporter assays showed that transcription of the ars operon is induced strongly by MAs(III) and less strongly by arsenite and antimonite. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with recombinant PadRars showed that it represses transcription of the ars operon by binding to two inverted-repeat sequences within the ars promoter. PadRars has two conserved cysteine pairs, Cys56/57 and Cys133/134; mutation of the first pair to serine abolished the transcriptional response of the ars operon to trivalent metalloids, suggesting that Cys56/57 form a binding site for trivalent metalloids. Either C133S or C134S derivative responses to MAs(III) but not As(III) or Sb(III), suggesting that it is a third ligand to trivalent metalloids. PadRars represents a new type of repressor proteins regulating transcription of an ars operon involved in the resistance to trivalent metalloids, especially MAs(III). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi-Fei Wu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shi-Tong Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Barry P Rosen
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Fang-Jie Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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As(III) Exposure Induces a Zinc Scarcity Response and Restricts Iron Uptake in High-Level Arsenic-Resistant Paenibacillus taichungensis Strain NC1. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0031222. [PMID: 35435714 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00312-22] [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-positive bacterium Paenibacillus taichungensis NC1 was isolated from the Zijin gold-copper mine and shown to display high resistance to arsenic (MICs of 10 mM for arsenite in minimal medium). Genome sequencing indicated the presence of a number of potential arsenic resistance determinants in NC1. Global transcriptomic analysis under arsenic stress showed that NC1 not only directly upregulated genes in an arsenic resistance operon but also responded to arsenic toxicity by increasing the expression of genes encoding antioxidant functions, such as cat, perR, and gpx. In addition, two highly expressed genes, marR and arsV, encoding a putative flavin-dependent monooxygenase and located adjacent to the ars resistance operon, were highly induced by As(III) exposure and conferred resistance to arsenic and antimony compounds. Interestingly, the zinc scarcity response was induced under exposure to high concentrations of arsenite, and genes responsible for iron uptake were downregulated, possibly to cope with oxidative stress associated with As toxicity. IMPORTANCE Microbes have the ability to adapt and respond to a variety of conditions. To better understand these processes, we isolated the arsenic-resistant Gram-positive bacterium Paenibacillus taichungensis NC1 from a gold-copper mine. The transcriptome responding to arsenite exposure showed induction of not only genes encoding arsenic resistance determinants but also genes involved in the zinc scarcity response. In addition, many genes encoding functions involved in iron uptake were downregulated. These results help to understand how bacteria integrate specific responses to arsenite exposure with broader physiological responses.
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Glutathione is involved in the reduction of methylarsenate to generate antibiotic methylarsenite in Enterobacter sp. CZ-1. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0246721. [PMID: 35080903 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02467-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylarsenate (MAs(V)) is a product of microbial arsenic (As) biomethylation and has also been widely used as an herbicide. Some microbes are able to reduce nontoxic MAs(V) to highly toxic methylarsenite (MAs(III)) possibly as an antibiotic. The mechanism of MAs(V) reduction in microbes has not been elucidated. Here, we found that the bacterium Enterobacter sp. CZ-1 isolated from an As-contaminated paddy soil has a strong ability to reduce MAs(V) to MAs(III). Using a MAs(III)-responsive biosensor to detect MAs(V) reduction in E. coli Trans5α transformants of a genomic library of Enterobacter sp. CZ-1, we identified gshA, encoding a glutamate-cysteine ligase, as a key gene involved in MAs(V) reduction. Heterologous expression of gshA increased the biosynthesis of glutathione (GSH) and MAs(V) reduction in E. coli Trans5α. Deletion of gshA in Enterobacter sp. CZ-1 abolished its ability to synthesize GSH and decreased its MAs(V) reduction ability markedly, which could be restored by supplementation of exogenous GSH. In the presence of MAs(V), Enterobacter sp. CZ-1 was able to inhibit the growth of Bacillus subtilis 168; this ability was lost in the gshA-deleted mutant. In addition, deletion of gshA greatly decreased the reduction of arsenate to arsenite. These results indicate that GSH plays an important role in MAs(V) reduction to generate MAs(III) as an antibiotic. IMPORTANCE Arsenic is a ubiquitous environmental toxin. Some microbes detoxify inorganic arsenic through biomethylation, generating relatively nontoxic pentavalent methylated arsenicals, such as methylarsenate. Methylarsenate has also been widely used as an herbicide. Surprisingly, some microbes reduce methylarsenate to highly toxic methylarsenite possibly to use the latter as an antibiotic. How microbes reduce methylarsenate to methylarsenite is unknown. Here, we show that gshA encoding a glutamate-cysteine ligase in the glutathione biosynthesis pathway is involved in methylarsenate reduction in Enterobacter sp. CZ-1. Our study provides new insights into the crucial role of glutathione in the transformation of a common arsenic compound to a natural antibiotic.
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