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Reichard WD, Smith SE, Robertson JB. BLINCAR: a reusable bioluminescent and Cas9-based genetic toolset for repeatedly modifying wild-type Scheffersomyces stipitis. mSphere 2023; 8:e0022423. [PMID: 37345937 PMCID: PMC10449509 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00224-23] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Scheffersomyces stipitis is a yeast that robustly ferments the 5-carbon sugar xylose, making the yeast a valuable candidate for lignocellulosic ethanol fermentation. However, the non-canonical codon usage of S. stipitis is an obstacle for implementing molecular tools that were developed for other yeast species, thereby limiting the molecular toolset available for S. stipitis. Here, we developed a series of molecular tools for S. stipitis including BLINCAR, a Bio-Luminescent Indicator that is Nullified by Cas9-Actuated Recombination, which can be used repeatedly to add different exogenous DNA payloads to the wild-type S. stipitis genome or used repeatedly to remove multiple native S. stipitis genes from the wild-type genome. Through the use of BLINCAR tools, one first produces antibiotic-resistant, bioluminescent colonies of S. stipitis whose bioluminescence highlights those clones that have been genetically modified; then second, once candidate clones have been confirmed, one uses a transient Cas9-producing plasmid to nullify the antibiotic resistance and bioluminescent markers from the prior introduction, thereby producing non-bioluminescent colonies that highlight those clones which have been re-sensitized to the antibiotic and are therefore susceptible to another round of BLINCAR implementation. IMPORTANCE Cellulose and hemicellulose that comprise a large portion of sawdust, leaves, and grass can be valuable sources of fermentable sugars for ethanol production. However, some of the sugars liberated from hemicellulose (like xylose) are not easily fermented using conventional glucose-fermenting yeast like Saccharomyces cerevisiae, so engineering robust xylose-fermenting yeast that is not inhibited by other components liberated from cellulose/hemicellulose will be important for maximizing yield and making lignocellulosic ethanol fermentation cost efficient. The yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis is one such yeast that can ferment xylose; however, it possesses several barriers to genetic manipulation. It is difficult to transform, has only a few antibiotic resistance markers, and uses an alternative genetic code from most other organisms. We developed a genetic toolset for S. stipitis that lowers these barriers and allows a user to deliver and/or delete multiple genetic elements to/from the wild-type genome, thereby expanding S. stipitis's potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter D. Reichard
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
| | - Serenah E. Smith
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
| | - J. Brian Robertson
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
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O' Neill JS, Hoyle NP, Robertson JB, Edgar RS, Beale AD, Peak-Chew SY, Day J, Costa ASH, Frezza C, Causton HC. Eukaryotic cell biology is temporally coordinated to support the energetic demands of protein homeostasis. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4706. [PMID: 32943618 PMCID: PMC7499178 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18330-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Yeast physiology is temporally regulated, this becomes apparent under nutrient-limited conditions and results in respiratory oscillations (YROs). YROs share features with circadian rhythms and interact with, but are independent of, the cell division cycle. Here, we show that YROs minimise energy expenditure by restricting protein synthesis until sufficient resources are stored, while maintaining osmotic homeostasis and protein quality control. Although nutrient supply is constant, cells sequester and store metabolic resources via increased transport, autophagy and biomolecular condensation. Replete stores trigger increased H+ export which stimulates TORC1 and liberates proteasomes, ribosomes, chaperones and metabolic enzymes from non-membrane bound compartments. This facilitates translational bursting, liquidation of storage carbohydrates, increased ATP turnover, and the export of osmolytes. We propose that dynamic regulation of ion transport and metabolic plasticity are required to maintain osmotic and protein homeostasis during remodelling of eukaryotic proteomes, and that bioenergetic constraints selected for temporal organisation that promotes oscillatory behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S O' Neill
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK.
| | | | | | - Rachel S Edgar
- Molecular Virology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College, London, W2 1NY, UK
| | - Andrew D Beale
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | | | - Jason Day
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EQ, UK
| | - Ana S H Costa
- MRC Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XZ, UK.,Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Christian Frezza
- MRC Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XZ, UK
| | - Helen C Causton
- Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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Davis CR, Johnson CH, Robertson JB. A bioluminescent reporter for the halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii. Extremophiles 2020; 24:773-785. [PMID: 32749548 PMCID: PMC7462420 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-020-01193-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Haloarchaea have evolved to thrive in hypersaline environments. Haloferax volcanii is of particular interest due to its genetic tractability; however, few in vivo reporters exist for halophiles. Haloarchaeal proteins evolved characteristics that promote proper folding and function at high salt concentrations, but many mesophilic reporter proteins lack these characteristics. Mesophilic proteins that acquire salt-stabilizing mutations, however, can lead to proper function in haloarchaea. Using laboratory-directed evolution, we developed and demonstrated an in vivo luciferase that functions in the hypersaline cytosol of H. volcanii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris R Davis
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - Carl H Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - J Brian Robertson
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA.
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Zhang BS, Jones KA, McCutcheon DC, Prescher JA. Pyridone Luciferins and Mutant Luciferases for Bioluminescence Imaging. Chembiochem 2018; 19:470-477. [PMID: 29384255 PMCID: PMC6163054 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201700542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
New applications for bioluminescence imaging require an expanded set of luciferase enzymes and luciferin substrates. Here, we report two novel luciferins for use in vitro and in cells. These molecules comprise regioisomeric pyridone cores that can be accessed from a common synthetic route. The analogues exhibited unique emission spectra with firefly luciferase, although photon intensities remained weak. Enhanced light outputs were achieved by using mutant luciferase enzymes. One of the luciferin-luciferase pairs produced light on par with native probes in live cells. The pyridone analogues and complementary luciferases add to a growing set of designer probes for bioluminescence imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan S. Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, 1120 Natural Sciences II, Irvine, CA 92697 (USA),
| | - Krysten A. Jones
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, 3205 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, CA 92697 (USA)
| | - David C. McCutcheon
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, 1120 Natural Sciences II, Irvine, CA 92697 (USA),
| | - Jennifer A. Prescher
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, 1120 Natural Sciences II, Irvine, CA 92697 (USA),
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, 3205 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, CA 92697 (USA)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, 147 Bison Modular, Irvine, CA 92697 (USA)
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Zhang Y, Robertson JB, Xie Q, Johnson CH. Monitoring Intracellular pH Change with a Genetically Encoded and Ratiometric Luminescence Sensor in Yeast and Mammalian Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1461:117-30. [PMID: 27424899 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3813-1_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
"pHlash" is a novel bioluminescence-based pH sensor for measuring intracellular pH, which is developed based on Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET). pHlash is a fusion protein between a mutant of Renilla luciferase (RLuc) and a Venus fluorophore. The spectral emission of purified pHlash protein exhibits pH dependence in vitro. When expressed in either yeast or mammalian cells, pHlash reports basal pH and cytosolic acidification. In this chapter, we describe an in vitro characterization of pHlash, and also in vivo assays including in yeast cells and in HeLa cells using pHlash as a cytoplasmic pH indicator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfei Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
- Modern Experiment Technology Center, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - J Brian Robertson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - Qiguang Xie
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Hebei, China
| | - Carl Hirschie Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA.
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