Carbon Source-Dependent Inducible Metabolism of Veratryl Alcohol and Ferulic Acid in Pseudomonas putida CSV86

The pAblo·pCasso self-curing vector toolset for unconstrained cytidine and adenine base-editing in Gram-negative bacteria

A synthetic biology toolkit, exploiting clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and modified CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) base-editors, was developed for genome engineering in Gram-negative bacteria. Both a cytidine base-editor (CBE) and an adenine base-editor (ABE) have been optimized for precise single-nucleotide modification of plasmid and genome targets. CBE comprises a cytidine deaminase conjugated to a Cas9 nickase from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpnCas9), resulting in C→T (or G→A) substitutions. Conversely, ABE consists of an adenine deaminase fused to SpnCas9 for A→G (or T→C) editing. Several nucleotide substitutions were achieved using these plasmid-borne base-editing systems and a novel protospacer adjacent motif (PAM)-relaxed SpnCas9 (SpRY) variant. Base-editing was validated in Pseudomonas putida and other Gram-negative bacteria by inserting premature STOP codons into target genes, thereby inactivating both fluorescent proteins and metabolic (antibiotic-resistance) functions. The functional knockouts obtained by engineering STOP codons via CBE were reverted to the wild-type genotype using ABE. Additionally, a series of induction-responsive vectors was developed to facilitate the curing of the base-editing platform in a single cultivation step, simplifying complex strain engineering programs without relying on homologous recombination and yielding plasmid-free, modified bacterial cells.

Life Within a Contaminated Niche: Comparative Genomic Analyses of an Integrative Conjugative Element ICEnahCSV86 and Two Genomic Islands From Pseudomonas bharatica CSV86T Suggest Probable Role in Colonization and Adaptation

Comparative genomic and functional analyses revealed the presence of three genomic islands (GIs, >50 Kb size): ICEnahCSV86, Pseudomonas bharatica genomic island-1 (PBGI-1), and PBGI-2 in the preferentially aromatic-degrading soil bacterium, Pseudomonas bharatica CSV86^T. Site-specific genomic integration at or near specific transfer RNAs (tRNAs), near-syntenic structural modules, and phylogenetic relatedness indicated their evolutionary lineage to the type-4 secretion system (T4SS) ICEclc family, thus predicting these elements to be integrative conjugative elements (ICEs). These GIs were found to be present as a single copy in the genome and the encoded phenotypic traits were found to be stable, even in the absence of selection pressure. ICEnahCSV86 harbors naphthalene catabolic (nah-sal) cluster, while PBGI-1 harbors Co-Zn-Cd (czc) efflux genes as cargo modules, whereas PBGI-2 was attributed to as a mixed-function element. The ICEnahCSV86 has been reported to be conjugatively transferred (frequency of 7 × 10^–8/donor cell) to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia CSV89. Genome-wide comparative analyses of aromatic-degrading bacteria revealed nah-sal clusters from several Pseudomonas spp. as part of probable ICEs, syntenic to conjugatively transferable ICEnahCSV86 of strain CSV86^T, suggesting it to be a prototypical element for naphthalene degradation. It was observed that the plasmids harboring nah-sal clusters were phylogenetically incongruent with predicted ICEs, suggesting genetic divergence of naphthalene metabolic clusters in the Pseudomonas population. Gene synteny, divergence estimates, and codon-based Z-test indicated that ICEnahCSV86 is probably derived from PBGI-2, while multiple recombination events masked the ancestral lineage of PBGI-1. Diversifying selection pressure (dN-dS = 2.27–4.31) imposed by aromatics and heavy metals implied the modular exchange-fusion of various cargo clusters through events like recombination, rearrangement, domain reshuffling, and active site optimization, thus allowing the strain to evolve, adapt, and maximize the metabolic efficiency in a contaminated niche. The promoters (Pnah and Psal) of naphthalene cargo modules (nah, sal) on ICEnahCSV86 were proved to be efficient for heterologous protein expression in Escherichia coli. GI-based genomic plasticity expands the metabolic spectrum and versatility of CSV86^T, rendering efficient adaptation to the contaminated niche. Such isolate(s) are of utmost importance for their application in bioremediation and are the probable ideal host(s) for metabolic engineering.

The Phlorizin-Degrading Bacillus licheniformis XNRB-3 Mediates Soil Microorganisms to Alleviate Apple Replant Disease

In this study, an endophytic phlorizin-degrading Bacillus licheniformis XNRB-3 was isolated from the root tissue of healthy apple trees, and its control effect on apple replant disease (ARD) and how it alleviates the pathogen pressure via changes in soil microbiomes were studied. The addition of strain XNRB-3 in Fusarium infested soils significantly reduced the number of pathogens in the soil, thus resulting in a lower disease incidence, and the relative control effect on Fusarium oxysporum reached the highest of 66.11%. The fermentation broth can also protect the roots of the plants from Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium proliferatum, and Fusarium solani infection. These antagonistic effects were further validated using an in vitro assay in which the pathogen control was related to growth and spore germination inhibition via directly secreted antimicrobial substances and indirectly affecting the growth of pathogens. The secreted antimicrobial substances were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technology. Among them, alpha-bisabolol and 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol had significant inhibitory effects on many planted pathogenic fungi. Butanedioic acid, monomethyl ester, and dibutyl phthalate promoted root development of Arabidopsis plants. Strain XNRB-3 has multifarious plant growth promoting traits and antagonistic potential. In pot and field experiments, the addition of strain XNRB-3 significantly promoted the growth of plants, and the activity of enzymes related to disease resistance [superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)] was also significantly enhanced. It also reduced the abundance of four species of Fusarium and the content of phenolic acids in the rhizosphere soil, improved soil microbial community structure and nutritional conditions, and increased soil microbial diversity and activity, as well as the soil enzyme activity. The above results indicated that B. licheniformis XNRB-3 could be developed into a promising biocontrol and plant-growth-promoting agent.

Two PAAR Proteins with Different C-Terminal Extended Domains Have Distinct Ecological Functions in Myxococcus xanthus

Bacterial proline-alanine-alanine-arginine (PAAR) proteins are located at the top of the type VI secretion system (T6SS) nanomachine and carry and deliver effectors into neighboring cells. Many PAAR proteins are fused with a variable C-terminal extended domain (CTD). Here, we report that two paar-ctd genes (MXAN_RS08765 and MXAN_RS36995) located in two homologous operons are involved in different ecological functions of Myxococcus xanthus MXAN_RS08765 inhibited the growth of plant-pathogenic fungi, while MXAN_RS36995 was associated with the colony-merger incompatibility of M. xanthus cells. These two PAAR-CTD proteins were both toxic to Escherichia coli cells, while MXAN_RS08765, but not MXAN_RS36995, was also toxic to Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. Their downstream adjacent genes, i.e., MXAN_RS08760 and MXAN_RS24590, protected against the toxicities. The MXAN_RS36995 protein was demonstrated to have nuclease activity, and the activity was inhibited by the presence of MXAN_RS24590. Our results highlight that the PAAR proteins diversify the CTDs to play divergent roles in M. xanthus IMPORTANCE The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a bacterial cell contact-dependent weapon capable of delivering protein effectors into neighboring cells. The PAAR protein is located at the top of the nanomachine and carries an effector for delivery. Many PAAR proteins are extended with a diverse C-terminal sequence with an unknown structure and function. Here, we report two paar-ctd genes located in two homologous operons involved in different ecological functions of Myxococcus xanthus; one has antifungal activity, and the other is associated with the kin discrimination phenotype. The PAAR-CTD proteins and the proteins encoded by their downstream genes form two toxin-immunity protein pairs. We demonstrated that the C-terminal diversification of the PAAR-CTD proteins enriches the ecological functions of bacterial cells.

Aspergillus oryzae Biosynthetic Platform for de Novo Iridoid Production

The iridoids and their derivatives monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) are two broad classes of plant-derived natural products with valuable pharmaceutical properties. However, the poor source limited their application. Nepetalactol, a common iridoid scaffold of MIAs, was heterologously produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although the optimization of nepetalactol production in S. cerevisiae was achieved by metabolic engineering, the inherent metabolic constraints impose a restriction on the production. Herein, we developed a high nepetalactol-producing Aspergillus oryzae platform strain. First, the co-expression of 5 nepetalactol biosynthetic genes, in a high isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP)-producing strain A. oryzae AK2, succeeded in the biosynthesis of nepetalactol. Second, the improvement of the IPP supply and the suppression of the byproduct citronellol formation were simultaneously achieved. Finally, the highest titer of nepetalactol of 7.2 mg/L was obtained with the engineered strain, after the optimization of the carbon source. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest reported titer of nepetalactol in microbial cells. The developed A. oryzae strain represents an attractive biosynthetic platform host for the de novo production of iridoids and MIAs.

Isolation, identification and characterization of phenolic acid-degrading bacteria from soil

AIMS

To isolate, identify and characterize phenolic acid-degrading bacteria and reduce plant growth inhibition caused by phenolic acids.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 11 bacterial isolates with high phthalic acid (PA)-degrading ability were obtained using mineral salt medium (MSM) medium containing PA as sole carbon source. These isolates were identified as Arthrobacter globiformis, Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas hunanensis by sequence analyses of the 16S rRNA gene. Among them, five Pseudomonas strains could also effectively degrade ferulic acid (FA), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) and syringic acid (SA) in MSM solution. P. putida strain 7 and P. hunanensis strain 10 showed highly efficient degradation of PA, SA, FA and PHBA, and could reduce their inhibition of lily, watermelon, poplar and strawberry seedling growth in soils respectively. These two strains could promote plant growth in soil with phenolic acids.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, bacterial strains with highly efficient phenolic acid-degrading abilities could not only effectively reduce the autotoxicity of phenolic acids on plants but also were able to promote plant growth in soil with phenolic acids.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

In this study, Pseudomonas can promote plant growth while degrading phenolic acids. Our results provide new choices for the biological removal of autotoxins.

The Syringate O-Demethylase Gene of Sphingobium sp. Strain SYK-6 Is Regulated by DesX, while Other Vanillate and Syringate Catabolism Genes Are Regulated by DesR

Syringate and vanillate are the major metabolites of lignin biodegradation. In Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6, syringate is O demethylated to gallate by consecutive reactions catalyzed by DesA and LigM, and vanillate is O demethylated to protocatechuate by a reaction catalyzed by LigM. The gallate ring is cleaved by DesB, and protocatechuate is catabolized via the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway. The transcriptions of desA, ligM, and desB are induced by syringate and vanillate, while those of ligM and desB are negatively regulated by the MarR-type transcriptional regulator DesR, which is not involved in desA regulation. Here, we clarified the regulatory system for desA transcription by analyzing the IclR-type transcriptional regulator desX, located downstream of desA Quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analyses of a desX mutant indicated that the transcription of desA was negatively regulated by DesX. In contrast, DesX was not involved in the regulation of ligM and desB The ferulate catabolism genes (ferBA), under the control of a MarR-type transcriptional regulator, FerC, are located upstream of desA RT-PCR analyses suggested that the ferB-ferA-SLG_25010-desA gene cluster consists of the ferBA operon and the SLG_25010-desA operon. Promoter assays revealed that a syringate- and vanillate-inducible promoter is located upstream of SLG_25010. Purified DesX bound to this promoter region, which overlaps an 18-bp inverted-repeat sequence that appears to be essential for the DNA binding of DesX. Syringate and vanillate inhibited the DNA binding of DesX, indicating that the compounds are effector molecules of DesX.IMPORTANCE Syringate is a major degradation product in the microbial and chemical degradation of syringyl lignin. Along with other low-molecular-weight aromatic compounds, syringate is produced by chemical lignin depolymerization. Converting this mixture into value-added chemicals using bacterial metabolism (i.e., biological funneling) is a promising option for lignin valorization. To construct an efficient microbial lignin conversion system, it is necessary to identify and characterize the genes involved in the uptake and catabolism of lignin-derived aromatic compounds and to elucidate their transcriptional regulation. In this study, we found that the transcription of desA, encoding syringate O-demethylase in SYK-6, is regulated by an IclR-type transcriptional regulator, DesX. The findings of this study, combined with our previous results on desR (encoding a MarR transcriptional regulator that controls the transcription of ligM and desB), provide an overall picture of the transcriptional-regulatory systems for syringate and vanillate catabolism in SYK-6.

Degradation strategies and associated regulatory mechanisms/features for aromatic compound metabolism in bacteria

As a result of anthropogenic activity, large number of recalcitrant aromatic compounds have been released into the environment. Consequently, microbial communities have adapted and evolved to utilize these compounds as sole carbon source, under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The constitutive expression of enzymes necessary for metabolism imposes a heavy energy load on the microbe which is overcome by arrangement of degradative genes as operons which are induced by specific inducers. The segmentation of pathways into upper, middle and/or lower operons has allowed microbes to funnel multiple compounds into common key aromatic intermediates which are further metabolized through central carbon pathway. Various proteins belonging to diverse families have evolved to regulate the transcription of individual operons participating in aromatic catabolism. These proteins, complemented with global regulatory mechanisms, carry out the regulation of aromatic compound metabolic pathways in a concerted manner. Additionally, characteristics like chemotaxis, preferential utilization, pathway compartmentalization and biosurfactant production confer an advantage to the microbe, thus making bioremediation of the aromatic pollutants more efficient and effective.

Regulation of vanillate and syringate catabolism by a MarR-type transcriptional regulator DesR in Sphingobium sp. SYK-6

Vanillate and syringate are major intermediate metabolites generated during the microbial degradation of lignin. In Sphingobium sp. SYK-6, vanillate is O demethylated to protocatechuate by LigM; protocatechuate is then catabolized via the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway. Syringate is O demethylated to gallate by consecutive reactions catalyzed by DesA and LigM, and then gallate is subjected to ring cleavage by DesB. Here, we investigated the transcriptional regulation of desA, ligM, and desB involved in vanillate and syringate catabolism. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analyses indicated that the transcription of these genes was induced 5.8–37-fold in the presence of vanillate and syringate. A MarR-type transcriptional regulator, SLG_12870 (desR), was identified as the gene whose product bound to the desB promoter region. Analysis of a desR mutant indicated that the transcription of desB, ligM, and desR is negatively regulated by DesR. Purified DesR bound to the upstream regions of desB, ligM, and desR, and the inverted repeat sequences similar to each other in these regions were suggested to be essential for DNA binding of DesR. Vanillate and syringate inhibited DNA binding of DesR, indicating that these compounds are effector molecules of DesR. The transcription of desA was found to be regulated by an as-yet unidentified regulator.

A comparison between the homocyclic aromatic metabolic pathways from plant-derived compounds by bacteria and fungi

Aromatic compounds derived from lignin are of great interest for renewable biotechnical applications. They can serve in many industries e.g. as biochemical building blocks for bioplastics or biofuels, or as antioxidants, flavor agents or food preservatives. In nature, lignin is degraded by microorganisms, which results in the release of homocyclic aromatic compounds. Homocyclic aromatic compounds can also be linked to polysaccharides, tannins and even found freely in plant biomass. As these compounds are often toxic to microbes already at low concentrations, they need to be degraded or converted to less toxic forms. Prior to ring cleavage, the plant- and lignin-derived aromatic compounds are converted to seven central ring-fission intermediates, i.e. catechol, protocatechuic acid, hydroxyquinol, hydroquinone, gentisic acid, gallic acid and pyrogallol through complex aromatic metabolic pathways and used as energy source in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Over the decades, bacterial aromatic metabolism has been described in great detail. However, the studies on fungal aromatic pathways are scattered over different pathways and species, complicating a comprehensive view of fungal aromatic metabolism. In this review, we depicted the similarities and differences of the reported aromatic metabolic pathways in fungi and bacteria. Although both microorganisms share the main conversion routes, many alternative pathways are observed in fungi. Understanding the microbial aromatic metabolic pathways could lead to metabolic engineering for strain improvement and promote valorization of lignin and related aromatic compounds.

Modular Engineering of Biomass Degradation Pathways

Production of fuels and chemicals from renewable lignocellulosic feedstocks is a promising alternative to petroleum-derived compounds. Due to the complexity of lignocellulosic feedstocks, microbial conversion of all potential substrates will require substantial metabolic engineering. Non-model microbes offer desirable physiological traits, but also increase the difficulty of heterologous pathway engineering and optimization. The development of modular design principles that allow metabolic pathways to be used in a variety of novel microbes with minimal strain-specific optimization will enable the rapid construction of microbes for commercial production of biofuels and bioproducts. In this review, we discuss variability of lignocellulosic feedstocks, pathways for catabolism of lignocellulose-derived compounds, challenges to heterologous engineering of catabolic pathways, and opportunities to apply modular pathway design. Implementation of these approaches will simplify the process of modifying non-model microbes to convert diverse lignocellulosic feedstocks.

Substrate Shift Reveals Roles for Members of Bacterial Consortia in Degradation of Plant Cell Wall Polymers

Deconstructing the intricate matrix of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin poses a major challenge in biofuel production. In diverse environments in nature, some microbial communities, are able to overcome plant biomass recalcitrance. Identifying key degraders of each component of plant cell wall can help improve biological degradation of plant feedstock. Here, we sequenced the metagenome of lignocellulose-adapted microbial consortia sub-cultured on xylan and alkali lignin media. We observed a drastic shift on community composition after sub-culturing, independently of the original consortia. Proteobacteria relative abundance increased after growth in alkali lignin medium, while Bacteroidetes abundance increased after growth in xylan medium. At the genus level, Pseudomonas was more abundant in the communities growing on alkali lignin, Sphingobacterium in the communities growing on xylan and Cellulomonas abundance was the highest in the original microbial consortia. We also observed functional convergence of microbial communities after incubation in alkali lignin, due to an enrichment of genes involved in benzoate degradation and catechol ortho-cleavage pathways. Our results represent an important step toward the elucidation of key members of microbial communities on lignocellulose degradation and may aide the design of novel lignocellulolytic microbial consortia that are able to efficiently degrade plant cell wall polymers.

Tolerance and metabolic response of Pseudomonas taiwanensis VLB120 towards biomass hydrolysate-derived inhibitors

BACKGROUND

Bio-conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to high-value products offers numerous benefits; however, its development is hampered by chemical inhibitors generated during the pretreatment process. A better understanding of how microbes naturally respond to those inhibitors is valuable in the process of designing microorganisms with improved tolerance. Pseudomonas taiwanensis VLB120 is a natively tolerant strain that utilizes a wide range of carbon sources including pentose and hexose sugars. To this end, we investigated the tolerance and metabolic response of P. taiwanensis VLB120 towards biomass hydrolysate-derived inhibitors including organic acids (acetic acid, formic acid, and levulinic acid), furans (furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural), and phenols (vanillin).

RESULTS

The inhibitory effect of the tested compounds varied with respect to lag phase, specific growth rate, and biomass yield compared to the control cultures grown under the same conditions without addition of inhibitors. However, P. taiwanensis was able to oxidize vanillin and furfural to vanillic acid and 2-furoic acid, respectively. Vanillic acid was further metabolized, whereas 2-furoic acid was secreted outside the cells and remained in the fermentation broth without further conversion. Acetic acid and formic acid were completely consumed from the fermentation broth, while concentration of levulinic acid remained constant throughout the fermentation process. Analysis of free intracellular metabolites revealed varying levels when P. taiwanensis VLB120 was exposed to inhibitory compounds. This resulted in increased levels of ATP to export inhibitors from the cell and NADPH/NADP ratio that provides reducing power to deal with the oxidative stress caused by the inhibitors. Thus, adequate supply of these metabolites is essential for the survival and reproduction of P. taiwanensis in the presence of biomass-derived inhibitors.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the tolerance and metabolic response of P. taiwanensis VLB120 to biomass hydrolysate-derived inhibitors was investigated. P. taiwanensis VLB120 showed high tolerance towards biomass hydrolysate-derived inhibitors compared to most wild-type microbes reported in the literature. It adopts different resistance mechanisms, including detoxification, efflux, and repair, which require additional energy and resources. Thus, targeting redox and energy metabolism in strain engineering may be a successful strategy to overcome inhibition during biomass hydrolysate conversion and lead to development of more robust strains.

Bacterial catabolism of lignin-derived aromatics: New findings in a recent decade: Update on bacterial lignin catabolism

Lignin is the most abundant phenolic polymer; thus, its decomposition by microorganisms is fundamental to carbon cycling on earth. Lignin breakdown is initiated by depolymerization catalysed by extracellular oxidoreductases secreted by white-rot basidiomycetous fungi. On the other hand, bacteria play a predominant role in the mineralization of lignin-derived heterogeneous low-molecular-weight aromatic compounds. The outline of bacterial catabolic pathways for lignin-derived bi- and monoaryls are typically composed of the following sequential steps: (i) funnelling of a wide variety of lignin-derived aromatics into vanillate and syringate, (ii) O demethylation of vanillate and syringate to form catecholic derivatives and (iii) aromatic ring-cleavage of the catecholic derivatives to produce tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Knowledge regarding bacterial catabolic systems for lignin-derived aromatic compounds is not only important for understanding the terrestrial carbon cycle but also valuable for promoting the shift to a low-carbon economy via biological lignin valorisation. This review summarizes recent progress in bacterial catabolic systems for lignin-derived aromatic compounds, including newly identified catabolic pathways and genes for decomposition of lignin-derived biaryls, transcriptional regulation and substrate uptake systems. Recent omics approaches on catabolism of lignin-derived aromatic compounds are also described.

Pseudomonas putida F1 uses energy taxis to sense hydroxycinnamic acids

Soil bacteria such as pseudomonads are widely studied due to their diverse metabolic capabilities, particularly the ability to degrade both naturally occurring and xenobiotic aromatic compounds. Chemotaxis, the directed movement of cells in response to chemical gradients, is common in motile soil bacteria and the wide range of chemicals detected often mirrors the metabolic diversity observed. Pseudomonas putida F1 is a soil isolate capable of chemotaxis toward, and degradation of, numerous aromatic compounds. We showed that P. putida F1 is capable of degrading members of a class of naturally occurring aromatic compounds known as hydroxycinnamic acids, which are components of lignin and are ubiquitous in the soil environment. We also demonstrated the ability of P. putida F1 to sense three hydroxycinnamic acids: p-coumaric, caffeic and ferulic acids. The chemotaxis response to hydroxycinnamic acids was induced during growth in the presence of hydroxycinnamic acids and was negatively regulated by HcaR, the repressor of the hydroxycinnamic acid catabolic genes. Chemotaxis to the three hydroxycinnamic acids was dependent on catabolism, as a mutant lacking the gene encoding feruloyl-CoA synthetase (Fcs), which catalyzes the first step in hydroxycinnamic acid degradation, was unable to respond chemotactically toward p-coumaric, caffeic, or ferulic acids. We tested whether an energy taxis mutant could detect hydroxycinnamic acids and determined that hydroxycinnamic acid sensing is mediated by the energy taxis receptor Aer2.