Characterization of the basic replicon of Rhodococcus plasmid pSOX and development of a Rhodococcus-Escherichia coli shuttle vector

Development of molecular driven screening for desulfurizing microorganisms targeting the dszB desulfinase gene

COnsensus DEgenerate Hybrid Oligonucleotide Primers (CODEHOP) were developed for the detection of the dszB desulfinase gene (2'-hydroxybiphenyl-2-sulfinate desulfinase; EC 3.13.1.3) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which allow to reveal larger diversity than traditional primers. The new developed primers were used as molecular monitoring tool to drive a procedure for the isolation of desulfurizing microorganisms. The primers revealed a large dszB gene diversity in environmental samples, particularly in diesel-contaminated soil that served as inoculum for enrichment cultures. The isolation procedure using the dibenzothiophene sulfone (DBTO₂) as sole sulfur source reduced drastically the dszB gene diversity. A dszB gene closely related to that carried by Gordonia species was selected. The desulfurization activity was confirmed by the production of desulfurized 2-hydroxybiphenyl (2-HBP). Metagenomic 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the Gordonia genus was represented at low abundance in the initial bacterial community. Such observation highlighted that the culture medium and conditions represent the bottleneck for isolating novel desulfurizing microorganisms. The new developed primers constitute useful tool for the development of appropriate cultural-dependent procedures, including medium and culture conditions, to access novel desulfurizing microorganisms useful for the petroleum industry.

Genomic structure and promoter analysis of the dsz operon for dibenzothiophene biodesulfurization from Gordonia alkanivorans RIPI90A

The bacterium Gordonia alkanivorans RIPI90A has been previously reported as dibenzothiophene-desulfurizing strain. The present study provides a complete investigation of the dsz operon including dsz promoter analysis from desulfurization competent strain belonging to the genus Gordonia. PCR was used to amplify the dszABC genes and adaptor ligation-based PCR-walking strategy used to isolate the dsz promoter. Unlike the dsz operon of Rhodococcus erythropolis, the operon of RIPI90A was located on chromosome. Despite the remarkably high homology between dsz genes of G. alkanivorans RIPI90A and R. erythropolis IGST8, promoter sequences of the strains were not very similar. The dsz promoter of G. alkanivorans RIPI90A shows only 52.5% homology to that of R. erythropolis IGTS8 and Gordonia nitida. Deletion analysis of the dsz promoter from RIPI90A using luciferase as a reporter gene revealed that the dsz promoter was located in regions from -156 to -50.

Functional analysis and annotation of the virulence plasmid pMUM001 from Mycobacterium ulcerans

The presence of a 174 kb plasmid called pMUM001 in Mycobacterium ulcerans, the first example of a mycobacterial plasmid encoding a virulence determinant, was recently reported. Over half of pMUM001 is devoted to six genes, three of which encode giant polyketide synthases (PKS) that produce mycolactone, an unusual cytotoxic lipid produced by M. ulcerans. In this present study the remaining 75 non-PKS-associated protein-coding sequences (CDS) are analysed and it is shown that pMUM001 is a low-copy-number element with a functional ori that supports replication in Mycobacterium marinum but not in the fast-growing mycobacteria Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium fortuitum. Sequence analyses revealed a highly mosaic plasmid gene structure that is reminiscent of other large plasmids. Insertion sequences (IS) and fragments of IS, some previously unreported, are interspersed among functional gene clusters, such as those genes involved in plasmid replication, the synthesis of mycolactone, and a potential phosphorelay signal transduction system. Among the IS present on pMUM001 were multiple copies of the high-copy-number M. ulcerans elements IS2404 and IS2606. No plasmid transfer systems were identified, suggesting that trans-acting factors are required for mobilization. The results presented here provide important insights into this unusual virulence plasmid from an emerging but neglected human pathogen.

Functional characterization of a catabolic plasmid from polychlorinated- biphenyl-degrading Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1

Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1, a potent polychlorinated-biphenyl (PCB)-degrading strain, contains three linear plasmids ranging in size from 330 to 1,100 kb. As part of a genome sequencing project, we report here the complete sequence and characterization of the smallest and least-well-characterized of the RHA1 plasmids, pRHL3. The plasmid is an actinomycete invertron, containing large terminal inverted repeats with a tightly associated protein and a predicted open reading frame (ORF) that is similar to that of a mycobacterial rep gene. The pRHL3 plasmid has 300 putative genes, almost 21% of which are predicted to have a catabolic function. Most of these are organized into three clusters. One of the catabolic clusters was predicted to include limonene degradation genes. Consistent with this prediction, RHA1 grew on limonene, carveol, or carvone as the sole carbon source. The plasmid carries three cytochrome P450-encoding (CYP) genes, a finding consistent with the high number of CYP genes found in other actinomycetes. Two of the CYP genes appear to belong to novel families; the third belongs to CYP family 116 but appears to belong to a novel class based on the predicted domain structure of its reductase. Analyses indicate that pRHL3 also contains four putative "genomic islands" (likely to have been acquired by horizontal transfer), insertion sequence elements, 19 transposase genes, and a duplication that spans two ORFs. One of the genomic islands appears to encode resistance to heavy metals. The plasmid does not appear to contain any housekeeping genes. However, each of the three catabolic clusters contains related genes that appear to be involved in glucose metabolism.

Characterization of the Streptomyces lavendulae IMRU 3455 linear plasmid pSLV45

Streptomyces lavendulae IMRU 3455 contains two large linear plasmids designated pSLV45 (45 kb) and pSLV195 (195 kb). A cosmid, pSPRX604, containing 42 kb from pSLV45 was cloned and sequenced. pSLV45 was tagged with a hygromycin-resistance marker by homologous recombination to generate the derivatives pSLV45.680 and pSLV45.681. An apramycin-resistance marker was introduced into S. lavendulae IMRU 467 using the pSPR910 integration vector to yield the recipient strain SPW910. The self-transmissible nature of pSLV45 was determined by transfer of pSLV45.680 and pSLV45.681 from the donor strains SPW680 and SPW681 into the recipient strain SPW910. Southern analysis indicated the presence of hygromycin- and pSLV45-hybridizing sequences within SPW910 exconjugants. PFGE analysis confirmed pSLV45.680 and pSLV45.681 were transferred intact and formed freely replicating linear plasmids. Sequence analysis of pSPRX604 revealed genes predicted to be involved in plasmid transfer, partitioning and regulation. The transfer of the linear plasmid pSLV45 from S. lavendulae IMRU 3455 into S. lavendulae IMRU 467 may allow the development of pSLV45 as an actinomycete-to-actinomycete conjugative shuttle vector.

Characterization of the 101-kilobase-pair megaplasmid pKB1, isolated from the rubber-degrading bacterium Gordonia westfalica Kb1

The complete sequence of the circular 101,016-bp megaplasmid pKB1 from the cis-1,4-polyisoprene-degrading bacterium Gordonia westfalica Kb1, which represents the first described extrachromosomal DNA of a member of this genus, was determined. Plasmid pKB1 harbors 105 open reading frames. The predicted products of 46 of these are significantly related to proteins of known function. Plasmid pKB1 is organized into three functional regions that are flanked by insertion sequence (IS) elements: (i) a replication and putative partitioning region, (ii) a putative metabolic region, and (iii) a large putative conjugative transfer region, which is interrupted by an additional IS element. Southern hybridization experiments revealed the presence of another copy of this conjugational transfer region on the bacterial chromosome. The origin of replication (oriV) of pKB1 was identified and used for construction of Escherichia coli-Gordonia shuttle vectors, which was also suitable for several other Gordonia species and related genera. The metabolic region included the heavy-metal resistance gene cadA, encoding a P-type ATPase. Expression of cadA in E. coli mediated resistance to cadmium, but not to zinc, and decreased the cellular content of cadmium in this host. When G. westfalica strain Kb1 was cured of plasmid pKB1, the resulting derivative strains exhibited slightly decreased cadmium resistance. Furthermore, they had lost the ability to use isoprene rubber as a sole source of carbon and energy, suggesting that genes essential for rubber degradation are encoded by pKB1.

Host-vector system for phenol-degrading Rhodococcus erythropolis based on Corynebacterium plasmids

The strain Rhodococcus erythropolis CCM2595, which was shown to degrade phenol, was chosen for genetic studies. To facilitate strain improvement using the methods of gene manipulation, the technique of genetic transfer was introduced and cloning vectors were constructed. Using the plasmid pFAJ2574, an electrotransformation procedure yielding up to 7x10(4) transformants/microg DNA was optimized. Escherichia coli- R. erythropolis shuttle vectors were constructed using the replicons pSR1 and pGA1 from Corynebacterium glutamicum. The small vector pSRK21 (5.8 kb) provides six unique cloning sites and selection of recombinant clones using alpha-complementation of beta-galactosidase in E. coli. This vector, exhibiting high segregational stability under non-selective conditions in R. erythropolis CCM2595, was applied to cloning and efficient expression of the gene coding for green fluorescent protein (gfpuv).

A novel class of self-sufficient cytochrome P450 monooxygenases in prokaryotes

The Bacillus cytochrome P450 BM3 integrates an entire P450 system in one polypeptide and represents a convenient prokaryotic model for microsomal P450s. This self-sufficient class II P450 is also present in actinomycetes and fungi. By genome analysis we have identified additional homologues in the pathogenic species Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus, and in Ralstonia metallidurans. This analysis also revealed a novel class of putative self-sufficient P450s, P450 PFOR, comprising a class I P450 that is related to Rhodococcus erythropolis CYP116, and a phthalate family oxygenase reductase (PFOR) module. P450 PFOR genes are found in a Rhodococcus strain, three pathogenic Burkholderia species and in the R. metallidurans strain that possesses a P450 BM3 homologue. Co-evolution of P450 and reductase domains is apparent in both types of self-sufficient enzymes. The new class of P450 enzymes is of potential interest for various biotechnological applications.

Analysis of pFQ31, a 8551-bp cryptic plasmid from the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing actinomycete Frankia

The actinomycete Frankia has never been transformed genetically. To favour the development of Frankia cloning vectors, we have fully sequenced the Frankia alni pFQ31 cryptic plasmid and performed analyses to characterise its coding and non-coding regions. This plasmid is 8551 bp-long and contains 72% G+C. Computer-assisted analyses identified 18 open reading frames (ORFs). These ORFs show a synonymous codon usage different from the one of Frankia chromosomal genes, suggesting an evolutionary bias linked to the nature of the replicon or a horizontal transfer. Three ORFs were found to encode genes likely to be involved in plasmid replication and stability: parFA (partition protein), ptrFA (transcriptional repressor of the GntR family) and repFA (initiation of replication). DNA signatures of a replication origin were identified in the ptrFA-repFA intergenic region. These structural motifs are similar to those observed among origins of iteron-containing plasmids replicating via a θ mode.

Construction and characterization of Streptococcus suis-Escherichia coli shuttle cloning vectors

pSSU1, a native plasmid of Streptococcus suis DAT1, was used to construct pSET-series shuttle vectors. In addition to the replication function of pSSU1, these vectors contain the multiple cloning sites and lacZ' gene from pUC19, which means that X-gal screening can be used to select recombinants in Escherichia coli. pSET1, pSET2, and pSET3 carry cat, spc, and both of these genes, respectively, as selectable markers. These vectors could be introduced into S. suis, E. coli, Salmonella typhimurium, S. pneumoniae, and S. equi ssp. equi by electrotransformation. The recA gene was cloned from S. suis and sequenced, and this information was used in the construction of a recA mutant of S. suis. Transformation frequencies and/or plasmid stability of all pSET vectors tested were decreased in both S. suis and E. coli recA mutants compared with the parental strains. These results suggested that functional RecA protein improved the maintenance of pSET vectors in both S. suis and E. coli. Moreover, cloning of the functional S. suis recA gene into pSET2 and complementation analysis of the recA mutant were successful in S. suis but not in E. coli. These results showed that pSET vectors are useful tools for cloning and analyzing S. suis genes in S. suis strains directly.

DNA sequence and comparison of virulence plasmids from Rhodococcus equi ATCC 33701 and 103

The virulence plasmids of the equine virulent strains Rhodococcus equi ATCC 33701 and 103 were sequenced, and their genetic structure was analyzed. p33701 was 80,610 bp in length, and p103 was 1 bp shorter; their sequences were virtually identical. The plasmids contained 64 open reading frames (ORFs), 22 of which were homologous with genes of known function and 3 of which were homologous with putative genes of unknown function in other species. Putative functions were assigned to five ORFs based on protein family characteristics. The most striking feature of the virulence plasmids was the presence of a 27,536-bp pathogenicity island containing seven virulence-associated protein (vap) genes, including vapA. These vap genes have extensive homology to vapA, which encodes a thermoregulated and surface-expressed protein. The pathogenicity island contained a LysR family transcriptional regulator and a two-component response regulator upstream of six of the vap genes. The vap genes were present as a cluster of three (vapA, vapC, and vapD), as a pair (vapE and vapF), or individually (vapG; vapH). A region of extensive direct repeats of unknown function, possibly associated with thermoregulation, was present immediately upstream of the clustered and the paired genes but not the individual vap genes. There was extensive homology among the C-terminal halves of all vap genes but not generally among the N-terminal halves. The remainder of the plasmid consisted of a large region which appears to be associated with conjugation functions and a large region which appears to be associated with replication and partitioning functions.

Riding the sulfur cycle--metabolism of sulfonates and sulfate esters in gram-negative bacteria

Sulfonates and sulfate esters are widespread in nature, and make up over 95% of the sulfur content of most aerobic soils. Many microorganisms can use sulfonates and sulfate esters as a source of sulfur for growth, even when they are unable to metabolize the carbon skeleton of the compounds. In these organisms, expression of sulfatases and sulfonatases is repressed in the presence of sulfate, in a process mediated by the LysR-type regulator protein CysB, and the corresponding genes therefore constitute an extension of the cys regulon. Additional regulator proteins required for sulfonate desulfonation have been identified in Escherichia coli (the Cbl protein) and Pseudomonas putida (the AsfR protein). Desulfonation of aromatic and aliphatic sulfonates as sulfur sources by aerobic bacteria is oxygen-dependent, carried out by the alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent taurine dioxygenase, or by one of several FMNH(2)-dependent monooxygenases. Desulfurization of condensed thiophenes is also FMNH(2)-dependent, both in the rhodococci and in two Gram-negative species. Bacterial utilization of aromatic sulfate esters is catalyzed by arylsulfatases, most of which are related to human lysosomal sulfatases and contain an active-site formylglycine group that is generated post-translationally. Sulfate-regulated alkylsulfatases, by contrast, are less well characterized. Our increasing knowledge of the sulfur-regulated metabolism of organosulfur compounds suggests applications in practical fields such as biodesulfurization, bioremediation, and optimization of crop sulfur nutrition.

Biodesulfurization

Microbial sulfur-specific transformations have been identified that selectively desulfurize organic sulfur compounds in fossil fuels. Recent discoveries related to biodesulfurization mechanisms may lead to commercial applications of biodesulfurization through engineering recombinant strains for over-expression of biodesulfurization genes, removal of end product repression, and/or by combining relevant industrial and environmental traits with improvements in bioprocess design.