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Gao J, Yang J, Dong H, Tao S, Shi J, He B, Bian X, Wu JL, Yin Y, Hu L, Jiang G. The origin of methyl group in methanogen-mediated mercury methylation: From the Wolfe cycle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2416761121. [PMID: 39382993 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2416761121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a bioaccumulating neurotoxin mainly produced by anaerobic microorganisms, with methanogen being one of the important methylators. A critical aspect for understanding the mechanism for microbial mercury (Hg) methylation is the origin of the methyl group. However, the origin of methyl group in methanogen-mediated Hg methylation remains unclear. This study aims to identify the source of methyl group for MeHg synthesis in methanogens. Our study revealed that Hg methylation in Methanospirillum hungatei JF-1 is closely related to methanogenesis process, according to the results of proteomic study and substrate limitation study. Next, we proved that nearly all methyl group in MeHg derives from the Wolfe cycle in this species, rather than the previously demonstrated acetyl-coenzyme A pathway, based on the results of 13C labeling study. We then proposed the Wolfe cycle-dependent Hg methylation mechanism in this species. Further genome analyses and 13C labeling experiments indicated that the involvement of the Wolfe cycle in Hg methylation is probably a universal feature among Hg-methylating methanogens. These findings reveal a unique Hg methylation mechanism in methanogens. Our study broadens the carbon substrates and controlling factors for MeHg synthesis in the environment, which can inform the prediction of MeHg production potential and remediation strategies for MeHg contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingyi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Hongzhe Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Shaoyang Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Bin He
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Xiqing Bian
- School of Pharmarcy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China
| | - Jian-Lin Wu
- School of Pharmarcy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China
| | - Yongguang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Ligang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310000, China
- School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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2
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St John E, Reysenbach AL. Genomic comparison of deep-sea hydrothermal genera related to Aeropyrum, Thermodiscus and Caldisphaera, and proposed emended description of the family Acidilobaceae. Syst Appl Microbiol 2024; 47:126507. [PMID: 38703419 DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2024.126507] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents host archaeal and bacterial thermophilic communities, including taxonomically and functionally diverse Thermoproteota. Despite their prevalence in high-temperature submarine communities, Thermoproteota are chronically under-represented in genomic databases and issues have emerged regarding their nomenclature, particularly within the Aeropyrum-Thermodiscus-Caldisphaera. To resolve some of these problems, we identified 47 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) within this clade, from 20 previously published deep-sea hydrothermal vent and submarine volcano metagenomes, and 24 MAGs from public databases. Using phylogenomic analysis, Genome Taxonomy Database Toolkit (GTDB-Tk) taxonomic assessment, 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, average amino acid identity (AAI) and functional gene patterns, we re-evaluated of the taxonomy of the Aeropyrum-Thermodiscus-Caldisphaera. At least nine genus-level clades were identified with two or more MAGs. In accordance with SeqCode requirements and recommendations, we propose names for three novel genera, viz. Tiamatella incendiivivens, Hestiella acidicharens and Calypsonella navitae. A fourth genus was also identified related to Thermodiscus maritimus, for which no available sequenced genome exists. We propose the novel species Thermodiscus eudorianus to describe our high-quality Thermodiscus MAG, which represents the type genome for the genus. All three novel genera and T. eudorianus are likely anaerobic heterotrophs, capable of fermenting protein-rich carbon sources, while some Tiamatella, Calypsonella and T. eudorianus may also reduce polysulfides, thiosulfate, sulfur and/or selenite, and the likely acidophile, Hestiella, may reduce nitrate and/or perchlorate. Based on phylogenomic evidence, we also propose the family Acidilobaceae be amended to include Caldisphaera, Aeropyrum, Thermodiscus and Stetteria and the novel genera described here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily St John
- Center for Life in Extreme Environments, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
| | - Anna-Louise Reysenbach
- Center for Life in Extreme Environments, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
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3
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Scott KM, Payne RR, Gahramanova A. Widespread dissolved inorganic carbon-modifying toolkits in genomes of autotrophic Bacteria and Archaea and how they are likely to bridge supply from the environment to demand by autotrophic pathways. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0155723. [PMID: 38299815 PMCID: PMC10880623 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01557-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Using dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) as a major carbon source, as autotrophs do, is complicated by the bedeviling nature of this substance. Autotrophs using the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle (CBB) are known to make use of a toolkit comprised of DIC transporters and carbonic anhydrase enzymes (CA) to facilitate DIC fixation. This minireview provides a brief overview of the current understanding of how toolkit function facilitates DIC fixation in Cyanobacteria and some Proteobacteria using the CBB and continues with a survey of the DIC toolkit gene presence in organisms using different versions of the CBB and other autotrophic pathways (reductive citric acid cycle, Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, hydroxypropionate bicycle, hydroxypropionate-hydroxybutyrate cycle, and dicarboxylate-hydroxybutyrate cycle). The potential function of toolkit gene products in these organisms is discussed in terms of CO2 and HCO3- supply from the environment and demand by the autotrophic pathway. The presence of DIC toolkit genes in autotrophic organisms beyond those using the CBB suggests the relevance of DIC metabolism to these organisms and provides a basis for better engineering of these organisms for industrial and agricultural purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M. Scott
- Integrative Biology Department, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Ren R. Payne
- Integrative Biology Department, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Arin Gahramanova
- Integrative Biology Department, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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4
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Casini I, McCubbin T, Esquivel-Elizondo S, Luque GG, Evseeva D, Fink C, Beblawy S, Youngblut ND, Aristilde L, Huson DH, Dräger A, Ley RE, Marcellin E, Angenent LT, Molitor B. An integrated systems biology approach reveals differences in formate metabolism in the genus Methanothermobacter. iScience 2023; 26:108016. [PMID: 37854702 PMCID: PMC10579436 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Methanogenesis allows methanogenic archaea to generate cellular energy for their growth while producing methane. Thermophilic hydrogenotrophic species of the genus Methanothermobacter have been recognized as robust biocatalysts for a circular carbon economy and are already applied in power-to-gas technology with biomethanation, which is a platform to store renewable energy and utilize captured carbon dioxide. Here, we generated curated genome-scale metabolic reconstructions for three Methanothermobacter strains and investigated differences in the growth performance of these same strains in chemostat bioreactor experiments with hydrogen and carbon dioxide or formate as substrates. Using an integrated systems biology approach, we identified differences in formate anabolism between the strains and revealed that formate anabolism influences the diversion of carbon between biomass and methane. This finding, together with the omics datasets and the metabolic models we generated, can be implemented for biotechnological applications of Methanothermobacter in power-to-gas technology, and as a perspective, for value-added chemical production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Casini
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tim McCubbin
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Queensland Metabolomics and Proteomics (Q-MAP), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (COESB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Sofia Esquivel-Elizondo
- Department of Microbiome Science, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Guillermo G. Luque
- Department of Microbiome Science, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daria Evseeva
- Department of Computer Science, University of Tübingen, Sand 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics (IBMI), University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Fink
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Beblawy
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nicholas D. Youngblut
- Department of Microbiome Science, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ludmilla Aristilde
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Daniel H. Huson
- Department of Computer Science, University of Tübingen, Sand 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics (IBMI), University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence – Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Dräger
- Department of Computer Science, University of Tübingen, Sand 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics (IBMI), University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence – Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ruth E. Ley
- Department of Microbiome Science, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence – Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Esteban Marcellin
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Queensland Metabolomics and Proteomics (Q-MAP), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (COESB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Largus T. Angenent
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence – Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- AG Angenent, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10D, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation CO2 Research Center (CORC), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Bastian Molitor
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence – Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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5
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Han L, Wu Y, Xiong S, Liu T. Ubiquitin Degradation of the AICAR Transformylase/IMP Cyclohydrolase Ade16 Regulates the Sexual Reproduction of Cryptococcus neoformans. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:699. [PMID: 37504688 PMCID: PMC10381356 DOI: 10.3390/jof9070699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
F-box protein is a key protein of the SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, responsible for substrate recognition and degradation through specific interactions. Previous studies have shown that F-box proteins play crucial roles in Cryptococcus sexual reproduction. However, the molecular mechanism by which F-box proteins regulate sexual reproduction in C. neoformans is unclear. In the study, we discovered the AICAR transformylase/IMP cyclohydrolase Ade16 as a substrate of Fbp1. Through protein interaction and stability experiments, we demonstrated that Ade16 is a substrate for Fbp1. To examine the role of ADE16 in C. neoformans, we constructed the iADE16 strains and ADE16OE strains to analyze the function of Ade16. Our results revealed that the iADE16 strains had a smaller capsule and showed growth defects under NaCl, while the ADE16OE strains were sensitive to SDS but not to Congo red, which is consistent with the stress phenotype of the fbp1Δ strains, indicating that the intracellular protein expression level after ADE16 overexpression was similar to that after FBP1 deletion. Interestingly, although iADE16 strains can produce basidiospores normally, ADE16OE strains can produce mating mycelia but not basidiospores after mating, which is consistent with the fbp1Δmutant strains, suggesting that Fbp1 is likely to regulate the sexual reproduction of C. neoformans through the modulation of Ade16. A fungal nuclei development assay showed that the nuclei of the ADE16OE strains failed to fuse in the bilateral mating, indicating that Ade16 plays a crucial role in the regulation of meiosis during mating. In summary, our findings have revealed a new determinant factor involved in fungal development related to the post-translational regulation of AICAR transformylase/IMP cyclohydrolase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liantao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University Medical Research Institute, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yujuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University Medical Research Institute, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Sichu Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University Medical Research Institute, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Tongbao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University Medical Research Institute, Chongqing 400715, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing 401329, China
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6
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Shalayel I, Leqraa N, Blandin V, Vallée Y. Straightforward Creation of Possibly Prebiotic Complex Mixtures of Thiol-Rich Peptides. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13040983. [PMID: 37109512 PMCID: PMC10145665 DOI: 10.3390/life13040983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
At the origin of life, extremely diverse mixtures of oligomers and polymers could be obtained from relatively simple molecular bricks. Here, we present an example of the polymerization of two amidonitriles derived from cysteine, Cys-Ala-CN and Cys-Met-CN. The thiol function in a molecule adds onto the nitrile group of another one, allowing efficient condensation reactions and making available an extensive range of polymers containing amide bonds and/or five-membered heterocycles, namely thiazolines. Macrocycles were also identified, the biggest one containing sixteen residues (cyclo(Cys-Met)8). MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was used to identify all the present species. What these examples show is that complex mixtures are likely to have formed on the primitive Earth and that, ultimately, the selection that must have followed may have been an even more crucial step towards life than the synthesis of the pre-biological species themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Shalayel
- Université Grenoble Alpes, TIMC-IMAG, CNRS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Naoual Leqraa
- Université Grenoble Alpes, DCM, CNRS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Yannick Vallée
- Université Grenoble Alpes, DCM, CNRS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
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7
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Brown HJ, Duggin IG. Diversity and Potential Multifunctionality of Archaeal CetZ Tubulin-like Cytoskeletal Proteins. Biomolecules 2023; 13:134. [PMID: 36671519 PMCID: PMC9856176 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Tubulin superfamily (TSF) proteins are widespread, and are known for their multifaceted roles as cytoskeletal proteins underpinning many basic cellular functions, including morphogenesis, division, and motility. In eukaryotes, tubulin assembles into microtubules, a major component of the dynamic cytoskeletal network of fibres, whereas the bacterial homolog FtsZ assembles the division ring at midcell. The functions of the lesser-known archaeal TSF proteins are beginning to be identified and show surprising diversity, including homologs of tubulin and FtsZ as well as a third archaea-specific family, CetZ, implicated in the regulation of cell shape and possibly other unknown functions. In this study, we define sequence and structural characteristics of the CetZ family and CetZ1 and CetZ2 subfamilies, identify CetZ groups and diversity amongst archaea, and identify potential functional relationships through analysis of the genomic neighbourhoods of cetZ genes. We identified at least three subfamilies of orthologous CetZ proteins in the archaeal class Halobacteria, including CetZ1 and CetZ2 as well as a novel uncharacterized subfamily. CetZ1 and CetZ2 were correlated to one another as well as to cell shape and motility phenotypes across diverse Halobacteria. Among other known CetZ clusters in orders Archaeoglobales, Methanomicrobiales, Methanosarcinales, and Thermococcales, an additional uncharacterized group from Archaeoglobales and Methanomicrobiales is affiliated strongly with Halobacteria CetZs, suggesting that they originated via horizontal transfer. Subgroups of Halobacteria CetZ2 and Thermococcales CetZ genes were found adjacent to different type IV pili regulons, suggesting potential utilization of CetZs by type IV systems. More broadly conserved cetZ gene neighbourhoods include nucleotide and cofactor biosynthesis (e.g., F420) and predicted cell surface sugar epimerase genes. These findings imply that CetZ subfamilies are involved in multiple functions linked to the cell surface, biosynthesis, and motility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Iain G. Duggin
- The Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
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8
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Holden JF, Sistu H. Formate and hydrogen in hydrothermal vents and their use by extremely thermophilic methanogens and heterotrophs. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1093018. [PMID: 36950162 PMCID: PMC10025317 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1093018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Extremely thermophilic methanogens in the Methanococci and heterotrophs in the Thermococci are common in deep-sea hydrothermal vents. All Methanococci use H2 as an electron donor, and a few species can also use formate. Most Methanococci have a coenzyme F420-reducing formate dehydrogenase. All Thermococci reduce S0 but have hydrogenases and produce H2 in the absence of S0. Some Thermococci have formate hydrogenlyase (Fhl) that reversibly converts H2 and CO2 to formate or an NAD(P)+-reducing formate dehydrogenase (Nfd). Questions remain if Methanococci or Thermococci use or produce formate in nature, why only certain species can grow on or produce formate, and what the physiological role of formate is? Formate forms abiotically in hydrothermal fluids through chemical equilibrium with primarily H2, CO2, and CO and is strongly dependent upon H2 concentration, pH, and temperature. Formate concentrations are highest in hydrothermal fluids where H2 concentrations are also high, such as in ultramafic systems where serpentinization reactions occur. In nature, Methanococci are likely to use formate as an electron donor when H2 is limiting. Thermococci with Fhl likely convert H2 and CO2 to formate when H2 concentrations become inhibitory for growth. They are unlikely to grow on formate in nature unless formate is more abundant than H2 in the environment. Nearly all Methanococci and Thermococci have a gene for at least one formate dehydrogenase catalytic subunit, which may be used to provide free formate for de novo purine biosynthesis. However, only species with a membrane-bound formate transporter can grow on or secrete formate. Interspecies H2 transfer occurs between Thermococci and Methanococci. This and putative interspecies formate transfer may support Methanococci in low H2 environments, which in turn may prevent growth inhibition of Thermococci by its own H2. Future research directions include understanding when, where, and how formate is used and produced by these organisms in nature, and how transcription of Thermococci genes encoding formate-related enzymes are regulated.
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Wizrah MS, Chua SM, Luo Z, Manik MK, Pan M, Whyte JM, Robertson AA, Kappler U, Kobe B, Fraser JA. AICAR transformylase/IMP cyclohydrolase (ATIC) is essential for de novo purine biosynthesis and infection by Cryptococcus neoformans. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102453. [PMID: 36063996 PMCID: PMC9525906 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is a leading cause of meningoencephalitis in the immunocompromised. As current antifungal treatments are toxic to the host, costly, limited in their efficacy, and associated with drug resistance, there is an urgent need to identify vulnerabilities in fungal physiology to accelerate antifungal discovery efforts. Rational drug design was pioneered in de novo purine biosynthesis as the end products of the pathway, ATP and GTP, are essential for replication, transcription, and energy metabolism, and the same rationale applies when considering the pathway as an antifungal target. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of C. neoformans 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) transformylase/5'-inosine monophosphate cyclohydrolase (ATIC), a bifunctional enzyme that catalyzes the final two enzymatic steps in the formation of the first purine base inosine monophosphate. We demonstrate that mutants lacking the ATIC-encoding ADE16 gene are adenine and histidine auxotrophs that are unable to establish an infection in a murine model of virulence. In addition, our assays employing recombinantly expressed and purified C. neoformans ATIC enzyme revealed Km values for its substrates AICAR and 5-formyl-AICAR are 8-fold and 20-fold higher, respectively, than in the human ortholog. Subsequently, we performed crystallographic studies that enabled the determination of the first fungal ATIC protein structure, revealing a key serine-to-tyrosine substitution in the active site, which has the potential to assist the design of fungus-specific inhibitors. Overall, our results validate ATIC as a promising antifungal drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha S.I. Wizrah
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sheena M.H. Chua
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Zhenyao Luo
- School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mohammad K. Manik
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mengqi Pan
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jessica M.L. Whyte
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Avril A.B. Robertson
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ulrike Kappler
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bostjan Kobe
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - James A. Fraser
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia,For correspondence: James A. Fraser
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10
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Dutta N, Deb I, Sarzynska J, Lahiri A. Inosine and its methyl derivatives: Occurrence, biogenesis, and function in RNA. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 169-170:21-52. [PMID: 35065168 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Inosine is one of the most common post-transcriptional modifications. Since its discovery, it has been noted for its ability to contribute to non-Watson-Crick interactions within RNA. Rapidly accumulating evidence points to the widespread generation of inosine through hydrolytic deamination of adenosine to inosine by different classes of adenosine deaminases. Three naturally occurring methyl derivatives of inosine, i.e., 1-methylinosine, 2'-O-methylinosine and 1,2'-O-dimethylinosine are currently reported in RNA modification databases. These modifications are expected to lead to changes in the structure, folding, dynamics, stability and functions of RNA. The importance of the modifications is indicated by the strong conservation of the modifying enzymes across organisms. The structure, binding and catalytic mechanism of the adenosine deaminases have been well-studied, but the underlying mechanism of the catalytic reaction is not very clear yet. Here we extensively review the existing data on the occurrence, biogenesis and functions of inosine and its methyl derivatives in RNA. We also included the structural and thermodynamic aspects of these modifications in our review to provide a detailed and integrated discussion on the consequences of A-to-I editing in RNA and the contribution of different structural and thermodynamic studies in understanding its role in RNA. We also highlight the importance of further studies for a better understanding of the mechanisms of the different classes of deamination reactions. Further investigation of the structural and thermodynamic consequences and functions of these modifications in RNA should provide more useful information about their role in different diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivedita Dutta
- Department of Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta, 92, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata, 700009, West Bengal, India
| | - Indrajit Deb
- Department of Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta, 92, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata, 700009, West Bengal, India
| | - Joanna Sarzynska
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Ansuman Lahiri
- Department of Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta, 92, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata, 700009, West Bengal, India.
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11
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Chadwick GL, Skennerton CT, Laso-Pérez R, Leu AO, Speth DR, Yu H, Morgan-Lang C, Hatzenpichler R, Goudeau D, Malmstrom R, Brazelton WJ, Woyke T, Hallam SJ, Tyson GW, Wegener G, Boetius A, Orphan VJ. Comparative genomics reveals electron transfer and syntrophic mechanisms differentiating methanotrophic and methanogenic archaea. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001508. [PMID: 34986141 PMCID: PMC9012536 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to sulfate reduction is a microbially mediated process requiring a syntrophic partnership between anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME) archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Based on genome taxonomy, ANME lineages are polyphyletic within the phylum Halobacterota, none of which have been isolated in pure culture. Here, we reconstruct 28 ANME genomes from environmental metagenomes and flow sorted syntrophic consortia. Together with a reanalysis of previously published datasets, these genomes enable a comparative analysis of all marine ANME clades. We review the genomic features that separate ANME from their methanogenic relatives and identify what differentiates ANME clades. Large multiheme cytochromes and bioenergetic complexes predicted to be involved in novel electron bifurcation reactions are well distributed and conserved in the ANME archaea, while significant variations in the anabolic C1 pathways exists between clades. Our analysis raises the possibility that methylotrophic methanogenesis may have evolved from a methanotrophic ancestor. A comparative genomics study of anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME) archaea reveals the genetic "parts list" associated with the repeated evolutionary transition between methanogenic and methanotrophic metabolism in the archaeal domain of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grayson L. Chadwick
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GLC); (VJO)
| | - Connor T. Skennerton
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Rafael Laso-Pérez
- Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Science, and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Andy O. Leu
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Daan R. Speth
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Hang Yu
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Connor Morgan-Lang
- Graduate Program in Bioinformatics, University of British Columbia, Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Roland Hatzenpichler
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Danielle Goudeau
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Rex Malmstrom
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - William J. Brazelton
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Tanja Woyke
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Steven J. Hallam
- Graduate Program in Bioinformatics, University of British Columbia, Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada
- Genome Science and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- ECOSCOPE Training Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gene W. Tyson
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gunter Wegener
- Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Science, and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Antje Boetius
- Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Science, and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Victoria J. Orphan
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GLC); (VJO)
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12
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Zenchenko AA, Drenichev MS, Il’icheva IA, Mikhailov SN. Antiviral and Antimicrobial Nucleoside Derivatives: Structural Features and Mechanisms of Action. Mol Biol 2021; 55:786-812. [PMID: 34955556 PMCID: PMC8682041 DOI: 10.1134/s0026893321040105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of new viruses and resistant strains of pathogenic microorganisms has become a powerful stimulus in the search for new drugs. Nucleosides are a promising class of natural compounds, and more than a hundred drugs have already been created based on them, including antiviral, antibacterial and antitumor agents. The review considers the structural and functional features and mechanisms of action of known nucleoside analogs with antiviral, antibacterial or antiprotozoal activity. Particular attention is paid to the mechanisms that determine the antiviral effect of nucleoside analogs containing hydrophobic fragments. Depending on the structure and position of the hydrophobic substituent, such nucleosides can either block the process of penetration of viruses into cells or inhibit the stage of genome replication. The mechanisms of inhibition of viral enzymes by compounds of nucleoside and non-nucleoside nature have been compared. The stages of creation of antiparasitic drugs, which are based on the peculiarities of metabolic transformations of nucleosides in humans body and parasites, have been considered. A new approach to the creation of drugs is described, based on the use of prodrugs of modified nucleosides, which, as a result of metabolic processes, are converted into an effective drug directly in the target organ or tissue. This strategy makes it possible to reduce the general toxicity of the drug to humans and to increase the effectiveness of its action on cells infected by the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. A. Zenchenko
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - M. S. Drenichev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - I. A. Il’icheva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - S. N. Mikhailov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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13
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Fontecilla-Camps JC. Primordial bioenergy sources: The two facets of adenosine triphosphate. J Inorg Biochem 2020; 216:111347. [PMID: 33450675 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2020.111347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Life requires energy to exist, to reproduce and to survive. Two major hypotheses have been put forward concerning the source of this energy at the very early stages of life evolution: (i) abiotic organics either brought to Earth by comets and/or meteorites, or produced at its atmosphere, and (ii) mineral surface-dependent bioinorganic catalytic reactions. Considering the latter possibility, I propose that, besides being a precursor of nucleic acids, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which probably was used very early to improve the fidelity of nucleic acid polymerization, played an essential role in the transition between mineral-bound protocells and their free counterparts. Indeed, phosphorylation by ATP renders carboxylate groups electrophilic enough to react with nucleophiles such as amines, an effect that, thanks to their Lewis acid character, also have dehydrated metal ions on mineral surfaces. Early ATP synthesis for metabolic processes most likely depended on substrate level phosphorylation. However, the exaptation of a hexameric helicase-like ATPase and a transmembrane H+ pump (which evolved to counteract the acidity caused by fermentation reactions within the protocell) generated a much more efficient membrane-bound ATP synthase that uses chemiosmosis to make ATP.
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14
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Chua SM, Fraser JA. Surveying purine biosynthesis across the domains of life unveils promising drug targets in pathogens. Immunol Cell Biol 2020; 98:819-831. [PMID: 32748425 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Purines play an integral role in cellular processes such as energy metabolism, cell signaling and encoding the genetic makeup of all living organisms-ensuring that the purine metabolic pathway is maintained across all domains of life. To gain a deeper understanding of purine biosynthesis via the de novo biosynthetic pathway, the genes encoding purine metabolic enzymes from 35 archaean, 69 bacterial and 99 eukaryotic species were investigated. While the classic elements of the canonical purine metabolic pathway were utilized in all domains, a subset of familiar biochemical roles was found to be performed by unrelated proteins in some members of the Archaea and Bacteria. In the Bacteria, a major differentiating feature of de novo purine biosynthesis is the increasing prevalence of gene fusions, where two or more purine biosynthesis enzymes that perform consecutive biochemical functions in the pathway are encoded by a single gene. All species in the Eukaryota exhibited the most common fusions seen in the Bacteria, in addition to new gene fusions to potentially increase metabolic flux. This complexity is taken further in humans, where a reversible biomolecular assembly of enzymes known as the purinosome has been identified, allowing short-term regulation in response to metabolic cues while expanding on the benefits that can come from gene fusion. By surveying purine metabolism across all domains of life, we have identified important features of the purine biosynthetic pathway that can potentially be exploited as prospective drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Mh Chua
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - James A Fraser
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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15
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McCown PJ, Ruszkowska A, Kunkler CN, Breger K, Hulewicz JP, Wang MC, Springer NA, Brown JA. Naturally occurring modified ribonucleosides. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2020; 11:e1595. [PMID: 32301288 PMCID: PMC7694415 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The chemical identity of RNA molecules beyond the four standard ribonucleosides has fascinated scientists since pseudouridine was characterized as the "fifth" ribonucleotide in 1951. Since then, the ever-increasing number and complexity of modified ribonucleosides have been found in viruses and throughout all three domains of life. Such modifications can be as simple as methylations, hydroxylations, or thiolations, complex as ring closures, glycosylations, acylations, or aminoacylations, or unusual as the incorporation of selenium. While initially found in transfer and ribosomal RNAs, modifications also exist in messenger RNAs and noncoding RNAs. Modifications have profound cellular outcomes at various levels, such as altering RNA structure or being essential for cell survival or organism viability. The aberrant presence or absence of RNA modifications can lead to human disease, ranging from cancer to various metabolic and developmental illnesses such as Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome, Bowen-Conradi syndrome, or Williams-Beuren syndrome. In this review article, we summarize the characterization of all 143 currently known modified ribonucleosides by describing their taxonomic distributions, the enzymes that generate the modifications, and any implications in cellular processes, RNA structure, and disease. We also highlight areas of active research, such as specific RNAs that contain a particular type of modification as well as methodologies used to identify novel RNA modifications. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > RNA Editing and Modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip J. McCown
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
| | - Agnieszka Ruszkowska
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
- Present address:
Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryPolish Academy of SciencesPoznanPoland
| | - Charlotte N. Kunkler
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
| | - Kurtis Breger
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
| | - Jacob P. Hulewicz
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
| | - Matthew C. Wang
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
| | - Noah A. Springer
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
| | - Jessica A. Brown
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
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16
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Guo L, Wang J, Gou Y, Tan L, Liu H, Pan Y, Zhao Y. Comparative proteomics reveals stress responses of Vibrio parahaemolyticus biofilm on different surfaces: Internal adaptation and external adjustment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 731:138386. [PMID: 32417469 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a kind of gram-negative marine pathogen, which usually adheres to stainless steel (SS), glass (GS) and other abiotic surfaces in aquaculture and food processing in the form of biofilm and causes the spread of gastrointestinal illness. However, the deeply survival adaptation mechanism of V. parahaemolyticus biofilm cells on these contact surface remained unclear. Here, proteomics was used to investigated the physiological response of the V. parahaemolyticus biofilms cells to different abiotic surfaces (SS, GS and polystyrene (PS)). In addition, the effect of contact materials on the physical-chemical properties of biofilms are also characterized. Results showed that the expression of proteins of biofilm cells established on the SS surface were mainly related to the alleviation of metal ion stress and toxicity. The up-regulated proteins in the biofilm cells formed on the GS surface were mainly involved in the biological processes of sugar uptake, protein synthesis and bacterial chemotaxis. Meanwhile, the significantly expressed proteins in the biofilm cells formed on the PS surface were mainly involved in the cellular physiological activity of aromatic compound metabolism, osmotic stress and nutrient transport. All functional proteins mentioned above were closely related to the interaction characteristics of the contact surface and biofilm. This study provided an in-depth comparison of V. parahaemolyticus biofilm formation on these three abiotic surfaces, and presented a model in first time for the adaptation behavior of biofilm cells on different surfaces as affected by metal ion stress, nutrition, osmotic stress, and sugar utilization, which could facilitate an efficient control strategy for biofilm formation in industrial field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linxia Guo
- College of Food Science & Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- College of Food Science & Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Storage and Preservation (Shanghai), Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquatic-Product Processing & Preservation, Shanghai, China; Department of Food Science, Foshan University, Foshan, 528000, China
| | - Yi Gou
- College of Food Science & Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Tan
- College of Food Science & Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiquan Liu
- College of Food Science & Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Storage and Preservation (Shanghai), Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquatic-Product Processing & Preservation, Shanghai, China; Engineering Research Center of Food Thermal-processing Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Yingjie Pan
- College of Food Science & Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Storage and Preservation (Shanghai), Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquatic-Product Processing & Preservation, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Zhao
- College of Food Science & Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Storage and Preservation (Shanghai), Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquatic-Product Processing & Preservation, Shanghai, China.
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17
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Hunter CA, Plymale NI, Smee KM, Sarisky CA. Experimental characterization of two archaeal inosine 5'-monophosphate cyclohydrolases. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223983. [PMID: 31622427 PMCID: PMC6797443 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
There is variability as to how archaea catalyze the final step of de novo purine biosynthesis to form inosine 5’-monophosphate (IMP) from 5-formamidoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (FAICAR). Although non-archaea almost uniformly use the bifunctional PurH protein, which has an N-terminal IMP cyclohydrolase (PurH2) fused to a C-terminal folate-dependent aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) formyltransferase (PurH1) domain, a survey of the genomes of archaea reveals use of PurH2 (with or without fusion to PurH1), the “euryarchaeal signature protein” PurO, or an unidentified crenarchaeal IMP cyclohydrolase. In this report, we present the cloning and functional characterization of two representatives of the known IMP cyclohydrolase families. The locus TK0430 in Thermococcus kodakarensis encodes a PurO-type IMP cyclohydrolase with demonstrated activity despite its position in a cluster of apparently redundant biosynthetic genes, the first functional characterization of a PurO from a non-methanogen. Kinetic characterization reveals a Km for FAICAR of 1.56 ± 0.39 μM and a kcat of 0.48 ± 0.04 s-1. The locus AF1811 from Archaeoglobus fulgidus encodes a PurH2-type IMP cyclohydrolase. This Archaeoglobus fulgidus PurH2 has a Km of 7.8 ± 1.8 μM and kcat of 1.32 ± 0.14 s-1, representing the first characterization of an archaeal PurH2 and the first characterization of PurH2 that naturally occurs unfused to an AICAR formyltransferase domain. Each of these two characterized IMP cyclohydrolases converts FAICAR to IMP in vitro, and each cloned gene allows the growth on purine-deficient media of an E. coli purine auxotroph lacking the purH2 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A. Hunter
- Department of Chemistry, Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Nicholas I. Plymale
- Department of Chemistry, Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Kevin M. Smee
- Department of Chemistry, Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Catherine A. Sarisky
- Department of Chemistry, Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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18
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Costa Brandão Cruz D, Lima Santana L, Siqueira Guedes A, Teodoro de Souza J, Arthur Santos Marbach P. Different Ways of Doing the Same: Variations in the Two Last Steps of the Purine Biosynthetic Pathway in Prokaryotes. Genome Biol Evol 2019; 11:1235-1249. [PMID: 30785193 PMCID: PMC6486802 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The last two steps of the purine biosynthetic pathway may be catalyzed by different enzymes in prokaryotes. The genes that encode these enzymes include homologs of purH, purP, purO and those encoding the AICARFT and IMPCH domains of PurH, here named purV and purJ, respectively. In Bacteria, these reactions are mainly catalyzed by the domains AICARFT and IMPCH of PurH. In Archaea, these reactions may be carried out by PurH and also by PurP and PurO, both considered signatures of this domain and analogous to the AICARFT and IMPCH domains of PurH, respectively. These genes were searched for in 1,403 completely sequenced prokaryotic genomes publicly available. Our analyses revealed taxonomic patterns for the distribution of these genes and anticorrelations in their occurrence. The analyses of bacterial genomes revealed the existence of genes coding for PurV, PurJ, and PurO, which may no longer be considered signatures of the domain Archaea. Although highly divergent, the PurOs of Archaea and Bacteria show a high level of conservation in the amino acids of the active sites of the protein, allowing us to infer that these enzymes are analogs. Based on the results, we propose that the gene purO was present in the common ancestor of all living beings, whereas the gene encoding PurP emerged after the divergence of Archaea and Bacteria and their isoforms originated in duplication events in the common ancestor of phyla Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota. The results reported here expand our understanding of the diversity and evolution of the last two steps of the purine biosynthetic pathway in prokaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lenon Lima Santana
- CCAAB, Biological Sciences, Recôncavo da Bahia Federal University, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil
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Cao P, Ren Y, Liu X, Zhang T, Zhang P, Xiao L, Zhang F, Liu S, Jiang L, Wan J. Purine nucleotide biosynthetic gene GARS controls early chloroplast development in rice (Oryza sativa L.). PLANT CELL REPORTS 2019; 38:183-194. [PMID: 30499032 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-018-2360-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
GARS encodes an enzyme catalyzing the second step of purine nucleotide biosynthesis and plays an important role to maintain the development of chloroplasts in juvenile plants by affecting the expression of plastid-encoded genes. A series of rice white striped mutants were previously described. In this research, we characterized a novel gars mutant with white striped leaves at the seedling stage. By positional cloning, we identified the mutated gene, which encodes a glycinamide ribonucleotide synthetase (GARS) that catalyzes the second step of purine nucleotide biosynthesis. Thylakoid membranes were less abundant in the albinic sectors of mutant seedling leaves compared to the wild type. The expression levels of genes involved in chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthesis were changed. Contents of ATP, ADP, AMP, GTP and GDP, which are crucial for plant growth and development, were decreased in the mutant seedlings. Complementation and CrispR tests confirmed the role of the GARS allele, which was expressed in all rice tissues, especially in the leaves. GARS protein displayed a typical chloroplast location pattern in rice protoplasts. Our results indicated that GARS was involved in chloroplast development at early leaf development by affecting the expression of plastid-encoded genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penghui Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yakun Ren
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xi Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Tianyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Lianjie Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Fulin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shijia Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Ling Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Jianmin Wan
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
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20
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Fontecilla-Camps JC. Geochemical Continuity and Catalyst/Cofactor Replacement in the Emergence and Evolution of Life. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018; 58:42-48. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201808438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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21
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Fontecilla-Camps JC. Geochemische Kontinuität und Katalysator/Cofaktor-Austausch für Ursprung und Evolution des Lebens. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201808438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Karuppusamy S, Mutharia L, Kelton D, Karrow N, Kirby G. Identification of antigenic proteins from Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis cell envelope by comparative proteomic analysis. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2018; 164:322-337. [PMID: 29458660 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Johne's disease (JD) is a contagious, chronic granulomatous enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). The aim of this study was to identify antigenic proteins from the MAP cell envelope (i.e. cell wall and cytoplasmic membranes) by comparing MAP, M. avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) and M. smegmatis (MS) cell envelope protein profiles using a proteomic approach. Composite two-dimensional (2D) difference gel electrophoresis images revealed 13 spots present only in the image of the MAP cell envelope proteins. Using serum from MAP-infected cattle, immunoblot analysis of 2D gels revealed that proteins in the 13 spots were antigenic. These proteins were identified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry as products of the following genes: sdhA, fadE25_2, mkl, citA, gapdh, fadE3_2, moxR1, mmp, purC, mdh, atpG, fbpB and desA2 as well as two proteins without gene names identified as transcriptional regulator (MAP0035) protein and hypothetical protein (MAP1233). Protein functions ranged from energy generation, cell wall biosynthesis, protein maturation, bacterial replication and invasion of epithelial cells, functions considered essential to MAP virulence and intracellular survival. Five MAP cell envelope proteins, i.e. SdhA, FadE25_2, FadE3_2, MAP0035 and DesA2 were recombinantly expressed, three of which, i.e. SdhA, FadE25_2 and DesA2, were of sufficient purity and yield to generate polyclonal antibodies. Immunoblot analysis revealed antibodies reacted specifically to the respective MAP cell envelope proteins with minimal cross-reactivity with MAH and MS cell envelope proteins. Identification and characterization of MAP-specific proteins and antibodies to those proteins may be useful in developing new diagnostic tests for JD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucy Mutharia
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - David Kelton
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Niel Karrow
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Gordon Kirby
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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Lipscomb GL, Schut GJ, Scott RA, Adams MWW. SurR is a master regulator of the primary electron flow pathways in the order Thermococcales. Mol Microbiol 2017; 104:869-881. [PMID: 28295726 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The sulfur response regulator, SurR, is among a handful of known redox-active transcriptional regulators. First characterized from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus, it is unique to the archaeal order Thermococcales. P. furiosus has two modes of electron disposal. Hydrogen gas is produced when the organism is grown in the absence of elemental sulfur (S0 ) and H2 S is produced when grown in its presence. Switching between these metabolic modes requires a rapid transcriptional response and this is orchestrated by SurR. We show here that deletion of SurR causes severely impaired growth in the absence of S0 since genes essential for H2 metabolism are no longer activated. Conversely, a strain containing a constitutively active SurR variant displays a growth phenotype in the presence of S0 due to constitutive repression of S0 -responsive genes. During a metabolic shift initiated by addition of S0 to the growth medium, both strains demonstrate a de-regulation of genes involved in the SurR regulon, including hydrogenase and related S0 -responsive genes. These results demonstrate that SurR is a master regulator of electron flow within P. furiosus, likely affecting the pools of ferredoxin, NADPH and NADH, as well as influencing metabolic pathways and thiol/disulfide redox balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina L Lipscomb
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Gerrit J Schut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Robert A Scott
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Michael W W Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Vorontsov EA, Rensen E, Prangishvili D, Krupovic M, Chamot-Rooke J. Abundant Lysine Methylation and N-Terminal Acetylation in Sulfolobus islandicus Revealed by Bottom-Up and Top-Down Proteomics. Mol Cell Proteomics 2016; 15:3388-3404. [PMID: 27555370 PMCID: PMC5098037 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m116.058073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein post-translational methylation has been reported to occur in archaea, including members of the genus Sulfolobus, but has never been characterized on a proteome-wide scale. Among important Sulfolobus proteins carrying such modification are the chromatin proteins that have been described to be methylated on lysine side chains, resembling eukaryotic histones in that aspect. To get more insight into the extent of this modification and its dynamics during the different growth steps of the thermoacidophylic archaeon S. islandicus LAL14/1, we performed a global and deep proteomic analysis using a combination of high-throughput bottom-up and top-down approaches on a single high-resolution mass spectrometer. 1,931 methylation sites on 751 proteins were found by the bottom-up analysis, with methylation sites on 526 proteins monitored throughout three cell culture growth stages: early-exponential, mid-exponential, and stationary. The top-down analysis revealed 3,978 proteoforms arising from 681 proteins, including 292 methylated proteoforms, 85 of which were comprehensively characterized. Methylated proteoforms of the five chromatin proteins (Alba1, Alba2, Cren7, Sul7d1, Sul7d2) were fully characterized by a combination of bottom-up and top-down data. The top-down analysis also revealed an increase of methylation during cell growth for two chromatin proteins, which had not been evidenced by bottom-up. These results shed new light on the ubiquitous lysine methylation throughout the S. islandicus proteome. Furthermore, we found that S. islandicus proteins are frequently acetylated at the N terminus, following the removal of the N-terminal methionine. This study highlights the great value of combining bottom-up and top-down proteomics for obtaining an unprecedented level of accuracy in detecting differentially modified intact proteoforms. The data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange with identifiers PXD003074 and PXD004179.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egor A Vorontsov
- From the ‡Structural Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Unit, Structural Biology and Chemistry Department, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Elena Rensen
- §Unit of the Molecular Biology of Gene in Extremophiles, Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - David Prangishvili
- §Unit of the Molecular Biology of Gene in Extremophiles, Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Mart Krupovic
- §Unit of the Molecular Biology of Gene in Extremophiles, Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; julia.chamot-rooke@pasteur
| | - Julia Chamot-Rooke
- From the ‡Structural Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Unit, Structural Biology and Chemistry Department, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; julia.chamot-rooke@pasteur
- ¶UMR3528 CNRS, Paris, France
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25
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Losensky G, Jung K, Urlaub H, Pfeifer F, Fröls S, Lenz C. Shedding light on biofilm formation ofHalobacterium salinarumR1 by SWATH-LC/MS/MS analysis of planktonic and sessile cells. Proteomics 2016; 17. [DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201600111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Revised: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Losensky
- Microbiology and Archaea; Department of Biology; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Darmstadt Germany
| | - Klaus Jung
- Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics; University of Veterinary Medicine Foundation; Hannover Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group; Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; Göttingen Germany
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry; Bioanalytics; University Medical Center Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Felicitas Pfeifer
- Microbiology and Archaea; Department of Biology; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Darmstadt Germany
| | - Sabrina Fröls
- Microbiology and Archaea; Department of Biology; Technische Universität Darmstadt; Darmstadt Germany
| | - Christof Lenz
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group; Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; Göttingen Germany
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry; Bioanalytics; University Medical Center Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
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Catalytic pathway, substrate binding and stability in SAICAR synthetase: A structure and molecular dynamics study. J Struct Biol 2015; 191:22-31. [PMID: 26072057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2015] [Revised: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The de novo purine biosynthesis is one of the highly conserved pathways among all organisms and is essential for the cell viability. A clear understanding of the enzymes in this pathway would pave way for the development of antimicrobial and anticancer drugs. Phosphoribosylaminoimidazole-succinocarboxamide (SAICAR) synthetase is one of the enzymes in this pathway that catalyzes ATP dependent ligation of carboxyaminoimidazole ribotide (CAIR) with l-aspartate (ASP). Here, we describe eight crystal structures of this enzyme, in C2221 and H3 space groups, bound to various substrates and substrate mimics from a hyperthermophilic archaea Pyrococcus horikoshii along with molecular dynamics simulations of the structures with substrates. Complexes exhibit minimal deviation from its apo structure. The CAIR binding site displays a preference for pyrimidine nucleotides. In the ADP·TMP·ASP complex, the ASP binds at a position equivalent to that found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae structure (PDB: 2CNU) and thus, clears the ambiguity regarding ASP's position. A possible mode for the inhibition of the enzyme by CTP and UTP, observed earlier in the yeast enzyme, is clearly illustrated in the structures bound to CMP and UMP. The ADP.Mg(2+)·PO4·CD/MP complex having a phosphate ion between the ATP and CAIR sites strengthens one of the two probable pathways (proposed in Escherichia coli study) of catalytic mechanism and suggests the possibility of a phosphorylation taking place before the ASP's attack on CAIR. Molecular dynamic simulations of this enzyme along with its substrates at 90°C reveal the relative strengths of substrate binding, possible antagonism and the role of Mg(2+) ions.
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The place of RNA in the origin and early evolution of the genetic machinery. Life (Basel) 2014; 4:1050-91. [PMID: 25532530 PMCID: PMC4284482 DOI: 10.3390/life4041050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Revised: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The extant genetic machinery revolves around three interrelated polymers: RNA, DNA and proteins. Two evolutionary views approach this vital connection from opposite perspectives. The RNA World theory posits that life began in a cold prebiotic broth of monomers with the de novo emergence of replicating RNA as functionally self-contained polymer and that subsequent evolution is characterized by RNA → DNA memory takeover and ribozyme → enzyme catalyst takeover. The FeS World theory posits that life began as an autotrophic metabolism in hot volcanic-hydrothermal fluids and evolved with organic products turning into ligands for transition metal catalysts thereby eliciting feedback and feed-forward effects. In this latter context it is posited that the three polymers of the genetic machinery essentially coevolved from monomers through oligomers to polymers, operating functionally first as ligands for ligand-accelerated transition metal catalysis with later addition of base stacking and base pairing, whereby the functional dichotomy between hereditary DNA with stability on geologic time scales and transient, catalytic RNA with stability on metabolic time scales existed since the dawn of the genetic machinery. Both approaches are assessed comparatively for chemical soundness.
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Armenta-Medina D, Segovia L, Perez-Rueda E. Comparative genomics of nucleotide metabolism: a tour to the past of the three cellular domains of life. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:800. [PMID: 25230797 PMCID: PMC4177761 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nucleotide metabolism is central to all biological systems, due to their essential role in genetic information and energy transfer, which in turn suggests its possible presence in the last common ancestor (LCA) of Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya. In this context, elucidation of the contribution of the origin and diversification of de novo and salvage pathways of nucleotide metabolism will allow us to understand the links between the enzymatic steps associated with the LCA and the emergence of the first metabolic pathways. RESULTS In this work, the taxonomical distribution of the enzymes associated with nucleotide metabolism was evaluated in 1,606 complete genomes. 151 sequence profiles associated with 120 enzymatic reactions were used. The evaluation was based on profile comparisons, using RPS-Blast. Organisms were clustered based on their taxonomical classifications, in order to obtain a normalized measure of the taxonomical distribution of enzymes according to the average of presence/absence of enzymes per genus, which in turn was used for the second step, to calculate the average presence/absence of enzymes per Clade. CONCLUSION From these analyses, it was suggested that divergence at the enzymatic level correlates with environmental changes and related modifications of the cell wall and membranes that took place during cell evolution. Specifically, the divergence of the 5-(carboxyamino) imidazole ribonucleotide mutase to phosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase could be related to the emergence of multicellularity in eukaryotic cells. In addition, segments of salvage and de novo pathways were probably complementary in the LCA to the synthesis of purines and pyrimidines. We also suggest that a large portion of the pathway to inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) in purines could have been involved in thiamine synthesis or its derivatives in early stages of cellular evolution, correlating with the fact that these molecules may have played an active role in the protein-RNA world. The analysis presented here provides general observations concerning the adaptation of the enzymatic steps in the early stages of the emergence of life and the LCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagoberto Armenta-Medina
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM Av, Universidad 2001, Cuernavaca, Morelos CP 62210, México.
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29
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Borrel G, Parisot N, Harris HMB, Peyretaillade E, Gaci N, Tottey W, Bardot O, Raymann K, Gribaldo S, Peyret P, O’Toole PW, Brugère JF. Comparative genomics highlights the unique biology of Methanomassiliicoccales, a Thermoplasmatales-related seventh order of methanogenic archaea that encodes pyrrolysine. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:679. [PMID: 25124552 PMCID: PMC4153887 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A seventh order of methanogens, the Methanomassiliicoccales, has been identified in diverse anaerobic environments including the gastrointestinal tracts (GIT) of humans and other animals and may contribute significantly to methane emission and global warming. Methanomassiliicoccales are phylogenetically distant from all other orders of methanogens and belong to a large evolutionary branch composed by lineages of non-methanogenic archaea such as Thermoplasmatales, the Deep Hydrothermal Vent Euryarchaeota-2 (DHVE-2, Aciduliprofundum boonei) and the Marine Group-II (MG-II). To better understand this new order and its relationship to other archaea, we manually curated and extensively compared the genome sequences of three Methanomassiliicoccales representatives derived from human GIT microbiota, "Candidatus Methanomethylophilus alvus", "Candidatus Methanomassiliicoccus intestinalis" and Methanomassiliicoccus luminyensis. RESULTS Comparative analyses revealed atypical features, such as the scattering of the ribosomal RNA genes in the genome and the absence of eukaryotic-like histone gene otherwise present in most of Euryarchaeota genomes. Previously identified in Thermoplasmatales genomes, these features are presently extended to several completely sequenced genomes of this large evolutionary branch, including MG-II and DHVE2. The three Methanomassiliicoccales genomes share a unique composition of genes involved in energy conservation suggesting an original combination of two main energy conservation processes previously described in other methanogens. They also display substantial differences with each other, such as their codon usage, the nature and origin of their CRISPRs systems and the genes possibly involved in particular environmental adaptations. The genome of M. luminyensis encodes several features to thrive in soil and sediment conditions suggesting its larger environmental distribution than GIT. Conversely, "Ca. M. alvus" and "Ca. M. intestinalis" do not present these features and could be more restricted and specialized on GIT. Prediction of the amber codon usage, either as a termination signal of translation or coding for pyrrolysine revealed contrasted patterns among the three genomes and suggests a different handling of the Pyl-encoding capacity. CONCLUSIONS This study represents the first insights into the genomic organization and metabolic traits of the seventh order of methanogens. It suggests contrasted evolutionary history among the three analyzed Methanomassiliicoccales representatives and provides information on conserved characteristics among the overall methanogens and among Thermoplasmata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Borrel
- />EA-4678 CIDAM, Clermont Université, Université d’Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
- />School of Microbiology and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Nicolas Parisot
- />EA-4678 CIDAM, Clermont Université, Université d’Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
- />CNRS, UMR 6023, Université Blaise Pascal, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Hugh MB Harris
- />School of Microbiology and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Eric Peyretaillade
- />EA-4678 CIDAM, Clermont Université, Université d’Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Nadia Gaci
- />EA-4678 CIDAM, Clermont Université, Université d’Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - William Tottey
- />EA-4678 CIDAM, Clermont Université, Université d’Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Olivier Bardot
- />GReD, CNRS, UMR 6293, Inserm, UMR 1103, Clermont Université, Université d’Auvergne 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Kasie Raymann
- />Département de Microbiologie, Unité de Biologie Moléculaire du Gène chez les Extrêmophiles, Paris Cedex 15, 75724 France
- />Cellule Pasteur UPMC, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris Cedex 15, 75724 France
| | - Simonetta Gribaldo
- />Département de Microbiologie, Unité de Biologie Moléculaire du Gène chez les Extrêmophiles, Paris Cedex 15, 75724 France
- />Cellule Pasteur UPMC, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris Cedex 15, 75724 France
| | - Pierre Peyret
- />EA-4678 CIDAM, Clermont Université, Université d’Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Paul W O’Toole
- />School of Microbiology and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Jean-François Brugère
- />EA-4678 CIDAM, Clermont Université, Université d’Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Zhang D, Iyer LM, Burroughs AM, Aravind L. Resilience of biochemical activity in protein domains in the face of structural divergence. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2014; 26:92-103. [PMID: 24952217 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2014.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies point to the prevalence of the evolutionary phenomenon of drastic structural transformation of protein domains while continuing to preserve their basic biochemical function. These transformations span a wide spectrum, including simple domains incorporated into larger structural scaffolds, changes in the structural core, major active site shifts, topological rewiring and extensive structural transmogrifications. Proteins from biological conflict systems, such as toxin-antitoxin, restriction-modification, CRISPR/Cas, polymorphic toxin and secondary metabolism systems commonly display such transformations. These include endoDNases, metal-independent RNases, deaminases, ADP ribosyltransferases, immunity proteins, kinases and E1-like enzymes. In eukaryotes such transformations are seen in domains involved in chromatin-related peptide recognition and protein/DNA-modification. Intense selective pressures from 'arms-race'-like situations in conflict and macromolecular modification systems could favor drastic structural divergence while preserving function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dapeng Zhang
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Lakshminarayan M Iyer
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - A Maxwell Burroughs
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - L Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA.
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Predominant Acidilobus-like populations from geothermal environments in yellowstone national park exhibit similar metabolic potential in different hypoxic microbial communities. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 80:294-305. [PMID: 24162572 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02860-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
High-temperature (>70°C) ecosystems in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) provide an unparalleled opportunity to study chemotrophic archaea and their role in microbial community structure and function under highly constrained geochemical conditions. Acidilobus spp. (order Desulfurococcales) comprise one of the dominant phylotypes in hypoxic geothermal sulfur sediment and Fe(III)-oxide environments along with members of the Thermoproteales and Sulfolobales. Consequently, the primary goals of the current study were to analyze and compare replicate de novo sequence assemblies of Acidilobus-like populations from four different mildly acidic (pH 3.3 to 6.1) high-temperature (72°C to 82°C) environments and to identify metabolic pathways and/or protein-encoding genes that provide a detailed foundation of the potential functional role of these populations in situ. De novo assemblies of the highly similar Acidilobus-like populations (>99% 16S rRNA gene identity) represent near-complete consensus genomes based on an inventory of single-copy genes, deduced metabolic potential, and assembly statistics generated across sites. Functional analysis of coding sequences and confirmation of gene transcription by Acidilobus-like populations provide evidence that they are primarily chemoorganoheterotrophs, generating acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) via the degradation of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, and auxotrophic with respect to several external vitamins, cofactors, and metabolites. No obvious pathways or protein-encoding genes responsible for the dissimilatory reduction of sulfur were identified. The presence of a formate dehydrogenase (Fdh) and other protein-encoding genes involved in mixed-acid fermentation supports the hypothesis that Acidilobus spp. function as degraders of complex organic constituents in high-temperature, mildly acidic, hypoxic geothermal systems.
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