PCC 6803

sll1019 and slr1259 encoding glyoxalase II improve tolerance of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to methylglyoxal- and ethanol- induced oxidative stress by glyoxalase pathway

The glyoxalase pathway is the primary detoxification mechanism for methylglyoxal (MG), a ubiquitous toxic metabolite that disrupts redox homeostasis. In the glyoxalase pathway, glyoxalase II (GlyII) can completely detoxify MG. Increasing the activity of the glyoxalase system can enhance the resistance of plants or organisms to abiotic stress, but the relevant mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the physiological functions of GlyII genes (sll1019 and slr1259) in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 under MG or ethanol stress based on transcriptome and metabolome data. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) results showed that proteins Sll1019 and Slr1259 had GlyII activity. Under stress conditions, sll1019 and slr1259 protected the strain against oxidative stress by enhancing the activity of the glyoxalase pathway and raising the contents of antioxidants such as glutathione and superoxide dismutase. In the photosynthetic system, sll1019 and slr1259 indirectly affected the light energy absorption by strains, synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, and activities of photosystem I and photosystem II, which was crucial for the growth of the strain under stress conditions. In addition, sll1019 and slr1259 enhanced the tolerance of strain to oxidative stress by indirectly regulating metabolic networks, including ensuring energy acquisition, NADH and NADPH production, and phosphate and nitrate transport. This study reveals the mechanism by which sll1019 and slr1259 improve oxidative stress tolerance of strains by glyoxalase pathway. Our findings provide theoretical basis for breeding, seedling, and field production of abiotic stress tolerance-enhanced variety.IMPORTANCEThe glyoxalase system is present in most organisms, and it is the primary pathway for eliminating the toxic metabolite methylglyoxal. Increasing the activity of the glyoxalase system can enhance plant resistance to environmental stress, but the relevant mechanism is poorly understood. This study revealed the physiological functions of glyoxalase II genes sll1019 and slr1259 in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 under abiotic stress conditions and their regulatory effects on oxidative stress tolerance of strains. Under stress conditions, sll1019 and slr1259 enhanced the activity of the glyoxalase pathway and the antioxidant system, maintained photosynthesis, ensured energy acquisition, NADH and NADPH production, and phosphate and nitrate transport, thereby protecting the strain against oxidative stress. This study lays a foundation for further deciphering the mechanism by which the glyoxalase system enhances the tolerance of cells to abiotic stress, providing important information for breeding, seedling, and selection of plants with strong stress resistance.

The Glutathione System: A Journey from Cyanobacteria to Higher Eukaryotes

From bacteria to plants and humans, the glutathione system plays a pleiotropic role in cell defense against metabolic, oxidative and metal stresses. Glutathione (GSH), the γ-L-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine nucleophile tri-peptide, is the central player of this system that acts in redox homeostasis, detoxification and iron metabolism in most living organisms. GSH directly scavenges diverse reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as singlet oxygen, superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide and carbon radicals. It also serves as a cofactor for various enzymes, such as glutaredoxins (Grxs), glutathione peroxidases (Gpxs), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), which play crucial roles in cell detoxication. This review summarizes what is known concerning the GSH-system (GSH, GSH-derived metabolites and GSH-dependent enzymes) in selected model organisms (Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis thaliana and human), emphasizing cyanobacteria for the following reasons. Cyanobacteria are environmentally crucial and biotechnologically important organisms that are regarded as having evolved photosynthesis and the GSH system to protect themselves against the ROS produced by their active photoautotrophic metabolism. Furthermore, cyanobacteria synthesize the GSH-derived metabolites, ergothioneine and phytochelatin, that play crucial roles in cell detoxication in humans and plants, respectively. Cyanobacteria also synthesize the thiol-less GSH homologs ophthalmate and norophthalmate that serve as biomarkers of various diseases in humans. Hence, cyanobacteria are well-suited to thoroughly analyze the role/specificity/redundancy of the players of the GSH-system using a genetic approach (deletion/overproduction) that is hardly feasible with other model organisms (E. coli and S. cerevisiae do not synthesize ergothioneine, while plants and humans acquire it from their soil and their diet, respectively).

Regulation of antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems in cyanobacteria

Oxidative stress is common consequence of abiotic stress in plants as well as cyanobacteria caused by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), an inevitable product of respiration and photosynthetic electron transport. ROS act as signalling molecule at low concentration however, when its production exceeds the endurance capacity of antioxidative defence system, the organisms suffer oxidative stress. A highly toxic metabolite, methylglyoxal (MG) is also produced in cyanobacteria in response to various abiotic stresses which consequently augment the ensuing oxidative damage. Taking recourse to the common lineage of eukaryotic plants and cyanobacteria, it would be worthwhile to explore the regulatory role of glyoxalase system and antioxidative defense mechanism in combating abiotic stress in cyanobacteria. This review provides comprehensive information on the complete glyoxalase system (GlyI, GlyII and GlyIII) in cyanobacteria. Furthermore, it elucidates the recent understanding regarding the production of ROS and MG, noteworthy link between intracellular MG and ROS and its detoxification via synchronization of antioxidants (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) and glyoxalase systems using glutathione (GSH) as common co-factor.

Methylglyoxal Detoxification Revisited: Role of Glutathione Transferase in Model Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803

In most organisms, methylglyoxal (MG), a toxic metabolite by-product that causes diabetes in humans, is predominantly detoxified by the glyoxalase enzymes. This process begins with the so-called “spontaneous” conjugation of MG with the cytoprotectant metabolite glutathione (GSH). In this study, we unravel a logical, but as yet unsuspected, link between MG detoxification and a (prokaryotic) representative of the ubiquitous glutathione transferase (GST) enzymes. We show that a GST of a model cyanobacterium plays a prominent role in the detoxification of MG in catalyzing its conjugation with GSH. This finding is important because this reaction, always regarded as nonenzymatic, could exist in plants and/or human and thus have an impact on agriculture and/or human health.

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a detrimental metabolic by-product that threatens most organisms (in humans MG causes diabetes). MG is predominantly detoxified by the glyoxalase pathway. This process begins with the conjugation of MG with glutathione (GSH), yielding a hemithioacetal product that is subsequently transformed by the glyoxalase enzymes into d-lactate and GSH. MG has been overlooked in photosynthetic organisms, although they inevitably produce it not only by the catabolism of sugars, lipids, and amino acids, as do heterotrophic organisms, but also by their active photoautotrophic metabolism. This is especially true for cyanobacteria that are regarded as having developed photosynthesis and GSH-dependent enzymes to detoxify the reactive oxygen species produced by their photosynthesis (CO₂ assimilation) and respiration (glucose catabolism), which they perform in the same cell compartment. In this study, we used a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches to characterize a logical, but as yet never described, link between MG detoxification and a (prokaryotic) representative of the evolutionarily conserved glutathione transferase (GST) detoxification enzymes. We show that the Sll0067 GST of the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 plays a prominent role in MG tolerance and detoxification, unlike the other five GSTs of this organism. Sll0067 catalyzes the conjugation of MG with GSH to initiate its elimination driven by glyoxalases. These results are novel because the conjugation of MG with GSH is always described as nonenzymatic. They will certainly stimulate the analysis of Sll0067 orthologs from other organisms with possible impacts on human health (development of biomarkers or drugs) and/or agriculture.

Alr2321, a multiple stress inducible glyoxalase I of Anabaena sp. PCC7120 detoxifies methylglyoxal and reactive species oxygen

Abiotic stresses enhance the cellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which consequently leads to toxic methylglyoxal (MG) production. Glyoxalases (GlyI & GlyII) catalyze the conversion of toxic MG into non-toxic lactic acid but their properties and functions have been overlooked in cyanobacteria. This is the first attempt to conduct a genome-wide analysis of GlyI protein (PF00903) from Anabaena sp. PCC7120. Out of total nine GlyI domain possessing proteins, only three (Alr2321, Alr4469, All1022) harbour conserve His/Glu/His/Glu metal binding site at their homologous position and are deficient in conserved region specific for Zn²⁺ dependent members. Their biochemical, structural and functional characterization revealed that only Alr2321 is a homodimeric Ni²⁺ dependent active GlyI with catalytic efficiency 11.7 × 10⁶ M^-1 s^-1. It has also been found that Alr2321 is activated by various divalent metal ions and has maximum GlyI activity with Ni²⁺ followed by Co²⁺ > Mn²⁺ > Cu²⁺ and no activity with Zn^2+. Moreover, the expression of alr2321 was found to be maximally up-regulated under heat (19 fold) followed by cadmium, desiccation, arsenic, salinity and UV-B stresses. BL21/pGEX-5X2-alr2321 showed improved growth under various abiotic stresses as compared to BL21/pGEX-5X2 by increased scavenging of intracellular MG and ROS levels. Taken together, these results suggest noteworthy links between intracellular MG and ROS, its detoxification by Alr2321, a member of GlyI family of Anabaena sp. PCC7120, in relation to abiotic stress.

Responses of the chloroplast glyoxalase system to high CO2 concentrations

Sugar metabolism pathways such as photosynthesis produce dicarbonyls, e.g. methylglyoxal (MG), which can cause cellular damage. The glyoxalase (GLX) system comprises two enzymes GLX1 and GLX2, and detoxifies MG; however, this system is poorly understood in the chloroplast, compared with the cytosol. In the present study, we determined GLX1 and GLX2 activities in spinach chloroplasts, which constituted 40% and 10%, respectively, of the total leaf glyoxalase activity. In Arabidopsis thaliana, five GFP-fusion GLXs were present in the chloroplasts. Under high CO₂ concentrations, where increased photosynthesis promotes the MG production, GLX1 and GLX2 activities in A. thaliana increased and the expression of AtGLX1-2 and AtGLX2-5 was enhanced. On the basis of these findings and the phylogeny of GLX in oxygenic phototrophs, we propose that the GLX system scavenges MG produced in chloroplasts during photosynthesis.

Deletion of sll1541 in Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803 Allows Formation of a Far-Red-Shifted holo-Proteorhodopsin In Vivo

In many pro- and eukaryotes, a retinal-based proton pump equips the cell to drive ATP synthesis with (sun)light. Such pumps, therefore, have been proposed as a plug-in for cyanobacteria to artificially increase the efficiency of oxygenic photosynthesis. However, little information on the metabolism of retinal, their chromophore, is available for these organisms. We have studied the in vivo roles of five genes (sll1541, slr1648, slr0091, slr1192, and slr0574) potentially involved in retinal metabolism in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. With a gene deletion approach, we have shown that Synechocystis apo-carotenoid-15,15-oxygenase (SynACO), encoded by gene sll1541, is an indispensable enzyme for retinal synthesis in Synechocystis, presumably via asymmetric cleavage of β-apo-carotenal. The second carotenoid oxygenase (SynDiox2), encoded by gene slr1648, competes with SynACO for substrate(s) but only measurably contributes to retinal biosynthesis in stationary phase via an as-yet-unknown mechanism. In vivo degradation of retinal may proceed through spontaneous chemical oxidation and via enzyme-catalyzed processes. Deletion of gene slr0574 (encoding CYP120A1), but not of slr0091 or of slr1192, causes an increase (relative to the level in wild-type Synechocystis) in the retinal content in both the linear and stationary growth phases. These results suggest that CYP120A1 does contribute to retinal degradation. Preliminary data obtained using ¹³C-labeled retinal suggest that conversion to retinol and retinoic acid and subsequent further oxidation also play a role. Deletion of sll1541 leads to deficiency in retinal synthesis and allows the in vivo reconstitution of far-red-absorbing holo-proteorhodopsin with exogenous retinal analogues, as demonstrated here for all-trans 3,4-dehydroretinal and 3-methylamino-16-nor-1,2,3,4-didehydroretinal.IMPORTANCE Retinal is formed by many cyanobacteria and has a critical role in most forms of life for processes such as photoreception, growth, and stress survival. However, the metabolic pathways in cyanobacteria for synthesis and degradation of retinal are poorly understood. In this paper we identify genes involved in its synthesis, characterize their role, and provide an initial characterization of the pathway of its degradation. This led to the identification of sll1541 (encoding SynACO) as the essential gene for retinal synthesis. Multiple pathways for retinal degradation presumably exist. These results have allowed us to construct a strain that expresses a light-dependent proton pump with an action spectrum extending beyond 700 nm. The availability of this strain will be important for further work aimed at increasing the overall efficiency of oxygenic photosynthesis.

Medium-chain dehydrogenase/reductase and aldo-keto reductase scavenge reactive carbonyls in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Reactive carbonyls (RCs), which are inevitably produced during respiratory and photosynthetic metabolism, have the potential to cause oxidative damage to photosynthetic organisms. Previously, we proposed a scavenging model for RCs in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (S. 6803). In the current study, we constructed mutants deficient in the enzymes medium-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (ΔMDR) and aldo-keto reductase (ΔAKR) to investigate their contributions to RC scavenging in vivo. We found that treatment with the lipid-derived RC acrolein causes growth inhibition and promotes greater protein carbonylation in ΔMDR, compared with the wild-type and ΔAKR. In both ΔMDR and ΔAKR, photosynthesis is severely inhibited in the presence of acrolein. These results suggest that these enzymes function as part of the scavenging systems for RCs in S. 6803 in vivo.

A Carbon Dioxide Limitation-Inducible Protein, ColA, Supports the Growth of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002

A limitation in carbon dioxide (CO₂), which occurs as a result of natural environmental variation, suppresses photosynthesis and has the potential to cause photo-oxidative damage to photosynthetic cells. Oxygenic phototrophs have strategies to alleviate photo-oxidative damage to allow life in present atmospheric CO₂ conditions. However, the mechanisms for CO₂ limitation acclimation are diverse among the various oxygenic phototrophs, and many mechanisms remain to be discovered. In this study, we found that the gene encoding a CO₂ limitation-inducible protein, ColA, is required for the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 (S. 7002) to acclimate to limited CO₂ conditions. An S. 7002 mutant deficient in ColA (ΔcolA) showed lower chlorophyll content, based on the amount of nitrogen, than that in S. 7002 wild-type (WT) under ambient air but not high CO₂ conditions. Both thermoluminescence and protein carbonylation detected in the ambient air grown cells indicated that the lack of ColA promotes oxidative stress in S. 7002. Alterations in the photosynthetic O₂ evolution rate and relative electron transport rate in the short-term response, within an hour, to CO₂ limitation were the same between the WT and ΔcolA. Conversely, these photosynthetic parameters were mostly lower in the long-term response of a few days in ΔcolA than in the WT. These data suggest that ColA is required to sustain photosynthetic activity for living under ambient air in S. 7002. The unique phylogeny of ColA revealed diverse strategies to acclimate to CO₂ limitation among cyanobacteria.

Construction of a novel d-lactate producing pathway from dihydroxyacetone phosphate of the Calvin cycle in cyanobacterium, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942

Using engineered cyanobacteria to produce various chemicals from carbon dioxide is a promising technology for a sustainable future. Lactate is a valuable commodity that can be used for the biodegradable plastic, polylactic acid. Typically, lactate production using engineered cyanobacteria was via the conversion of pyruvate in glycolysis by lactate dehydrogenase. In cyanobacteria, the metabolic flux in the Calvin cycle is higher than that in glycolysis under photoautotrophic conditions. The construction of a novel lactate producing pathway that uses metabolites from the Calvin cycle could potentially increase lactate productivity in cyanobacteria. In order to develop such a novel lactate production pathway, we engineered a cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 strain that produced lactate directly from carbon dioxide using dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) via methylglyoxal. We confirmed that wild-type strain of S. elongatus PCC 7942 could produce lactate using exogenous methylglyoxal. A methylglyoxal synthase gene, mgsA, from Escherichia coli was introduced into Synechococcus elongates PCC 7942 for conversion of DHAP to methylglyoxal. This engineered strain produced lactate directly from carbon dioxide. Genes encoding intrinsic putative glyoxalase I, II (Synpcc7942_0638, 1403) and the lactate/H⁺ symporter from E. coli (lldP) were additionally introduced to enhance the production. For higher lactate production, it was important to maintain elevated extracellular pH due to the characteristics of lactate exporting system. In this study, the highest lactate titer of 13.7 mM (1.23 g/l) was achieved during a 24-day incubation with the engineered S. elongatus PCC 7942 strain possessing the novel lactate producing pathway.

Methylglyoxal in Metabolic Disorders: Facts, Myths, and Promises

Glucose and fructose metabolism originates the highly reactive byproduct methylglyoxal (MG), which is a strong precursor of advanced glycation end products (AGE). The MG has been implicated in classical diabetic complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy, but has also been recently associated with cardiovascular diseases and central nervous system disorders such as cerebrovascular diseases and dementia. Recent studies even suggested its involvement in insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction, contributing to the early development of type 2 diabetes and creating a vicious circle between glycation and hyperglycemia. Despite several drugs and natural compounds have been identified in the last years in order to scavenge MG and inhibit AGE formation, we are still far from having an effective strategy to prevent MG-induced mechanisms. This review summarizes the endogenous and exogenous sources of MG, also addressing the current controversy about the importance of exogenous MG sources. The mechanisms by which MG changes cell behavior and its involvement in type 2 diabetes development and complications and the pathophysiological implication are also summarized. Particular emphasis will be given to pathophysiological relevance of studies using higher MG doses, which may have produced biased results. Finally, we also overview the current knowledge about detoxification strategies, including modulation of endogenous enzymatic systems and exogenous compounds able to inhibit MG effects on biological systems.

Chirality Matters: Synthesis and Consumption of the d-Enantiomer of Lactic Acid by Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC6803

Both enantiomers of lactic acid, l-lactic acid and d-lactic acid, can be produced in a sustainable way by a photosynthetic microbial cell factory and thus from CO2, sunlight, and water. Several properties of polylactic acid (a polyester of polymerized lactic acid) depend on the controlled blend of these two enantiomers. Recently, cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 was genetically modified to allow formation of either of these two enantiomers. This report elaborates on the d-lactic acid production achieved by the introduction of a d-specific lactate dehydrogenase from the lactic acid bacterium Leuconostoc mesenteroides into Synechocystis. A typical batch culture of this recombinant strain initially shows lactic acid production, followed by a phase of lactic acid consumption, until production "outcompetes" consumption at later growth stages. We show that Synechocystis is able to use d-lactic acid, but not l-lactic acid, as a carbon source for growth. Deletion of the organism's putative d-lactate dehydrogenase (encoded by slr1556), however, does not eliminate this ability with respect to d-lactic acid consumption. In contrast, d-lactic acid consumption does depend on the presence of glycolate dehydrogenase GlcD1 (encoded by sll0404). Accordingly, this report highlights the need to match a product of interest of a cyanobacterial cell factory with the metabolic network present in the host used for its synthesis and emphasizes the need to understand the physiology of the production host in detail.

Why don't plants have diabetes? Systems for scavenging reactive carbonyls in photosynthetic organisms

In the present paper, we review the toxicity of sugar- and lipid-derived RCs (reactive carbonyls) and the RC-scavenging systems observed in photosynthetic organisms. Similar to heterotrophs, photosynthetic organisms are exposed to the danger of RCs produced in sugar metabolism during both respiration and photosynthesis. RCs such as methylglyoxal and acrolein have toxic effects on the photosynthetic activity of higher plants and cyanobacteria. These toxic effects are assumed to occur uniquely in photosynthetic organisms, suggesting that RC-scavenging systems are essential for their survival. The aldo–keto reductase and the glyoxalase systems mainly scavenge sugar-derived RCs in higher plants and cyanobacteria. 2-Alkenal reductase and alkenal/alkenone reductase catalyse the reduction of lipid-derived RCs in higher plants. In cyanobacteria, medium-chain dehydrogenases/reductases are the main scavengers of lipid-derived RCs.