Complementation of an aglB Mutant of Methanococcus maripaludis with Heterologous Oligosaccharyltransferases

The Oligosaccharyltransferase AglB Supports Surface-Associated Growth and Iron Oxidation in Methanococcus maripaludis

Most microbial organisms grow as surface-attached communities known as biofilms. However, the mechanisms whereby methanogenic archaea grow attached to surfaces have remained understudied. Here, we show that the oligosaccharyltransferase AglB is essential for growth of Methanococcus maripaludis strain JJ on glass or metal surfaces. AglB glycosylates several cellular structures, such as pili, archaella, and the cell surface layer (S-layer). We show that the S-layer of strain JJ, but not strain S2, is a glycoprotein, that only strain JJ was capable of growth on surfaces, and that deletion of aglB blocked S-layer glycosylation and abolished surface-associated growth. A strain JJ mutant lacking structural components of the type IV-like pilus did not have a growth defect under any conditions tested, while a mutant lacking the preflagellin peptidase (ΔflaK) was defective for surface growth only when formate was provided as the sole electron donor. Finally, for strains that are capable of Fe⁰ oxidation, we show that deletion of aglB decreases the rate of anaerobic Fe⁰ oxidation, presumably due to decreased association of biomass with the Fe⁰ surface. Together, these data provide an initial characterization of surface-associated growth in a member of the methanogenic archaea. IMPORTANCE Methanogenic archaea are responsible for producing the majority of methane on Earth and catalyze the terminal reactions in the degradation of organic matter in anoxic environments. Methanogens often grow as biofilms associated with surfaces or partner organisms; however, the molecular details of surface-associated growth remain uncharacterized. We have found evidence that glycosylation of the cell surface layer is essential for growth of M. maripaludis on surfaces and can enhance rates of anaerobic iron corrosion. These results provide insight into the physiology of surface-associated methanogenic organisms and highlight the importance of surface association for anaerobic iron corrosion.

Evolutionary considerations of the oligosaccharyltransferase AglB and other aspects of N-glycosylation across Archaea

Various biological markers in members of the TACK and Asgard archaeal super-phyla show Eukarya-like traits. These include the oligosaccharyltransferase, responsible for transferring glycans from the lipid carrier upon which they are assembled onto selected asparagine residues of target proteins during N-glycosylation. In Archaea, oligosaccharyltransferase activity is catalyzed by AglB. To gain deeper insight into AglB and N-glycosylation across archaeal phylogeny, bioinformatics approaches were employed to address variability in AglB sequence motifs involved in enzyme activity, construct a phylogenetic tree based on AglB sequences, search for archaeal homologues of non-catalytic subunits of the multimeric eukaryal oligosaccharyltransferase complex and predict the presence of aglB-based clusters of glycosylation-related genes in the Euryarchaeota and the DPANN, TACK and Asgard super-phyla. In addition, site-directed mutagenesis and mass spectrometry were employed to study the natural variability in the WWDXG motif central to oligosaccharyltransferase activity seen in archaeal AglB. The results clearly distinguish AglB from members of the DPANN super-phylum and the Euryarchaeota from the same enzyme in members of the TACK and Asgard super-phyla, which showed considerable similarity to its eukaryal homologue Stt3. The results thus support the evolutionary proximity of Eukarya and the TACK and Asgard archaea.

Identification of a novel N-linked glycan on the archaellins and S-layer protein of the thermophilic methanogen, Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus

Motility in archaea is facilitated by a unique structure termed the archaellum. N-Glycosylation of the major structural proteins (archaellins) is important for their subsequent incorporation into the archaellum filament. The identity of some of these N-glycans has been determined, but archaea exhibit extensive variation in their glycans, meaning that further investigations can shed light not only on the specific details of archaellin structure and function, but also on archaeal glycobiology in general. Here we describe the structural characterization of the N-linked glycan modifications on the archaellins and S-layer protein of Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus, a methanogen that grows optimally at 65 °C. SDS-PAGE and MS analysis revealed that the sheared archaella are composed principally of two of the four predicted archaellins, FlaB1 and FlaB3, which are modified with a branched, heptameric glycan at all N-linked sequons except for the site closest to the N termini of both proteins. NMR analysis of the purified glycan determined the structure to be α-d-glycero-d-manno-Hep3OMe6OMe-(1-3)-[α-GalNAcA3OMe-(1-2)-]-β-Man-(1-4)-[β-GalA3OMe4OAc6CMe-(1-4)-α-GalA-(1-2)-]-α-GalAN-(1-3)-β-GalNAc-Asn. A detailed investigation by hydrophilic interaction liquid ion chromatography-MS discovered the presence of several, less abundant glycan variants, related to but distinct from the main heptameric glycan. In addition, we confirmed that the S-layer protein is modified with the same heptameric glycan, suggesting a common N-glycosylation pathway. The M. thermolithotrophicus archaellin N-linked glycan is larger and more complex than those previously identified on the archaellins of related mesophilic methanogens, Methanococcus voltae and Methanococcus maripaludis This could indicate that the nature of the glycan modification may have a role to play in maintaining stability at elevated temperatures.

Comparative Analysis of Surface Layer Glycoproteins and Genes Involved in Protein Glycosylation in the Genus Haloferax

Within the Haloferax genus, both the surface (S)-layer protein, and the glycans that can decorate it, vary between species, which can potentially result in many different surface types, analogous to bacterial serotypes. This variation may mediate phenotypes, such as sensitivity to different viruses and mating preferences. Here, we describe S-layer glycoproteins found in multiple Haloferax strains and perform comparative genomics analyses of major and alternative glycosylation clusters of isolates from two coastal sites. We analyze the phylogeny of individual glycosylation genes and demonstrate that while the major glycosylation cluster tends to be conserved among closely related strains, the alternative cluster is highly variable. Thus, geographically- and genetically-related strains may exhibit diverse surface structures to such an extent that no two isolates present an identical surface profile.