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Singh A, Jain N, Shankar U, Sharma TK, Kumar A. Characterization of G-quadruplex structures in genes involved in survival and pathogenesis of Acinetobacter baumannii as a potential drug target. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:131806. [PMID: 38670179 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131806] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a notorious pathogen that commonly thrives in hospital environments and is responsible for numerous nosocomial infections in humans. The burgeoning multi-drug resistance leaves relatively minimal options for treating the bacterial infection, posing a significant problem and prompting the identification of new approaches for tackling the same. This motivated us to focus on non-canonical nucleic acid structures, mainly G-quadruplexes, as drug targets. G-quadruplexes have recently been gaining attention due to their involvement in multiple bacterial and viral pathogenesis. Herein, we sought to explore conserved putative G-quadruplex motifs in A. baumannii. In silico analysis revealed the presence of eight conserved motifs in genes involved in bacterial survival and pathogenesis. The biophysical and biomolecular analysis confirmed stable G-quadruplex formation by the motifs and showed a high binding affinity with the well-reported G-quadruplex binding ligand, BRACO-19. BRACO-19 exposure also decreased the growth of bacteria and downregulated the expression of G-quadruplex-harboring genes. The biofilm-forming ability of the bacteria was also affected by BRACO-19 addition. Taking all these observations into account, we have shown here for the first time the potential of G-quadruplex structures as a promising drug target in Acinetobacter baumannii, for addressing the challenges posed by this infamous pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakriti Singh
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Neha Jain
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Uma Shankar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Tarun Kumar Sharma
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Gujarat Biotechnology University, Gandhinagar 382355, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India.
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Chen YY, Huang JC, Wu CY, Yu SQ, Wang YT, Ye C, Shi TQ, Huang H. A comprehensive review on the recent advances for 5-aminolevulinic acid production by the engineered bacteria. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38705840 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2024.2336532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a non-proteinogenic amino acid essential for synthesizing tetrapyrrole compounds, including heme, chlorophyll, cytochrome, and vitamin B12. As a plant growth regulator, 5-ALA is extensively used in agriculture to enhance crop yield and quality. The complexity and low yield of chemical synthesis methods have led to significant interest in the microbial synthesis of 5-ALA. Advanced strategies, including the: enhancement of precursor and cofactor supply, compartmentalization of key enzymes, product transporters engineering, by-product formation reduction, and biosensor-based dynamic regulation, have been implemented in bacteria for 5-ALA production, significantly advancing its industrialization. This article offers a comprehensive review of recent developments in 5-ALA production using engineered bacteria and presents new insights to propel the field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Ying Chen
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jia-Cong Huang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Cai-Yun Wu
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shi-Qin Yu
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yue-Tong Wang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chao Ye
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tian-Qiong Shi
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - He Huang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
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Leasure CS, Grunenwald CM, Choby JE, Sauer JD, Skaar EP. Maintenance of heme homeostasis in Staphylococcus aureus through post-translational regulation of glutamyl-tRNA reductase. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0017123. [PMID: 37655914 PMCID: PMC10521356 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00171-23] [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] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen responsible for a variety of infections including skin and soft tissue infections, endocarditis, and sepsis. The combination of increasing antibiotic resistance in this pathogen and the lack of an efficacious vaccine underscores the importance of understanding how S. aureus maintains metabolic homeostasis in a variety of environments, particularly during infection. Within the host, S. aureus must regulate cellular levels of the cofactor heme to support enzymatic activities without encountering heme toxicity. Glutamyl tRNA reductase (GtrR), the enzyme catalyzing the first committed step in heme synthesis, is an important regulatory node of heme synthesis in Bacteria, Archaea, and Plantae. In many organisms, heme status negatively regulates the abundance of GtrR, controlling flux through the heme synthesis pathway. We identified two residues within GtrR, H32 and R214, that are important for GtrR-heme binding. However, in strains expressing either GtrRH32A or GtrRR214A, heme homeostasis was not perturbed, suggesting an alternative mechanism of heme synthesis regulation occurs in S. aureus. In this regard, we report that heme synthesis is regulated through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of GtrR by the serine/threonine kinase Stk1 and the phosphatase Stp1, respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that the mechanisms governing staphylococcal heme synthesis integrate both the availability of heme and the growth status of the cell. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus represents a significant threat to human health. Heme is an iron-containing enzymatic cofactor that can be toxic at elevated levels. During infection, S. aureus must control heme levels to replicate and survive within the hostile host environment. We identified residues within a heme biosynthetic enzyme that are critical for heme binding in vitro; however, abrogation of heme binding is not sufficient to perturb heme homeostasis within S. aureus. This marks a divergence from previously reported mechanisms of heme-dependent regulation of the highly conserved enzyme glutamyl tRNA reductase (GtrR). Additionally, we link cell growth arrest to the modulation of heme levels through the post-translational regulation of GtrR by the kinase Stk1 and the phosphatase Stp1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine S. Leasure
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Caroline M. Grunenwald
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jacob E. Choby
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - John-Demian Sauer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Eric P. Skaar
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Sinha N, Eirich J, Finkemeier I, Grimm B. Glutamate 1-semialdehyde aminotransferase is connected to GluTR by GluTR-binding protein and contributes to the rate-limiting step of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthesis. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:4623-4640. [PMID: 35972388 PMCID: PMC9614494 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Tetrapyrroles play fundamental roles in crucial processes including photosynthesis, respiration, and catalysis. In plants, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is the common precursor of tetrapyrroles. ALA is synthesized from activated glutamate by the enzymes glutamyl-tRNA reductase (GluTR) and glutamate-1-semialdehyde aminotransferase (GSAAT). ALA synthesis is recognized as the rate-limiting step in this pathway. We aimed to explore the contribution of GSAAT to the control of ALA synthesis and the formation of a protein complex with GluTR. In Arabidopsis thaliana, two genes encode GSAAT isoforms: GSA1 and GSA2. A comparison of two GSA knockout mutants with the wild-type revealed the correlation of reduced GSAAT activity and ALA-synthesizing capacity in leaves with lower chlorophyll content. Growth and green pigmentation were more severely impaired in gsa2 than in gsa1, indicating the predominant role of GSAAT2 in ALA synthesis. Interestingly, GluTR accumulated to higher levels in gsa2 than in the wild-type and was mainly associated with the plastid membrane. We propose that the GSAAT content modulates the amount of soluble GluTR available for ALA synthesis. Several different biochemical approaches revealed the GSAAT-GluTR interaction through the assistance of GluTR-binding protein (GBP). A modeled structure of the tripartite protein complex indicated that GBP mediates the stable association of GluTR and GSAAT for adequate ALA synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Sinha
- Institute of Biology/Plant Physiology, Humboldt-University Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Eirich
- Institute for Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Plant Physiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Iris Finkemeier
- Institute for Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Plant Physiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, 48149 Muenster, Germany
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Tran JU, Brown BL. Structural Basis for Allostery in PLP-dependent Enzymes. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:884281. [PMID: 35547395 PMCID: PMC9081730 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.884281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes are found ubiquitously in nature and are involved in a variety of biological pathways, from natural product synthesis to amino acid and glucose metabolism. The first structure of a PLP-dependent enzyme was reported over 40 years ago, and since that time, there is a steady wealth of structural and functional information revealed for a wide array of these enzymes. A functional mechanism that is gaining more appreciation due to its relevance in drug design is that of protein allostery, where binding of a protein or ligand at a distal site influences the structure, organization, and function at the active site. Here, we present a review of current structure-based mechanisms of allostery for select members of each PLP-dependent enzyme family. Knowledge of these mechanisms may have a larger potential for identifying key similarities and differences among enzyme families that can eventually be exploited for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny U. Tran
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Breann L. Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
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5-Aminolevulinic acid level and dye-decolorizing peroxidase expression regulate heme synthesis in Escherichia coli. Biotechnol Lett 2021; 44:271-277. [PMID: 34826004 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-021-03212-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the level of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), a key precursor of heme, and expression of heme-peroxidase on the regulation of heme synthesis in E. coli. METHODS A transporter gene (eamA) was knocked out, and glutamyl-tRNA reductase gene (hemA) for 5-ALA synthesis and a dye-decolorizing peroxidase gene (DyP) were overexpressed. RESULTS Knockout of eamA caused decrease of 5-ALA secretion, indicating EamA participates in 5-ALA transportation. Overexpression of hemA elevated intracellular 5-ALA and heme levels. However, overexpression of hemA in eamA knockout mutant led to decrease of intracellular heme content and down-regulation of the transcription of heme synthetic gene hemL by ~ 5.2-fold. When overexpressing both hemA and DyP in the mutant, hemL was up-regulated suggesting the binding of heme to DyP released the feedback repression of hemL. CONCLUSION HemL expression is heme-mediated and the approach of intracellular immobilization of free heme by overexpression of heme-peroxidase benefits the understanding and application of heme regulation.
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Hubbard ATM, Bulgasim I, Roberts AP. A novel hemA mutation is responsible for a small-colony-variant phenotype in Escherichia coli. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2020; 167. [PMID: 32762803 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
We identified a small colony variant (SCV) of an amoxicillin/clavulanic acid-resistant derivative of a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli from Malawi, which was selected for in vitro in a subinhibitory concentration of gentamicin. The SCV was auxotrophic for hemin and had impaired biofilm formation compared to the ancestral isolates. A single novel nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in hemA, which encodes a glutamyl-tRNA reductase that catalyses the initial step of porphyrin biosynthesis leading to the production of haem, was responsible for the SCV phenotype. We showed the SNP in hemA resulted in a significant fitness cost to the isolate, which persisted even in the presence of hemin. However, the phenotype quickly reverted during sequential sub-culturing in liquid growth media. As hemA is not found in mammalian cells, and disruption of the gene results in a significant fitness cost, it represents a potential target for novel drug development specifically for the treatment of catheter-associated urinary tract infections caused by E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alasdair T M Hubbard
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Issra Bulgasim
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Adam P Roberts
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
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