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Kraus A, Hess WR. How Small Proteins Adjust the Metabolism of Cyanobacteria Under Stress: The Role of Small Proteins in Cyanobacterial Stress Responses. Bioessays 2024:e202400245. [PMID: 39668401 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400245] [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: 10/16/2024] [Revised: 11/28/2024] [Accepted: 12/02/2024] [Indexed: 12/14/2024]
Abstract
Several recently discovered small proteins of less than 100 amino acids control important, but sometimes surprising, steps in the metabolism of cyanobacteria. There is mounting evidence that a large number of small protein genes have also been overlooked in the genome annotation of many other microorganisms. Although too short for enzymatic activity, their functional characterization has frequently revealed the involvement in processes such as signaling and sensing, interspecies communication, stress responses, metabolism, regulation of transcription and translation, and in the formation of multisubunit protein complexes. Cyanobacteria are the only prokaryotes that perform oxygenic photosynthesis. They thrive under a wide variety of conditions as long as there is light and must cope with dynamic changes in the environment. To acclimate to these fluctuations, frequently small regulatory proteins become expressed that target key enzymes and metabolic processes. The consequences of their actions are profound and can even impact the surrounding microbiome. This review highlights the diverse functions of recently discovered small proteins that control cyanobacterial metabolism. It also addresses why many of these proteins have been overlooked so far and explores the potential for implementing metabolic engineering strategies to improve the use of cyanobacteria in biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Kraus
- Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang R Hess
- Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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2
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Bolay P, Dodge N, Janssen K, Jensen PE, Lindberg P. Tailoring regulatory components for metabolic engineering in cyanobacteria. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2024; 176:e14316. [PMID: 38686633 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The looming climate crisis has prompted an ever-growing interest in cyanobacteria due to their potential as sustainable production platforms for the synthesis of energy carriers and value-added chemicals from CO2 and sunlight. Nonetheless, cyanobacteria are yet to compete with heterotrophic systems in terms of space-time yields and consequently production costs. One major drawback leading to the low production performance observed in cyanobacteria is the limited ability to utilize the full capacity of the photosynthetic apparatus and its associated systems, i.e. CO2 fixation and the directly connected metabolism. In this review, novel insights into various levels of metabolic regulation of cyanobacteria are discussed, including the potential of targeting these regulatory mechanisms to create a chassis with a phenotype favorable for photoautotrophic production. Compared to conventional metabolic engineering approaches, minor perturbations of regulatory mechanisms can have wide-ranging effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Bolay
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry - Ångström, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SE, Sweden
| | - Nadia Dodge
- Plant Based Foods and Biochemistry, Food Analytics and Biotechnology, Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kim Janssen
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry - Ångström, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SE, Sweden
| | - Poul Erik Jensen
- Plant Based Foods and Biochemistry, Food Analytics and Biotechnology, Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pia Lindberg
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry - Ångström, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SE, Sweden
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3
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Neira JL, López-Redondo ML, Cámara-Artigas A, Marina A, Contreras A. Structure and dynamics of the cyanobacterial regulator SipA. Arch Biochem Biophys 2024; 754:109943. [PMID: 38395125 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2024.109943] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
The small, 78-residue long, regulator SipA interacts with the non-bleaching sensor histidine kinase (NblS). We have solved the solution structure of SipA on the basis of 990 nuclear Overhauser effect- (NOE-) derived distance constraints. The average pairwise root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) for the twenty best structures for the backbone residues, obtained by CYANA, was 1.35 ± 0.21 Å, and 1.90 ± 0.16 Å when all heavy atoms were considered (the target function of CYANA was 0.540 ± 0.08). The structure is that of a β-II class protein, basically formed by a five-stranded β-sheet composed of antiparallel strands following the arrangement: Gly6-Leu11 (β-strand 1), which packs against Leu66-Val69 (β-strand 5) on one side, and against Gly36-Thr42 (β-strand 2) on the other side; Trp50-Phe54 (β-strand 3); and Gly57-Leu60 (β-strand 4). The protein is highly mobile, as shown by measurements of R1, R2, NOE and ηxy relaxation parameters, with an average order parameter () of 0.70; this mobility encompasses movements in different time scales. We hypothesize that this high flexibility allows the interaction with other proteins (among them NblS), and it explains the large conformational stability of SipA.
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Affiliation(s)
- José L Neira
- IDIBE, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202, Elche, Alicante, Spain; Instituto de Biocomputación y Física de Sistemas Complejos (BIFI), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - María Luisa López-Redondo
- Unidad Regulación de La Síntesis de Proteínas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (CSIC), 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Cámara-Artigas
- Departamento de Química y Física, Research Center CIAIMBITAL, Universidad de Almería- CeiA3, 04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Alberto Marina
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (CSIC) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 46010, Valencia, Spain
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4
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Hudson EP. The Calvin Benson cycle in bacteria: New insights from systems biology. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 155:71-83. [PMID: 37002131 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The Calvin Benson cycle in phototrophic and chemolithoautotrophic bacteria has ecological and biotechnological importance, which has motivated study of its regulation. I review recent advances in our understanding of how the Calvin Benson cycle is regulated in bacteria and the technologies used to elucidate regulation and modify it, and highlight differences between and photoautotrophic and chemolithoautotrophic models. Systems biology studies have shown that in oxygenic phototrophic bacteria, Calvin Benson cycle enzymes are extensively regulated at post-transcriptional and post-translational levels, with multiple enzyme activities connected to cellular redox status through thioredoxin. In chemolithoautotrophic bacteria, regulation is primarily at the transcriptional level, with effector metabolites transducing cell status, though new methods should now allow facile, proteome-wide exploration of biochemical regulation in these models. A biotechnological objective is to enhance CO2 fixation in the cycle and partition that carbon to a product of interest. Flux control of CO2 fixation is distributed over multiple enzymes, and attempts to modulate gene Calvin cycle gene expression show a robust homeostatic regulation of growth rate, though the synthesis rates of products can be significantly increased. Therefore, de-regulation of cycle enzymes through protein engineering may be necessary to increase fluxes. Non-canonical Calvin Benson cycles, if implemented with synthetic biology, could have reduced energy demand and enzyme loading, thus increasing the attractiveness of these bacteria for industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elton P Hudson
- Department of Protein Science, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
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5
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Tüllinghoff A, Djaya‐Mbissam H, Toepel J, Bühler B. Light-driven redox biocatalysis on gram-scale in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 via an in vivo cascade. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2023; 21:2074-2083. [PMID: 37439151 PMCID: PMC10502755 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The photosynthetic light reaction in cyanobacteria constitutes a highly attractive tool for productive biocatalysis, as it can provide redox reactions with high-energy reduction equivalents using sunlight and water as sources of energy and electrons, respectively. Here, we describe the first artificial light-driven redox cascade in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to convert cyclohexanone to the polymer building block 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid (6-HA). Co-expression of a Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase (BVMO) and a lactonase, both from Acidovorax sp. CHX100, enabled this two-step conversion with an activity of up to 63.1 ± 1.0 U/gCDW without accumulating inhibitory ε-caprolactone. Thereby, one of the key limitations of biocatalytic reactions, that is, reactant inhibition or toxicity, was overcome. In 2 L stirred-tank-photobioreactors, the process could be stabilized for 48 h, forming 23.50 ± 0.84 mm (3.11 ± 0.12 g/L) 6-HA. The high specificity enabling a product yield (YP/S ) of 0.96 ± 0.01 mol/mol and the remarkable biocatalyst-related yield of 3.71 ± 0.21 g6-HA /gCDW illustrate the potential of producing this non-toxic product in a synthetic cascade. The fine-tuning of the energy burden on the catalyst was found to be crucial, which indicates a limitation by the metabolic capacity of the cells possibly being compromised by biocatalysis-related reductant withdrawal. Intriguingly, energy balancing revealed that the biotransformation could tap surplus electrons derived from the photosynthetic light reaction and thereby relieve photosynthetic sink limitation. This study shows the feasibility of light-driven biocatalytic cascade operation in cyanobacteria and highlights respective metabolic limitations and engineering targets to unleash the full potential of photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Tüllinghoff
- Helmholtz‐Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, PermoserstrLeipzigGermany
| | | | - Jörg Toepel
- Helmholtz‐Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, PermoserstrLeipzigGermany
| | - Bruno Bühler
- Helmholtz‐Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, PermoserstrLeipzigGermany
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6
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Llop A, Tremiño L, Cantos R, Contreras A. The Signal Transduction Protein PII Controls the Levels of the Cyanobacterial Protein PipX. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2379. [PMID: 37894037 PMCID: PMC10609283 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102379] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria, microorganisms performing oxygenic photosynthesis, must adapt their metabolic processes to environmental challenges such as day and night changes. PipX, a unique regulatory protein from cyanobacteria, provides a mechanistic link between the signalling protein PII, a widely conserved (in bacteria and plants) transducer of carbon/nitrogen/energy richness, and the transcriptional regulator NtcA, which controls a large regulon involved in nitrogen assimilation. PipX is also involved in translational regulation through interaction with the ribosome-assembly GTPase EngA. However, increases in the PipX/PII ratio are toxic, presumably due to the abnormally increased binding of PipX to other partner(s). Here, we present mutational and structural analyses of reported PipX-PII and PipX-NtcA complexes, leading to the identification of single amino acid changes that decrease or abolish PipX toxicity. Notably, 4 out of 11 mutations decreasing toxicity did not decrease PipX levels, suggesting that the targeted residues (F12, D23, L36, and R54) provide toxicity determinants. In addition, one of those four mutations (D23A) argued against the over-activation of NtcA as the cause of PipX toxicity. Most mutations at residues contacting PII decreased PipX levels, indicating that PipX stability would depend on its ability to bind to PII, a conclusion supported by the light-induced decrease of PipX levels in Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 (hereafter S. elongatus).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Asunción Contreras
- Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain; (A.L.); (L.T.); (R.C.)
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7
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Toepel J, Karande R, Klähn S, Bühler B. Cyanobacteria as whole-cell factories: current status and future prospectives. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 80:102892. [PMID: 36669448 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria as phototrophic microorganisms bear great potential to produce chemicals from sustainable resources such as light and CO2. Most studies focus on either strain engineering or tackling metabolic constraints. Recently gained knowledge on internal electron and carbon fluxes and their regulation provides new opportunities to efficiently channel cellular resources toward product formation. Concomitantly, novel photobioreactor concepts are developed to ensure sufficient light supply. This review summarizes the newest developments in the field of cyanobacterial engineering to finally establish photosynthesis-based production processes. A holistic approach tackling genetic, metabolic, and biochemical engineering in parallel is considered essential to turn their application into an ecoefficient and economically feasible option for a future green bioeconomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Toepel
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rohan Karande
- Research and Transfer Center for bioactive Matter b-ACTmatter, University of Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Klähn
- Department of Solar Materials, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bruno Bühler
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
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8
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Sukkasam N, Leksingto J, Incharoensakdi A, Monshupanee T. Chemical Triggering Cyanobacterial Glycogen Accumulation: Methyl Viologen Treatment Increases Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 Glycogen Storage by Enhancing Levels of Gene Transcript and Substrates in Glycogen Synthesis. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 63:2027-2041. [PMID: 36197756 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcac136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Two-stage cultivation is effective for glycogen production by cyanobacteria. Cells were first grown under adequate nitrate supply (BG11) to increase biomass and subsequently transferred to nitrogen deprivation (-N) to stimulate glycogen accumulation. However, the two-stage method is time-consuming and requires extensive energy. Thus, one-stage cultivation that enables both cell growth and glycogen accumulation is advantageous. Such one-stage method could be achieved using a chemical triggering glycogen storage. However, there is a limited study on such chemicals. Here, nine compounds previously reported to affect cyanobacterial cellular functions were examined in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. 2-Phenylethanol, phenoxyethanol, 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea and methyl viologen can stimulate glycogen accumulation. The oxidative stress agent, methyl viologen significantly increased glycogen levels up to 57% and 69% [w/w dry weight (DW)] under BG11 and -N cultivation, respectively. One-stage cultivation where methyl viologen was directly added to the pre-grown culture enhanced glycogen storage to 53% (w/w DW), compared to the 10% (w/w DW) glycogen level of the control cells without methyl viologen. Methyl viologen treatment reduced the contents of total proteins (including phycobiliproteins) but caused increased transcript levels of glycogen synthetic genes and elevated levels of metabolite substrates for glycogen synthesis. Metabolomic results suggested that upon methyl viologen treatment, proteins degraded to amino acids, some of which could be used as a carbon source for glycogen synthesis. Results of oxygen evolution and metabolomic analysis suggested that photosynthesis and carbon fixation were not completely inhibited upon methyl viologen treatment, and these two processes may partially generate upstream metabolites required for glycogen synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannaphat Sukkasam
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Program in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Jidapa Leksingto
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Aran Incharoensakdi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Academy of Science, Royal Society of Thailand, Bangkok 10300, Thailand
| | - Tanakarn Monshupanee
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Program in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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9
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Sukkasam N, Incharoensakdi A, Monshupanee T. Chemicals Affecting Cyanobacterial Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Accumulation: 2-Phenylethanol Treatment Combined with Nitrogen Deprivation Synergistically Enhanced Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Storage in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 and Anabaena sp. TISTR8076. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 63:1253-1272. [PMID: 35818829 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcac100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Various photoautotrophic cyanobacteria increase the accumulation of bioplastic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) under nitrogen deprivation (-N) for energy storage. Several metabolic engineering enhanced cyanobacterial PHB accumulation, but these strategies are not applicable in non-gene-transformable strains. Alternatively, stimulating PHB levels by chemical exposure is desirable because it might be applied to various cyanobacterial strains. However, the study of such chemicals is still limited. Here, 19 compounds previously reported to affect bacterial cellular processes were evaluated for their effect on PHB accumulation in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, where 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, methyl viologen, arsenite, phenoxyethanol and 2-phenylethanol were found to increase PHB accumulation. When cultivated with optimal nitrate supply, Synechocystis contained less than 0.5% [w/w dry weight (DW)] PHB, while cultivation under -N conditions increased the PHB content to 7% (w/w DW). Interestingly, the -N cultivation combined with 2-phenylethanol exposure reduced the Synechocystis protein content by 27% (w/w DW) but significantly increased PHB levels up to 33% (w/w DW), the highest ever reported photoautotrophic cyanobacterial PHB accumulation in a wild-type strain. Results from transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis suggested that under 2-phenylethanol treatment, Synechocystis proteins were degraded to amino acids, which might be subsequently utilized as the source of carbon and energy for PHB biosynthesis. 2-Phenylethanol treatment also increased the levels of metabolites required for Synechocystis PHB synthesis (acetyl-CoA, acetoacetyl-CoA, 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and NADPH). Additionally, under -N, the exposure to phenoxyethanol and 2-phenylethanol increased the PHB levels of Anabaena sp. from 0.4% to 4.1% and 6.6% (w/w DW), respectively. The chemicals identified in this study might be applicable for enhancing PHB accumulation in other cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannaphat Sukkasam
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Program in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Aran Incharoensakdi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Academy of Science, Royal Society of Thailand, Bangkok 10300, Thailand
| | - Tanakarn Monshupanee
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Program in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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Mantovani O, Reimann V, Haffner M, Herrmann FP, Selim KA, Forchhammer K, Hess WR, Hagemann M. The impact of the cyanobacterial carbon-regulator protein SbtB and of the second messengers cAMP and c-di-AMP on CO 2 -dependent gene expression. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 234:1801-1816. [PMID: 35285042 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The amount of inorganic carbon (Ci ) fluctuates in aquatic environments. Cyanobacteria evolved a Ci -concentrating mechanism (CCM) that is regulated at different levels. The regulator SbtB binds to the second messengers cAMP or c-di-AMP and is involved in acclimation to low Ci (LC) in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Here, we investigated the role of SbtB and of associated second messengers at different Ci conditions. The transcriptome of wild-type (WT) Synechocystis and the ΔsbtB mutant were compared with Δcya1, a mutant defective in cAMP production, and ΔdacA, a mutant defective in generating c-di-AMP. A defined subset of LC-regulated genes in the WT was already changed in ΔsbtB under high Ci (HC) conditions. This response of ΔsbtB correlated with a diminished induction of many CCM-associated genes after LC shift in this mutant. The Δcya1 mutant showed less deviation from WT, whereas ΔdacA induced CCM-associated genes under HC. Metabolome analysis also revealed differences between the strains, whereby ΔsbtB showed slower accumulation of 2-phosphoglycolate and ΔdacA differences among amino acids compared to WT. Collectively, these results indicate that SbtB regulates a subset of LC acclimation genes while c-di-AMP and especially cAMP appear to have a lesser impact on gene expression under different Ci availabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Mantovani
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, D-18059, Germany
| | - Viktoria Reimann
- Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, D-79104, Germany
| | - Michael Haffner
- Department of Organismic Interactions, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany
| | - Felix Philipp Herrmann
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, D-18059, Germany
| | - Khaled A Selim
- Department of Organismic Interactions, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany
| | - Karl Forchhammer
- Department of Organismic Interactions, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany
| | - Wolfgang R Hess
- Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, D-79104, Germany
| | - Martin Hagemann
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, D-18059, Germany
- Department Life, Light and Matter, Interdisciplinary Faculty, University of Rostock, Rostock, D-18059, Germany
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11
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Cepoi L, Zinicovscaia I, Rudi L, Chiriac T, Djur S, Yushin N, Grozdov D. Assessment of Metal Accumulation by Arthrospira platensis and Its Adaptation to Iterative Action of Nickel Mono- and Polymetallic Synthetic Effluents. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10051041. [PMID: 35630483 PMCID: PMC9147461 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria-mediated wastewater remediation is an economical, efficient, and eco-friendly technology. The present work deals with the bioaccumulation performance of Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) grown for four cycles in a medium containing nickel mono- and polymetallic synthetic effluents. The metal uptake by spirulina biomass was evaluated using neutron activation analysis. The effects of effluents on biomass production, protein, and phycobiliprotein content were assessed. Metal accumulation in the biomass depended on the effluent composition and metal ion concentrations. Nickel accumulation in the biomass was directly proportional to its concentration in effluents, and maximum uptake (1310 mg/kg) was attained in the Ni/Cr/Fe system. In the same system, biomass accumulated 110 times more chromium and 4.7 times more iron than control. The highest accumulation of copper (2870 mg/kg) was achieved in the Ni/Cu/Zn/Mo system and zinc (1860 mg/kg)—in the Ni/Cu/Zn/Sr system. In biomass grown in the media loaded with nickel and also chromium, iron, copper, strontium, zinc, and molybdenum, a decrease in productivity (on average by 10%) during the first cycle of cultivation and moderate reduction of protein content (by 15–27%) was observed. The presence of metals in the cultivation media inhibited phycobiliprotein synthesis, especially of phycocyanin, and promoted the synthesis of allophycocyanin. The maximum reduction of phycocyanin content was 77%, and the increase of allophycocyanin content—by 45%. Arthrospira platensis may be deemed as bioremediation of nickel-polluted wastewaters of complex composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Cepoi
- Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1, Academiei Str., MD-2028 Chisinau, Moldova; (L.C.); (L.R.); (T.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Inga Zinicovscaia
- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 6 Joliot-Curie Str., 1419890 Dubna, Russia; (N.Y.); (D.G.)
- Horia Hulubei National Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 30 Reactorului Str., Magurele, MG-6, 077125 Bucharest, Romania
- Institute of Chemistry, 3, Academiei Str., MD-2028 Chisinau, Moldova
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-4962165609
| | - Ludmila Rudi
- Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1, Academiei Str., MD-2028 Chisinau, Moldova; (L.C.); (L.R.); (T.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Tatiana Chiriac
- Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1, Academiei Str., MD-2028 Chisinau, Moldova; (L.C.); (L.R.); (T.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Svetlana Djur
- Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1, Academiei Str., MD-2028 Chisinau, Moldova; (L.C.); (L.R.); (T.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Nikita Yushin
- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 6 Joliot-Curie Str., 1419890 Dubna, Russia; (N.Y.); (D.G.)
| | - Dmitrii Grozdov
- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 6 Joliot-Curie Str., 1419890 Dubna, Russia; (N.Y.); (D.G.)
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12
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Abstract
In recent years, there has been increased appreciation that a whole category of proteins, small proteins of around 50 amino acids or fewer in length, has been missed by annotation as well as by genetic and biochemical assays. With the increased recognition that small proteins are stable within cells and have regulatory functions, there has been intensified study of these proteins. As a result, important questions about small proteins in bacteria and archaea are coming to the fore. Here, we give an overview of these questions, the initial answers, and the approaches needed to address these questions more fully. More detailed discussions of how small proteins can be identified by ribosome profiling and mass spectrometry approaches are provided by two accompanying reviews (N. Vazquez-Laslop, C. M. Sharma, A. S. Mankin, and A. R. Buskirk, J Bacteriol 204:e00294-21, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00294-21; C. H. Ahrens, J. T. Wade, M. M. Champion, and J. D. Langer, J Bacteriol 204:e00353-21, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00353-21). We are excited by the prospects of new insights and possible therapeutic approaches coming from this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd Gray
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Gisela Storz
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kai Papenfort
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Microverse Cluster, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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13
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Bolay P, Hemm L, Florencio FJ, Hess WR, Muro-Pastor MI, Klähn S. The sRNA NsiR4 fine-tunes arginine synthesis in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 by post-transcriptional regulation of PirA. RNA Biol 2022; 19:811-818. [PMID: 35678613 PMCID: PMC9196836 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2022.2082147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
As the only oxygenic phototrophs among prokaryotes, cyanobacteria employ intricate mechanisms to regulate common metabolic pathways. These mechanisms include small protein inhibitors exerting their function by protein-protein interaction with key metabolic enzymes and regulatory small RNAs (sRNAs). Here we show that the sRNA NsiR4, which is highly expressed under nitrogen limiting conditions, interacts with the mRNA of the recently described small protein PirA in the model strain Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. In particular, NsiR4 targets the pirA 5'UTR close to the ribosome binding site. Heterologous reporter assays confirmed that this interaction interferes with pirA translation. PirA negatively impacts arginine synthesis under ammonium excess by competing with the central carbon/nitrogen regulator PII that binds to and thereby activates the key enzyme of arginine synthesis, N-acetyl-L-glutamate-kinase (NAGK). Consistently, ectopic nsiR4 expression in Synechocystis resulted in lowered PirA accumulation in response to ammonium upshifts, which also affected intracellular arginine pools. As NsiR4 and PirA are inversely regulated by the global nitrogen transcriptional regulator NtcA, this regulatory axis enables fine tuning of arginine synthesis and conveys additional metabolic flexibility under highly fluctuating nitrogen regimes. Pairs of small protein inhibitors and of sRNAs that control the abundance of these enzyme effectors at the post-transcriptional level appear as fundamental building blocks in the regulation of primary metabolism in cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Bolay
- Department of Solar Materials, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Luisa Hemm
- Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Francisco J Florencio
- de Sevilla, Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal Y FotosíntesisCSIC-Universidad, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Wolfgang R Hess
- Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - M Isabel Muro-Pastor
- de Sevilla, Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal Y FotosíntesisCSIC-Universidad, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Stephan Klähn
- Department of Solar Materials, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
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14
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The Molecular Toolset and Techniques Required to Build Cyanobacterial Cell Factories. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/10_2022_210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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15
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Arias DM, Ortíz-Sánchez E, Okoye PU, Rodríguez-Rangel H, Balbuena Ortega A, Longoria A, Domínguez-Espíndola R, Sebastian PJ. A review on cyanobacteria cultivation for carbohydrate-based biofuels: Cultivation aspects, polysaccharides accumulation strategies, and biofuels production scenarios. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 794:148636. [PMID: 34323759 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacterial biomass has constituted a crucial third and fourth-generation biofuel material, with great potential to synthesize a wide range of metabolites, mainly carbohydrates. Lately, carbohydrate-based biofuels from cyanobacteria, such as bioethanol, biohydrogen, and biobutanol, have attracted attention as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based products. Cyanobacteria can perform a simple process of saccharification, and extracted carbohydrates can be converted into biofuels with two alternatives; the first one consists of a fermentative process based on bacteria or yeasts, while the second alternative consists of an internal metabolic process of their own in intracellular carbohydrate content, either by the natural or genetic engineered process. This study reviewed carbohydrate-enriched cyanobacterial biomass as feedstock for biofuels. Detailed insights on technical strategies and limitations of cultivation, polysaccharide accumulation strategies for further fermentation process were provided. Advances and challenges in bioethanol, biohydrogen, and biobutanol production by cyanobacteria synthesis and an independent fermentative process are presented. Critical outlook on life-cycle assessment and techno-economical aspects for large-scale application of these technologies were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dulce María Arias
- Instituto de Energías Renovables-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco, Morelos CP, 62580, Mexico
| | - Edwin Ortíz-Sánchez
- Universidad Politécnica del Estado de Morelos, Boulevard Cuauhnáhuac No. 566 Col. Lomas del Texcal, Jiutepec, Morelos CP, 62550, Mexico
| | - Patrick U Okoye
- Instituto de Energías Renovables-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco, Morelos CP, 62580, Mexico.
| | - Hector Rodríguez-Rangel
- Division de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Culiacán, Juan de Dios Batiz 310 pte. Col Guadalupe, CP, 80220 Culiacàn, Mexico
| | - A Balbuena Ortega
- Instituto de Energías Renovables-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco, Morelos CP, 62580, Mexico
| | - Adriana Longoria
- Instituto de Energías Renovables-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco, Morelos CP, 62580, Mexico
| | - Ruth Domínguez-Espíndola
- Instituto de Energías Renovables-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco, Morelos CP, 62580, Mexico
| | - P J Sebastian
- Instituto de Energías Renovables-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco, Morelos CP, 62580, Mexico
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16
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Cassidy L, Kaulich PT, Maaß S, Bartel J, Becher D, Tholey A. Bottom-up and top-down proteomic approaches for the identification, characterization, and quantification of the low molecular weight proteome with focus on short open reading frame-encoded peptides. Proteomics 2021; 21:e2100008. [PMID: 34145981 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202100008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The recent discovery of alternative open reading frames creates a need for suitable analytical approaches to verify their translation and to characterize the corresponding gene products at the molecular level. As the analysis of small proteins within a background proteome by means of classical bottom-up proteomics is challenging, method development for the analysis of small open reading frame encoded peptides (SEPs) have become a focal point for research. Here, we highlight bottom-up and top-down proteomics approaches established for the analysis of SEPs in both pro- and eukaryotes. Major steps of analysis, including sample preparation and (small) proteome isolation, separation and mass spectrometry, data interpretation and quality control, quantification, the analysis of post-translational modifications, and exploration of functional aspects of the SEPs by means of proteomics technologies are described. These methods do not exclusively cover the analytics of SEPs but simultaneously include the low molecular weight proteome, and moreover, can also be used for the proteome-wide analysis of proteolytic processing events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Cassidy
- Systematic Proteome Research & Bioanalytics, Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Philipp T Kaulich
- Systematic Proteome Research & Bioanalytics, Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sandra Maaß
- Department of Microbial Proteomics, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jürgen Bartel
- Department of Microbial Proteomics, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dörte Becher
- Department of Microbial Proteomics, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andreas Tholey
- Systematic Proteome Research & Bioanalytics, Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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17
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Steinberg R, Koch HG. The largely unexplored biology of small proteins in pro- and eukaryotes. FEBS J 2021; 288:7002-7024. [PMID: 33780127 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The large abundance of small open reading frames (smORFs) in prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes and the plethora of smORF-encoded small proteins became only apparent with the constant advancements in bioinformatic, genomic, proteomic, and biochemical tools. Small proteins are typically defined as proteins of < 50 amino acids in prokaryotes and of less than 100 amino acids in eukaryotes, and their importance for cell physiology and cellular adaptation is only beginning to emerge. In contrast to antimicrobial peptides, which are secreted by prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells for combatting pathogens and competitors, small proteins act within the producing cell mainly by stabilizing protein assemblies and by modifying the activity of larger proteins. Production of small proteins is frequently linked to stress conditions or environmental changes, and therefore, cells seem to use small proteins as intracellular modifiers for adjusting cell metabolism to different intra- and extracellular cues. However, the size of small proteins imposes a major challenge for the cellular machinery required for protein folding and intracellular trafficking and recent data indicate that small proteins can engage distinct trafficking pathways. In the current review, we describe the diversity of small proteins in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, highlight distinct and common features, and illustrate how they are handled by the protein trafficking machineries in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Finally, we also discuss future topics of research on this fascinating but largely unexplored group of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Steinberg
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Medizin (ZMBZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Koch
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Medizin (ZMBZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
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18
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Cellular and Molecular Strategies in Cyanobacterial Survival-"In Memory of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Lockau". Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11020132. [PMID: 33572088 PMCID: PMC7915015 DOI: 10.3390/life11020132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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