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Suleiman M, Le Lay N, Demaria F, Kolvenbach BA, Cretoiu MS, Petchey OL, Jousset A, Corvini PFX. Pollutant profile complexity governs wastewater removal of recalcitrant pharmaceuticals. ISME J 2024; 18:wrae033. [PMID: 38423526 PMCID: PMC10989296 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Organic pollutants are an increasing threat for wildlife and humans. Managing their removal is however complicated by the difficulties in predicting degradation rates. In this work, we demonstrate that the complexity of the pollutant profile, the set of co-existing contaminants, is a major driver of biodegradation in wastewater. We built representative assemblages out of one to five common pharmaceuticals (caffeine, atenolol, paracetamol, ibuprofen, and enalapril) selected along a gradient of biodegradability. We followed their individual removal by wastewater microbial communities. The presence of multichemical background pollution was essential for the removal of recalcitrant molecules such as ibuprofen. High-order interactions between multiple pollutants drove removal efficiency. We explain these interactions by shifts in the microbiome, with degradable molecules such as paracetamol enriching species and pathways involved in the removal of several organic pollutants. We conclude that pollutants should be treated as part of a complex system, with emerging pollutants potentially showing cascading effects and offering leverage to promote bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Suleiman
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Natalie Le Lay
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Francesca Demaria
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Mariana S Cretoiu
- Blossom Microbial Technologies B.V., Utrecht Science Park, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Owen L Petchey
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental studies, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Jousset
- Blossom Microbial Technologies B.V., Utrecht Science Park, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, The Netherlands
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, Key Lab of Organic-Based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095 Nanjing, China
| | - Philippe F-X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
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2
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Nunes OC, Manaia CM, Kolvenbach BA, Corvini PFX. Living with sulfonamides: a diverse range of mechanisms observed in bacteria. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:10389-10408. [PMID: 33175245 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10982-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sulfonamides are the oldest class of synthetic antibiotics still in use in clinical and veterinary settings. The intensive utilization of sulfonamides has been leading to the widespread contamination of the environment with these xenobiotic compounds. Consequently, in addition to pathogens and commensals, also bacteria inhabiting a wide diversity of environmental compartments have been in contact with sulfonamides for almost 90 years. This review aims at giving an overview of the effect of sulfonamides on bacterial cells, including the strategies used by bacteria to cope with these bacteriostatic agents. These include mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, co-metabolic transformation, and partial or total mineralization of sulfonamides. Possible implications of these mechanisms on the ecosystems and dissemination of antibiotic resistance are also discussed. KEY POINTS: • Sulfonamides are widespread xenobiotic pollutants; • Target alteration is the main sulfonamide resistance mechanism observed in bacteria; • Sulfonamides can be modified, degraded, or used as nutrients by some bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga C Nunes
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Célia M Manaia
- CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005, Porto, Portugal
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Gruendenstrasse 40, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Philippe F-X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Gruendenstrasse 40, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
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3
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Perri R, Kolvenbach BA, Corvini PFX. Subsistence and complexity of antimicrobial resistance on a community-wide level. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:2463-2468. [PMID: 32286010 PMCID: PMC7383678 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
There are a multitude of resistance strategies that microbes can apply to avoid inhibition by antimicrobials. One of these strategies is the enzymatic modification of the antibiotic, in a process generally termed inactivation. Furthermore, some microorganisms may not be limited to the mere inactivation of the antimicrobial compounds. They can continue by further enzymatic degradation of the compounds' carbon backbone, taking nutritional and energetic advantage of the former antibiotic. This driving force to harness an additional food source in a complex environment adds another level of complexity to the reasonably well-understood process of antibiotic resistance proliferation on a single cell level: It brings bioprotection into play at the level of microbial community. Despite the possible implications of a resistant community in a host and a lurking antibiotic failure, knowledge of degradation pathways of antibiotics and their connections is scarce. Currently, it is limited to only a few families of antibiotics (e.g. β-lactams and sulfonamides). In this article, we discuss the fluctuating nature of the relationship between antibiotic resistance and the biodegradation of antibiotics. This distinction mainly depends on the genetic background of the microbe, as general resistance genes can be recruited to function in a biodegradation pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Perri
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life SciencesUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern SwitzerlandMuttenzSwitzerland
| | - Boris A. Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life SciencesUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern SwitzerlandMuttenzSwitzerland
| | - Philippe F. X. Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life SciencesUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern SwitzerlandMuttenzSwitzerland
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4
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Gössi A, Burgener F, Kohler D, Urso A, Kolvenbach BA, Riedl W, Schuur B. In-situ recovery of carboxylic acids from fermentation broths through membrane supported reactive extraction using membrane modules with improved stability. Sep Purif Technol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2020.116694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Reis AC, Kolvenbach BA, Chami M, Gales L, Egas C, Corvini PFX, Nunes OC. Comparative genomics reveals a novel genetic organization of the sad cluster in the sulfonamide-degrader 'Candidatus Leucobacter sulfamidivorax' strain GP. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:885. [PMID: 31752666 PMCID: PMC6868719 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6206-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Microbial communities recurrently establish metabolic associations resulting in increased fitness and ability to perform complex tasks, such as xenobiotic degradation. In a previous study, we have described a sulfonamide-degrading consortium consisting of a novel low-abundant actinobacterium, named strain GP, and Achromobacter denitrificans PR1. However, we found that strain GP was unable to grow independently and could not be further purified. Results Previous studies suggested that strain GP might represent a new putative species within the Leucobacter genus (16S rRNA gene similarity < 97%). In this study, we found that average nucleotide identity (ANI) with other Leucobacter spp. ranged between 76.8 and 82.1%, further corroborating the affiliation of strain GP to a new provisional species. The average amino acid identity (AAI) and percentage of conserved genes (POCP) values were near the lower edge of the genus delimitation thresholds (65 and 55%, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis of core genes between strain GP and Leucobacter spp. corroborated these findings. Comparative genomic analysis indicates that strain GP may have lost genes related to tetrapyrrole biosynthesis and thiol transporters, both crucial for the correct assembly of cytochromes and aerobic growth. However, supplying exogenous heme and catalase was insufficient to abolish the dependent phenotype. The actinobacterium harbors at least two copies of a novel genetic element containing a sulfonamide monooxygenase (sadA) flanked by a single IS1380 family transposase. Additionally, two homologs of sadB (4-aminophenol monooxygenase) were identified in the metagenome-assembled draft genome of strain GP, but these were not located in the vicinity of sadA nor of mobile or integrative elements. Conclusions Comparative genomics of the genus Leucobacter suggested the absence of some genes encoding for important metabolic traits in strain GP. Nevertheless, although media and culture conditions were tailored to supply its potential metabolic needs, these conditions were insufficient to isolate the PR1-dependent actinobacterium further. This study gives important insights regarding strain GP metabolism; however, gene expression and functional studies are necessary to characterize and further isolate strain GP. Based on our data, we propose to classify strain GP in a provisional new species within the genus Leucobacter, ‘Candidatus Leucobacter sulfamidivorax‘.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C Reis
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering - LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.,Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Gruendenstrasse 40, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Gruendenstrasse 40, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed Chami
- BioEM lab, C-Cina, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luís Gales
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde - i3S, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular - IBMC, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar - ICBAS, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Conceição Egas
- Next Generation Sequencing Unit, Biocant, BiocantPark, Núcleo 04, Lote 8, 3060-197, Cantanhede, Portugal.,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga, Pólo I, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Philippe F-X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Gruendenstrasse 40, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Olga C Nunes
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering - LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
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Reis AC, Čvančarová M, Liu Y, Lenz M, Hettich T, Kolvenbach BA, Corvini PFX, Nunes OC. Biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole by a bacterial consortium of Achromobacter denitrificans PR1 and Leucobacter sp. GP. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 102:10299-10314. [PMID: 30294753 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-9411-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade, biological degradation and mineralization of antibiotics have been increasingly reported feats of environmental bacteria. The most extensively described example is that of sulfonamides that can be degraded by several members of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. Previously, we reported sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation and partial mineralization by Achromobacter denitrificans strain PR1, isolated from activated sludge. However, further studies revealed an apparent instability of this metabolic trait in this strain. Here, we investigated this instability and describe the finding of a low-abundance and slow-growing actinobacterium, thriving only in co-culture with strain PR1. This organism, named GP, shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (94.6-96.9%) with the type strains of validly described species of the genus Leucobacter. This microbial consortium was found to harbor a homolog to the sulfonamide monooxygenase gene (sadA) also found in other sulfonamide-degrading bacteria. This gene is overexpressed in the presence of the antibiotic, and evidence suggests that it codes for a group D flavin monooxygenase responsible for the ipso-hydroxylation of SMX. Additional side reactions were also detected comprising an NIH shift and a Baeyer-Villiger rearrangement, which indicate an inefficient biological transformation of these antibiotics in the environment. This work contributes to further our knowledge in the degradation of this ubiquitous micropollutant by environmental bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C Reis
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Hofackerstrasse 30, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Monika Čvančarová
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Hofackerstrasse 30, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Ying Liu
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Hofackerstrasse 30, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Markus Lenz
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Hofackerstrasse 30, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Timm Hettich
- Institute for Chemistry and Bioanalytics, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Hofackerstrasse 30, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Hofackerstrasse 30, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Philippe F-X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Hofackerstrasse 30, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Olga C Nunes
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
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7
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Achermann S, Bianco V, Mansfeldt CB, Vogler B, Kolvenbach BA, Corvini PFX, Fenner K. Biotransformation of Sulfonamide Antibiotics in Activated Sludge: The Formation of Pterin-Conjugates Leads to Sustained Risk. Environ Sci Technol 2018; 52:6265-6274. [PMID: 29706069 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b06716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The presence of antibiotics in treated wastewater and consequently in surface and groundwater resources raises concerns about the formation and spread of antibiotic resistance. Improving the removal of antibiotics during wastewater treatment therefore is a prime objective of environmental engineering. Here we obtained a detailed picture of the fate of sulfonamide antibiotics during activated sludge treatment using a combination of analytical methods. We show that pterin-sulfonamide conjugates, which are formed when sulfonamides interact with their target enzyme to inhibit folic acid synthesis, represent a major biotransformation route for sulfonamides in laboratory batch experiments with activated sludge. The same major conjugates were also present in the effluents of nine Swiss wastewater treatment plants. The demonstration of this biotransformation route, which is related to bacterial growth, helps explain seemingly contradictory views on optimal conditions for sulfonamide removal. More importantly, since pterin-sulfonamide conjugates show retained antibiotic activity, our findings suggest that risk from exposure to sulfonamide antibiotics may be less reduced during wastewater treatment than previously assumed. Our results thus further emphasize the inadequacy of focusing on parent compound removal and the importance of investigating biotransformation pathways and removal of bioactivity to properly assess contaminant removal in both engineered and natural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Achermann
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Valeria Bianco
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Cresten B Mansfeldt
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
| | - Bernadette Vogler
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences , University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , 4132 Muttenz , Switzerland
| | - Philippe F X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences , University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , 4132 Muttenz , Switzerland
- State Key Laboratory for Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment , Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093 , PR China
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry , University of Zürich , 8057 Zürich , Switzerland
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8
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Ricken B, Kolvenbach BA, Bergesch C, Benndorf D, Kroll K, Strnad H, Vlček Č, Adaixo R, Hammes F, Shahgaldian P, Schäffer A, Kohler HPE, Corvini PFX. FMNH 2-dependent monooxygenases initiate catabolism of sulfonamides in Microbacterium sp. strain BR1 subsisting on sulfonamide antibiotics. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15783. [PMID: 29150672 PMCID: PMC5693940 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16132-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
We report a cluster of genes encoding two monooxygenases (SadA and SadB) and one FMN reductase (SadC) that enable Microbacterium sp. strain BR1 and other Actinomycetes to inactivate sulfonamide antibiotics. Our results show that SadA and SadC are responsible for the initial attack of sulfonamide molecules resulting in the release of 4-aminophenol. The latter is further transformed into 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene by SadB and SadC prior to mineralization and concomitant production of biomass. As the degradation products lack antibiotic activity, the presence of SadA will result in an alleviated bacteriostatic effect of sulfonamides. In addition to the relief from antibiotic stress this bacterium gains access to an additional carbon source when this gene cluster is expressed. As degradation of sulfonamides was also observed when Microbacterium sp. strain BR1 was grown on artificial urine medium, colonization with such strains may impede common sulfonamide treatment during co-infections with pathogens of the urinary tract. This case of biodegradation exemplifies the evolving catabolic capacity of bacteria, given that sulfonamide bacteriostatic are purely of synthetic origin. The wide distribution of this cluster in Actinomycetes and the presence of traA encoding a relaxase in its vicinity suggest that this cluster is mobile and that is rather alarming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Ricken
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Christian Bergesch
- Bioprocess Engineering, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Dirk Benndorf
- Bioprocess Engineering, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Kevin Kroll
- Bioprocess Engineering, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Hynek Strnad
- Laboratory of Genomics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Čestmír Vlček
- Laboratory of Genomics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ricardo Adaixo
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Frederik Hammes
- Department Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Shahgaldian
- Institute for Chemistry and Bioanalytics, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Schäffer
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter E Kohler
- Department Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Philippe F-X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland.
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Ferraroni M, Da Vela S, Kolvenbach BA, Corvini PFX, Scozzafava A. The crystal structures of native hydroquinone 1,2-dioxygenase from Sphingomonas sp. TTNP3 and of substrate and inhibitor complexes. Biochim Biophys Acta Proteins Proteom 2017; 1865:520-530. [PMID: 28232026 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2017.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The crystal structure of hydroquinone 1,2-dioxygenase, a Fe(II) ring cleaving dioxygenase from Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3, which oxidizes a wide range of hydroquinones to the corresponding 4-hydroxymuconic semialdehydes, has been solved by Molecular Replacement, using the coordinates of PnpCD from Pseudomonas sp. strain WBC-3. The enzyme is a heterotetramer, constituted of two subunits α and two β of 19 and 38kDa, respectively. Both the two subunits fold as a cupin, but that of the small α subunit lacks a competent metal binding pocket. Two tetramers are present in the asymmetric unit. Each of the four β subunits in the asymmetric unit binds one Fe(II) ion. The iron ion in each β subunit is coordinated to three protein residues, His258, Glu264, and His305 and a water molecule. The crystal structures of the complexes with the substrate methylhydroquinone, obtained under anaerobic conditions, and with the inhibitors 4-hydroxybenzoate and 4-nitrophenol were also solved. The structures of the native enzyme and of the complexes present significant differences in the active site region compared to PnpCD, the other hydroquinone 1,2-dioxygenase of known structure, and in particular they show a different coordination at the metal center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Ferraroni
- Dipartimento di Chimica "Ugo Schiff", Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, I-50019, Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy.
| | - Stefano Da Vela
- Dipartimento di Chimica "Ugo Schiff", Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, I-50019, Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy.
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland.
| | - Philippe F X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland.
| | - Andrea Scozzafava
- Dipartimento di Chimica "Ugo Schiff", Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, I-50019, Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy.
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10
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Rajpert L, Kolvenbach BA, Ammann EM, Hockmann K, Nachtegaal M, Eiche E, Schäffer A, Corvini PFX, Skłodowska A, Lenz M. Arsenic Mobilization from Historically Contaminated Mining Soils in a Continuously Operated Bioreactor: Implications for Risk Assessment. Environ Sci Technol 2016; 50:9124-9132. [PMID: 27454004 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of soil arsenic (As) in the vicinity of the former Złoty Stok gold mine (Lower Silesia, southwest Poland) exceed 1000 μg g(-1) in the area, posing an inherent threat to neighboring bodies of water. This study investigated continuous As mobilization under reducing conditions for more than 3 months. In particular, the capacity of autochthonic microflora that live on natural organic matter as the sole carbon/electron source for mobilizing As was assessed. A biphasic mobilization of As was observed. In the first two months, As mobilization was mainly conferred by Mn dissolution despite the prevalence of Fe (0.1 wt % vs 5.4 for Mn and Fe, respectively) as indicated by multiple regression analysis. Thereafter, the sudden increase in aqueous As[III] (up to 2400 μg L(-1)) was attributed to an almost quintupling of the autochthonic dissimilatory As-reducing community (quantitative polymerase chain reaction). The aqueous speciation influenced by microbial activity led to a reduction of solid phase As species (X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy) and a change in the elemental composition of As hotspots (micro X-ray fluorescence mapping). The depletion of most natural dissolved organic matter and the fact that an extensive mobilization of As[III] occurred after two months raises concerns about the long-term stability of historically As-contaminated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwia Rajpert
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Erik M Ammann
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Kerstin Hockmann
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich , Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Elisabeth Eiche
- Institute of Applied Geosciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Adenauerring 20b, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Andreas Schäffer
- Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), RWTH Aachen University , 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Philippe Francois Xavier Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Aleksandra Skłodowska
- Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Analysis, University of Warsaw , 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Markus Lenz
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
- Sub-Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University , 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Ricken B, Kolvenbach BA, Corvini PFX. Ipso-substitution — the hidden gate to xenobiotic degradation pathways. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2015; 33:220-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2015.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Revised: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Reis PJM, Reis AC, Ricken B, Kolvenbach BA, Manaia CM, Corvini PFX, Nunes OC. Biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole and other sulfonamides by Achromobacter denitrificans PR1. J Hazard Mater 2014; 280:741-9. [PMID: 25238191 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Revised: 08/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to isolate and characterize a microbial culture able to degrade sulfonamides. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX)-degrading microorganisms were enriched from activated sludge and wastewater. The resultant mixed culture was composed of four bacterial strains, out of which only Achromobacter denitrificans PR1 could degrade SMX. This sulfonamide was used as sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy with stoichiometric accumulation of 3-amino-5-methylisoxazole. Strain PR1 was able to remove SMX at a rate of 73.6 ± 9.6 μmol SMX/gcell dryweighth. This rate more than doubled when a supplement of amino acids or the other members of the mixed culture were added. Besides SMX, strain PR1 was able to degrade other sulfonamides with anti-microbial activity. Other environmental Achromobacter spp. could not degrade SMX, suggesting that this property is not broadly distributed in members of this genus. Further studies are needed to shed additional light on the genetics and enzymology of this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia J M Reis
- LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa/Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino Almeida, , 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana C Reis
- LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Benjamin Ricken
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Célia M Manaia
- CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa/Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino Almeida, , 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Philippe F X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Olga C Nunes
- LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
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Kolvenbach BA, Helbling DE, Kohler HPE, Corvini PFX. Emerging chemicals and the evolution of biodegradation capacities and pathways in bacteria. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2013; 27:8-14. [PMID: 24863891 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2013.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Revised: 08/12/2013] [Accepted: 08/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The number of new chemicals produced is increasing daily by the thousands, and it is inevitable that many of these chemicals will reach the environment. Current research provides an understanding of how the evolution of promiscuous enzymes and the recruitment of enzymes available from the metagenome allows for the assembly of these pathways. Nevertheless, physicochemical constraints including bioavailability, bioaccessibility, and the structural variations of similar chemicals limit the evolution of biodegradation pathways. Similarly, physiological constraints related to kinetics and substrate utilization at low concentrations likewise limit chemical-enzyme interactions and consequently evolution. Considering these new data, the biodegradation decalogue still proves valid while at the same time the underlying mechanisms are better understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris A Kolvenbach
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, School for Life Sciences, Institute for Ecopreneurship, Gruendenstrasse 40, Muttenz 4132, Switzerland
| | - Damian E Helbling
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, P.O. Box 611, Duebendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Hans-Peter E Kohler
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, P.O. Box 611, Duebendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Philippe F-X Corvini
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, School for Life Sciences, Institute for Ecopreneurship, Gruendenstrasse 40, Muttenz 4132, Switzerland; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University Xianlin Campus, Xianlin Avenue 163, Nanjing 210023, China.
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Collado N, Buttiglieri G, Kolvenbach BA, Comas J, Corvini PFX, Rodríguez-Roda I. Exploring the potential of applying proteomics for tracking bisphenol A and nonylphenol degradation in activated sludge. Chemosphere 2013; 90:2309-2314. [PMID: 23121986 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2012] [Revised: 10/04/2012] [Accepted: 10/05/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
A significant percentage of bisphenol A and nonylphenol removal in municipal wastewater treatment plants relies on biodegradation. Nonetheless, incomplete information is available concerning their degradation pathways performed by microbial communities in activated sludge systems. Hydroquinone dioxygenase (HQDO) is a specific degradation marker enzyme, involved in bisphenol A and nonylphenol biodegradation, and it can be produced by axenic cultures of the bacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3. Proteomics, a technique based on the analysis of microbial community proteins, was applied to this strain. The bacterium proteome map was obtained and a HQDO subunit was successfully identified. Additionally, the reliability of the applied proteomics protocol was evaluated in activated sludge samples. Proteins belonging to Sphingomonas were searched at decreasing biomass ratios, i.e. serially diluting the bacterium in activated sludge. The protein patterns were compared and Sphingomonas proteins were discriminated against the ones from sludge itself on 2D-gels. The detection limit of the applied protocol was defined as 10(-3) g TTNP3 g(-1) total suspended solids (TSSs). The results proved that proteomics can be a promising methodology to assess the presence of specific enzymes in activated sludge samples, however improvements of its sensitivity are still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neus Collado
- LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, E-17071 Girona, Catalonia, Spain; ICRA, Catalan Institute for Water Research, Carrer Emili Grahit, 101, Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
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Gabriel FLP, Mora MA, Kolvenbach BA, Corvini PFX, Kohler HPE. Formation of toxic 2-nonyl-p-benzoquinones from α-tertiary 4-nonylphenol isomers during microbial metabolism of technical nonylphenol. Environ Sci Technol 2012; 46:5979-5987. [PMID: 22559039 DOI: 10.1021/es300383m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
In many environmental compartments, microbial degradation of α-quaternary nonylphenols proceeds along an ipso-substitution pathway. It has been reported that technical nonylphenol contains, besides α-quaternary nonylphenols, minor amounts of various α-H, α-methyl substituted tertiary isomers. Here, we show that potentially toxic metabolites of such minor components are formed during ipso-degradation of technical nonylphenol by Sphingobium xenophagum Bayram, a strain isolated from activated sewage sludge. Small but significant amounts of nonylphenols were converted to the corresponding nonylhydroquinones, which in the presence of air oxygen oxidized to the corresponding nonyl-p-benzoquinones-yielding a complex mixture of potentially toxic metabolites. Through reduction with ascorbic acid and subsequent analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we were able to characterize this unique metabolic fingerprint and to show that its components originated for the most part from α-tertiary nonylphenol isomers. Furthermore, our results indicate that the metabolites mixture also contained several α, β-dehydrogenated derivatives of nonyl-p-benzoquinones that originated by hydroxylation induced rearrangement, and subsequent ring and side chain oxidation from α-tertiary nonylphenol isomers. We predict that in nonylphenol polluted natural systems, in which microbial ipso-degradation is prominent, 2-alkylquinone metabolites will be produced and will contribute to the overall toxicity of the remaining material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric L P Gabriel
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
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Da Vela S, Ferraroni M, Kolvenbach BA, Keller E, Corvini PFX, Scozzafava A, Briganti F. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of hydroquinone dioxygenase from Sphingomonas sp. TTNP3. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun 2012; 68:588-90. [PMID: 22691794 PMCID: PMC3374519 DOI: 10.1107/s1744309112012341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Hydroquinone dioxygenase (HQDO), a novel Fe(II) ring-fission dioxygenase from Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3 which oxidizes a wide range of hydroquinones to the corresponding 4-hydroxymuconic semialdehydes, has been crystallized. The enzyme is an α(2)β(2) heterotetramer constituted of two subunits of 19 and 38 kDa. Diffraction-quality crystals of HQDO were obtained using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 277 K from a solution consisting of 16% PEG 4000, 0.3 M MgCl(2), 0.1 M Tris pH 8.5. The crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 88.4, b = 125.4, c = 90.8 Å, β = 105.3°. The asymmetric unit contained two heterotetramers, i.e. four copies of each of the two different subunits related by noncrystallographic 222 symmetry. A complete data set extending to a maximum resolution of 2.5 Å was collected at 100 K using a wavelength of 0.980 Å.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Da Vela
- Dipartimento di Chimica ‘Ugo Schiff’, Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino FI, Italy
| | - Marta Ferraroni
- Dipartimento di Chimica ‘Ugo Schiff’, Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino FI, Italy
| | - Boris A. Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Eva Keller
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Philippe F. X. Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Scozzafava
- Dipartimento di Chimica ‘Ugo Schiff’, Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino FI, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Briganti
- Dipartimento di Chimica ‘Ugo Schiff’, Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino FI, Italy
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Kolvenbach BA, Lenz M, Benndorf D, Rapp E, Fousek J, Vlcek C, Schäffer A, Gabriel FLP, Kohler HPE, Corvini PFX. Purification and characterization of hydroquinone dioxygenase from Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3. AMB Express 2011; 1:8. [PMID: 21906340 PMCID: PMC3222310 DOI: 10.1186/2191-0855-1-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2011] [Accepted: 05/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydroquinone-1,2-dioxygenase, an enzyme involved in the degradation of alkylphenols in Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3 was purified to apparent homogeneity. The extradiol dioxygenase catalyzed the ring fission of hydroquinone to 4-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde and the degradation of chlorinated and several alkylated hydroquinones. The activity of 1 mg of the purified enzyme with unsubstituted hydroquinone was 6.1 μmol per minute, the apparent Km 2.2 μM. ICP-MS analysis revealed an iron content of 1.4 moles per mole enzyme. The enzyme lost activity upon exposure to oxygen, but could be reactivated by Fe(II) in presence of ascorbate. SDS-PAGE analysis of the purified enzyme yielded two bands of an apparent size of 38 kDa and 19 kDa, respectively. Data from MALDI-TOF analyses of peptides of the respective bands matched with the deduced amino acid sequences of two neighboring open reading frames found in genomic DNA of Sphingomonas sp strain TTNP3. The deduced amino acid sequences showed 62% and 47% identity to the large and small subunit of hydroquinone dioxygenase from Pseudomonas fluorescens strain ACB, respectively. This heterotetrameric enzyme is the first of its kind found in a strain of the genus Sphingomonas sensu latu.
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