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Megaw J, Skvortsov T, Gori G, Dabai AI, Gilmore BF, Allen CCR. A novel bioinformatic method for the identification of antimicrobial peptides in metagenomes. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae045. [PMID: 38383848 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae045] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
AIMS This study aimed to develop a new bioinformatic approach for the identification of novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which did not depend on sequence similarity to known AMPs held within databases, but on structural mimicry of another antimicrobial compound, in this case an ultrashort, synthetic, cationic lipopeptide (C12-OOWW-NH2). METHODS AND RESULTS When applied to a collection of metagenomic datasets, our outlined bioinformatic method successfully identified several short (8-10aa) functional AMPs, the activity of which was verified via disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration assays against a panel of 12 bacterial strains. Some peptides had activity comparable to, or in some cases, greater than, those from published studies that identified AMPs using more conventional methods. We also explored the effects of modifications, including extension of the peptides, observing an activity peak at 9-12aa. Additionally, the inclusion of a C-terminal amide enhanced activity in most cases. Our most promising candidate (named PB2-10aa-NH2) was thermally stable, lipid-soluble, and possessed synergistic activity with ethanol but not with a conventional antibiotic (streptomycin). CONCLUSIONS While several bioinformatic methods exist to predict AMPs, the approach outlined here is much simpler and can be used to quickly scan huge datasets. Searching for peptide sequences bearing structural similarity to other antimicrobial compounds may present a further opportunity to identify novel AMPs with clinical relevance, and provide a meaningful contribution to the pressing global issue of AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Megaw
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
| | - Giulia Gori
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Aliyu I Dabai
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher C R Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
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2
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Maybin JA, Thompson TP, Flynn PB, Skvortsov T, Hickok NJ, Freeman TA, Gilmore BF. Cold atmospheric pressure plasma-antibiotic synergy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms is mediated via oxidative stress response. Biofilm 2023; 5:100122. [PMID: 37214348 PMCID: PMC10196807 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100122] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cold atmospheric-pressure plasma (CAP) has emerged as a potential alternative or adjuvant to conventional antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections, including those caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The potential of sub-lethal CAP exposures to synergise conventional antimicrobials for the eradication of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms is investigated in this study. The efficacy of antimicrobials following or in the absence of sub-lethal CAP pre-treatment in P. aeruginosa biofilms was assessed. CAP pre-treatment resulted in an increase in both planktonic and biofilm antimicrobial sensitivity for all three strains tested (PAO1, PA14, and PA10548), with both minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBECs) of individual antimicrobials, being significantly reduced following CAP pre-treatment of the biofilm (512-fold reduction with ciprofloxacin/gentamicin; and a 256-fold reduction with tobramycin). At all concentrations of antimicrobial used, the combination of sub-lethal CAP exposure and antimicrobials was effective at increasing time-to-peak metabolism, as measured by isothermal microcalorimetry, again indicating enhanced susceptibility. CAP is known to damage bacterial cell membranes and DNA by causing oxidative stress through the in situ generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). While the exact mechanism is not clear, oxidative stress on outer membrane proteins is thought to damage/perturb cell membranes, confirmed by ATP and LDH leakage, allowing antimicrobials to penetrate the bacterial cell more effectively, thus increasing bacterial susceptibility. Transcriptomic analysis, reveals that cold-plasma mediated oxidative stress caused upregulation of P. aeruginosa superoxide dismutase, cbb3 oxidases, catalases, and peroxidases, and upregulation in denitrification genes, suggesting that P. aeruginosa uses these enzymes to degrade RONS and mitigate the effects of cold plasma mediated oxidative stress. CAP treatment also led to an increased production of the signalling molecule ppGpp in P. aeruginosa, indicative of a stringent response being established. Although we did not directly measure persister cell formation, this stringent response may potentially be associated with the formation of persister cells in biofilm cultures. The production of ppGpp and polyphosphate may be associated with protein synthesis inhibition and increase efflux pump activity, factors which can result in antimicrobial tolerance. The transcriptomic analysis also showed that by 6 h post-treatment, there was downregulation in ribosome modulation factor, which is involved in the formation of persister cells, suggesting that the cells had begun to resuscitate/recover. In addition, CAP treatment at 4 h post-exposure caused downregulation of the virulence factors pyoverdine and pyocyanin; by 6 h post-exposure, virulence factor production was increasing. Transcriptomic analysis provides valuable insights into the mechanisms by which P. aeruginosa biofilms exhibits enhanced susceptibility to antimicrobials. Overall, these findings suggest, for the first time, that short CAP sub-lethal pre-treatment can be an effective strategy for enhancing the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa biofilms to antimicrobials and provides important mechanistic insights into cold plasma-antimicrobial synergy. Transcriptomic analysis of the response to, and recovery from, sub-lethal cold plasma exposures in P. aeruginosa biofilms improves our current understanding of cold plasma biofilm interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordanne-Amee Maybin
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Thomas P Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Padrig B Flynn
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Noreen J Hickok
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Theresa A Freeman
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
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3
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Fuchs M, Radulescu C, Tang M, Mahesh A, Lavin D, Umbreen S, McKenna J, Smyth M, McColgan E, Molnar Z, Baxter C, Skvortsov T, Singh A, Rogan F, Miskelly J, Bridgett S, Fairley D, Simpson DA. Mini-XT, a miniaturized tagmentation-based protocol for efficient sequencing of SARS-CoV-2. J Transl Med 2022; 20:105. [PMID: 35241105 PMCID: PMC8892412 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03307-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of whole genome sequencing (WGS) of SARS-CoV-2 to inform public health policy. By enabling definition of lineages it facilitates tracking of the global spread of the virus. The evolution of new variants can be monitored and knowledge of specific mutations provides insights into the mechanisms through which the virus increases transmissibility or evades immunity. To date almost 1 million SARS-CoV-2 genomes have been sequenced by members of the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium. To achieve similar feats in a more cost-effective and sustainable manner in future, improved high throughput virus sequencing protocols are required. We have therefore developed a miniaturized library preparation protocol with drastically reduced consumable use and costs. RESULTS We present the 'Mini-XT' miniaturized tagmentation-based library preparation protocol available on protocols.io ( https://doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.bvntn5en ). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was amplified using the ARTIC nCov-2019 multiplex RT-PCR protocol and purified using a conventional liquid handling system. Acoustic liquid transfer (Echo 525) was employed to reduce reaction volumes and the number of tips required for a Nextera XT library preparation. Sequencing was performed on an Illumina MiSeq. The final version of Mini-XT has been used to sequence 4384 SARS-CoV-2 samples from N. Ireland with a COG-UK QC pass rate of 97.4%. Sequencing quality was comparable and lineage calling consistent for replicate samples processed with full volume Nextera DNA Flex (333 samples) or using nanopore technology (20 samples). SNP calling between Mini-XT and these technologies was consistent and sequences from replicate samples paired together in maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees. CONCLUSIONS The Mini-XT protocol maintains sequence quality while reducing library preparation reagent volumes eightfold and halving overall tip usage from sample to sequence to provide concomitant cost savings relative to standard protocols. This will enable more efficient high-throughput sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 isolates and future pathogen WGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Fuchs
- Genomics Core Technology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Clara Radulescu
- The Wellcome–Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
| | - Miao Tang
- The Wellcome–Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
| | - Arun Mahesh
- The Wellcome–Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
| | - Deborah Lavin
- The Wellcome–Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
| | - Syed Umbreen
- Genomics Core Technology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
- The Wellcome–Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
- Regional Virus Laboratory, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - James McKenna
- Regional Virus Laboratory, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK
| | - Mark Smyth
- Regional Virus Laboratory, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK
| | - Eilís McColgan
- Regional Virus Laboratory, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK
| | - Zoltan Molnar
- Regional Virus Laboratory, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK
| | - Chris Baxter
- Genomics Core Technology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Aditi Singh
- The Wellcome–Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
| | - Fiona Rogan
- The Wellcome–Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
| | - Julia Miskelly
- Genomics Core Technology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Stephen Bridgett
- The Wellcome–Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
| | - Derek Fairley
- Regional Virus Laboratory, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK
| | - David A. Simpson
- The Wellcome–Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
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4
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Grigorov A, Bychenko O, Salina EG, Skvortsova Y, Mazurova A, Skvortsov T, Kaprelyants A, Azhikina T. Small RNA F6 Provides Mycobacterium smegmatis Entry into Dormancy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111536. [PMID: 34768965 PMCID: PMC8583896 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111536] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory small non-coding RNAs play a significant role in bacterial adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Various stresses such as hypoxia and nutrient starvation cause a reduction in the metabolic activity of Mycobacterium smegmatis, leading to entry into dormancy. We investigated the functional role of F6, a small RNA of M. smegmatis, and constructed an F6 deletion strain of M. smegmatis. Using the RNA-seq approach, we demonstrated that gene expression changes that accompany F6 deletion contributed to bacterial resistance against oxidative stress. We also found that F6 directly interacted with 5'-UTR of MSMEG_4640 mRNA encoding RpfE2, a resuscitation-promoting factor, which led to the downregulation of RpfE2 expression. The F6 deletion strain was characterized by the reduced ability to enter into dormancy (non-culturability) in the potassium deficiency model compared to the wild-type strain, indicating that F6 significantly contributes to bacterial adaptation to non-optimal growth conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem Grigorov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.G.); (O.B.); (Y.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Oksana Bychenko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.G.); (O.B.); (Y.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Elena G. Salina
- Research Center of Biotechnology, Bach Institute of Biochemistry, 119071 Moscow, Russia; (E.G.S.); (A.K.)
| | - Yulia Skvortsova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.G.); (O.B.); (Y.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Arina Mazurova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.G.); (O.B.); (Y.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK;
| | - Arseny Kaprelyants
- Research Center of Biotechnology, Bach Institute of Biochemistry, 119071 Moscow, Russia; (E.G.S.); (A.K.)
| | - Tatyana Azhikina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.G.); (O.B.); (Y.S.); (A.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-495-330-6992
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5
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Rice CJ, Kelly SA, O’Brien SC, Melaugh EM, Ganacias JCB, Chai ZH, Gilmore BF, Skvortsov T. Novel Phage-Derived Depolymerase with Activity against Proteus mirabilis Biofilms. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102172. [PMID: 34683494 PMCID: PMC8539402 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The adherence of Proteus mirabilis to the surface of urinary catheters leads to colonization and eventual blockage of the catheter lumen by unique crystalline biofilms produced by these opportunistic pathogens, making P. mirabilis one of the leading causes of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. The Proteus biofilms reduce efficiency of antibiotic-based treatment, which in turn increases the risk of antibiotic resistance development. Bacteriophages and their enzymes have recently become investigated as alternative treatment options. In this study, a novel Proteus bacteriophage (vB_PmiS_PM-CJR) was isolated from an environmental sample and fully characterized. The phage displayed depolymerase activity and the subsequent genome analysis revealed the presence of a pectate lyase domain in its tail spike protein. The protein was heterologously expressed and purified; the ability of the purified tail spike to degrade Proteus biofilms was tested. We showed that the application of the tail spike protein was able to reduce the adherence of bacterial biofilm to plastic pegs in a MBEC (minimum biofilm eradication concentration) assay and improve the survival of Galleria mellonella larvae infected with Proteus mirabilis. Our study is the first to successfully isolate and characterize a biofilm depolymerase from a Proteus phage, demonstrating the potential of this group of enzymes in treatment of Proteus infections.
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6
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Pidcock SE, Skvortsov T, Santos FG, Courtney SJ, Sui-Ting K, Creevey CJ, Huws SA. Phylogenetic systematics of Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio genomes illustrate vast taxonomic diversity, open genomes and an abundance of carbohydrate-active enzyme family isoforms. Microb Genom 2021; 7. [PMID: 34605764 PMCID: PMC8627218 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio dominate in anaerobic gastrointestinal microbiomes, particularly the rumen, where they play a key role in harvesting dietary energy. Within these genera, five rumen species have been classified (Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Butyrivibrio hungatei, Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus, Pseudobutyrivibrio ruminis and Pseudobutyrivibrio xylanivorans) and more recently an additional Butyrivibrio sp. group was added. Given the recent increase in available genomes, we re-investigated the phylogenetic systematics and evolution of Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio. Across 71 genomes, we show using 16S rDNA and 40 gene marker phylogenetic trees that the current six species designations (P. ruminis, P. xylanivorans, B. fibrisolvens, Butyrivibrio sp., B. hungatei and B. proteclasticus) are found. However, pangenome analysis showed vast genomic variation and a high abundance of accessory genes (91.50–99.34 %), compared with core genes (0.66–8.50 %), within these six taxonomic groups, suggesting incorrectly assigned taxonomy. Subsequent pangenome accessory genomes under varying core gene cut-offs (%) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis suggest the existence of 42 species within 32 genera. Pangenome analysis of those that still group within B. fibrisolvens, B. hungatei and P. ruminis, based on revised ANI phylogeny, also showed possession of very open genomes, illustrating the diversity that exists even within these groups. All strains of both Butyrivibrio and Pseudobutyrivibrio also shared a broad range of clusters of orthologous genes (COGs) (870), indicating recent evolution from a common ancestor. We also demonstrate that the carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) predominantly belong to glycosyl hydrolase (GH)2, 3, 5, 13 and 43, with numerous within family isoforms apparent, likely facilitating metabolic plasticity and resilience under dietary perturbations. This study provides a major advancement in our functional and evolutionary understanding of these important anaerobic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Pidcock
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Pharmacy, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Fernanda G Santos
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Stephen J Courtney
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Karen Sui-Ting
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Christopher J Creevey
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Sharon A Huws
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
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7
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Thompson TP, Kelly SA, Skvortsov T, Plunkett G, Ruffell A, Hallsworth JE, Hopps J, Gilmore BF. Microbiology of a
NaCl
stalactite ‘salticle’ in Triassic halite. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:3881-3895. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P. Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre Belfast BT9 7BL UK
| | - Stephen A. Kelly
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre Belfast BT9 7BL UK
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre Belfast BT9 7BL UK
| | - Gill Plunkett
- School of Natural and Built Environment, Department of Archaeology, Geography and Palaeoecology Queen's University Belfast Belfast BT7 1NN UK
| | - Alastair Ruffell
- School of Natural and Built Environment, Department of Archaeology, Geography and Palaeoecology Queen's University Belfast Belfast BT7 1NN UK
| | - John E. Hallsworth
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast Belfast BT9 5DL UK
| | - Jason Hopps
- Irish Salt Mining & Exploration Company Ltd. Carrickfergus BT38 9BT UK
| | - Brendan F. Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre Belfast BT9 7BL UK
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast Belfast BT9 5DL UK
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8
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Ghaani MR, Allen CCR, Skvortsov T, English NJ. Engineering Peptides to Catalyze and Control Stabilization of Gas Hydrates: Learning From Nature. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:5068-5075. [PMID: 32610915 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Clathrate hydrates are nonstoichiometric crystalline inclusion compounds. Water acts as a "host lattice" and traps small guest molecules in stable cavities. One example, methane hydrates, are especially prevalent in situ at the seafloor. Although microorganism-produced proteins and polypeptides, including marine methylotroph porin proteins, can accelerate methane hydrate formation under conditions simulating their natural occurrence at the seafloor, the role that particular peptide sequences play in biocatalytic hydrate kinetics enhancement is unclear, especially the underlying molecular-level mechanisms. Here, we reveal the peptide-focused regulation of microorganisms' role in managing marine hydrates via an approximation mechanism of enzymatic catalysis accelerating hydrate formation. Aside from control of hydrate kinetics per se, we speculate that this peptide-centric mechanistic understanding could lead to a re-evaluation of the extent and geological importance of bioregulation of methane turnover in the biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Reza Ghaani
- School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Christopher C R Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland
| | - Niall J English
- School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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9
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Megaw J, Kelly SA, Thompson TP, Skvortsov T, Gilmore BF. Profiling the microbial community of a Triassic halite deposit in Northern Ireland: an environment with significant potential for biodiscovery. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 366:5645231. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACTKilroot salt mine, a Triassic halite deposit located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, is the only permanent hypersaline environment on the island of Ireland. In this study, the microbiome of this unstudied environment was profiled for the first time using conventional and enhanced culturing techniques, and culture independent metagenomic approaches. Using both conventional isolation plates and iChip devices, 89 halophilic archaeal isolates from six known genera, and 55 halophilic or halotolerant bacterial isolates from 18 genera were obtained, based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The archaeal isolates were similar to those previously isolated from other ancient halite deposits, and as expected, numerous genera were identified in the metagenome which were not represented among the culturable isolates. Preliminary screening of a selection of isolates from this environment identified antimicrobial activities against a panel of clinically important bacterial pathogens from 15 of the bacterial isolates and one of the archaea. This, alongside previous studies reporting the discovery of novel biocatalysts from the Kilroot mine microbiome, suggests that this environment may be a new, untapped source of of chemical diversity with high biodiscovery potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Megaw
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Stephen A Kelly
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Thomas P Thompson
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- Biofilm Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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10
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Kelly SA, Magill DJ, Megaw J, Skvortsov T, Allers T, McGrath JW, Allen CCR, Moody TS, Gilmore BF. Characterisation of a solvent-tolerant haloarchaeal (R)-selective transaminase isolated from a Triassic period salt mine. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:5727-5737. [PMID: 31123770 PMCID: PMC6597733 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09806-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Transaminase enzymes (TAms) are becoming increasingly valuable in the chemist’s toolbox as a biocatalytic route to chiral amines. Despite high profile successes, the lack of (R)-selective TAms and robustness under harsh industrial conditions continue to prove problematic. Herein, we report the isolation of the first haloarchaeal TAm (BC61-TAm) to be characterised for the purposes of pharmaceutical biocatalysis. BC61-TAm is an (R)-selective enzyme, cloned from an extremely halophilic archaeon, isolated from a Triassic period salt mine. Produced using a Haloferax volcanii–based expression model, the resulting protein displays a classic halophilic activity profile, as well as thermotolerance (optimum 50 °C) and organic solvent tolerance. Molecular modelling predicts the putative active site residues of haloarchaeal TAms, with molecular dynamics simulations providing insights on the basis of BC61-TAm’s organic solvent tolerance. These results represent an exciting advance in the study of transaminases from extremophiles, providing a possible scaffold for future discovery of biocatalytic enzymes with robust properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Damian J Magill
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Julianne Megaw
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Thorsten Allers
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Thomas S Moody
- Almac, Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, UK
- Arran Chemical Company Limited, Unit 1 Monksland Industrial Estate, Athlone, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
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11
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Young JM, Skvortsov T, Kelleher BP, Mahaney WC, Somelar P, Allen CCR. Effect of soil horizon stratigraphy on the microbial ecology of alpine paleosols. Sci Total Environ 2019; 657:1183-1193. [PMID: 30677885 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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] [Received: 07/07/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
There is remarkable potential for research at the interface between the earth sciences and environmental microbiology that may lead to advances in our understanding of the role of bacterial communities in the surface or subsurface environment of our planet. One mainstay of sedimentary classification is the concept of differential soil and/or paleosol horizons being the result of primarily physical and chemical weathering, with relatively little understanding of how microbial communities between these stratified horizons differ, if at all. In this study we evaluate the differences in microbial community taxonomy and biogeochemical functional potential between stratified soil horizons in an alpine paleosol environment using next-generation sequencing (NGS) shotgun sequencing. Paleosols represent a unique environment to study the effect of differences soil horizon environments on the microbial community due to their relative isolation, and the fact that three distinct stratified soil horizons can be identified within the top 30 cm of the soil. This enables us to assess variation in microbial community composition that will be relatively distinct from variation due to distance alone. We test the hypothesis that variation in soil community composition is linked to variation in the physical and chemical parameters that define stratigraphy. Multivariate statistical analysis of sequencing reads from soil horizons across five sampling sites revealed that 1223 microbial genera vary significantly and consistently in abundance across stratified soil horizons at class level. Specifically Ktedonobacter, Bacilli and Betaproteobacteria responded most strongly to soil depth. Alpha diversity showed a positive correlation with soil depth. Beta diversity, however, did not differ significantly between horizons. Genes involved in carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism were found to be more abundant in Ah horizon samples. Closer inspection of carbohydrate metabolism genes revealed that genes involved in CO2 fixation, fermentation and saccharide metabolism decreased in abundance with depth while one‑carbon metabolism increased down profile.
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12
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Magill D, Skvortsov T, O’Flaherty V, McGrath J. Leveraging structural relationships as a novel mode of viral classification. Access Microbiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1099/acmi.ac2019.po0386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Damian Magill
- 1Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - John McGrath
- 1Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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13
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Pidcock S, Skvortsov T, Santos F, Ting KS, Creevey C, Huws S. Understanding the evolution and metabolic capabilities of the Butyrivibrio group. Access Microbiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1099/acmi.ac2019.po0430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pidcock
- 1Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Chris Creevey
- 1Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon Huws
- 1Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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14
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Kelly SA, Skvortsov T, Magill D, Quinn DJ, McGrath JW, Allen CCR, Moody TS, Gilmore BF. Characterization of a novel ω-transaminase from a Triassic salt mine metagenome. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 503:2936-2942. [PMID: 30119883 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.08.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Chiral amines are valuable building blocks for the pharmaceutical industry, and are increasingly synthesized by transaminase-mediated (TAm) synthesis. Currently available TAms, primarily isolated from the genomes of cultured mesophilic bacteria, often suffer from a number of drawbacks, including poor substrate range and an inability to tolerate the harsh conditions often demanded by industrial processes. These characteristics have, in part, driven the search for novel biocatalysts from both metagenomic sources and extreme environments. Herein, we report the isolation and characterization of an ω-TAm from a metagenome of a Triassic salt mine in Kilroot, N. Ireland, an extremely hypersaline environment formed circa 220-250 mya. The gene sequence was identified based on homology with existing bacterial TAms, synthesized within a pET28a(+) plasmid and expressed in E. coli BL21 DE3 cells. The resultant 49 kDa protein accepted (S)-methylbenzylamine (MBA) as amino donor and had a specific activity of 0.54 U/mg using α-ketoglutarate (ΑKG) as substrate. Molecular modeling and substrate docking indicated the presence of key residues, conserved in a number of other TAms. Despite the hypersaline environment from which it was isolated, the enzyme displayed low halotolerance, highlighting that not all biocatalysts will demonstrate the extreme characteristics associated with their source environment. This study does however reinforce the viability of mining metagenomic datasets as a means of discovering novel and functional biocatalysts, and adds to a currently scant list of such examples in the field of TAms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A Kelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Damian Magill
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Derek J Quinn
- Almac, Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, BT63 5QD, N. Ireland, UK
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Christopher C R Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK
| | - Thomas S Moody
- Almac, Department of Biocatalysis & Isotope Chemistry, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, BT63 5QD, N. Ireland, UK; Arran Chemical Company Limited, Unit 1 Monksland Industrial Estate, Athlone, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
| | - Brendan F Gilmore
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK.
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15
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Carvalho ATP, Dourado DFAR, Skvortsov T, de Abreu M, Ferguson LJ, Quinn DJ, Moody TS, Huang M. Spatial requirement for PAMO for transformation of non-native linear substrates. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:2558-2570. [PMID: 29318252 DOI: 10.1039/c7cp07172h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Phenylacetone monooxygenase is the most stable and thermo-tolerant member of the Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases family, and therefore it is an ideal candidate for the synthesis of industrially relevant ester or lactone compounds. However, its limited substrate scope has largely limited its industrial applications. Linear substrates are interesting from an industrial point of view, it is thus necessary to identify the essential spatial requirement for achieving high conversions for non-native linear substrates. Here using molecular dynamics simulations, we compared the conversion of a non-native linear substrate 2-octanone and the native substrate phenylacetone, catalyzed by the WT enzyme and a quadruple variant P253F/G254A/R258M/L443F that exhibits significantly improved activity towards 2-octanone. We uncovered that a remarkable movement of L289 is crucial for a reshaping of the active site of the quadruple variant so as to prevent the aliphatic substrate from moving away from the C4a-peroxyflavin, thus enabling it to keep a catalytically relevant pose during the oxygenation process. By performing steady-state kinetic analysis of two single-mutation variants at position 258, we further validated that the L289 reposition is attributed to the combined effect of quadruple mutations. In order to further explore the substrate scope of PAMO we also studied the binding of cyclopentanone and 2-phenylcyclohexanone, which are the typical substrates of CPMO in group I and CHMO in group III, respectively. Our study provides fundamental atomic-level insights in rational engineering of PAMO for wide applications in industrial biocatalysis, in particular, in the biotransformation of long-chain aliphatic oils into potential biodiesels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra T P Carvalho
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, UK.
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16
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Carvalho ATP, Dourado DFAR, Skvortsov T, de Abreu M, Ferguson LJ, Quinn DJ, Moody TS, Huang M. Catalytic mechanism of phenylacetone monooxygenases for non-native linear substrates. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 19:26851-26861. [PMID: 28951930 DOI: 10.1039/c7cp03640j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Phenylacetone monooxygenase (PAMO) is the most stable and thermo-tolerant member of the Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase family, and therefore it is an ideal candidate for the synthesis of industrially relevant compounds. However, its limited substrate scope has largely limited its industrial applications. In the present work, we provide, for the first time, the catalytic mechanism of PAMO for the native substrate phenylacetone as well as for a linear non-native substrate 2-octanone, using molecular dynamics simulations, quantum mechanics and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations. We provide a theoretical basis for the preference of the enzyme for the native aromatic substrate over non-native linear substrates. Our study provides fundamental atomic-level insights that can be employed in the rational engineering of PAMO for wide applications in industrial biocatalysis, in particular, in the biotransformation of long-chain aliphatic oils into potential biodiesels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra T P Carvalho
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, UK.
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17
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Arkhipova K, Skvortsov T, Quinn JP, McGrath JW, Allen CC, Dutilh BE, McElarney Y, Kulakov LA. Temporal dynamics of uncultured viruses: a new dimension in viral diversity. ISME J 2017; 12:199-211. [PMID: 29027998 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2017.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Recent work has vastly expanded the known viral genomic sequence space, but the seasonal dynamics of viral populations at the genome level remain unexplored. Here we followed the viral community in a freshwater lake for 1 year using genome-resolved viral metagenomics, combined with detailed analyses of the viral community structure, associated bacterial populations and environmental variables. We reconstructed 8950 complete and partial viral genomes, the majority of which were not persistent in the lake throughout the year, but instead continuously succeeded each other. Temporal analysis of 732 viral genus-level clusters demonstrated that one-fifth were undetectable at specific periods of the year. Based on host predictions for a subset of reconstructed viral genomes, we for the first time reveal three distinct patterns of host-pathogen dynamics, where the viruses may peak before, during or after the peak in their host's abundance, providing new possibilities for modelling of their interactions. Time series metagenomics opens up a new dimension in viral profiling, which is essential to understand the full scale of viral diversity and evolution, and the ecological roles of these important factors in the global ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ksenia Arkhipova
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK.,Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK.,Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - John P Quinn
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK.,Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Christopher Cr Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK.,Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Bas E Dutilh
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Centre for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Leonid A Kulakov
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
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18
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Dourado DFAR, Pohle S, Carvalho ATP, Dheeman DS, Caswell JM, Skvortsov T, Miskelly I, Brown RT, Quinn DJ, Allen CCR, Kulakov L, Huang M, Moody TS. Rational Design of a (S)-Selective-Transaminase for Asymmetric Synthesis of (1S)-1-(1,1′-biphenyl-2-yl)ethanamine. ACS Catal 2016. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.6b02380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. A. R. Dourado
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, David
Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Pohle
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra T. P. Carvalho
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, David
Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Dharmendra S. Dheeman
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Jill M. Caswell
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- School
of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology
Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Iain Miskelly
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Rodney T. Brown
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Derek J. Quinn
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher C. R. Allen
- School
of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology
Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Leonid Kulakov
- School
of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology
Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Meilan Huang
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, David
Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas S. Moody
- Department
of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry, Almac Sciences, 20 Seagoe Industrial
Estate, Craigavon BT63
5QD, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
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19
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Skvortsov T, de Leeuwe C, Quinn JP, McGrath JW, Allen CCR, McElarney Y, Watson C, Arkhipova K, Lavigne R, Kulakov LA. Metagenomic Characterisation of the Viral Community of Lough Neagh, the Largest Freshwater Lake in Ireland. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150361. [PMID: 26927795 PMCID: PMC4771703 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lough Neagh is the largest and the most economically important lake in Ireland. It is also one of the most nutrient rich amongst the world’s major lakes. In this study, 16S rRNA analysis of total metagenomic DNA from the water column of Lough Neagh has revealed a high proportion of Cyanobacteria and low levels of Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Firmicutes. The planktonic virome of Lough Neagh has been sequenced and 2,298,791 2×300 bp Illumina reads analysed. Comparison with previously characterised lakes demonstrates that the Lough Neagh viral community has the highest level of sequence diversity. Only about 15% of reads had homologs in the RefSeq database and tailed bacteriophages (Caudovirales) were identified as a major grouping. Within the Caudovirales, the Podoviridae and Siphoviridae were the two most dominant families (34.3% and 32.8% of the reads with sequence homology to the RefSeq database), while ssDNA bacteriophages constituted less than 1% of the virome. Putative cyanophages were found to be abundant. 66,450 viral contigs were assembled with the largest one being 58,805 bp; its existence, and that of another 34,467 bp contig, in the water column was confirmed. Analysis of the contigs confirmed the high abundance of cyanophages in the water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timofey Skvortsov
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Colin de Leeuwe
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - John P. Quinn
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - John W. McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher C. R. Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Yvonne McElarney
- Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Watson
- Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Ksenia Arkhipova
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leonid A. Kulakov
- School of Biological Sciences, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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20
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Ignatov D, Malakho S, Majorov K, Skvortsov T, Apt A, Azhikina T. RNA-Seq analysis of Mycobacterium avium non-coding transcriptome. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74209. [PMID: 24066122 PMCID: PMC3774663 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Deep sequencing was implemented to study the transcriptional landscape of Mycobacterium avium. High-resolution transcriptome analysis identified the transcription start points for 652 genes. One third of these genes represented leaderless transcripts, whereas the rest of the transcripts had 5' UTRs with the mean length of 83 nt. In addition, the 5' UTRs of 6 genes contained SAM-IV and Ykok types of riboswitches. 87 antisense RNAs and 10 intergenic small RNAs were mapped. 6 intergenic small RNAs, including 4.5S RNA and rnpB, were transcribed at extremely high levels. Although several intergenic sRNAs are conserved in M. avium and M. tuberculosis, both of these species have unique intergenic sRNAs. Moreover, we demonstrated that even conserved small RNAs are regulated differently in these species. Different sets of intergenic sRNAs may underlie differences in physiology between conditionally pathogenic M. avium and highly specialized pathogen M. tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitriy Ignatov
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
- * E-mail:
| | - Sofia Malakho
- Center of Innovations and Technologies “Biologically Active Compounds and their Applications”, Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Timofey Skvortsov
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Tatyana Azhikina
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
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21
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Kopantzev EP, Usova E, Kopantseva M, Azhikina T, Skvortsov T, Bychenko O, Zinovyeva M, Kostina M, Egorov V, Fedorov A, Sverdlov ED. Abstract 4277: Comparative gene expression analysis of proliferating stromal cells from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pancreatitis and normal pancreas. Cancer Res 2012. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2012-4277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: Stromal cells associated with cancer cells are considered an important component of tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer. The intratumoral desmoplasia characteristic of pancreatic cancer is a result of growing carcinoma paracrine action on surrounding normal tissue cells. Selective targeting of tumor stroma cells can markedly increase the effectiveness of currently used chemotherapeutic agents against pancreatic cancer. Therefore, a search for new targets in stromal cells is an important part of developing new combined therapies of this disease. Our work was aimed at comparative studying of gene expression in stromal cells of normal pancreas, pancreatitis and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues. Methods: Cultured stromal cells were obtained from samples of normal pancreatic (n=3), pancreatitis (n=3) and ductal adenocarcinoma tissues (n=4). The cell cultures obtained were preliminary characterized by immunofluorescence, RT-PCR and western blotting. A full genome gene expression analysis was performed using a modified SAGE technique. Expression of selected dysregulated genes was analyzed by quantitative PCR. Results: Morphological and immunofluorescent analyses of the obtained primary stromal cultures indicated that they could be assigned to pancreatic stellate cells (PSC). The SAGE analysis allowed to quantitatively estimate expression of 9860 genes in normal PSC, 8744 PSC genes in pancreatitis, and 9311 genes in tumor PSC. A comparison of normal and tumor PSC revealed statistically significant (P<0.001) differences in expression of 270 genes. Of them, 146 genes were upregulated and 124 genes downregulated in tumor PSC as compared to normal PSC. An expression analysis of selected dysregulated genes by RT-PCR detected changes in the activity of some genes involved in tumor progression of pancreatic cancer. In particular, the genes of two chemokines (CXCL12 and CX3CL1) and the JAG1 Notch ligand were upregulated in tumor PSC. A similar comparison of tumor PSC and PSC from pancreatitis tissue detected 68 differentially expressed genes (P<0.001), 40 of which were upregulated and 28 downregulated in tumor PSC as compared to pancreatitis PSC. Expression of 23 genes was upregulated in tumor PSC as compared with PSC both from pancreas and pancreatitis. On the whole, the expression profile of tumor PSC was markedly more similar to that of PSC from pancreatitis tissues than from normal PSC. Conclusions: The results obtained in our work revealed statistically significant changes in the expression of some PSC genes in stroma of ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma as compared to normal PSC. The similarity of tumor and pancreatitis PSC expression profiles may suggest mutual mechanisms of forming the fibrous tissue of pancreatitis and tumor stroma of pancreatic carcinomas.
Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4277. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4277
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene P. Kopantzev
- 1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Acad. Sci., Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Eugenia Usova
- 1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Acad. Sci., Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Marina Kopantseva
- 2Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Tatyana Azhikina
- 1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Acad. Sci., Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Timofey Skvortsov
- 1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Acad. Sci., Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Oksana Bychenko
- 1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Acad. Sci., Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Marina Zinovyeva
- 1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Acad. Sci., Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Maria Kostina
- 1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Acad. Sci., Moscow, Russian Federation
| | | | - Andrei Fedorov
- 3Vishnevsky Institute of Surgery, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Eugene D. Sverdlov
- 1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Acad. Sci., Moscow, Russian Federation
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22
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Azhikina T, Kozlova A, Skvortsov T, Sverdlov E. Heterogeneity and degree of TIMP4, GATA4, SOX18, and EGFL7 gene promoter methylation in non-small cell lung cancer and surrounding tissues. Cancer Genet 2011; 204:492-500. [PMID: 22018271 DOI: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2011.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2011] [Revised: 06/28/2011] [Accepted: 07/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We used methylation-sensitive high resolution melting analysis to assess methylation of CpG islands within the promoters of the TIMP4, GATA4, SOX18, and EGFL7 genes in samples of non-small cell lung cancer and surrounding apparently normal tissue and noncancerous lung tissues. We found that the promoter methylation was heterogeneous in both tumor and surrounding normal tissue. This is in contrast to healthy lung tissue, where the promoters were normally either non- or hypomethylated, and the heterogeneity of methylation was low. An increased heterogeneity of methylation in the normal tissues surrounding the tumor may suggest an early start of epigenetic processes preceding genetic and morphologic changes and can be used as a biomarker of early cancerization events. This analysis is an easy and sensitive tool for studying epigenetic heterogeneity and could be used in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana Azhikina
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.
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