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Johanna I, Daudeij A, Devina F, Nijenhuis C, Nuijen B, Romberg B, de Haar C, Haanen J, Dolstra H, Bremer E, Sebestyen Z, Straetemans T, Jedema I, Kuball J. Basics of advanced therapy medicinal product development in academic pharma and the role of a GMP simulation unit. Immunooncol Technol 2023; 20:100411. [PMID: 38192616 PMCID: PMC10772236 DOI: 10.1016/j.iotech.2023.100411] [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] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Following successes of authorized chimeric antigen receptor T-cell products being commercially marketed in the United States and European Union, product development of T-cell-based cancer immunotherapy consisting of cell-based advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) has gained further momentum. Due to their complex characteristics, pharmacological properties of living cell products are, in contrast to classical biological drugs such as small molecules, more difficult to define. Despite the availability of many new advanced technologies that facilitate ATMP manufacturing, translation from research-grade to clinical-grade manufacturing in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) needs a thorough product development process in order to maintain the same product characteristics and activity of the therapeutic product after full-scale clinical GMP production as originally developed within a research setting. The same holds true for transferring a fully developed GMP-grade production process between different GMP facilities. Such product development from the research to GMP-grade manufacturing and technology transfer processes of established GMP-compliant procedures between facilities are challenging. In this review, we highlight some of the main obstacles related to the product development, manufacturing process, and product analysis, as well as how these hinder rapid access to ATMPs. We elaborate on the role of academia, also referred to as 'academic pharma', and the added value of GMP production and GMP simulation facilities to keep innovation moving by reducing the development time and to keep final production costs reasonable.
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Affiliation(s)
- I. Johanna
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
| | - A. Daudeij
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
| | - F. Devina
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
| | - C. Nijenhuis
- Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam
| | - B. Nuijen
- Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam
| | - B. Romberg
- Department of Pharmacy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
| | - C. de Haar
- Department of Pharmacy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
| | - J. Haanen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam
| | - H. Dolstra
- Laboratory of Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen
| | - E. Bremer
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Z. Sebestyen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
| | - T. Straetemans
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
| | - I. Jedema
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam
| | - J. Kuball
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
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2
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Bremer E, Calteau A, Danchin A, Harwood C, Helmann JD, Médigue C, Palsson BO, Sekowska A, Vallenet D, Zuniga A, Zuniga C. A model industrial workhorse:
Bacillus subtilis
strain 168 and its genome after a quarter of a century. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1203-1231. [PMID: 37002859 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14257] [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] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The vast majority of genomic sequences are automatically annotated using various software programs. The accuracy of these annotations depends heavily on the very few manual annotation efforts that combine verified experimental data with genomic sequences from model organisms. Here, we summarize the updated functional annotation of Bacillus subtilis strain 168, a quarter century after its genome sequence was first made public. Since the last such effort 5 years ago, 1168 genetic functions have been updated, allowing the construction of a new metabolic model of this organism of environmental and industrial interest. The emphasis in this review is on new metabolic insights, the role of metals in metabolism and macromolecule biosynthesis, functions involved in biofilm formation, features controlling cell growth, and finally, protein agents that allow class discrimination, thus allowing maintenance management, and accuracy of all cell processes. New 'genomic objects' and an extensive updated literature review have been included for the sequence, now available at the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC: AccNum AL009126.4).
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Affiliation(s)
- Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology and Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg Germany
| | - Alexandra Calteau
- LABGeM, Génomique Métabolique, CEA, Genoscope, Institut de Biologie François Jacob Université d'Évry, Université Paris‐Saclay, CNRS Évry France
| | - Antoine Danchin
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li KaShing Faculty of Medicine Hong Kong University Pokfulam SAR Hong Kong China
| | - Colin Harwood
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute Newcastle University Baddiley Clark Building Newcastle upon Tyne UK
| | - John D. Helmann
- Department of Microbiology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Claudine Médigue
- LABGeM, Génomique Métabolique, CEA, Genoscope, Institut de Biologie François Jacob Université d'Évry, Université Paris‐Saclay, CNRS Évry France
| | - Bernhard O. Palsson
- Department of Bioengineering University of California San Diego La Jolla USA
| | | | - David Vallenet
- LABGeM, Génomique Métabolique, CEA, Genoscope, Institut de Biologie François Jacob Université d'Évry, Université Paris‐Saclay, CNRS Évry France
| | - Abril Zuniga
- Department of Biology San Diego State University San Diego California USA
| | - Cristal Zuniga
- Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics Graduate Program San Diego State University San Diego California USA
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3
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Czech L, Gertzen C, Smits SHJ, Bremer E. Guilty by association: importers, exporters and
MscS
‐type mechanosensitive channels encoded in biosynthetic gene clusters for the stress‐protectant ectoine. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:5306-5331. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16203] [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] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Czech
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology and Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg Germany
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg Germany
| | - Christoph Gertzen
- Center for Structural Studies (CSS) Heinrich‐Heine‐University Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Germany
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry Heinrich‐Heine‐University Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Germany
| | - Sander H. J. Smits
- Center for Structural Studies (CSS) Heinrich‐Heine‐University Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology and Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg Germany
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4
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Stecker D, Hoffmann T, Link H, Commichau FM, Bremer E. L-Proline Synthesis Mutants of Bacillus subtilis Overcome Osmotic Sensitivity by Genetically Adapting L-Arginine Metabolism. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:908304. [PMID: 35783388 PMCID: PMC9245794 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.908304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of the compatible solute L-proline by Bacillus subtilis via synthesis is a cornerstone in the cell’s defense against high salinity as the genetic disruption of this biosynthetic process causes osmotic sensitivity. To understand how B. subtilis could potentially cope with high osmolarity surroundings without the functioning of its natural osmostress adaptive L-proline biosynthetic route (ProJ-ProA-ProH), we isolated suppressor strains of proA mutants under high-salinity growth conditions. These osmostress-tolerant strains carried mutations affecting either the AhrC transcriptional regulator or its operator positioned in front of the argCJBD-carAB-argF L-ornithine/L-citrulline/L-arginine biosynthetic operon. Osmostress protection assays, molecular analysis and targeted metabolomics showed that these mutations, in conjunction with regulatory mutations affecting rocR-rocDEF expression, connect and re-purpose three different physiological processes: (i) the biosynthetic pathway for L-arginine, (ii) the RocD-dependent degradation route for L-ornithine, and (iii) the last step in L-proline biosynthesis. Hence, osmostress adaptation without a functional ProJ-ProA-ProH route is made possible through a naturally existing, but inefficient, metabolic shunt that allows to substitute the enzyme activity of ProA by feeding the RocD-formed metabolite γ-glutamate-semialdehyde/Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate into the biosynthetic route for the compatible solute L-proline. Notably, in one class of mutants, not only substantial L-proline pools but also large pools of L-citrulline were accumulated, a rather uncommon compatible solute in microorganisms. Collectively, our data provide an example of the considerable genetic plasticity and metabolic resourcefulness of B. subtilis to cope with everchanging environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Stecker
- Faculty of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Faculty of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Hannes Link
- SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Fabian M. Commichau
- Insitute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Biotechnology, BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Faculty of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Erhard Bremer,
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5
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Morawska LP, Detert Oude Weme RGJ, Frenzel E, Dirkzwager M, Hoffmann T, Bremer E, Kuipers OP. Stress-induced activation of the proline biosynthetic pathway in Bacillus subtilis: a population-wide and single-cell study of the osmotically controlled proHJ promoter. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:2411-2425. [PMID: 35593133 PMCID: PMC9437891 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis, in its natural habitat, is regularly exposed to rapid changes in the osmolarity of its surrounding. As its primary survival strategy, it accumulates large amounts of the compatible solute proline by activating the de novo proline biosynthesis pathway and exploiting the glutamate pools. This osmotically‐induced biosynthesis requires activation of a SigA‐type promoter that drives the expression of the proHJ operon. Population‐wide studies have shown that the activity of the proHJ promoter correlates with the increased osmotic pressure of the environment. Therefore, the activation of the proHJ transcription should be an adequate measure of the adaptation to osmotic stress through proline synthesis in the absence of other osmoprotectants. In this study, we investigate the kinetics of the proHJ promoter activation and the early adaptation to mild osmotic upshift at the single‐cell level. Under these conditions, we observed a switching point and heterogeneous proline biosynthesis gene expression, where the subpopulation of cells showing active proHJ transcription is able to continuously divide, and those unresponsive to osmotic stress remain dormant. Additionally, we demonstrate that bactericidal antibiotics significantly upregulate proHJ transcription in the absence of externally imposed osmotic pressure, suggesting that the osmotically‐controlled proline biosynthesis pathway is also involved in the antibiotic‐mediated stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza P Morawska
- Molecular Genetics Group, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud G J Detert Oude Weme
- Molecular Genetics Group, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Elrike Frenzel
- Molecular Genetics Group, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Dirkzwager
- Molecular Genetics Group, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str.8, D-35032, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 14, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str.8, D-35032, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 14, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Oscar P Kuipers
- Molecular Genetics Group, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
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6
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Bremer E, Hoffmann T, Dempwolff F, Bedrunka P, Bange G. The many faces of the unusual biofilm activator RemA. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200009. [PMID: 35289951 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200009] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Biofilms can be viewed as tissue-like structures in which microorganisms are organized in a spatial and functional sophisticated manner. Biofilm formation requires the orchestration of a highly integrated network of regulatory proteins to establish cell differentiation and production of a complex extracellular matrix. Here, we discuss the role of the essential Bacillus subtilis biofilm activator RemA. Despite intense research on biofilms, RemA is a largely underappreciated regulatory protein. RemA forms donut-shaped octamers with the potential to assemble into dimeric superstructures. The presumed DNA-binding mode suggests that RemA organizes its target DNA into nucleosome-like structures, which are the basis for its role as transcriptional activator. We discuss how RemA affects gene expression in the context of biofilm formation, and its regulatory interplay with established components of the biofilm regulatory network, such as SinR, SinI, SlrR, and SlrA. We emphasize the additional role of RemA played in nitrogen metabolism and osmotic-stress adjustment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erhard Bremer
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Felix Dempwolff
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Patricia Bedrunka
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gert Bange
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
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7
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Michel AM, Borrero-de Acuña JM, Molinari G, Ünal CM, Will S, Derksen E, Barthels S, Bartram W, Schrader M, Rohde M, Zhang H, Hoffmann T, Neumann-Schaal M, Bremer E, Jahn D. Cellular adaptation of Clostridioides difficile to high salinity encompasses a compatible solute-responsive change in cell morphology. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:1499-1517. [PMID: 35106888 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Infections by the pathogenic gut bacterium Clostridioides difficile cause severe diarrheas up to a toxic megacolon and are currently among the major causes of lethal bacterial infections. Successful bacterial propagation in the gut is strongly associated with the adaptation to changing nutrition-caused environmental conditions; e.g. environmental salt stresses. Concentrations of 350 mM NaCl, the prevailing salinity in the colon, led to significantly reduced growth of C. difficile. Metabolomics of salt- stressed bacteria revealed a major reduction of the central energy generation pathways, including the Stickland-fermentation reactions. No obvious synthesis of compatible solutes was observed up to 24 h of growth. The ensuing limited tolerance to high salinity and absence of compatible solute synthesis might result from an evolutionary adaptation to the exclusive life of C. difficile in the mammalian gut. Addition of the compatible solutes carnitine, glycine-betaine, γ-butyrobetaine, crotonobetaine, homobetaine, proline-betaine and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) restored growth (choline and proline failed) under conditions of high salinity. A bioinformatically-identified OpuF-type ABC-transporter imported most of the used compatible solutes. A long-term adaptation after 48 h included a shift of the Stickland fermentation-based energy metabolism from the utilization to the accumulation of L-proline and resulted in restored growth. Surprisingly, salt stress resulted in the formation of coccoid C. difficile cells instead of the typical rod-shaped cells, a process reverted by the addition of several compatible solutes. Hence, compatible solute import via OpuF is the major immediate adaptation strategy of C. difficile to high salinity-incurred cellular stress. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika-Marisa Michel
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - José Manuel Borrero-de Acuña
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Universidad de Sevilla, Facultad de Biología, Departamento de Microbiología, Av. de la Reina Mercedes, n° 6, CP, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Gabriella Molinari
- Central Facility for Microscopy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Can Murat Ünal
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Sabine Will
- Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Derksen
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Barthels
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Wiebke Bartram
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michel Schrader
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Manfred Rohde
- Central Facility for Microscopy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Hao Zhang
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,School of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, No. 7186 Weixing Road, 130022, Changchun, China
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Meina Neumann-Schaal
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Dieter Jahn
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
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8
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Hermann L, Dempwolff F, Steinchen W, Freibert SA, Smits SHJ, Seubert A, Bremer E. The MocR/GabR Ectoine and Hydroxyectoine Catabolism Regulator EnuR: Inducer and DNA Binding. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:764731. [PMID: 35003002 PMCID: PMC8739950 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.764731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The compatible solutes ectoine and 5-hydroxyectoine are widely synthesized by bacteria as osmostress protectants. These nitrogen-rich tetrahydropyrimidines can also be exploited as nutrients by microorganisms. Many ectoine/5-hydroxyectoine catabolic gene clusters are associated with a regulatory gene (enuR: ectoine nutrient utilization regulator) encoding a repressor protein belonging to the MocR/GabR sub-family of GntR-type transcription factors. Focusing on EnuR from the marine bacterium Ruegeria pomeroyi, we show that the dimerization of EnuR is mediated by its aminotransferase domain. This domain can fold independently from its amino-terminal DNA reading head and can incorporate pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP) as cofactor. The covalent attachment of PLP to residue Lys302 of EnuR was proven by mass-spectrometry. PLP interacts with system-specific, ectoine and 5-hydroxyectoine-derived inducers: alpha-acetyldiaminobutyric acid (alpha-ADABA), and hydroxy-alpha-acetyldiaminobutyric acid (hydroxy-alpha-ADABA), respectively. These inducers are generated in cells actively growing with ectoines as sole carbon and nitrogen sources, by the EutD hydrolase and targeted metabolic analysis allowed their detection. EnuR binds these effector molecules with affinities in the low micro-molar range. Studies addressing the evolutionary conservation of EnuR, modelling of the EnuR structure, and docking experiments with the inducers provide an initial view into the cofactor and effector binding cavity. In this cavity, the two high-affinity inducers for EnuR, alpha-ADABA and hydroxy-alpha-ADABA, are positioned such that their respective primary nitrogen group can chemically interact with PLP. Purified EnuR bound with micro-molar affinity to a 48 base pair DNA fragment containing the sigma-70 type substrate-inducible promoter for the ectoine/5-hydroxyectoine importer and catabolic gene cluster. Consistent with the function of EnuR as a repressor, the core elements of the promoter overlap with two predicted EnuR operators. Our data lend themselves to a straightforward regulatory model for the initial encounter of EnuR-possessing ectoine/5-hydroxyectoine consumers with environmental ectoines and for the situation when the external supply of these compounds has been exhausted by catabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Hermann
- Faculty of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Felix Dempwolff
- SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Wieland Steinchen
- SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sven-Andreas Freibert
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Cytobiology and Cytopathology, and SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Center for Structural Studies (CSS), Faculty of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Andreas Seubert
- Faculty of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Faculty of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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9
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Hermann L, Mais CN, Czech L, Smits SHJ, Bange G, Bremer E. The ups and downs of ectoine: structural enzymology of a major microbial stress protectant and versatile nutrient. Biol Chem 2021; 401:1443-1468. [PMID: 32755967 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2020-0223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [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: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ectoine and its derivative 5-hydroxyectoine are compatible solutes and chemical chaperones widely synthesized by Bacteria and some Archaea as cytoprotectants during osmotic stress and high- or low-growth temperature extremes. The function-preserving attributes of ectoines led to numerous biotechnological and biomedical applications and fostered the development of an industrial scale production process. Synthesis of ectoines requires the expenditure of considerable energetic and biosynthetic resources. Hence, microorganisms have developed ways to exploit ectoines as nutrients when they are no longer needed as stress protectants. Here, we summarize our current knowledge on the phylogenomic distribution of ectoine producing and consuming microorganisms. We emphasize the structural enzymology of the pathways underlying ectoine biosynthesis and consumption, an understanding that has been achieved only recently. The synthesis and degradation pathways critically differ in the isomeric form of the key metabolite N-acetyldiaminobutyric acid (ADABA). γ-ADABA serves as preferred substrate for the ectoine synthase, while the α-ADABA isomer is produced by the ectoine hydrolase as an intermediate in catabolism. It can serve as internal inducer for the genetic control of ectoine catabolic genes via the GabR/MocR-type regulator EnuR. Our review highlights the importance of structural enzymology to inspire the mechanistic understanding of metabolic networks at the biological scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Hermann
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,Biochemistry and Synthetic Biology of Microbial Metabolism Group, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von Frisch Str. 10, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Christopher-Nils Mais
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Laura Czech
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Gert Bange
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
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10
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Frank C, Hoffmann T, Zelder O, Felle MF, Bremer E. Enhanced Glutamate Synthesis and Export by the Thermotolerant Emerging Industrial Workhorse Bacillus methanolicus in Response to High Osmolarity. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:640980. [PMID: 33897645 PMCID: PMC8060640 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.640980] [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] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The thermotolerant methylotroph Bacillus methanolicus MGA3 was originally isolated from freshwater marsh soil. Due to its ability to use methanol as sole carbon and energy source, B. methanolicus is increasingly explored as a cell factory for the production of amino acids, fine chemicals, and proteins of biotechnological interest. During high cell density fermentation in industrial settings with the membrane-permeable methanol as the feed, the excretion of low molecular weight products synthesized from it will increase the osmotic pressure of the medium. This in turn will impair cell growth and productivity of the overall biotechnological production process. With this in mind, we have analyzed the core of the physiological adjustment process of B. methanolicus MGA3 to sustained high osmolarity surroundings. Through growth assays, we found that B. methanolicus MGA3 possesses only a restricted ability to cope with sustained osmotic stress. This finding is consistent with the ecophysiological conditions in the habitat from which it was originally isolated. None of the externally provided compatible solutes and proline-containing peptides affording osmostress protection for Bacillus subtilis were able to stimulate growth of B. methanolicus MGA3 at high salinity. B. methanolicus MGA3 synthesized the moderately effective compatible solute L-glutamate in a pattern such that the cellular pool increased concomitantly with increases in the external osmolarity. Counterintuitively, a large portion of the newly synthesized L-glutamate was excreted. The expression of the genes (gltAB and gltA2) for two L-glutamate synthases were upregulated in response to high salinity along with that of the gltC regulatory gene. Such a regulatory pattern of the system(s) for L-glutamate synthesis in Bacilli is new. Our findings might thus be generally relevant to understand the production of the osmostress protectant L-glutamate by those Bacilli that exclusively rely on this compatible solute for their physiological adjustment to high osmolarity surroundings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Frank
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Oskar Zelder
- BASF SE, RWB/EC - A030 - L3/10, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Max F Felle
- BASF SE, RWB/EC - A030 - L3/10, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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11
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Affiliation(s)
- Erhard Bremer
- Faculty of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
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12
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Warmbold B, Ronzheimer S, Freibert SA, Seubert A, Hoffmann T, Bremer E. Two MarR-Type Repressors Balance Precursor Uptake and Glycine Betaine Synthesis in Bacillus subtilis to Provide Cytoprotection Against Sustained Osmotic Stress. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1700. [PMID: 32849357 PMCID: PMC7396694 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis adjusts to high osmolarity surroundings through the amassing of compatible solutes. It synthesizes the compatible solute glycine betaine from prior imported choline and scavenges many pre-formed osmostress protectants, including glycine betaine, from environmental sources. Choline is imported through the substrate-restricted ABC transporter OpuB and the closely related, but promiscuous, OpuC system, followed by its GbsAB-mediated oxidation to glycine betaine. We have investigated the impact of two MarR-type regulators, GbsR and OpcR, on gbsAB, opuB, and opuC expression. Judging by the position of the previously identified OpcR operator in the regulatory regions of opuB and opuC [Lee et al. (2013) Microbiology 159, 2087−2096], and that of the GbsR operator identified in the current study, we found that the closely related GbsR and OpcR repressors use different molecular mechanisms to control transcription. OpcR functions by sterically hindering access of RNA-polymerase to the opuB and opuC promoters, while GbsR operates through a roadblock mechanism to control gbsAB and opuB transcription. Loss of GbsR or OpcR de-represses opuB and opuC transcription, respectively. With respect to the osmotic control of opuB and opuC expression, we found that this environmental cue operates independently of the OpcR and GbsR regulators. When assessed over a wide range of salinities, opuB and opuC exhibit a surprisingly different transcriptional profile. Expression of opuB increases monotonously in response to incrementally increase in salinity, while opuC transcription levels decrease after an initial up-regulation at moderate salinities. Transcription of the gbsR and opcR regulatory genes is up-regulated in response to salt stress, and is also affected through auto-regulatory processes. The opuB and opuC operons have evolved through a gene duplication event. However, evolution has shaped their mode of genetic regulation, their osmotic-stress dependent transcriptional profile, and the substrate specificity of the OpuB and OpuC ABC transporters in a distinctive fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Warmbold
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Ronzheimer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sven-Andreas Freibert
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Cytobiology and Cytopathology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Seubert
- Faculty of Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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13
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Mais CN, Hermann L, Altegoer F, Seubert A, Richter AA, Wernersbach I, Czech L, Bremer E, Bange G. Degradation of the microbial stress protectants and chemical chaperones ectoine and hydroxyectoine by a bacterial hydrolase-deacetylase complex. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:9087-9104. [PMID: 32404365 PMCID: PMC7335791 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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: 01/19/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
When faced with increased osmolarity in the environment, many bacterial cells accumulate the compatible solute ectoine and its derivative 5-hydroxyectoine. Both compounds are not only potent osmostress protectants, but also serve as effective chemical chaperones stabilizing protein functionality. Ectoines are energy-rich nitrogen and carbon sources that have an ecological impact that shapes microbial communities. Although the biochemistry of ectoine and 5-hydroxyectoine biosynthesis is well understood, our understanding of their catabolism is only rudimentary. Here, we combined biochemical and structural approaches to unravel the core of ectoine and 5-hydroxy-ectoine catabolisms. We show that a conserved enzyme bimodule consisting of the EutD ectoine/5-hydroxyectoine hydrolase and the EutE deacetylase degrades both ectoines. We determined the high-resolution crystal structures of both enzymes, derived from the salt-tolerant bacteria Ruegeria pomeroyi and Halomonas elongata These structures, either in their apo-forms or in forms capturing substrates or intermediates, provided detailed insights into the catalytic cores of the EutD and EutE enzymes. The combined biochemical and structural results indicate that the EutD homodimer opens the pyrimidine ring of ectoine through an unusual covalent intermediate, N-α-2 acetyl-l-2,4-diaminobutyrate (α-ADABA). We found that α-ADABA is then deacetylated by the zinc-dependent EutE monomer into diaminobutyric acid (DABA), which is further catabolized to l-aspartate. We observed that the EutD-EutE bimodule synthesizes exclusively the α-, but not the γ-isomers of ADABA or hydroxy-ADABA. Of note, α-ADABA is known to induce the MocR/GabR-type repressor EnuR, which controls the expression of many ectoine catabolic genes clusters. We conclude that hydroxy-α-ADABA might serve a similar function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher-Nils Mais
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
| | - Lucas Hermann
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Biology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Florian Altegoer
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Seubert
- Philipps-University Marburg, Faculty of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexandra A Richter
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Biology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Isa Wernersbach
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany
| | - Laura Czech
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Biology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Biology, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Gert Bange
- Philipps-University Marburg, Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Marburg, Germany.
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14
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Rath H, Sappa PK, Hoffmann T, Gesell Salazar M, Reder A, Steil L, Hecker M, Bremer E, Mäder U, Völker U. Impact of high salinity and the compatible solute glycine betaine on gene expression of Bacillus subtilis. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3266-3286. [PMID: 32419322 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis is frequently exposed to hyperosmotic conditions. In addition to the induction of genes involved in the accumulation of compatible solutes, high salinity exerts widespread effects on B. subtilis physiology, including changes in cell wall metabolism, induction of an iron limitation response, reduced motility and suppression of sporulation. We performed a combined whole-transcriptome and proteome analysis of B. subtilis 168 cells continuously cultivated at low or high (1.2 M NaCl) salinity. Our study revealed significant changes in the expression of more than one-fourth of the protein-coding genes and of numerous non-coding RNAs. New aspects in understanding the impact of high salinity on B. subtilis include a sustained low-level induction of the SigB-dependent general stress response and strong repression of biofilm formation under high-salinity conditions. The accumulation of compatible solutes such as glycine betaine aids the cells to cope with water stress by maintaining physiologically adequate levels of turgor and also affects multiple cellular processes through interactions with cellular components. Therefore, we additionally analysed the global effects of glycine betaine on the transcriptome and proteome of B. subtilis and revealed that it influences gene expression not only under high-salinity, but also under standard growth conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermann Rath
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Praveen K Sappa
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Manuela Gesell Salazar
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alexander Reder
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Leif Steil
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michael Hecker
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Marine Biotechnology e.V. (IMaB), Greifswald, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Mäder
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Marine Biotechnology e.V. (IMaB), Greifswald, Germany
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15
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Rath H, Reder A, Hoffmann T, Hammer E, Seubert A, Bremer E, Völker U, Mäder U. Management of Osmoprotectant Uptake Hierarchy in Bacillus subtilis via a SigB-Dependent Antisense RNA. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:622. [PMID: 32373088 PMCID: PMC7186363 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [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: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Under hyperosmotic conditions, bacteria accumulate compatible solutes through synthesis or import. Bacillus subtilis imports a large set of osmostress protectants via five osmotically controlled transport systems (OpuA to OpuE). Biosynthesis of the particularly effective osmoprotectant glycine betaine requires the exogenous supply of choline. While OpuB is rather specific for choline, OpuC imports a broad spectrum of compatible solutes, including choline and glycine betaine. One previously mapped antisense RNA of B. subtilis, S1290, exhibits strong and transient expression in response to a suddenly imposed salt stress. It covers the coding region of the opuB operon and is expressed from a strictly SigB-dependent promoter. By inactivation of this promoter and analysis of opuB and opuC transcript levels, we discovered a time-delayed osmotic induction of opuB that crucially depends on the S1290 antisense RNA and on the degree of the imposed osmotic stress. Time-delayed osmotic induction of opuB is apparently caused by transcriptional interference of RNA-polymerase complexes driving synthesis of the converging opuB and S1290 mRNAs. When our data are viewed in an ecophysiological framework, it appears that during the early adjustment phase of B. subtilis to acute osmotic stress, the cell prefers to initially rely on the transport activity of the promiscuous OpuC system and only subsequently fully induces opuB. Our data also reveal an integration of osmostress-specific adjustment systems with the SigB-controlled general stress response at a deeper level than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermann Rath
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alexander Reder
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Elke Hammer
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andreas Seubert
- Faculty of Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Marine Biotechnology e.V. (IMaB), Greifswald, Germany
| | - Ulrike Mäder
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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16
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Richter AA, Kobus S, Czech L, Hoeppner A, Zarzycki J, Erb TJ, Lauterbach L, Dickschat JS, Bremer E, Smits SHJ. The architecture of the diaminobutyrate acetyltransferase active site provides mechanistic insight into the biosynthesis of the chemical chaperone ectoine. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:2822-2838. [PMID: 31969391 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ectoine is a solute compatible with the physiologies of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and is widely synthesized by bacteria as an osmotic stress protectant. Because it preserves functional attributes of proteins and macromolecular complexes, it is considered a chemical chaperone and has found numerous practical applications. However, the mechanism of its biosynthesis is incompletely understood. The second step in ectoine biosynthesis is catalyzed by l-2,4-diaminobutyrate acetyltransferase (EctA; EC 2.3.1.178), which transfers the acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to EctB-formed l-2,4-diaminobutyrate (DAB), yielding N-γ-acetyl-l-2,4-diaminobutyrate (N-γ-ADABA), the substrate of ectoine synthase (EctC). Here, we report the biochemical and structural characterization of the EctA enzyme from the thermotolerant bacterium Paenibacillus lautus (Pl). We found that (Pl)EctA forms a homodimer whose enzyme activity is highly regiospecific by producing N-γ-ADABA but not the ectoine catabolic intermediate N-α-acetyl-l-2,4-diaminobutyric acid. High-resolution crystal structures of (Pl)EctA (at 1.2-2.2 Å resolution) (i) for its apo-form, (ii) in complex with CoA, (iii) in complex with DAB, (iv) in complex with both CoA and DAB, and (v) in the presence of the product N-γ-ADABA were obtained. To pinpoint residues involved in DAB binding, we probed the structure-function relationship of (Pl)EctA by site-directed mutagenesis. Phylogenomics shows that EctA-type proteins from both Bacteria and Archaea are evolutionarily highly conserved, including catalytically important residues. Collectively, our biochemical and structural findings yielded detailed insights into the catalytic core of the EctA enzyme that laid the foundation for unraveling its reaction mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra A Richter
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany; SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kobus
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Laura Czech
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany; SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Astrid Hoeppner
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jan Zarzycki
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Tobias J Erb
- SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany; Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Lukas Lauterbach
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany; SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
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17
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Richter AA, Mais CN, Czech L, Geyer K, Hoeppner A, Smits SHJ, Erb TJ, Bange G, Bremer E. Biosynthesis of the Stress-Protectant and Chemical Chaperon Ectoine: Biochemistry of the Transaminase EctB. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2811. [PMID: 31921013 PMCID: PMC6915088 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [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: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria frequently adapt to high osmolarity surroundings through the accumulation of compatible solutes. Ectoine is a prominent member of these types of stress protectants and is produced via an evolutionarily conserved biosynthetic pathway beginning with the L-2,4-diaminobutyrate (DAB) transaminase (TA) EctB. Here, we studied EctB from the thermo-tolerant Gram-positive bacterium Paenibacillus lautus (Pl) and show that this tetrameric enzyme is highly tolerant to salt, pH, and temperature. During ectoine biosynthesis, EctB converts L-glutamate and L-aspartate-beta-semialdehyde into 2-oxoglutarate and DAB, but it also catalyzes the reverse reaction. Our analysis unravels that EctB enzymes are mechanistically identical to the PLP-dependent gamma-aminobutyrate TAs (GABA-TAs) and only differ with respect to substrate binding. Inspection of the genomic context of the ectB gene in P. lautus identifies an unusual arrangement of juxtapositioned genes for ectoine biosynthesis and import via an Ehu-type binding-protein-dependent ABC transporter. This operon-like structure suggests the operation of a highly coordinated system for ectoine synthesis and import to maintain physiologically adequate cellular ectoine pools under osmotic stress conditions in a resource-efficient manner. Taken together, our study provides an in-depth mechanistic and physiological description of EctB, the first enzyme of the ectoine biosynthetic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra A Richter
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Christopher-Nils Mais
- SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Laura Czech
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Kyra Geyer
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Astrid Hoeppner
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tobias J Erb
- SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gert Bange
- SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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18
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Czech L, Wilcken S, Czech O, Linne U, Brauner J, Smits SHJ, Galinski EA, Bremer E. Exploiting Substrate Promiscuity of Ectoine Hydroxylase for Regio- and Stereoselective Modification of Homoectoine. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2745. [PMID: 31827466 PMCID: PMC6890836 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extant enzymes are not only highly efficient biocatalysts for a single, or a group of chemically closely related substrates but often have retained, as a mark of their evolutionary history, a certain degree of substrate ambiguity. We have exploited the substrate ambiguity of the ectoine hydroxylase (EctD), a member of the non-heme Fe(II)-containing and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily, for such a task. Naturally, the EctD enzyme performs a precise regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation of the ubiquitous stress protectant and chemical chaperone ectoine (possessing a six-membered pyrimidine ring structure) to yield trans-5-hydroxyectoine. Using a synthetic ectoine derivative, homoectoine, which possesses an expanded seven-membered diazepine ring structure, we were able to selectively generate, both in vitro and in vivo, trans-5-hydroxyhomoectoine. For this transformation, we specifically used the EctD enzyme from Pseudomonas stutzeri in a whole cell biocatalyst approach, as this enzyme exhibits high catalytic efficiency not only for its natural substrate ectoine but also for homoectoine. Molecular docking approaches with the crystal structure of the Sphingopyxis alaskensis EctD protein predicted the formation of trans-5-hydroxyhomoectoine, a stereochemical configuration that we experimentally verified by nuclear-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. An Escherichia coli cell factory expressing the P. stutzeri ectD gene from a synthetic promoter imported homoectoine via the ProU and ProP compatible solute transporters, hydroxylated it, and secreted the formed trans-5-hydroxyhomoectoine, independent from all currently known mechanosensitive channels, into the growth medium from which it could be purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Czech
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Wilcken
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Czech
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Uwe Linne
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jarryd Brauner
- Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Erwin A Galinski
- Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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19
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Schada von Borzyskowski L, Severi F, Krüger K, Hermann L, Gilardet A, Sippel F, Pommerenke B, Claus P, Cortina NS, Glatter T, Zauner S, Zarzycki J, Fuchs BM, Bremer E, Maier UG, Amann RI, Erb TJ. Marine Proteobacteria metabolize glycolate via the β-hydroxyaspartate cycle. Nature 2019; 575:500-504. [DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1748-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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20
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Abstract
The cytoplasm of bacterial cells is a highly crowded cellular compartment that possesses considerable osmotic potential. As a result, and owing to the semipermeable nature of the cytoplasmic membrane and the semielastic properties of the cell wall, osmotically driven water influx will generate turgor, a hydrostatic pressure considered critical for growth and viability. Both increases and decreases in the external osmolarity inevitably trigger water fluxes across the cytoplasmic membrane, thus impinging on the degree of cellular hydration, molecular crowding, magnitude of turgor, and cellular integrity. Here, we assess mechanisms that permit the perception of osmotic stress by bacterial cells and provide an overview of the systems that allow them to genetically and physiologically cope with this ubiquitous environmental cue. We highlight recent developments implicating the secondary messenger c-di-AMP in cellular adjustment to osmotic stress and the role of osmotic forces in the life of bacteria-assembled in biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology; and Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany;
| | - Reinhard Krämer
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany;
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21
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Ronzheimer S, Warmbold B, Arnhold C, Bremer E. The GbsR Family of Transcriptional Regulators: Functional Characterization of the OpuAR Repressor. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2536. [PMID: 30405586 PMCID: PMC6207618 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of compatible solutes is a common stress response of microorganisms challenged by high osmolarity; it can be achieved either through synthesis or import. These processes have been intensively studied in Bacillus subtilis, where systems for the production of the compatible solutes proline and glycine betaine have been identified, and in which five transporters for osmostress protectants (Opu) have been characterized. Glycine betaine synthesis relies on the import of choline via the substrate-restricted OpuB system and the promiscuous OpuC transporter and its subsequent oxidation by the GbsAB enzymes. Transcription of the opuB and gbsAB operons is under control of the MarR-type regulator GbsR, which acts as an intracellular choline-responsive repressor. Modeling studies using the X-ray structure of the Mj223 protein from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii as the template suggest that GbsR is a homo-dimer with an N-terminal DNA-reading head and C-terminal dimerization domain; a flexible linker connects these two domains. In the vicinity of the linker region, an aromatic cage is predicted as the inducer-binding site, whose envisioned architecture resembles that present in choline and glycine betaine substrate-binding proteins of ABC transporters. We used bioinformatics to assess the phylogenomics of GbsR-type proteins and found that they are widely distributed among Bacteria and Archaea. Alignments of GbsR proteins and analysis of the genetic context of the corresponding structural genes allowed their assignment into four sub-groups. In one of these sub-groups of GbsR-type proteins, gbsR-type genes are associated either with OpuA-, OpuB-, or OpuC-type osmostress protectants uptake systems. We focus here on GbsR-type proteins, named OpuAR by us, that control the expression of opuA-type gene clusters. Using such a system from the marine bacterium Bacillus infantis, we show that OpuAR acts as a repressor of opuA transcription, where several compatible solutes (e.g., choline, glycine betaine, proline betaine) serve as its inducers. Site-directed mutagenesis studies allowed a rational improvement of the putative inducer-binding site in OpuAR with respect to the affinity of choline and glycine betaine binding. Collectively, our data characterize GbsR-/OpuAR-type proteins as an extended sub-group within the MarR-superfamily of transcriptional regulators and identify a novel type of substrate-inducible import system for osmostress protectants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Ronzheimer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Bianca Warmbold
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Christian Arnhold
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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22
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Bremer E, Moreales K, Vargas I, Grandner M, Ellis J, Perlis M. 0415 Does Time In Bed Vary with the Use of Hypnotics? Sleep 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsy061.414] [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: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- E Bremer
- Sleep Center, School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - K Moreales
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - I Vargas
- Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - M Grandner
- Sleep and Health Reserach Program, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
| | - J Ellis
- Northumbria Center for Sleep Research, Northumbria University, New Castle, UNITED KINGDOM
| | - M Perlis
- Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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23
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SAINI P, Bremer E, Broyles S, Rye D, Trotti L. 0617 Working Memory and Psychomotor Vigilance Performance After Brief Naps in Hypersomnolent Patients: MSLT Correlates. Sleep 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsy061.616] [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: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- P SAINI
- EMORY UNIVERSITY, ATLANTA, GA
| | | | | | - D Rye
- EMORY UNIVERSITY, ATLANTA, GA
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24
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Czech L, Hermann L, Stöveken N, Richter AA, Höppner A, Smits SHJ, Heider J, Bremer E. Role of the Extremolytes Ectoine and Hydroxyectoine as Stress Protectants and Nutrients: Genetics, Phylogenomics, Biochemistry, and Structural Analysis. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9040177. [PMID: 29565833 PMCID: PMC5924519 DOI: 10.3390/genes9040177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [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: 02/10/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluctuations in environmental osmolarity are ubiquitous stress factors in many natural habitats of microorganisms, as they inevitably trigger osmotically instigated fluxes of water across the semi-permeable cytoplasmic membrane. Under hyperosmotic conditions, many microorganisms fend off the detrimental effects of water efflux and the ensuing dehydration of the cytoplasm and drop in turgor through the accumulation of a restricted class of organic osmolytes, the compatible solutes. Ectoine and its derivative 5-hydroxyectoine are prominent members of these compounds and are synthesized widely by members of the Bacteria and a few Archaea and Eukarya in response to high salinity/osmolarity and/or growth temperature extremes. Ectoines have excellent function-preserving properties, attributes that have led to their description as chemical chaperones and fostered the development of an industrial-scale biotechnological production process for their exploitation in biotechnology, skin care, and medicine. We review, here, the current knowledge on the biochemistry of the ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthetic enzymes and the available crystal structures of some of them, explore the genetics of the underlying biosynthetic genes and their transcriptional regulation, and present an extensive phylogenomic analysis of the ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthetic genes. In addition, we address the biochemistry, phylogenomics, and genetic regulation for the alternative use of ectoines as nutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Czech
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Lucas Hermann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Nadine Stöveken
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
- LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Alexandra A Richter
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Astrid Höppner
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitäts Str. 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitäts Str. 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitäts Str. 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Johann Heider
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
- LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
- LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
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25
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León MJ, Hoffmann T, Sánchez-Porro C, Heider J, Ventosa A, Bremer E. Compatible Solute Synthesis and Import by the Moderate Halophile Spiribacter salinus: Physiology and Genomics. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:108. [PMID: 29497403 PMCID: PMC5818414 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [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: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the genus Spiribacter are found worldwide and are abundant in ecosystems possessing intermediate salinities between seawater and saturated salt concentrations. Spiribacter salinus M19-40 is the type species of this genus and its first cultivated representative. In the habitats of S. salinus M19-40, high salinity is a key determinant for growth and we therefore focused on the cellular adjustment strategy to this persistent environmental challenge. We coupled these experimental studies to the in silico mining of the genome sequence of this moderate halophile with respect to systems allowing this bacterium to control its potassium and sodium pools, and its ability to import and synthesize compatible solutes. S. salinus M19-40 produces enhanced levels of the compatible solute ectoine, both under optimal and growth-challenging salt concentrations, but the genes encoding the corresponding biosynthetic enzymes are not organized in a canonical ectABC operon. Instead, they are scrambled (ectAC; ectB) and are physically separated from each other on the S. salinus M19-40 genome. Genomes of many phylogenetically related bacteria also exhibit a non-canonical organization of the ect genes. S. salinus M19-40 also synthesizes trehalose, but this compatible solute seems to make only a minor contribution to the cytoplasmic solute pool under osmotic stress conditions. However, its cellular levels increase substantially in stationary phase cells grown under optimal salt concentrations. In silico genome mining revealed that S. salinus M19-40 possesses different types of uptake systems for compatible solutes. Among the set of compatible solutes tested in an osmostress protection growth assay, glycine betaine and arsenobetaine were the most effective. Transport studies with radiolabeled glycine betaine showed that S. salinus M19-40 increases the pool size of this osmolyte in a fashion that is sensitively tied to the prevalent salinity of the growth medium. It was amassed in salt-stressed cells in unmodified form and suppressed the synthesis of ectoine. In conclusion, the data presented here allow us to derive a genome-scale picture of the cellular adjustment strategy of a species that represents an environmentally abundant group of ecophysiologically important halophilic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- María J León
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Cristina Sánchez-Porro
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Johann Heider
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Antonio Ventosa
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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26
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Abstract
The cellular adjustment of Bacteria and Archaea to high-salinity habitats is well studied and has generally been classified into one of two strategies. These are to accumulate high levels either of ions (the “salt-in” strategy) or of physiologically compliant organic osmolytes, the compatible solutes (the “salt-out” strategy). Halophilic protists are ecophysiological important inhabitants of salt-stressed ecosystems because they are not only very abundant but also represent the majority of eukaryotic lineages in nature. However, their cellular osmostress responses have been largely neglected. Recent reports have now shed new light on this issue using the geographically widely distributed halophilic heterotrophic protists Halocafeteria seosinensis, Pharyngomonas kirbyi, and Schmidingerothrix salinarum as model systems. Different approaches led to the joint conclusion that these unicellular Eukarya use the salt-out strategy to cope successfully with the persistent high salinity in their habitat. They accumulate various compatible solutes, e.g., glycine betaine, myo-inositol, and ectoines. The finding of intron-containing biosynthetic genes for ectoine and hydroxyectoine, their salt stress–responsive transcription in H. seosinensis, and the production of ectoine and its import by S. salinarum come as a considerable surprise because ectoines have thus far been considered exclusive prokaryotic compatible solutes. Phylogenetic considerations of the ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthetic genes of H. seosinensis suggest that they have been acquired via lateral gene transfer by these bacterivorous Eukarya from ectoine/hydroxyectoine-producing food bacteria that populate the same habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Czech
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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27
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Hoffmann T, Warmbold B, Smits SHJ, Tschapek B, Ronzheimer S, Bashir A, Chen C, Rolbetzki A, Pittelkow M, Jebbar M, Seubert A, Schmitt L, Bremer E. Arsenobetaine: an ecophysiologically important organoarsenical confers cytoprotection against osmotic stress and growth temperature extremes. Environ Microbiol 2017; 20:305-323. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology; Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8; Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Bianca Warmbold
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology; Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8; Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Sander H. J. Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry; Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitäts Str. 1; Düsseldorf D-402325 Germany
| | - Britta Tschapek
- Institute of Biochemistry; Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitäts Str. 1; Düsseldorf D-402325 Germany
| | - Stefanie Ronzheimer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology; Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8; Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Abdallah Bashir
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology; Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8; Marburg D-35043 Germany
- Faculty of Science Biology Department; Al-Azhar University-Gaza, Gaza, P.O. Box 1277; Palestine
- Emeritus Group of R.K. Thauer; Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 10; Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Chiliang Chen
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology; Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8; Marburg D-35043 Germany
- LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology; Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6; Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Anne Rolbetzki
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology; Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8; Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Marco Pittelkow
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology; Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8; Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Mohamed Jebbar
- European Institute of Marine Studies, Technopole Brest-Iroise, Laboratory of Extreme Environments, Microbiology; University of West Brittany (Brest); Plouzane F-29280 France
| | - Andreas Seubert
- Faculty of Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry; Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 4; Marburg D-35043 Germany
| | - Lutz Schmitt
- Institute of Biochemistry; Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitäts Str. 1; Düsseldorf D-402325 Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology; Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8; Marburg D-35043 Germany
- LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology; Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6; Marburg D-35043 Germany
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28
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Schulz A, Hermann L, Freibert SA, Bönig T, Hoffmann T, Riclea R, Dickschat JS, Heider J, Bremer E. Transcriptional regulation of ectoine catabolism in response to multiple metabolic and environmental cues. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:4599-4619. [PMID: 28892254 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Ectoine and hydroxyectoine are effective microbial osmostress protectants, but can also serve as versatile nutrients for bacteria. We have studied the genetic regulation of ectoine and hydroxyectoine import and catabolism in the marine Roseobacter species Ruegeria pomeroyi and identified three transcriptional regulators involved in these processes: the GabR/MocR-type repressor EnuR, the feast and famine-type regulator AsnC and the two-component system NtrYX. The corresponding genes are widely associated with ectoine and hydroxyectoine uptake and catabolic gene clusters (enuR, asnC), and with microorganisms predicted to consume ectoines (ntrYX). EnuR contains a covalently bound pyridoxal-5'-phosphate as a co-factor and the chemistry underlying the functioning of MocR/GabR-type regulators typically requires a system-specific low molecular mass effector molecule. Through ligand binding studies with purified EnuR, we identified N-(alpha)-L-acetyl-2,4-diaminobutyric acid and L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid as inducers for EnuR that are generated through ectoine catabolism. AsnC/Lrp-type proteins can wrap DNA into nucleosome-like structures, and we found that the asnC gene was essential for use of ectoines as nutrients. Furthermore, we discovered through transposon mutagenesis that the NtrYX two-component system is required for their catabolism. Database searches suggest that our findings have important ramifications for an understanding of the molecular biology of most microbial consumers of ectoines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annina Schulz
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Lucas Hermann
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Sven-Andreas Freibert
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Cytobiology and Cytopathology, Philipps-University Marburg, Robert-Koch Str. 6, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Bönig
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Ramona Riclea
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technical University Braunschweig, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany.,Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technical University Braunschweig, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany.,Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Johann Heider
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
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29
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Hoffmann T, Bleisteiner M, Sappa PK, Steil L, Mäder U, Völker U, Bremer E. Synthesis of the compatible solute proline by Bacillus subtilis: point mutations rendering the osmotically controlled proHJ promoter hyperactive. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:3700-3720. [PMID: 28752945 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 07/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The ProJ and ProH enzymes of Bacillus subtilis catalyse together with ProA (ProJ-ProA-ProH), osmostress-adaptive synthesis of the compatible solute proline. The proA-encoded gamma-glutamyl phosphate reductase is also used for anabolic proline synthesis (ProB-ProA-ProI). Transcription of the proHJ operon is osmotically inducible whereas that of the proBA operon is not. Targeted and quantitative proteome analysis revealed that the amount of ProA is not limiting for the interconnected anabolic and osmostress-responsive proline production routes. A key player for enhanced osmostress-adaptive proline production is the osmotically regulated proHJ promoter. We used site-directed mutagenesis to study the salient features of this stress-responsive promoter. Two important features were identified: (i) deviations of the proHJ promoter from the consensus sequence of SigA-type promoters serve to keep transcription low under non-inducing growth conditions, while still allowing a finely tuned induction of transcriptional activity when the external osmolarity is increased and (ii) a suboptimal spacer length for SigA-type promoters of either 16-bp (the natural proHJ promoter), or 18-bp (a synthetic promoter variant) is strictly required to allow regulation of promoter activity in proportion to the external salinity. Collectively, our data suggest that changes in the local DNA structure at the proHJ promoter are important determinants for osmostress-inducibility of transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Hoffmann
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, Marburg D-35043, Germany
| | - Monika Bleisteiner
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, Marburg D-35043, Germany
| | - Praveen Kumar Sappa
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics, Department Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 15, Greifswald D-17475, Germany
| | - Leif Steil
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics, Department Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 15, Greifswald D-17475, Germany
| | - Ulrike Mäder
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics, Department Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 15, Greifswald D-17475, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics, Department Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 15, Greifswald D-17475, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, Marburg D-35043, Germany
- LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerweinstr. 6, Marburg D-35043, Germany
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30
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Hoffmann T, Bremer E. Guardians in a stressful world: the Opu family of compatible solute transporters from Bacillus subtilis. Biol Chem 2017; 398:193-214. [PMID: 27935846 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2016-0265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The development of a semi-permeable cytoplasmic membrane was a key event in the evolution of microbial proto-cells. As a result, changes in the external osmolarity will inevitably trigger water fluxes along the osmotic gradient. The ensuing osmotic stress has consequences for the magnitude of turgor and will negatively impact cell growth and integrity. No microorganism can actively pump water across the cytoplasmic membrane; hence, microorganisms have to actively adjust the osmotic potential of their cytoplasm to scale and direct water fluxes in order to prevent dehydration or rupture. They will accumulate ions and physiologically compliant organic osmolytes, the compatible solutes, when they face hyperosmotic conditions to retain cell water, and they rapidly expel these compounds through the transient opening of mechanosensitive channels to curb water efflux when exposed to hypo-osmotic circumstances. Here, we provide an overview on the salient features of the osmostress response systems of the ubiquitously distributed bacterium Bacillus subtilis with a special emphasis on the transport systems and channels mediating regulation of cellular hydration and turgor under fluctuating osmotic conditions. The uptake of osmostress protectants via the Opu family of transporters, systems of central importance for the management of osmotic stress by B. subtilis, will be particularly highlighted.
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Bremer E. Clostridium difficile: A bad bug goes into defensive mode. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:2523-2528. [PMID: 28447375 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13776] [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] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von Frisch Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
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Gundlach J, Herzberg C, Kaever V, Gunka K, Hoffmann T, Weiß M, Gibhardt J, Thürmer A, Hertel D, Daniel R, Bremer E, Commichau FM, Stülke J. Control of potassium homeostasis is an essential function of the second messenger cyclic di-AMP in Bacillus subtilis. Sci Signal 2017; 10:10/475/eaal3011. [PMID: 28420751 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aal3011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The second messenger cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) is essential in the Gram-positive model organism Bacillus subtilis and in related pathogenic bacteria. It controls the activity of the conserved ydaO riboswitch and of several proteins involved in potassium (K+) uptake. We found that the YdaO protein was conserved among several different bacteria and provide evidence that YdaO functions as a K+ transporter. Thus, we renamed the gene and protein KimA (K+ importer A). Reporter activity assays indicated that expression beyond the c-di-AMP-responsive riboswitch of the kimA upstream regulatory region occurred only in bacteria grown in medium containing low K+ concentrations. Furthermore, mass spectrometry analysis indicated that c-di-AMP accumulated in bacteria grown in the presence of high K+ concentrations but not in low concentrations. A bacterial strain lacking all genes encoding c-di-AMP-synthesizing enzymes was viable when grown in medium containing low K+ concentrations, but not at higher K+ concentrations unless it acquired suppressor mutations in the gene encoding the cation exporter NhaK. Thus, our results indicated that the control of potassium homeostasis is an essential function of c-di-AMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Gundlach
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christina Herzberg
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Volkhard Kaever
- Research Core Unit Metabolomics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Katrin Gunka
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Martin Weiß
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Johannes Gibhardt
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Thürmer
- Department of Genomic and Applied Microbiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dietrich Hertel
- Department of Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rolf Daniel
- Department of Genomic and Applied Microbiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Fabian M Commichau
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Stülke
- Department of General Microbiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany. .,Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Teichmann L, Chen C, Hoffmann T, Smits SHJ, Schmitt L, Bremer E. From substrate specificity to promiscuity: hybrid ABC transporters for osmoprotectants. Mol Microbiol 2017; 104:761-780. [PMID: 28256787 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The ABC-transporters OpuB and OpuC from Bacillus subtilis function as osmoprotectant import systems. Their structural genes have most likely evolved through a duplication event but the two transporters are remarkably different in their substrate profile. OpuB possesses narrow substrate specificity, while OpuC is promiscuous. We assessed the functionality of hybrids between these two ABC-transporters by reciprocally exchanging the coding regions for the OpuBC and OpuCC substrate-binding proteins between the corresponding opuB and opuC operons. Substantiating the critical role of the binding protein in setting the substrate specificity of ABC transporters, OpuB::OpuCC turned into a promiscuous system, while OpuC::OpuBC now exhibited narrow substrate specificity. Both hybrid transporters possessed a high affinity for their substrates but the transport capacity of the OpuB::OpuCC system was moderate due to the synthesis of only low amounts of the xenogenetic OpuCC protein. Suppressor mutations causing single amino acid substitutions in the GbsR repressor controlling the choline to glycine betaine biosynthesis pathway greatly improved OpuB::OpuCC-mediated compatible solute import through transcriptional up-regulation of the hybrid opuB::opuCC operon. Collectively, we demonstrate for the first time that one can synthetically switch the substrate specificity of a given ABC transporter by combining its core components with a xenogenetic ligand-binding protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Teichmann
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Chiliang Chen
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerweinstr. 6, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany
| | - Lutz Schmitt
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerweinstr. 6, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
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Hendriks D, Choi G, de Bruyn M, Wiersma VR, Bremer E. Antibody-Based Cancer Therapy: Successful Agents and Novel Approaches. Int Rev Cell Mol Biol 2017; 331:289-383. [PMID: 28325214 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.10.002] [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] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Since their discovery, antibodies have been viewed as ideal candidates or "magic bullets" for use in targeted therapy in the fields of cancer, autoimmunity, and chronic inflammatory disorders. A wave of antibody-dedicated research followed, which resulted in the clinical approval of a first generation of monoclonal antibodies for cancer therapy such as rituximab (1997) and cetuximab (2004), and infliximab (2002) for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. More recently, the development of antibodies that prevent checkpoint-mediated inhibition of T cell responses invigorated the field of cancer immunotherapy. Such antibodies induced unprecedented long-term remissions in patients with advanced stage malignancies, most notably melanoma and lung cancer, that do not respond to conventional therapies. In this review, we will recapitulate the development of antibody-based therapy, and detail recent advances and new functions, particularly in the field of cancer immunotherapy. With the advent of recombinant DNA engineering, a number of rationally designed molecular formats of antibodies and antibody-derived agents have become available, and we will discuss various molecular formats including antibodies with improved effector functions, bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, antibody-cytokine fusion proteins, and T cells genetically modified with chimeric antigen receptors. With these exciting advances, new antibody-based treatment options will likely enter clinical practice and pave the way toward more successful control of malignant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Hendriks
- Department of Surgery, Translational Surgical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - G Choi
- Department of Hematology, Section Immunohematology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - M de Bruyn
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - V R Wiersma
- Department of Hematology, Section Immunohematology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - E Bremer
- Department of Hematology, Section Immunohematology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, The Netherlands; University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
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Nagler K, Krawczyk AO, De Jong A, Madela K, Hoffmann T, Laue M, Kuipers OP, Bremer E, Moeller R. Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes during Bacillus subtilis Spore Outgrowth in High-Salinity Environments Using RNA Sequencing. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1564. [PMID: 27766092 PMCID: PMC5052260 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In its natural habitat, the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis often has to cope with fluctuating osmolality and nutrient availability. Upon nutrient depletion it can form dormant spores, which can revive to form vegetative cells when nutrients become available again. While the effects of salt stress on spore germination have been analyzed previously, detailed knowledge on the salt stress response during the subsequent outgrowth phase is lacking. In this study, we investigated the changes in gene expression during B. subtilis outgrowth in the presence of 1.2 M NaCl using RNA sequencing. In total, 402 different genes were upregulated and 632 genes were downregulated during 90 min of outgrowth in the presence of salt. The salt stress response of outgrowing spores largely resembled the osmospecific response of vegetative cells exposed to sustained high salinity and included strong upregulation of genes involved in osmoprotectant uptake and compatible solute synthesis. The σB-dependent general stress response typically triggered by salt shocks was not induced, whereas the σW regulon appears to play an important role for osmoadaptation of outgrowing spores. Furthermore, high salinity induced many changes in the membrane protein and transporter transcriptome. Overall, salt stress seemed to slow down the complex molecular reorganization processes (“ripening”) of outgrowing spores by exerting detrimental effects on vegetative functions such as amino acid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Nagler
- Space Microbiology Research Group, Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center Cologne, Germany
| | - Antonina O Krawczyk
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Anne De Jong
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Kazimierz Madela
- Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy, Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute Berlin, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg Marburg, Germany
| | - Michael Laue
- Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy, Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute Berlin, Germany
| | - Oscar P Kuipers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg Marburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Moeller
- Space Microbiology Research Group, Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center Cologne, Germany
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Schulz A, Stöveken N, Binzen IM, Hoffmann T, Heider J, Bremer E. Feeding on compatible solutes: A substrate-induced pathway for uptake and catabolism of ectoines and its genetic control by EnuR. Environ Microbiol 2016; 19:926-946. [PMID: 27318028 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Ectoine and 5-hydroxyectoine are widely synthesized microbial osmostress protectants. They are also versatile nutrients but their catabolism and the genetic regulation of the corresponding genes are incompletely understood. Using the marine bacterium Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3, we investigated the utilization of ectoines and propose a seven steps comprising catabolic route that entails an initial conversion of 5-hydroxyectoine to ectoine, the opening of the ectoine ring, and the subsequent degradation of this intermediate to l-aspartate. The catabolic genes are co-transcribed with three genes encoding a 5-hydroxyectoine/ectoine-specific TRAP transporter. A chromosomal deletion of this entire gene cluster abolishes the utilization of ectoines as carbon and nitrogen sources. The presence of ectoines in the growth medium triggers enhanced expression of the importer and catabolic operon, a process dependent on a substrate-inducible promoter that precedes this gene cluster. EnuR, a member of the MocR/GabR-type transcriptional regulators, controls the activity of this promoter and functions as a repressor. EnuR contains a covalently bound pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, and we suggest that this co-factor is critical for the substrate-mediated induction of the 5-hydroxyectoine/ectoine import and catabolic genes. Bioinformatics showed that ectoine consumers are restricted to the Proteobacteria and that EnuR is likely a central regulator for most ectoine/5-hydroxyectoine catabolic genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annina Schulz
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Nadine Stöveken
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany.,Philipps-University Marburg, LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Ina M Binzen
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Johann Heider
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany.,Philipps-University Marburg, LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany.,Philipps-University Marburg, LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
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Czech L, Stöveken N, Bremer E. EctD-mediated biotransformation of the chemical chaperone ectoine into hydroxyectoine and its mechanosensitive channel-independent excretion. Microb Cell Fact 2016; 15:126. [PMID: 27439307 PMCID: PMC4955205 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-016-0525-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 06/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ectoine and its derivative 5-hydroxyectoine are cytoprotectants widely synthesized by microorganisms as a defense against the detrimental effects of high osmolarity on cellular physiology and growth. Both ectoines possess the ability to preserve the functionality of proteins, macromolecular complexes, and even entire cells, attributes that led to their description as chemical chaperones. As a consequence, there is growing interest in using ectoines for biotechnological purposes, in skin care, and in medical applications. 5-Hydroxyectoine is synthesized from ectoine through a region- and stereo-specific hydroxylation reaction mediated by the EctD enzyme, a member of the non-heme-containing iron(II) and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases. This chemical modification endows the newly formed 5-hydroxyectoine with either superior or different stress- protecting and stabilizing properties. Microorganisms producing 5-hydroxyectoine typically contain a mixture of both ectoines. We aimed to establish a recombinant microbial cell factory where 5-hydroxyectoine is (i) produced in highly purified form, and (ii) secreted into the growth medium. Results We used an Escherichia coli strain (FF4169) defective in the synthesis of the osmostress protectant trehalose as the chassis for our recombinant cell factory. We expressed in this strain a plasmid-encoded ectD gene from Pseudomonas stutzeri A1501 under the control of the anhydrotetracycline-inducible tet promoter. We chose the ectoine hydroxylase from P. stutzeri A1501 for our cell factory after a careful comparison of the in vivo performance of seven different EctD proteins. In the final set-up of the cell factory, ectoine was provided to salt-stressed cultures of strain FF4169 (pMP41; ectD+). Ectoine was imported into the cells via the osmotically inducible ProP and ProU transport systems, intracellularly converted to 5-hydroxyectoine, which was then almost quantitatively secreted into the growth medium. Experiments with an E. coli mutant lacking all currently known mechanosensitive channels (MscL, MscS, MscK, MscM) revealed that the release of 5-hydroxyectoine under osmotic steady-state conditions occurred independently of these microbial safety valves. In shake-flask experiments, 2.13 g l−1 ectoine (15 mM) was completely converted into 5-hydroxyectoine within 24 h. Conclusions We describe here a recombinant E. coli cell factory for the production and secretion of the chemical chaperone 5-hydroxyectoine free from contaminating ectoine. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-016-0525-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Czech
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University at Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nadine Stöveken
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University at Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg at Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University at Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany. .,LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg at Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany. .,Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University at Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, 35043, Marburg, Germany.
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He Y, Hendriks D, Van Ginkel R, Samplonius D, Bremer E, Helfrich W. Melanoma-directed activation of apoptosis using a novel bispecific antibody directed against MCSP and Death Receptor 5. Eur J Cancer 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(16)61422-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Miller JJ, Bremer E, Curtis T. Influence of Organic Amendment and Compaction on Nutrient Dynamics in a Saturated Saline-Sodic Soil from the Riparian Zone. J Environ Qual 2016; 45:1437-44. [PMID: 27380095 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2016.01.0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Cattle grazing in wet riparian pastures may influence nutrient dynamics due to nutrient deposition in feces and urine, soil compaction, and vegetation loss. We conducted a lab incubation study with a saline-sodic riparian soil to study nutrient (N, P, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn) dynamics in soil pore water using Plant Root Simulator (PRS) probes and release of nutrients into the overlying ponded water during flooding. The treatment factors were organic amendment (manure, roots, and unamended control), compaction (compacted, uncompacted), and burial time (3, 7, and 14 d). Amendment treatment had the greatest impact on nutrient dynamics, followed by burial time, whereas compaction had little impact. The findings generally supported our hypothesis that organic amendments should first increase nitrate loss, then increase Mn mobility, then Fe mobility and associated release of P, and finally increase sulfate loss. Declines in nitrate due to amendment addition were small because nitrate was at low levels in all treatments due to high denitrification potential instead of being released to soil pore water or overlying water. Addition of organic amendment strongly increased Mn and Fe concentrations in overlying water and of adsorbed Fe on PRS probes but only increased Mn on PRS probes on Day 3 due to subsequent displacement from ion exchange membranes. Transport of P to overlying water was increased by organic amendment addition but less so for manure than roots despite higher P on PRS probes. The findings showed that saline-sodic soils in riparian zones are generally a nutrient source for P and are a nutrient sink for N as measured using PRS probes after 3 to 7 d of flooding.
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Widderich N, Kobus S, Höppner A, Riclea R, Seubert A, Dickschat JS, Heider J, Smits SHJ, Bremer E. Biochemistry and Crystal Structure of Ectoine Synthase: A Metal-Containing Member of the Cupin Superfamily. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151285. [PMID: 26986827 PMCID: PMC4795551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [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: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Ectoine is a compatible solute and chemical chaperone widely used by members of the Bacteria and a few Archaea to fend-off the detrimental effects of high external osmolarity on cellular physiology and growth. Ectoine synthase (EctC) catalyzes the last step in ectoine production and mediates the ring closure of the substrate N-gamma-acetyl-L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid through a water elimination reaction. However, the crystal structure of ectoine synthase is not known and a clear understanding of how its fold contributes to enzyme activity is thus lacking. Using the ectoine synthase from the cold-adapted marine bacterium Sphingopyxis alaskensis (Sa), we report here both a detailed biochemical characterization of the EctC enzyme and the high-resolution crystal structure of its apo-form. Structural analysis classified the (Sa)EctC protein as a member of the cupin superfamily. EctC forms a dimer with a head-to-tail arrangement, both in solution and in the crystal structure. The interface of the dimer assembly is shaped through backbone-contacts and weak hydrophobic interactions mediated by two beta-sheets within each monomer. We show for the first time that ectoine synthase harbors a catalytically important metal co-factor; metal depletion and reconstitution experiments suggest that EctC is probably an iron-dependent enzyme. We found that EctC not only effectively converts its natural substrate N-gamma-acetyl-L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid into ectoine through a cyclocondensation reaction, but that it can also use the isomer N-alpha-acetyl-L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid as its substrate, albeit with substantially reduced catalytic efficiency. Structure-guided site-directed mutagenesis experiments targeting amino acid residues that are evolutionarily highly conserved among the extended EctC protein family, including those forming the presumptive iron-binding site, were conducted to functionally analyze the properties of the resulting EctC variants. An assessment of enzyme activity and iron content of these mutants give important clues for understanding the architecture of the active site positioned within the core of the EctC cupin barrel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Widderich
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kobus
- X-ray Facility and Crystal Farm, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Astrid Höppner
- X-ray Facility and Crystal Farm, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ramona Riclea
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Andreas Seubert
- Department of Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jeroen S. Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Johann Heider
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H. J. Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- * E-mail: (SS); (EB)
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
- * E-mail: (SS); (EB)
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Widderich N, Czech L, Elling FJ, Könneke M, Stöveken N, Pittelkow M, Riclea R, Dickschat JS, Heider J, Bremer E. Strangers in the archaeal world: osmostress-responsive biosynthesis of ectoine and hydroxyectoine by the marine thaumarchaeon Nitrosopumilus maritimus. Environ Microbiol 2016; 18:1227-48. [PMID: 26636559 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ectoine and hydroxyectoine are compatible solutes widely synthesized by members of the Bacteria to cope with high osmolarity surroundings. Inspection of 557 archaeal genomes revealed that only 12 strains affiliated with the Nitrosopumilus, Methanothrix or Methanobacterium genera harbour ectoine/hydroxyectoine gene clusters. Phylogenetic considerations suggest that these Archaea have acquired these genes through horizontal gene transfer events. Using the Thaumarchaeon 'Candidatus Nitrosopumilus maritimus' as an example, we demonstrate that the transcription of its ectABCD genes is osmotically induced and functional since it leads to the production of both ectoine and hydroxyectoine. The ectoine synthase and the ectoine hydroxylase were biochemically characterized, and their properties resemble those of their counterparts from Bacteria. Transcriptional analysis of osmotically stressed 'Ca. N. maritimus' cells demonstrated that they possess an ectoine/hydroxyectoine gene cluster (hyp-ectABCD-mscS) different from those recognized previously since it contains a gene for an MscS-type mechanosensitive channel. Complementation experiments with an Escherichia coli mutant lacking all known mechanosensitive channel proteins demonstrated that the (Nm)MscS protein is functional. Hence, 'Ca. N. maritimus' cells cope with high salinity not only through enhanced synthesis of osmostress-protective ectoines but they already prepare themselves simultaneously for an eventually occurring osmotic down-shock by enhancing the production of a safety-valve (NmMscS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Widderich
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Laura Czech
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Felix J Elling
- Organic Geochemistry Group, MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, PO Box 330 440, D-28334, Bremen, Germany
| | - Martin Könneke
- Organic Geochemistry Group, MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, PO Box 330 440, D-28334, Bremen, Germany
| | - Nadine Stöveken
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Marco Pittelkow
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ramona Riclea
- Kekulé-Institut for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk Str. 1, D-53121, Bonn, Germany.,Institute of Organic Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Kekulé-Institut for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk Str. 1, D-53121, Bonn, Germany.,Institute of Organic Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Johann Heider
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
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42
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Widderich N, Rodrigues CDA, Commichau FM, Fischer KE, Ramirez-Guadiana FH, Rudner DZ, Bremer E. Salt-sensitivity of σ(H) and Spo0A prevents sporulation of Bacillus subtilis at high osmolarity avoiding death during cellular differentiation. Mol Microbiol 2016; 100:108-24. [PMID: 26712348 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The spore-forming bacterium Bacillus subtilis frequently experiences high osmolarity as a result of desiccation in the soil. The formation of a highly desiccation-resistant endospore might serve as a logical osmostress escape route when vegetative growth is no longer possible. However, sporulation efficiency drastically decreases concomitant with an increase in the external salinity. Fluorescence microscopy of sporulation-specific promoter fusions to gfp revealed that high salinity blocks entry into the sporulation pathway at a very early stage. Specifically, we show that both Spo0A- and SigH-dependent transcription are impaired. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the association of SigH with core RNA polymerase is reduced under these conditions. Suppressors that modestly increase sporulation efficiency at high salinity map to the coding region of sigH and in the regulatory region of kinA, encoding one the sensor kinases that activates Spo0A. These findings led us to discover that B. subtilis cells that overproduce KinA can bypass the salt-imposed block in sporulation. Importantly, these cells are impaired in the morphological process of engulfment and late forespore gene expression and frequently undergo lysis. Altogether our data indicate that B. subtilis blocks entry into sporulation in high-salinity environments preventing commitment to a developmental program that it cannot complete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Widderich
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Christopher D A Rodrigues
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA, 02115-5701, USA
| | - Fabian M Commichau
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg August University Göttingen, Griesebachstr, 8, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kathleen E Fischer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Fernando H Ramirez-Guadiana
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA, 02115-5701, USA
| | - David Z Rudner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA, 02115-5701, USA
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
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43
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Kobus S, Widderich N, Hoeppner A, Bremer E, Smits SHJ. Overproduction, crystallization and X-ray diffraction data analysis of ectoine synthase from the cold-adapted marine bacterium Sphingopyxis alaskensis. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2015; 71:1027-32. [PMID: 26249694 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x15011115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Ectoine biosynthetic genes (ectABC) are widely distributed in bacteria. Microorganisms that carry them make copious amounts of ectoine as a cell protectant in response to high-osmolarity challenges. Ectoine synthase (EctC; EC 4.2.1.108) is the key enzyme for the production of this compatible solute and mediates the last step of ectoine biosynthesis. It catalyzes the ring closure of the cyclic ectoine molecule. A codon-optimized version of ectC from Sphingopyxis alaskensis (Sa) was used for overproduction of SaEctC protein carrying a Strep-tag II peptide at its carboxy-terminus. The recombinant SaEctC-Strep-tag II protein was purified to near-homogeneity from Escherichia coli cell extracts by affinity chromatography. Size-exclusion chromatography revealed that it is a dimer in solution. The SaEctC-Strep-tag II protein was crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method and crystals that diffracted to 1.0 Å resolution were obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Kobus
- Crystal Farm and X-ray Facility, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nils Widderich
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Astrid Hoeppner
- Crystal Farm and X-ray Facility, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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Broy S, Chen C, Hoffmann T, Brock NL, Nau-Wagner G, Jebbar M, Smits SHJ, Dickschat JS, Bremer E. Abiotic stress protection by ecologically abundant dimethylsulfoniopropionate and its natural and synthetic derivatives: insights from Bacillus subtilis. Environ Microbiol 2014; 17:2362-78. [PMID: 25384455 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Revised: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is an abundant osmolyte and anti-stress compound produced primarily in marine ecosystems. After its release into the environment, microorganisms can exploit DMSP as a source of sulfur and carbon, or accumulate it as an osmoprotectant. However, import systems for this ecophysiologically important compatible solute, and its stress-protective properties for microorganisms that do not produce it are insufficiently understood. Here we address these questions using a well-characterized set of Bacillus subtilis mutants to chemically profile the influence of DMSP import on stress resistance, the osmostress-adaptive proline pool and on osmotically controlled gene expression. We included in this study the naturally occurring selenium analogue of DMSP, dimethylseleniopropionate (DMSeP), as well as a set of synthetic DMSP derivatives. We found that DMSP is not a nutrient for B. subtilis, but it serves as an excellent stress protectant against challenges conferred by sustained high salinity or lasting extremes in both low and high growth temperatures. DMSeP and synthetic DMSP derivatives retain part of these stress protective attributes, but DMSP is clearly the more effective stress protectant. We identified the promiscuous and widely distributed ABC transporter OpuC as a high-affinity uptake system not only for DMSP, but also for its natural and synthetic derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Broy
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Chiliang Chen
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str., D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str., D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nelson L Brock
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technical University of Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Gabriele Nau-Wagner
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Mohamed Jebbar
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany.,Laboratory of Microbiology of Extreme Environments, UMR 6197 (CNRS - Ifremer - UBO), European Institute of Marine Studies, University of West Brittany (Brest), Technopole Brest-Iroise, F-29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitäts Str. 1, D-40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jeroen S Dickschat
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technical University of Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany.,Kekule-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Friedrich Wilhelms-University Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1, D-53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043, Marburg, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str., D-35043, Marburg, Germany
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Abstract
Ectoine and its derivative 5-hydroxyectoine are compatible solutes that are widely synthesized by bacteria to cope physiologically with osmotic stress. They also serve as chemical chaperones and maintain the functionality of macromolecules. 5-Hydroxyectoine is produced from ectoine through a stereo-specific hydroxylation, an enzymatic reaction catalyzed by the ectoine hydroxylase (EctD). The EctD protein is a member of the non-heme-containing iron(II) and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily and is evolutionarily well conserved. We studied the ectoine hydroxylase from the cold-adapted marine ultra-microbacterium Sphingopyxis alaskensis (Sa) and found that the purified SaEctD protein is a homodimer in solution. We determined the SaEctD crystal structure in its apo-form, complexed with the iron catalyst, and in a form that contained iron, the co-substrate 2-oxoglutarate, and the reaction product of EctD, 5-hydroxyectoine. The iron and 2-oxoglutarate ligands are bound within the EctD active site in a fashion similar to that found in other members of the dioxygenase superfamily. 5-Hydroxyectoine, however, is coordinated by EctD in manner different from that found in high affinity solute receptor proteins operating in conjunction with microbial import systems for ectoines. Our crystallographic analysis provides a detailed view into the active site of the ectoine hydroxylase and exposes an intricate network of interactions between the enzyme and its ligands that collectively ensure the hydroxylation of the ectoine substrate in a position- and stereo-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Höppner
- From the X-ray Facility and Crystal Farm, Heinrich-Heine-University at Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf
| | - Nils Widderich
- the Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University at Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Emeritus Group R. K. Thauer, D-35043 Marburg
| | - Michael Lenders
- the Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University at Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, and
| | - Erhard Bremer
- the Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University at Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, the LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University at Marburg, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- the Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University at Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, and
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Bashir A, Hoffmann T, Kempf B, Xie X, Smits SHJ, Bremer E. Plant-derived compatible solutes proline betaine and betonicine confer enhanced osmotic and temperature stress tolerance to Bacillus subtilis. Microbiology (Reading) 2014; 160:2283-2294. [PMID: 25012968 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.079665-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
L-Proline is a widely used compatible solute and is employed by Bacillus subtilis, through both synthesis and uptake, as an osmostress protectant. Here, we assessed the stress-protective potential of the plant-derived L-proline derivatives N-methyl-L-proline, L-proline betaine (stachydrine), trans-4-L-hydroxproline and trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline betaine (betonicine) for cells challenged by high salinity or extremes in growth temperature. l-Proline betaine and betonicine conferred salt stress protection, but trans-4-L-hydroxyproline and N-methyl-L-proline was unable to do so. Except for L-proline, none of these compounds served as a nutrient for B. subtilis. L-Proline betaine was a considerably better osmostress protectant than betonicine, and its import strongly reduced the l-proline pool produced by B. subtilis under osmotic stress conditions, whereas a supply of betonicine affected the L-proline pool only modestly. Both compounds downregulated the transcription of the osmotically inducible opuA operon, albeit to different extents. Mutant studies revealed that L-proline betaine was taken up via the ATP-binding cassette transporters OpuA and OpuC, and the betaine-choline-carnitine-transporter-type carrier OpuD; betonicine was imported only through OpuA and OpuC. L-Proline betaine and betonicine also served as temperature stress protectants. A striking difference between these chemically closely related compounds was observed: L-proline betaine was an excellent cold stress protectant, but did not provide heat stress protection, whereas the reverse was true for betonicine. Both compounds were primarily imported in temperature-challenged cells via the high-capacity OpuA transporter. We developed an in silico model for the OpuAC-betonicine complex based on the crystal structure of the OpuAC solute receptor complexed with L-proline betaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdallah Bashir
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Emeritus Group R. K. Thauer, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,Al-Azhar University Gaza, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, PO Box 1277, Gaza, Palestine.,Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Strasse, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Bettina Kempf
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Xiulan Xie
- NMR Facility, Department of Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Strasse, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Strasse 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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Bashir A, Hoffmann T, Smits SHJ, Bremer E. Dimethylglycine provides salt and temperature stress protection to Bacillus subtilis. Appl Environ Microbiol 2014; 80:2773-85. [PMID: 24561588 PMCID: PMC3993278 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00078-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [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: 01/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycine betaine is a potent osmotic and thermal stress protectant of many microorganisms. Its synthesis from glycine results in the formation of the intermediates monomethylglycine (sarcosine) and dimethylglycine (DMG), and these compounds are also produced when it is catabolized. Bacillus subtilis does not produce sarcosine or DMG, and it cannot metabolize these compounds. Here we have studied the potential of sarcosine and DMG to protect B. subtilis against osmotic, heat, and cold stress. Sarcosine, a compatible solute that possesses considerable protein-stabilizing properties, did not serve as a stress protectant of B. subtilis. DMG, on the other hand, proved to be only moderately effective as an osmotic stress protectant, but it exhibited good heat stress-relieving and excellent cold stress-relieving properties. DMG is imported into B. subtilis cells primarily under osmotic and temperature stress conditions via OpuA, a member of the ABC family of transporters. Ligand-binding studies with the extracellular solute receptor (OpuAC) of the OpuA system showed that OpuAC possesses a moderate affinity for DMG, with a Kd value of approximate 172 μM; its Kd for glycine betaine is about 26 μM. Docking studies using the crystal structures of the OpuAC protein with the sulfur analog of DMG, dimethylsulfonioacetate, as a template suggest a model of how the DMG molecule can be stably accommodated within the aromatic cage of the OpuAC ligand-binding pocket. Collectively, our data show that the ability to acquire DMG from exogenous sources under stressful environmental conditions helps the B. subtilis cell to cope with growth-restricting osmotic and temperature challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdallah Bashir
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Al-Azhar University—Gaza, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, Gaza
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Emeritus Group of R. K. Thauer, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H. J. Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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48
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Widderich N, Höppner A, Pittelkow M, Heider J, Smits SHJ, Bremer E. Biochemical properties of ectoine hydroxylases from extremophiles and their wider taxonomic distribution among microorganisms. PLoS One 2014; 9:e93809. [PMID: 24714029 PMCID: PMC3979721 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [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: 12/14/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ectoine and hydroxyectoine are well-recognized members of the compatible solutes and are widely employed by microorganisms as osmostress protectants. The EctABC enzymes catalyze the synthesis of ectoine from the precursor L-aspartate-β-semialdehyde. A subgroup of the ectoine producers can convert ectoine into 5-hydroxyectoine through a region-selective and stereospecific hydroxylation reaction. This compatible solute possesses stress-protective and function-preserving properties different from those of ectoine. Hydroxylation of ectoine is carried out by the EctD protein, a member of the non-heme-containing iron (II) and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily. We used the signature enzymes for ectoine (EctC) and hydroxyectoine (EctD) synthesis in database searches to assess the taxonomic distribution of potential ectoine and hydroxyectoine producers. Among 6428 microbial genomes inspected, 440 species are predicted to produce ectoine and of these, 272 are predicted to synthesize hydroxyectoine as well. Ectoine and hydroxyectoine genes are found almost exclusively in Bacteria. The genome context of the ect genes was explored to identify proteins that are functionally associated with the synthesis of ectoines; the specialized aspartokinase Ask_Ect and the regulatory protein EctR. This comprehensive in silico analysis was coupled with the biochemical characterization of ectoine hydroxylases from microorganisms that can colonize habitats with extremes in salinity (Halomonas elongata), pH (Alkalilimnicola ehrlichii, Acidiphilium cryptum), or temperature (Sphingopyxis alaskensis, Paenibacillus lautus) or that produce hydroxyectoine very efficiently over ectoine (Pseudomonas stutzeri). These six ectoine hydroxylases all possess similar kinetic parameters for their substrates but exhibit different temperature stabilities and differ in their tolerance to salts. We also report the crystal structure of the Virgibacillus salexigens EctD protein in its apo-form, thereby revealing that the iron-free structure exists already in a pre-set configuration to incorporate the iron catalyst. Collectively, our work defines the taxonomic distribution and salient biochemical properties of the ectoine hydroxylase protein family and contributes to the understanding of its structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Widderich
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Emeritus Group R.K. Thauer, Marburg, Germany
| | - Astrid Höppner
- X-Ray Facility and Crystal Farm, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marco Pittelkow
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Johann Heider
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H. J. Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- * E-mail: (SHGS); (EB)
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- * E-mail: (SHGS); (EB)
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Kohlstedt M, Sappa PK, Meyer H, Maaß S, Zaprasis A, Hoffmann T, Becker J, Steil L, Hecker M, van Dijl JM, Lalk M, Mäder U, Stülke J, Bremer E, Völker U, Wittmann C. Adaptation ofBacillus subtiliscarbon core metabolism to simultaneous nutrient limitation and osmotic challenge: a multi-omics perspective. Environ Microbiol 2014; 16:1898-917. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kohlstedt
- Institute of Systems Biotechnology; Saarland University; Campus A1 5 66123 Saarbrücken Germany
- Institute of Biochemical Engineering; Braunschweig University of Technology; Braunschweig Germany
| | - Praveen K. Sappa
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics; Department Functional Genomics; University Medicine Greifswald; Germany
| | - Hanna Meyer
- Institutes of Biochemistry; Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
| | - Sandra Maaß
- Microbiology; Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
| | - Adrienne Zaprasis
- Department of Biology; Laboratory of Microbiology; Philipps-University Marburg; Marburg Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Department of Biology; Laboratory of Microbiology; Philipps-University Marburg; Marburg Germany
| | - Judith Becker
- Institute of Systems Biotechnology; Saarland University; Campus A1 5 66123 Saarbrücken Germany
- Institute of Biochemical Engineering; Braunschweig University of Technology; Braunschweig Germany
| | - Leif Steil
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics; Department Functional Genomics; University Medicine Greifswald; Germany
| | - Michael Hecker
- Microbiology; Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
| | - Jan Maarten van Dijl
- Department of Medical Microbiology; University of Groningen; University Medical Center Groningen; Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Michael Lalk
- Institutes of Biochemistry; Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
| | - Ulrike Mäder
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics; Department Functional Genomics; University Medicine Greifswald; Germany
| | - Jörg Stülke
- Department for General Microbiology; Georg-August-University Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology; Laboratory of Microbiology; Philipps-University Marburg; Marburg Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics; Department Functional Genomics; University Medicine Greifswald; Germany
| | - Christoph Wittmann
- Institute of Systems Biotechnology; Saarland University; Campus A1 5 66123 Saarbrücken Germany
- Institute of Biochemical Engineering; Braunschweig University of Technology; Braunschweig Germany
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Hoeppner A, Widderich N, Bremer E, Smits SHJ. Overexpression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the ectoine hydroxylase from Sphingopyxis alaskensis. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2014; 70:493-6. [PMID: 24699747 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x14004798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The ectoine hydroxylase (EctD) is a member of the non-haem-containing iron(II)- and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily. Its mononuclear iron centre is a prerequisite for the activity of this enzyme and promotes the O2-dependent oxidative decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate, which is coupled to a two-electron oxidation of the substrate ectoine to yield 5-hydroxyectoine. An expression and purification protocol for the EctD enzyme from Sphingopyxis alaskensis was developed and the protein was crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. This resulted in two different crystal forms, representing the apo and iron-bound forms of the enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Hoeppner
- Crystal Farm and X-ray Facility, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nils Widderich
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Institut für Biochemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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