Growth ofAquincola tertiaricarbonis L108 ontert-Butyl Alcohol Leads to the Induction of a Phthalate Dioxygenase-related Protein and its Associated Oxidoreductase Subunit

The 2-methylpropene degradation pathway in Mycobacteriaceae family strains

Mycolicibacterium gadium IBE100 and Mycobacterium paragordonae IBE200 are aerobic, chemoorganoheterotrophic bacteria isolated from activated sludge from a wastewater treatment plant. They use 2-methylpropene (isobutene, 2-MP) as the sole source of carbon and energy. Here, we postulate a degradation pathway of 2-methylpropene derived from whole genome sequencing, differential expression analysis and peptide-mass fingerprinting. Key genes identified are coding for a 4-component soluble diiron monooxygenase with epoxidase activity, an epoxide hydrolase, and a 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA mutase. In both strains, involved genes are arranged in clusters of 61.0 and 58.5 kbp, respectively, which also contain the genes coding for parts of the aerobic pathway of adenosylcobalamin synthesis. This vitamin is essential for the carbon rearrangement reaction catalysed by the mutase. These findings provide data for the identification of potential 2-methylpropene degraders.

Active site alanine preceding catalytic cysteine determines unique substrate specificity in bacterial CoA-acylating prenal dehydrogenase

In detoxification and fermentation processes, acylating dehydrogenases catalyze the reversible oxidation of aldehydes to their corresponding acyl-CoA esters. Here, we characterize an enzyme from Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108 responsible for prenal (3-methyl-2-butenal) to 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA oxidation. Enzyme kinetics demonstrate a preference for C5 substrates not yet observed in aldehyde dehydrogenases. Compared to acetaldehyde and acetyl-CoA, conversion of valeraldehyde and valeryl-CoA is > 100- and 8-fold more efficient, respectively. Enzyme variants with A254I, A254P, and A254G mutations indicate that active site Ala preceding the catalytic C255 is crucial for this unique specificity. These results shed new light on evolutionary adaptation of aldehyde dehydrogenases toward xenobiotics and structure-guided design of highly specific enzymes for production of biofuels, such as linear or iso-branched butanols and pentanols.

Effect of benzene and ethylbenzene on the transcription of methyl-tert-butyl ether degradation genes of Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1

Methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and its degradation by-product, tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), are widespread contaminants detected frequently in groundwater in California. Since MTBE was used as a fuel oxygenate for almost two decades, leaking underground fuel storage tanks are an important source of contamination. Gasoline components such as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes) are often present in mixtures with MTBE and TBA. Investigations of interactions between BTEX and MTBE degradation have not yielded consistent trends, and the molecular mechanisms of BTEX compounds' impact on MTBE degradation are not well understood. We investigated trends in transcription of biodegradation genes in the MTBE-degrading bacterium, Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1 upon exposure to MTBE, TBA, ethylbenzene and benzene as individual compounds or in mixtures. We designed real-time quantitative PCR assays to target functional genes of strain PM1 and provide evidence for induction of genes mdpA (MTBE monooxygenase), mdpJ (TBA hydroxylase) and bmoA (benzene monooxygenase) in response to MTBE, TBA and benzene, respectively. Delayed induction of mdpA and mdpJ transcription occurred with mixtures of benzene and MTBE or TBA, respectively. bmoA transcription was similar in the presence of MTBE or TBA with benzene as in their absence. Our results also indicate that ethylbenzene, previously proposed as an inhibitor of MTBE degradation in some bacteria, inhibits transcription of mdpA, mdpJ and bmoAgenes in strain PM1.

Constitutive expression of the cytochrome P450 EthABCD monooxygenase system enables degradation of synthetic dialkyl ethers in Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108

In Rhodococcus ruber IFP 2001, Rhodococcus zopfii IFP 2005, and Gordonia sp. strain IFP 2009, the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase EthABCD catalyzes hydroxylation of methoxy and ethoxy residues in the fuel oxygenates methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME). The expression of the IS3-type transposase-flanked eth genes is ETBE dependent and controlled by the regulator EthR (C. Malandain et al., FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 72:289-296, 2010). In contrast, we demonstrated by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) that the betaproteobacterium Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108, which possesses the ethABCD genes but lacks ethR, constitutively expresses the P450 system at high levels even when growing on nonether substrates, such as glucose. The mutant strain A. tertiaricarbonis L10, which is unable to degrade dialkyl ethers, resulted from a transposition event mediated by a rolling-circle IS91-type element flanking the eth gene cluster in the wild-type strain L108. The constitutive expression of Eth monooxygenase is likely initiated by the housekeeping sigma factor σ(70), as indicated by the presence in strain L108 of characteristic -10 and -35 binding sites upstream of ethA which are lacking in strain IFP 2001. This enables efficient degradation of diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, MTBE, ETBE, TAME, and tert-amyl ethyl ether (TAEE) without any lag phase in strain L108. However, ethers with larger residues, n-hexyl methyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, and alkyl aryl ethers, were not attacked by the Eth system at significant rates in resting-cell experiments, indicating that the residue in the ether molecule which is not hydroxylated also contributes to the determination of substrate specificity.

Biodegradation of gasoline ether oxygenates

Ether oxygenates such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) are added to gasoline to improve fuel combustion and decrease exhaust emissions. Ether oxygenates and their tertiary alcohol metabolites are now an important group of groundwater pollutants. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of the microorganisms, enzymes and pathways involved in both the aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation of these compounds. This review also aims to illustrate how these microbiological and biochemical studies have guided, and have helped refine, molecular and stable isotope-based analytical approaches that are increasingly being used to detect and quantify biodegradation of these compounds in contaminated environments.

Synthesis of short-chain diols and unsaturated alcohols from secondary alcohol substrates by the Rieske nonheme mononuclear iron oxygenase MdpJ

The Rieske nonheme mononuclear iron oxygenase MdpJ of the fuel oxygenate-degrading bacterial strain Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108 has been described to attack short-chain tertiary alcohols via hydroxylation and desaturation reactions. Here, we demonstrate that also short-chain secondary alcohols can be transformed by MdpJ. Wild-type cells of strain L108 converted 2-propanol and 2-butanol to 1,2-propanediol and 3-buten-2-ol, respectively, whereas an mdpJ knockout mutant did not show such activity. In addition, wild-type cells converted 3-methyl-2-butanol and 3-pentanol to the corresponding desaturation products 3-methyl-3-buten-2-ol and 1-penten-3-ol, respectively. The enzymatic hydroxylation of 2-propanol resulted in an enantiomeric excess of about 70% for the (R)-enantiomer, indicating that this reaction was favored. Likewise, desaturation of (R)-2-butanol to 3-buten-2-ol was about 2.3-fold faster than conversion of the (S)-enantiomer. The biotechnological potential of MdpJ for the synthesis of enantiopure short-chain alcohols and diols as building block chemicals is discussed.

Bacterial degradation of tert-amyl alcohol proceeds via hemiterpene 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol by employing the tertiary alcohol desaturase function of the Rieske nonheme mononuclear iron oxygenase MdpJ

Tertiary alcohols, such as tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and tert-amyl alcohol (TAA) and higher homologues, are only slowly degraded microbially. The conversion of TBA seems to proceed via hydroxylation to 2-methylpropan-1,2-diol, which is further oxidized to 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid. By analogy, a branched pathway is expected for the degradation of TAA, as this molecule possesses several potential hydroxylation sites. In Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108 and Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1, a likely candidate catalyst for hydroxylations is the putative tertiary alcohol monooxygenase MdpJ. However, by comparing metabolite accumulations in wild-type strains of L108 and PM1 and in two mdpJ knockout mutants of strain L108, we could clearly show that MdpJ is not hydroxylating TAA to diols but functions as a desaturase, resulting in the formation of the hemiterpene 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol. The latter is further processed via the hemiterpenes prenol, prenal, and 3-methylcrotonic acid. Likewise, 3-methyl-3-pentanol is degraded via 3-methyl-1-penten-3-ol. Wild-type strain L108 and mdpJ knockout mutants formed isoamylene and isoprene from TAA and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol, respectively. It is likely that this dehydratase activity is catalyzed by a not-yet-characterized enzyme postulated for the isomerization of 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol and prenol. The vitamin requirements of strain L108 growing on TAA and the occurrence of 3-methylcrotonic acid as a metabolite indicate that TAA and hemiterpene degradation are linked with the catabolic route of the amino acid leucine, including an involvement of the biotin-dependent 3-methylcrotonyl coenzyme A (3-methylcrotonyl-CoA) carboxylase LiuBD. Evolutionary aspects of favored desaturase versus hydroxylation pathways for TAA conversion and the possible role of MdpJ in the degradation of higher tertiary alcohols are discussed.

Formation of alkenes via degradation of tert-alkyl ethers and alcohols by Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108 and Methylibium spp

Bacterial degradation pathways of fuel oxygenates such as methyl tert-butyl and tert-amyl methyl ether (MTBE and TAME, respectively) have already been studied in some detail. However, many of the involved enzymes are still unknown, and possible side reactions have not yet been considered. In Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108, Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1, and Methylibium sp. strain R8, we have now detected volatile hydrocarbons as by-products of the degradation of the tert-alkyl ether metabolites tert-butyl and tert-amyl alcohol (TBA and TAA, respectively). The alkene isobutene was formed only during TBA catabolism, while the beta and gamma isomers of isoamylene were produced only during TAA conversion. Both tert-alkyl alcohol degradation and alkene production were strictly oxygen dependent. However, the relative contribution of the dehydration reaction to total alcohol conversion increased with decreasing oxygen concentrations. In resting-cell experiments where the headspace oxygen content was adjusted to less than 2%, more than 50% of the TAA was converted to isoamylene. Isobutene formation from TBA was about 20-fold lower, reaching up to 4% alcohol turnover at low oxygen concentrations. It is likely that the putative tert-alkyl alcohol monooxygenase MdpJ, belonging to the Rieske nonheme mononuclear iron enzymes and found in all three strains tested, or an associated enzymatic step catalyzed the unusual elimination reaction. This was also supported by the detection of mdpJK genes in MTBE-degrading and isobutene-emitting enrichment cultures obtained from two treatment ponds operating at Leuna, Germany. The possible use of alkene formation as an easy-to-measure indicator of aerobic fuel oxygenate biodegradation in contaminated aquifers is discussed.

Elucidating MTBE degradation in a mixed consortium using a multidisciplinary approach

The structure and function of a microbial community capable of biodegrading methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was characterized using compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA), clone libraries and stable isotope probing of proteins (Protein-SIP). The enrichment culture (US3-M), which originated from a gasoline-impacted site in the United States, has been enriched on MTBE as the sole carbon source. The slope of isotopic enrichment factors (epsilon(C) of -2.29+/-0.03 per thousand; epsilon(H) of -58+/-6 per thousand) for carbon and hydrogen discrimination (Deltadelta(2)H/Deltadelta(13)C) was on average equal to Lambda=24+/-2, a value closely related to the reaction mechanism of MTBE degradation in Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1. 16S rRNA gene libraries revealed sequences belonging to M. petroleiphilum PM1, Hydrogenophaga sp., Thiothrix unzii, Rhodobacter sp., Nocardiodes sp. and different Sphingomonadaceae bacteria. Protein-SIP analysis of the culture grown on (13)C-MTBE as the only carbon source revealed that proteins related to members of the Comamonadaceae family, such as Delftia acidovorans, Acidovorax sp. or Comamonas sp., were not (13)C-enriched, whereas proteins related to M. petroleiphilum PM1 showed an average incorporation of 94.5 atom%(13)C. These results indicate a key role for this species in the degradation of MTBE within the US3-M consortia. The combination of CSIA, molecular biology and Protein-SIP facilitated the analysis of an MTBE-degrading mixed culture from a functional and phylogenetic point of view.

Degradation of fuel oxygenates and their main intermediates by Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108

Growth of Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L108 on the fuel oxygenates methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME), as well as on their main metabolites tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), tert-amyl alcohol (TAA) and 2-hydroxyisobutyrate (2-HIBA) was systematically investigated to characterize the range and rates of oxygenate degradation by this strain. The effective maximum growth rates for MTBE, ETBE and TAME at pH 7 and 30 degrees C were 0.045 h(-1), 0.06 h(-1) and 0.055 h(-1), respectively, whereas TAA, TBA and 2-HIBA permitted growth at rates up to 0.08 h(-1), 0.1 h(-1) and 0.17 h(-1), respectively. The experimental growth yields with all these substrates were high. Yields of 0.55 g dry mass (dm) (g MTBE)(-1), 0.53 g dm (g ETBE)(-1), 0.81 g dm (g TAME)(-1), 0.48 g dm (g TBA)(-1), 0.76 g dm (g TAA)(-1) and 0.54 g dm (g 2-HIBA)(-1) were obtained. Maximum specific degradation rates were 0.92 mmol MTBE h(-1) (g dm)(-1), 1.11 mmol ETBE h(-1) g(-1), 0.66 mmol TAME h(-1) g(-1), 1.19 mmol TAA h(-1) g(-1), 2.82 mmol TBA h(-1) g(-1), and 3.27 mmol 2-HIBA h(-1) g(-1). The relatively high rates with TBA, TAA and 2-HIBA indicate that the transformations of these metabolites did not limit the metabolism of MTBE and the related ether compounds. Despite the fact that these metabolites still carry a tertiary carbon atom that is commonly suspected to confer recalcitrance to the ether oxygenates, the transformation rates were in the same range as those with succinate and fructose. With MTBE, strain L108 grew at pHs between 5.5 and 8.0 at near-maximal rate, whereas no growth was found below pH 5.0 and above pH 9.0. The optimum growth temperature was 30 degrees C, but at 5 degrees C still about 15 % of the maximum rate remained, whereas no growth occurred at 42 degrees C. This indicates that MTBE metabolites are valuable substrates and that A. tertiaricarbonis L108 is a good candidate for bioremediation purposes. The possible origin of its exceptional metabolic capability is discussed in terms of the evolution of enzymic activities involved in the conversion of compounds carrying tertiary butyl groups.