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Prediction of the Iron–Sulfur Binding Sites in Proteins Using the Highly Accurate Three-Dimensional Models Calculated by AlphaFold and RoseTTAFold. INORGANICS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/inorganics10010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
AlphaFold and RoseTTAFold are deep learning-based approaches that predict the structure of proteins from their amino acid sequences. Remarkable success has recently been achieved in the prediction accuracy of not only the fold of the target protein but also the position of its amino acid side chains. In this article, I question the accuracy of these methods to predict iron–sulfur binding sites. I analyze three-dimensional models calculated by AlphaFold and RoseTTAFold of Fe–S–dependent enzymes, for which no structure of a homologous protein has been solved experimentally. In all cases, the amino acids that presumably coordinate the cluster were gathered together and facing each other, which led to a quite accurate model of the Fe–S cluster binding site. Yet, cysteine candidates were often involved in intramolecular disulfide bonds, and the number and identity of the protein amino acids that should ligate the cluster were not always clear. The experimental structure determination of the protein with its Fe–S cluster and in complex with substrate/inhibitor/product is still needed to unambiguously visualize the coordination state of the cluster and understand the conformational changes occurring during catalysis.
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Abstract
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is abundant in marine environments and an important source of reduced carbon and sulfur for marine bacteria. While both Ruegeria pomeroyi and Ruegeria lacuscaerulensis possessed genes encoding the DMSP demethylation and cleavage pathways, their responses to DMSP differed. A glucose-fed, chemostat culture of R. pomeroyi consumed 99% of the DMSP even when fed a high concentration of 5 mM. At the same time, cultures released 19% and 7.1% of the DMSP as dimethylsulfide (DMS) and methanethiol, respectively. Under the same conditions, R. lacuscaerulensis consumed only 28% of the DMSP and formed one-third of the amount of gases. To examine the pathways of sulfur and methyl C assimilation, glucose-fed chemostats of both species were fed 100 μM mixtures of unlabeled and doubly labeled [dimethyl-13C, 34S]DMSP. Both species derived nearly all of their sulfur from DMSP despite high sulfate availability. In addition, only 33% and 50% of the methionine was biosynthesized from the direct capture of methanethiol in R. pomeroyi and R. lacuscaerulensis, respectively. The remaining methionine was biosynthesized by the random assembly of free sulfide and methyl-tetrahydrofolate derived from DMSP. Thus, although the two species possessed similar genes encoding DMSP metabolism, their growth responses were very different.IMPORTANCE Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is abundant in marine environments and an important source of reduced carbon and sulfur for marine bacteria. DMSP is the precursor for the majority of atmospheric dimethylsulfide (DMS), a climatically active gas that connects the marine and terrestrial sulfur cycles. Although research into the assimilation of DMSP has been conducted for over 20 years, the fate of DMSP in microbial biomass is not well understood. In particular, the biosynthesis of methionine from DMSP has been a focal point, and it has been widely believed that most methionine was synthesized via the direct capture of methanethiol. Using an isotopic labeling strategy, we have demonstrated that the direct capture of methanethiol is not the primary pathway used for methionine biosynthesis in two Ruegeria species, a genus comprised primarily of globally abundant marine bacteria. Furthermore, although the catabolism of DMSP by these species varied greatly, the anabolic pathways were highly conserved.
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Agarwalla H, Anila HA, Ali F, Pradhan SR, Ganguly B, Pramanik SK, Das A. Fluorescent chemodosimeter for quantification of cystathionine-γ-synthase activity in plant extracts and imaging of endogenous biothiols. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 54:9079-9082. [PMID: 30058655 DOI: 10.1039/c8cc04296a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
A new reagent for quantification of CgS in plant extracts using a generalized methodology suitable for recognition of homocysteine (Hcy) with luminescence ON response.
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Zou H, Li L, Zhang T, Shi M, Zhang N, Huang J, Xian M. Biosynthesis and biotechnological application of non-canonical amino acids: Complex and unclear. Biotechnol Adv 2018; 36:1917-1927. [PMID: 30063950 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Compared with the better-studied canonical amino acids, the distribution, metabolism and functions of natural non-canonical amino acids remain relatively obscure. Natural non-canonical amino acids have been mainly discovered in plants as secondary metabolites that perform diversified physiological functions. Due to their specific characteristics, a broader range of natural and artificial non-canonical amino acids have recently been applied in the development of functional materials and pharmaceutical products. With the rapid development of advanced methods in biotechnology, non-canonical amino acids can be incorporated into peptides, proteins and enzymes to improve the function and performance relative to their natural counterparts. Therefore, biotechnological application of non-canonical amino acids in artificial bio-macromolecules follows the central goal of synthetic biology to: create novel life forms and functions. However, many of the non-canonical amino acids are synthesized via chemo- or semi-synthetic methods, and few non-canonical amino acids can be synthesized using natural in vivo pathways. Therefore, further research is needed to clarify the metabolic pathways and key enzymes of the non-canonical amino acids. This will lead to the discovery of more candidate non-canonical amino acids, especially for those that are derived from microorganisms and are naturally bio-compatible with chassis strains for in vivo biosynthesis. In this review, we summarize representative natural and artificial non-canonical amino acids, their known information regarding associated metabolic pathways, their characteristics and their practical applications. Moreover, this review summarizes current barriers in developing in vivo pathways for the synthesis of non-canonical amino acids, as well as other considerations, future trends and potential applications of non-canonical amino acids in advanced biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Zou
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-based Materials, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China.
| | - Lei Li
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Tongtong Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Mengxun Shi
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Jingling Huang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Mo Xian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-based Materials, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
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Rauch BJ, Klimek J, David L, Perona JJ. Persulfide Formation Mediates Cysteine and Homocysteine Biosynthesis in Methanosarcina acetivorans. Biochemistry 2017; 56:1051-1061. [PMID: 28165724 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms of sulfur uptake and trafficking in methanogens inhabiting sulfidic environments are highly distinctive. In aerobes, sulfur transfers between proteins occur via persulfide relay, but direct evidence for persulfides in methanogens has been lacking. Here, we use mass spectrometry to analyze tryptic peptides of the Methanosarcina acetivorans SepCysS and MA1821 proteins purified anaerobically from methanogen cells. These enzymes insert sulfide into phosphoseryl(Sep)-tRNACys and aspartate semialdehyde, respectively, to form Cys-tRNACys and homocysteine. A high frequency of persulfidation at conserved cysteines of each protein was identified, while the substantial presence of persulfides in peptides from other cellular proteins suggests that this modification plays a general physiological role in the organism. Purified native SepCysS containing persulfide at conserved Cys260 generates Cys-tRNACys in anaerobic single-turnover reactions without exogenously added sulfur, directly linking active-site persulfide formation in vivo with catalytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Rauch
- Department of Chemistry, Portland State University , P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon 97207, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health and Sciences University , 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
| | - John Klimek
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health and Sciences University , 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
| | - Larry David
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health and Sciences University , 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
| | - John J Perona
- Department of Chemistry, Portland State University , P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon 97207, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health and Sciences University , 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
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6
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Allen KD, White RH. Occurrence and biosynthesis of 3-mercaptopropionic acid in Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2016; 363:fnw217. [PMID: 27634308 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnw217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In a non-targeted analysis of thiol-containing compounds in the hyperthermophilic methanogen Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, we discovered three unexpected metabolites: 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), 2-hydroxy-4-mercaptobutyric acid (HMBA) and 4-mercapto-2-oxobutyric acid (MOB). HMBA and MOB have never been reported as natural products, while MPA is highly prevalent in aquatic environments as a result of biotic and abiotic processing of sulfur-containing compounds. This report provides evidence that HMBA and MOB are part of a biosynthetic pathway to generate MPA in M. jannaschii We show that HMBA can be biosynthesized from malate semialdehyde and hydrogen sulfide, likely using a mechanism similar to that proposed for coenzyme M, coenzyme B and homocysteine biosynthesis in methanogens, where an aldehyde is converted to a thiol. The L-sulfolactate dehydrogenase, derived from the MJ1425 gene, is shown to catalyze the NAD-dependent oxidation of HMBA to MOB. Finally, we demonstrate that HMBA can be used as a biosynthetic precursor to MPA in M. jannaschii cell extracts. This proposed pathway may contribute to the wide occurrence of MPA in marine environments and indicates that MPA must serve some important function in M. jannaschii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie D Allen
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Robert H White
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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Chiba Y, Makiuchi T, Jeelani G, Nozaki T. Heterogeneity of the serine synthetic pathway in Entamoeba species. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2016; 207:56-60. [PMID: 27268730 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Phosphoserine phosphatase (PSP) catalyzes the third step of the phosphorylated serine biosynthetic pathway, and occurred multiple times in evolution, while enzymes catalyzing the first and second steps in the pathway have single respective origins. In the present study, we examined the existence of PSP among genus Entamoeba including a human enteric parasite, Entamoeba histolytica. E. histolytica as well as majority of Entamoeba species have the first and second enzymes, but lacks PSP. In contrast, a reptilian enteric parasite, Entamoeba invadens possesses canonical PSP. Thus, there are variations in the existence of the serine biosynthetic ability among Entamoeba species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Chiba
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Takashi Makiuchi
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Ghulam Jeelani
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Tomoyoshi Nozaki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan; Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
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Allen KD, Miller DV, Rauch BJ, Perona JJ, White RH. Homocysteine Is Biosynthesized from Aspartate Semialdehyde and Hydrogen Sulfide in Methanogenic Archaea. Biochemistry 2015; 54:3129-32. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kylie D. Allen
- Department
of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Danielle V. Miller
- Department
of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Benjamin J. Rauch
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, Oregon 97239-3098, United States
| | - John J. Perona
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, Oregon 97239-3098, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Portland State University, 1719 Southwest 10th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97201, United States
| | - Robert H. White
- Department
of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
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Rauch BJ, Gustafson A, Perona JJ. Novel proteins for homocysteine biosynthesis in anaerobic microorganisms. Mol Microbiol 2014; 94:1330-42. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Julius Rauch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyOregon Health and Science University 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road Portland OR 97239‐3098 USA
| | - Andrew Gustafson
- Department of ChemistryPortland State University 1719 SW 10th Avenue Portland OR 97201 USA
| | - John J. Perona
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyOregon Health and Science University 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road Portland OR 97239‐3098 USA
- Department of ChemistryPortland State University 1719 SW 10th Avenue Portland OR 97201 USA
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Wang PP, Sun GX, Zhu YG. Identification and characterization of arsenite methyltransferase from an archaeon, Methanosarcina acetivorans C2A. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:12706-12713. [PMID: 25295694 DOI: 10.1021/es503869k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic is a ubiquitous toxic contaminant in the environment. The methylation of arsenic can affect its toxicity and is primarily mediated by biological processes. Few studies have focused on the mechanism of arsenic methylation in archaea although archaea are widespread in the environment. Here, an arsenite [As(III)] methyltransferase (ArsM) was identified and characterized from an archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans C2A. Heterologous expression of MaarsM was shown to confer As(III) resistance to an arsenic-sensitive strain of E. coli through arsenic methylation and subsequent volatilization. Purified MaArsM protein was further identified the function in catalyzing the formation of various methylated products from As(III) in vitro. Methylation of As(III) by MaArsM is highly dependent on the characteristics of the thiol cofactors used, with some of them (coenzyme M, homocysteine, and dithiothreitol) more efficient than GSH. Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that three conserved cysteine (Cys) residues (Cys62, Cys150, and Cys200) in MaArsM were necessary for As(III) methylation, of which only Cys150 and Cys200 were required for the methylation of monomethylarsenic. These results present a molecular pathway for arsenic methylation in archaea and provide some insight into the role of archaea in As biogeochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Pei Wang
- State Key Lab of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085, People's Republic of China
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Functional genomics with a comprehensive library of transposon mutants for the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio alaskensis G20. mBio 2014; 5:e01041-14. [PMID: 24865553 PMCID: PMC4045070 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01041-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The genomes of sulfate-reducing bacteria remain poorly characterized, largely due to a paucity of experimental data and genetic tools. To meet this challenge, we generated an archived library of 15,477 mapped transposon insertion mutants in the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio alaskensis G20. To demonstrate the utility of the individual mutants, we profiled gene expression in mutants of six regulatory genes and used these data, together with 1,313 high-confidence transcription start sites identified by tiling microarrays and transcriptome sequencing (5' RNA-Seq), to update the regulons of Fur and Rex and to confirm the predicted regulons of LysX, PhnF, PerR, and Dde_3000, a histidine kinase. In addition to enabling single mutant investigations, the D. alaskensis G20 transposon mutants also contain DNA bar codes, which enables the pooling and analysis of mutant fitness for thousands of strains simultaneously. Using two pools of mutants that represent insertions in 2,369 unique protein-coding genes, we demonstrate that the hypothetical gene Dde_3007 is required for methionine biosynthesis. Using comparative genomics, we propose that Dde_3007 performs a missing step in methionine biosynthesis by transferring a sulfur group to O-phosphohomoserine to form homocysteine. Additionally, we show that the entire choline utilization cluster is important for fitness in choline sulfate medium, which confirms that a functional microcompartment is required for choline oxidation. Finally, we demonstrate that Dde_3291, a MerR-like transcription factor, is a choline-dependent activator of the choline utilization cluster. Taken together, our data set and genetic resources provide a foundation for systems-level investigation of a poorly studied group of bacteria of environmental and industrial importance. IMPORTANCE Sulfate-reducing bacteria contribute to global nutrient cycles and are a nuisance for the petroleum industry. Despite their environmental and industrial significance, the genomes of sulfate-reducing bacteria remain poorly characterized. Here, we describe a genetic approach to fill gaps in our knowledge of sulfate-reducing bacteria. We generated a large collection of archived, transposon mutants in Desulfovibrio alaskensis G20 and used the phenotypes of these mutant strains to infer the function of genes involved in gene regulation, methionine biosynthesis, and choline utilization. Our findings and mutant resources will enable systematic investigations into gene function, energy generation, stress response, and metabolism for this important group of bacteria.
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Sousa FL, Martin WF. Biochemical fossils of the ancient transition from geoenergetics to bioenergetics in prokaryotic one carbon compound metabolism. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2014; 1837:964-81. [PMID: 24513196 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2014.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2013] [Revised: 01/31/2014] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The deep dichotomy of archaea and bacteria is evident in many basic traits including ribosomal protein composition, membrane lipid synthesis, cell wall constituents, and flagellar composition. Here we explore that deep dichotomy further by examining the distribution of genes for the synthesis of the central carriers of one carbon units, tetrahydrofolate (H4F) and tetrahydromethanopterin (H4MPT), in bacteria and archaea. The enzymes underlying those distinct biosynthetic routes are broadly unrelated across the bacterial-archaeal divide, indicating that the corresponding pathways arose independently. That deep divergence in one carbon metabolism is mirrored in the structurally unrelated enzymes and different organic cofactors that methanogens (archaea) and acetogens (bacteria) use to perform methyl synthesis in their H4F- and H4MPT-dependent versions, respectively, of the acetyl-CoA pathway. By contrast, acetyl synthesis in the acetyl-CoA pathway - from a methyl group, CO2 and reduced ferredoxin - is simpler, uniform and conserved across acetogens and methanogens, and involves only transition metals as catalysts. The data suggest that the acetyl-CoA pathway, while being the most ancient of known CO2 assimilation pathways, reflects two phases in early evolution: an ancient phase in a geochemically confined and non-free-living universal common ancestor, in which acetyl thioester synthesis proceeded spontaneously with the help of geochemically supplied methyl groups, and a later phase that reflects the primordial divergence of the bacterial and archaeal stem groups, which independently invented genetically-encoded means to synthesize methyl groups via enzymatic reactions. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 18th European Bioenergetic Conference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa L Sousa
- Institute for Molecular Evolution,University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - William F Martin
- Institute for Molecular Evolution,University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
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Liu Y, Beer LL, Whitman WB. Methanogens: a window into ancient sulfur metabolism. Trends Microbiol 2012; 20:251-8. [PMID: 22406173 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2012.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2011] [Revised: 01/29/2012] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Methanogenesis is an ancient metabolism that originated on the early anoxic Earth. The buildup of O(2) about 2.4 billion years ago led to formation of a large oceanic sulfate pool, the onset of widespread sulfate reduction and the marginalization of methanogens to anoxic and sulfate-poor niches. Contemporary methanogens are restricted to anaerobic habitats and may have retained some metabolic relics that were common in early anaerobic life. Consistent with this hypothesis, methanogens do not utilize sulfate as a sulfur source, Cys is not utilized as a sulfur donor for Fe-S cluster and Met biosynthesis, and Cys biosynthesis uses an unusual tRNA-dependent pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Liu
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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Liu Y, Sieprawska-Lupa M, Whitman WB, White RH. Cysteine is not the sulfur source for iron-sulfur cluster and methionine biosynthesis in the methanogenic archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:31923-9. [PMID: 20709756 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.152447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Three multiprotein systems are known for iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster biogenesis in prokaryotes and eukaryotes as follows: the NIF (nitrogen fixation), the ISC (iron-sulfur cluster), and the SUF (mobilization of sulfur) systems. In all three, cysteine is the physiological sulfur source, and the sulfur is transferred from cysteine desulfurase through a persulfidic intermediate to a scaffold protein. However, the biochemical nature of the sulfur source for Fe-S cluster assembly in archaea is unknown, and many archaea lack homologs of cysteine desulfurases. Methanococcus maripaludis is a methanogenic archaeon that contains a high amount of protein-bound Fe-S clusters (45 nmol/mg protein). Cysteine in this archaeon is synthesized primarily via the tRNA-dependent SepRS/SepCysS pathway. When a ΔsepS mutant (a cysteine auxotroph) was grown with (34)S-labeled sulfide and unlabeled cysteine, <8% of the cysteine, >92% of the methionine, and >87% of the sulfur in the Fe-S clusters in proteins were labeled, suggesting that the sulfur in methionine and Fe-S clusters was derived predominantly from exogenous sulfide instead of cysteine. Therefore, this investigation challenges the concept that cysteine is always the sulfur source for Fe-S cluster biosynthesis in vivo and suggests that Fe-S clusters are derived from sulfide in those organisms, which live in sulfide-rich habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Liu
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602-2605, USA
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Godat E, Madalinski G, Muller L, Heilier JF, Labarre J, Junot C. Mass spectrometry-based methods for the determination of sulfur and related metabolite concentrations in cell extracts. Methods Enzymol 2010; 473:41-76. [PMID: 20513471 DOI: 10.1016/s0076-6879(10)73002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The sulfur metabolic pathway plays a central role in cell metabolism. It provides the sulfur amino acids methionine and cysteine, which are essential for protein synthesis, homocysteine, which lies at a critical juncture of this pathway, S-adenosylmethionine, the universal methyl donor in the cell, and glutathione (GSH), which has many crucial functions including protection against oxidative stress and xenobiotics. The intracellular level of these metabolites, which are closely connected with other cellular metabolic pathways, is of major importance for cell physiology and health. Three mass spectrometry-based methods for the determination of sulfur metabolites and also related compounds linked to the glutathione biosynthesis pathway are presented and discussed. The first one enables absolute quantification of these metabolites in cell extracts. It is based on liquid chromatography-electrospray triple quadrupole mass spectrometry coupled to (15)N uniform metabolic labeling of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The two other methods are global approaches to metabolite detection involving a high-resolution mass spectrometer, the LTQ-Orbitrap. Ions related to metabolites of interest are picked up from complex and information-rich metabolic fingerprints. By these means, it is possible to detect analytical information outside the initial scope of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Godat
- Laboratoire d'Etude du Métabolisme des Médicaments, DSV/iBiTec-S/SPI, CEA/Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
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16
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Ågren D, Schnell R, Oehlmann W, Singh M, Schneider G. Cysteine Synthase (CysM) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Is an O-Phosphoserine Sulfhydrylase. J Biol Chem 2008; 283:31567-74. [DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m804877200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Abstract
The accurate formation of cognate aminoacyl-transfer RNAs (aa-tRNAs) is essential for the fidelity of translation. Most amino acids are esterified onto their cognate tRNA isoacceptors directly by aa-tRNA synthetases. However, in the case of four amino acids (Gln, Asn, Cys and Sec), aminoacyl-tRNAs are made through indirect pathways in many organisms across all three domains of life. The process begins with the charging of noncognate amino acids to tRNAs by a specialized synthetase in the case of Cys-tRNA(Cys) formation or by synthetases with relaxed specificity, such as the non-discriminating glutamyl-tRNA, non-discriminating aspartyl-tRNA and seryl-tRNA synthetases. The resulting misacylated tRNAs are then converted to cognate pairs through transformation of the amino acids on the tRNA, which is catalyzed by a group of tRNA-dependent modifying enzymes, such as tRNA-dependent amidotransferases, Sep-tRNA:Cys-tRNA synthase, O-phosphoseryl-tRNA kinase and Sep-tRNA:Sec-tRNA synthase. The majority of these indirect pathways are widely spread in all domains of life and thought to be part of the evolutionary process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yuan
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8114, USA
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Abstract
In spite of their common hypersaline environment, halophilic archaea are surprisingly different in their nutritional demands and metabolic pathways. The metabolic diversity of halophilic archaea was investigated at the genomic level through systematic metabolic reconstruction and comparative analysis of four completely sequenced species: Halobacterium salinarum, Haloarcula marismortui, Haloquadratum walsbyi, and the haloalkaliphile Natronomonas pharaonis. The comparative study reveals different sets of enzyme genes amongst halophilic archaea, e.g. in glycerol degradation, pentose metabolism, and folate synthesis. The carefully assessed metabolic data represent a reliable resource for future system biology approaches as it also links to current experimental data on (halo)archaea from the literature.
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Sheppard K, Yuan J, Hohn MJ, Jester B, Devine KM, Söll D. From one amino acid to another: tRNA-dependent amino acid biosynthesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2008; 36:1813-25. [PMID: 18252769 PMCID: PMC2330236 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkn015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNAs (aa-tRNAs) are the essential substrates for translation. Most aa-tRNAs are formed by direct aminoacylation of tRNA catalyzed by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. However, a smaller number of aa-tRNAs (Asn-tRNA, Gln-tRNA, Cys-tRNA and Sec-tRNA) are made by synthesizing the amino acid on the tRNA by first attaching a non-cognate amino acid to the tRNA, which is then converted to the cognate one catalyzed by tRNA-dependent modifying enzymes. Asn-tRNA or Gln-tRNA formation in most prokaryotes requires amidation of Asp-tRNA or Glu-tRNA by amidotransferases that couple an amidase or an asparaginase to liberate ammonia with a tRNA-dependent kinase. Both archaeal and eukaryotic Sec-tRNA biosynthesis and Cys-tRNA synthesis in methanogens require O-phosophoseryl-tRNA formation. For tRNA-dependent Cys biosynthesis, O-phosphoseryl-tRNA synthetase directly attaches the amino acid to the tRNA which is then converted to Cys by Sep-tRNA: Cys-tRNA synthase. In Sec-tRNA synthesis, O-phosphoseryl-tRNA kinase phosphorylates Ser-tRNA to form the intermediate which is then modified to Sec-tRNA by Sep-tRNA:Sec-tRNA synthase. Complex formation between enzymes in the same pathway may protect the fidelity of protein synthesis. How these tRNA-dependent amino acid biosynthetic routes are integrated into overall metabolism may explain why they are still retained in so many organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Sheppard
- Department of Molecular Biophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8114, USA
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Grochowski LL, White RH. Promiscuous anaerobes: new and unconventional metabolism in methanogenic archaea. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2007; 1125:190-214. [PMID: 18096851 DOI: 10.1196/annals.1419.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The development of an oxygenated atmosphere on earth resulted in the polarization of life into two major groups, those that could live in the presence of oxygen and those that could not-the aerobes and the anaerobes. The evolution of aerobes from the earliest anaerobic prokaryotes resulted in a variety of metabolic adaptations. Many of these adaptations center on the need to sustain oxygen-sensitive reactions and cofactors to function in the new oxygen-containing atmosphere. Still other metabolic pathways that were not sensitive to oxygen also diverged. This is likely due to the physical separation of the organisms, based on their ability to live in the presence of oxygen, which allowed for the independent evolution of the pathways. Through the study of metabolic pathways in anaerobes and comparison to the more established pathways from aerobes, insight into metabolic evolution can be gained. This, in turn, can allow for extra- polation to those metabolic pathways occurring in the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA). Some of the unique and uncanonical metabolic pathways that have been identified in the archaea with emphasis on the biochemistry of an obligate anaerobic methanogen, Methanocaldococcus jannaschii are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L Grochowski
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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Helgadóttir S, Rosas-Sandoval G, Söll D, Graham DE. Biosynthesis of phosphoserine in the Methanococcales. J Bacteriol 2006; 189:575-82. [PMID: 17071763 PMCID: PMC1797378 DOI: 10.1128/jb.01269-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Methanococcus maripaludis and Methanocaldococcus jannaschii produce cysteine for protein synthesis using a tRNA-dependent pathway. These methanogens charge tRNA(Cys) with l-phosphoserine, which is also an intermediate in the predicted pathways for serine and cystathionine biosynthesis. To establish the mode of phosphoserine production in Methanococcales, cell extracts of M. maripaludis were shown to have phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and phosphoserine aminotransferase activities. The heterologously expressed and purified phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase from M. maripaludis had enzymological properties similar to those of its bacterial homologs but was poorly inhibited by serine. While bacterial enzymes are inhibited by micromolar concentrations of serine bound to an allosteric site, the low sensitivity of the archaeal protein to serine is consistent with phosphoserine's position as a branch point in several pathways. A broad-specificity class V aspartate aminotransferase from M. jannaschii converted the phosphohydroxypyruvate product to phosphoserine. This enzyme catalyzed the transamination of aspartate, glutamate, phosphoserine, alanine, and cysteate. The M. maripaludis homolog complemented a serC mutation in the Escherichia coli phosphoserine aminotransferase. All methanogenic archaea apparently share this pathway, providing sufficient phosphoserine for the tRNA-dependent cysteine biosynthetic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunna Helgadóttir
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
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22
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H White
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, 24061, USA.
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23
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O'Donoghue P, Sethi A, Woese CR, Luthey-Schulten ZA. The evolutionary history of Cys-tRNACys formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005; 102:19003-8. [PMID: 16380427 PMCID: PMC1323144 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0509617102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent discovery of an alternate pathway for indirectly charging tRNA(Cys) has stimulated a re-examination of the evolutionary history of Cys-tRNA(Cys) formation. In the first step of the pathway, O-phosphoseryl-tRNA synthetase charges tRNA(Cys) with O-phosphoserine (Sep), a precursor of the cognate amino acid. In the following step, Sep-tRNA:Cys-tRNA synthase (SepCysS) converts Sep to Cys in a tRNA-dependent reaction. The existence of such a pathway raises several evolutionary questions, including whether the indirect pathway is a recent evolutionary invention, as might be implied from its localization to the Euryarchaea, or, as evidence presented here indicates, whether this pathway is more ancient, perhaps already in existence at the time of the last universal common ancestral state. A comparative phylogenetic approach is used, combining evolutionary information from protein sequences and structures, that takes both the signature of horizontal gene transfer and the recurrence of the full canonical phylogenetic pattern into account, to document the complete evolutionary history of cysteine coding and understand the nature of this process in the last universal common ancestral state. Resulting from the historical study of tRNA(Cys) aminoacylation and the integrative perspective of sequence, structure, and function are 3D models of O-phosphoseryl-tRNA synthetase and SepCysS, which provide experimentally testable predictions regarding the identity and function of key active-site residues in these proteins. The model of SepCysS is used to suggest a sulfhydrylation reaction mechanism, which is predicted to occur at the interface of a SepCysS dimer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick O'Donoghue
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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Oda Y, Mino K, Ishikawa K, Ataka M. Three-dimensional Structure of a New Enzyme, O-Phosphoserine Sulfhydrylase, Involved in l-Cysteine Biosynthesis by a Hyperthermophilic Archaeon, Aeropyrum pernix K1, at 2.0Å Resolution. J Mol Biol 2005; 351:334-44. [PMID: 16005886 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2005.05.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2005] [Revised: 05/18/2005] [Accepted: 05/26/2005] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
O-Phosphoserine sulfhydrylase is a new enzyme found in a hyperthermophilic archaeon, Aeropyrum pernix K1. This enzyme catalyzes a novel cysteine synthetic reaction from O-phospho-l-serine and sulfide. The crystal structure of the enzyme was determined at 2.0A resolution using the method of multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion. A monomer consists of three domains, including an N-terminal domain with a new alpha/beta fold. The topology folds of the middle and C-terminal domains were similar to those of the O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase-A from Salmonella typhimurium and the cystathionine beta-synthase from human. The cofactor, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, is bound in a cleft between the middle and C-terminal domains through a covalent linkage to Lys127. Based on the structure determined, O-phospho-l-serine could be rationally modeled into the active site of the enzyme. An enzyme-substrate complex model and a mutation experiment revealed that Arg297, unique to hyperthermophilic archaea, is one of the most crucial residues for O-phosphoserine sulfhydrylation activity. There are more hydrophobic areas and less electric charges at the dimer interface, compared to the S.typhimurium O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Oda
- Research Institute for Cell Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST, Kansai), 1-8-31, Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
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Sauerwald A, Zhu W, Major TA, Roy H, Palioura S, Jahn D, Whitman WB, Yates JR, Ibba M, Söll D. RNA-dependent cysteine biosynthesis in archaea. Science 2005; 307:1969-72. [PMID: 15790858 DOI: 10.1126/science.1108329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 195] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Several methanogenic archaea lack cysteinyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetase (CysRS), the essential enzyme that provides Cys-tRNA(Cys) for translation in most organisms. Partial purification of the corresponding activity from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii indicated that tRNA(Cys) becomes acylated with O-phosphoserine (Sep) but not with cysteine. Further analyses identified a class II-type O-phosphoseryl-tRNA synthetase (SepRS) and Sep-tRNA:Cys-tRNA synthase (SepCysS). SepRS specifically forms Sep-tRNA(Cys), which is then converted to Cys-tRNA(Cys) by SepCysS. Comparative genomic analyses suggest that this pathway, encoded in all organisms lacking CysRS, can also act as the sole route for cysteine biosynthesis. This was proven for Methanococcus maripaludis, where deletion of the SepRS-encoding gene resulted in cysteine auxotrophy. As the conversions of Sep-tRNA to Cys-tRNA or to selenocysteinyl-tRNA are chemically analogous, the catalytic activity of SepCysS provides a means by which both cysteine and selenocysteine may have originally been added to the genetic code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anselm Sauerwald
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8114, USA
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