Iron availability enhances the cellular energetics of aerobic Escherichia coli cultures while upregulating anaerobic respiratory chains

Surface water quality evaluation of the historic Esinmirin River of antiquity, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Esinmirin River is an important historic ancient river in Ile-Ife, the source of the Yoruba Kingdom that was associated with mystical power in stabilizing the ancient city during the period of war that would have destroyed it. The water resource needs investigation because of the recent anthropogenic and industrial activities that could affect the river. The study examines the river's physicochemical, heavy metals, and bacteriological parameters in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sections to comprehend the pollution levels of the Esinmirin River. Nine samples were collected in May 2023 by composite method at various sections using a systematic sampling technique. Twenty-one parameters including the physical, chemical, heavy metals, and bacteriological were examined. A significant departure from WHO, and SON permissible water standard limits in temperature, iron, and the various bacteria found in the research, brings to light the alarming pollution levels of the river. Though temperature (29.9 °C-30.9 °C) and iron (0.7 mg/L-1.3 mg/L) in the 3 sections were above the standard guidelines while lead, copper, and cadmium were absent, all other physicochemical parameters were within the limits. The pH values were highest in the upstream, EC and TDS in the midstream, and temperature in the downstream. At the same time, the chemical parameters and iron increase progressively from upstream to downstream. However, TBC, Escherichia Coliform, Klebsiella species, Staphylococcus Aureus species, and Enterobacter species in all the sections indicated a high level of contamination. The physical, chemical, heavy metal and bacteriological parameters were significantly related mostly at p > 0.01 and on a few occasions at p > 0.05. The study recommends awareness campaigns, routine monitoring, and water treatment before use, to protect public health.

Recent advances in microbial synthesis of free heme

Heme is an iron-containing porphyrin compound widely used in the fields of healthcare, food, and medicine. Compared to animal blood extraction, it is more advantageous to develop a microbial cell factory to produce heme. However, heme biosynthesis in microorganisms is tightly regulated, and its accumulation is highly cytotoxic. The current review describes the biosynthetic pathway of free heme, its fermentation production using different engineered bacteria constructed by metabolic engineering, and strategies for further improving heme synthesis. Heme synthetic pathway in Bacillus subtilis was modified utilizing genome-editing technology, resulting in significantly improved heme synthesis and secretion abilities. This technique avoided the use of multiple antibiotics and enhanced the genetic stability of strain. Hence, engineered B. subtilis could be an attractive cell factory for heme production. Further studies should be performed to enhance the expression of heme synthetic module and optimize the expression of heme exporter and fermentation processes, such as iron supply. KEY POINTS: • Strengthening the heme biosynthetic pathway can significantly increase heme production. • Heme exporter overexpression helps to promote heme secretion, thereby further promoting excessive heme synthesis. • Engineered B. subtilis is an attractive alternative for heme production.

Adsorption of haem by magnetic chitosan microspheres: Optimal conditions, adsorption mechanisms and density functional theory analyses

Magnetic chitosan microspheres (Al@CTS@Fe3O4) were prepared for haem separation via chemical cross-linking of chitosan, Fe3O4 and AlCl3·6H2O. The properties of the Al@CTS@Fe3O4 microspheres were investigated through techniques including XRD, TEM, FTIR, BET analysis, SEM, TG, VSM, XPS and pHpzc analysis. The haem adsorption of Al@CTS@Fe3O4 was optimized via a Box-Behnken design (BBD) with three operating factors: Fe3O4 dose (0.5-1.3 g), AlCl3·6H2O concentration (0.25-1.25 mol/L) and glutaraldehyde dose (2-6 mL). The optimal haem adsorption effect was achieved with 1.1 g of Fe3O4, 0.75 mol/L AlCl3·6H2O, and 3 mL of glutaraldehyde. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms demonstrated that haem adsorption by the Al@CTS@Fe3O4 microspheres was best described by the pseudo-second-order model. The maximum adsorption capacity is 33.875 mg/g at pH 6. After six adsorption-desorption cycles, the removal of haem still reached 53.83 %. The surface adsorption mechanism of haem on Al@CTS@Fe3O4 can be attributed to electrostatic, hydrogen bonding, and n-π interactions. Thermodynamic calculations indicated that the adsorption process is spontaneous, with the microspheres preferentially accepting electrons and haem preferentially providing electrons. Consequently, the Al@CTS@Fe3O4 microspheres exhibit considerable potential as adsorbents for haem separation.

Quantitative proteomics reveals oxygen-induced adaptations in Caldalkalibacillus thermarum TA2.A1 microaerobic chemostat cultures

The thermoalkaliphile Caldalkalibacillus thermarum possesses a highly branched respiratory chain. These primarily facilitate growth at a wide range of dissolved oxygen levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulation of C. thermarum respiratory chain. C. thermarum was cultivated in chemostat bioreactors with a range of oxygen levels (0.25% O2-4.2% O2). Proteomic analysis unexpectedly showed that both the type I and the type II NADH dehydrogenase present are constitutive. The two terminal oxidases detected were the cytochrome c:oxygen aa 3 oxidase, whose abundance was highest at 4.2% O2. The cytochrome c:oxygen ba 3 oxidase was more abundant at most other O2 levels, but its abundance started to decline below 0.42% O2. We expected this would result in the emergence of the cytochrome c:oxygen bb 3 complex or the menaquinol:oxygen bd complex, the other two terminal oxidases of C. thermarum; but neither was detected. Furthermore, the sodium-proton antiporter complex Mrp was downregulated under the lower oxygen levels. Normally, in alkaliphiles, this enzyme is considered crucial for sodium homeostasis. We propose that the existence of a sodium:acetate exporter decreases the requirement for Mrp under strong oxygen limitation.

Identification and analysis of the key genes for Escherichia coli heterologous protein expression by transcriptomic profiling

BACKGROUND

Escherichia coli is a frequently used host for heterologous protein expression, but its expression efficiency is hindered by several limitations, such as formation of inclusion bodies and proteolytic degradation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this study, we employed high-density fermentation of heterologous protein production in a 5-L bioreactor, resulting in a yield 2.25 times higher than that of the control group. Transcriptional analysis was conducted at three time points after induction for 0 h, 4 h, and 12 h, revealing 420, 301, and 570 upregulated differentially expressed genes, as well as 424, 202, and 525 downregulated genes, respectively. By conducting enrichment analysis, we constructed strains that relieved without iron limitation, exhibiting a 36% increase in biomass and a 32% increase in protein expression. Furthermore, no overflow metabolism of acetic acid was detected during the protein expression process when utilizing chemostat culture, which indicated that the utilization efficiency of glucose was significantly enhanced without iron limitation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presents a novel approach to better comprehend the mechanism of high-yield production of heterologous proteins in Escherichia coli.

Quaternary ammonium biocides promote conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance gene in structure- and species-dependent manner

The linkage between biocides and antibiotic resistance has been widely suggested in laboratories and various environments. However, the action mechanism of biocides on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) spread is still unclear. Thus, 6 quaternary ammonium biocides (QACs) with different bonded substituents or alkyl chain lengths were selected to assess their effects on the conjugation transfer of ARGs in this study. Two conjugation models with the same donor (E. coli DH5α (RP4)) into two receptors, E. coli MG1655 and pathogenic S. sonnei SE6-1, were constructed. All QACs were found to significantly promote intra- and inter-genus conjugative transfer of ARGs, and the frequency was highly impacted by their structure and receptors. At the same environmental exposure level (4 × 10-1 mg/L), didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC (C10)) promoted the most frequency of conjugative transfer, while benzathine chloride (BEC) promoted the least. With the same donor, the enhanced frequency of QACs of intra-transfer is higher than inter-transfer. Then, the acquisition mechanisms of two receptors were further determined using biochemical combined with transcriptome analysis. For the recipient E. coli, the promotion of the intragenus conjugative transfer may be associated with increased cell membrane permeability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and proton motive force (PMF)-induced enhancement of flagellar motility. Whereas, the increase of cell membrane permeability and decreased flagellar motility due to PMF disruption but encouraged biofilm formation, maybe the main reasons for promoting intergenus conjugative transfer in the recipient S. sonnei. As one pathogenic bacterium, S. sonnei was first found to acquire ARGs by biocide exposure.

Ironing out Persisters? Revisiting the Iron Chelation Strategy to Target Planktonic Bacterial Persisters Harboured in Carbapenem-Resistant Escherichia coli

Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis. Notably, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) pose a significant clinical challenge due to the limited effective treatment options. This problem is exacerbated by persisters that develop upon antibiotic exposure. Bacteria persisters can tolerate high antibiotic doses and can cause recalcitrant infections, potentially developing further antibiotic resistance. Iron is a critical micronutrient for survival. We aimed to evaluate the utility of iron chelators, alone and in combination with antibiotics, in managing persisters. We hypothesized that iron chelators eradicate CRE persisters in vitro, when administered in combination with antibiotics. Our screening revealed three clinical isolates with bacteria persisters that resuscitated upon antibiotic removal. These isolates were treated with both meropenem and an iron chelator (deferoxamine mesylate, deferiprone or dexrazoxane) over 24 h. Against our hypothesis, bacteria persisters survived and resuscitated upon withdrawing both the antibiotic and iron chelator. Pursuing our aim, we next hypothesized that iron chelation is feasible as a post-antibiotic treatment in managing and suppressing persisters' resuscitation. We exposed bacteria persisters to an iron chelator without antibiotics. Flow cytometric assessments revealed that iron chelators are inconsistent in suppressing persister resuscitation. Collectively, these results suggest that the iron chelation strategy may not be useful as an antibiotic adjunct to target planktonic bacteria persisters.

Conserved metabolic regulator ArcA responds to oxygen availability, iron limitation, and cell envelope perturbations during bacteremia

IMPORTANCE

Infections of the bloodstream are life-threatening and can result in sepsis. Gram-negative bacteria cause a significant portion of bloodstream infections, which is also referred to as bacteremia. The long-term goal of our work is to understand how such bacteria establish and maintain infection during bacteremia. We have previously identified the transcription factor ArcA, which promotes fermentation in bacteria, as a likely contributor to the growth and survival of bacteria in this environment. Here, we study ArcA in the Gram-negative species Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Serratia marcescens. Our findings aid in determining how these bacteria sense their environment, utilize nutrients, and generate energy while countering the host immune system. This information is critical for developing better models of infection to inform future therapeutic development.

Nutrient-Limited Operational Strategies for the Microbial Production of Biochemicals

Limiting an essential nutrient has a profound impact on microbial growth. The notion of growth under limited conditions was first described using simple Monod kinetics proposed in the 1940s. Different operational modes (chemostat, fed-batch processes) were soon developed to address questions related to microbial physiology and cell maintenance and to enhance product formation. With more recent developments of metabolic engineering and systems biology, as well as high-throughput approaches, the focus of current engineers and applied microbiologists has shifted from these fundamental biochemical processes. This review draws attention again to nutrient-limited processes. Indeed, the sophisticated gene editing tools not available to pioneers offer the prospect of metabolic engineering strategies which leverage nutrient limited processes. Thus, nutrient- limited processes continue to be very relevant to generate microbially derived biochemicals.