1
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Nalivaiko EY, Seebeck FP. A Rhodanese-Like Enzyme that Catalyzes Desulfination of Ergothioneine Sulfinic Acid. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400131. [PMID: 38597743 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Many actinobacterial species contain structural genes for iron-dependent enzymes that consume ergothioneine by way of O2-dependent dioxygenation. The resulting product ergothioneine sulfinic acid is stable under physiological conditions unless cleavage to sulfur dioxide and trimethyl histidine is catalyzed by a dedicated desulfinase. This report documents that two types of ergothioneine sulfinic desulfinases have evolved by convergent evolution. One type is related to metal-dependent decarboxylases while the other belongs to the superfamily of rhodanese-like enzymes. Pairs of ergothioneine dioxygenases (ETDO) and ergothioneine sulfinic acid desulfinase (ETSD) occur in thousands of sequenced actinobacteria, suggesting that oxidative ergothioneine degradation is a common activity in this phylum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egor Y Nalivaiko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, 4002, Switzerland
| | - Florian P Seebeck
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, 4002, Switzerland
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2
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Halliwell B, Cheah I. Are age-related neurodegenerative diseases caused by a lack of the diet-derived compound ergothioneine? Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 217:60-67. [PMID: 38492784 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
We propose that the diet-derived compound ergothioneine (ET) is an important nutrient in the human body, especially for maintenance of normal brain function, and that low body ET levels predispose humans to significantly increased risks of neurodegenerative (cognitive impairment, dementia, Parkinson's disease) and possibly other age-related diseases (including frailty, cardiovascular disease, and eye disease). Hence, restoring ET levels in the body could assist in mitigating these risks, which are rapidly increasing due to ageing populations globally. Prevention of neurodegeneration is especially important, since by the time dementia is usually diagnosed damage to the brain is extensive and likely irreversible. ET and vitamin E from the diet may act in parallel or even synergistically to protect different parts of the brain; both may be "neuroprotective vitamins". The present article reviews the substantial scientific basis supporting these proposals about the role of ET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry Halliwell
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Centre for Life Sciences, #05-01A, 28 Medical Drive, 117456, Singapore.
| | - Irwin Cheah
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Centre for Life Sciences, #05-01A, 28 Medical Drive, 117456, Singapore.
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3
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Sprenger HG, Mittenbühler MJ, Sun Y, Van Vranken JG, Schindler S, Jayaraj A, Khetarpal SA, Vargas-Castillo A, Puszynska AM, Spinelli JB, Armani A, Kunchok T, Ryback B, Seo HS, Song K, Sebastian L, O'Young C, Braithwaite C, Dhe-Paganon S, Burger N, Mills EL, Gygi SP, Arthanari H, Chouchani ET, Sabatini DM, Spiegelman BM. Ergothioneine boosts mitochondrial respiration and exercise performance via direct activation of MPST. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.10.588849. [PMID: 38645260 PMCID: PMC11030429 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.10.588849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Ergothioneine (EGT) is a diet-derived, atypical amino acid that accumulates to high levels in human tissues. Reduced EGT levels have been linked to age-related disorders, including neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, while EGT supplementation is protective in a broad range of disease and aging models in mice. Despite these promising data, the direct and physiologically relevant molecular target of EGT has remained elusive. Here we use a systematic approach to identify how mitochondria remodel their metabolome in response to exercise training. From this data, we find that EGT accumulates in muscle mitochondria upon exercise training. Proteome-wide thermal stability studies identify 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST) as a direct molecular target of EGT; EGT binds to and activates MPST, thereby boosting mitochondrial respiration and exercise training performance in mice. Together, these data identify the first physiologically relevant EGT target and establish the EGT-MPST axis as a molecular mechanism for regulating mitochondrial function and exercise performance.
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4
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Vasseur CM, Karunasegaram D, Seebeck FP. Structure and Substrate Specificity of S-Methyl Thiourocanate Hydratase. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:718-724. [PMID: 38389448 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a common cofactor in enzyme-catalyzed reactions that involve hydride transfers. In contrast, urocanase and urocanase-like enzymes use NAD+ for covalent electrophilic catalysis. Deciphering avenues by which this unusual catalytic strategy has diversified by evolution may point to approaches for the design of novel enzymes. In this report, we describe the S-methyl thiourocanate hydratase (S-Me-TUC) from Variovorax sp. RA8 as a novel member of this small family of NAD+-dependent hydratases. This enzyme catalyzes the 1,4-addition of water to S-methyl thiourocanate as the second step in the catabolism of S-methyl ergothioneine. The crystal structure of this enzyme in complex with the cofactor and a product analogue identifies critical sequence motifs that explain the narrow and nonoverlapping substrate scopes of S-methyl thiourocanate-, urocanate-, thiourocanate-, and Nτ-methyl urocanate-specific hydratases. The discovery of a S-methyl ergothioneine catabolic pathway also suggests that S-methylation or alkylation may be a significant activity in the biology of ergothioneine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille M Vasseur
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, BPR 1096, Mattenstrasse 22, Basel 4002, Switzerland
| | - Dishani Karunasegaram
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, BPR 1096, Mattenstrasse 22, Basel 4002, Switzerland
| | - Florian P Seebeck
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, BPR 1096, Mattenstrasse 22, Basel 4002, Switzerland
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5
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Brack Y, Sun C, Yi D, Bornscheuer UT. Systematic Analysis of the MIO-forming Residues of Aromatic Ammonia Lyases. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400016. [PMID: 38323706 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Aromatic ammonia lyases (AALs) and tyrosine/phenylalanine ammonia mutases (TAM/PAM) are 3,5-dihydro-5-methylidene-4H-imidazol-4-one (MIO)-dependent enzymes. Usually, the MIO moiety is autocatalytically formed from the tripeptide Ala-Ser-Gly (ASG) and acts as an electrophile during the enzymatic reaction. However, the MIO-forming residues (ASG) have some diversity in this enzyme class. In this work, a systematic investigation on the variety of MIO-forming residues was carried out using in-depth sequence analyses. Several protein clusters of AAL-like enzymes with unusual MIO-forming residues such as ACG, TSG, SSG, and CSG were identified, including two novel histidine ammonia lyases and one PAM with CSG and TSG residues, respectively, as well as three novel ergothioneine trimethylammonia lyases without MIO motif. The mutagenesis of common MIO-groups confirmed the function of these MIO variants, which provides good starting points for future functional prediction and mutagenesis research of AALs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannik Brack
- Dept. of Biotechnology & Enzyme Catalysis, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 4, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Chenghai Sun
- Dept. of Biotechnology & Enzyme Catalysis, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 4, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dong Yi
- Dept. of Biotechnology & Enzyme Catalysis, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 4, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
- National Key Laboratory of Lead Druggability Research, Research Center for Systems Biosynthesis, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Gebaini Road 285, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Uwe T Bornscheuer
- Dept. of Biotechnology & Enzyme Catalysis, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 4, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
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6
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Nalivaiko EY, Vasseur CM, Seebeck FP. Enzyme-Catalyzed Oxidative Degradation of Ergothioneine. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318445. [PMID: 38095354 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Ergothioneine is a sulfur-containing metabolite that is produced by bacteria and fungi, and is absorbed by plants and animals as a micronutrient. Ergothioneine reacts with harmful oxidants, including singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, and may therefore protect cells against oxidative stress. Herein we describe two enzymes from actinobacteria that cooperate in the specific oxidative degradation of ergothioneine. The first enzyme is an iron-dependent thiol dioxygenase that produces ergothioneine sulfinic acid. A crystal structure of ergothioneine dioxygenase from Thermocatellispora tengchongensis reveals many similarities with cysteine dioxygenases, suggesting that the two enzymes share a common mechanism. The second enzyme is a metal-dependent ergothioneine sulfinic acid desulfinase that produces Nα-trimethylhistidine and SO2 . The discovery that certain actinobacteria contain the enzymatic machinery for O2 -dependent biosynthesis and O2 -dependent degradation of ergothioneine indicates that these organisms may actively manage their ergothioneine content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egor Y Nalivaiko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 22, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Camille M Vasseur
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 22, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Florian P Seebeck
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 22, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
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7
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Muramatsu H, Inouchi D, Yamada M, Koujitani A, Maguchi H, Kato SI. Purification and characterization of 3-(5-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-yl) propionic acid desulfhydrase involved in ergothioneine utilization in Burkholderia sp. HME13. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2023; 88:74-78. [PMID: 37766390 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbad139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant 3-(5-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-yl) propionic acid desulfhydrase (ErtC) derived from Burkholderia sp. HME13 was purified to homogeneity. Here, ErtC's kinetic parameters, optimum reaction temperature and pH, and stability at varying temperatures and pH and the effects of various additives on ErtC activity were determined. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme assays suggested that ergothioneine induced the expression of ertC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Muramatsu
- Multidisciplinary Science Cluster, Research and Education Faculty, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Daisuke Inouchi
- Faculty of Agriculture and Marine Science, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Masaaki Yamada
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Akihito Koujitani
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Hiroki Maguchi
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Kato
- Multidisciplinary Science Cluster, Research and Education Faculty, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
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8
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Dumitrescu DG, Hatzios SK. Emerging roles of low-molecular-weight thiols at the host-microbe interface. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2023; 75:102322. [PMID: 37201290 PMCID: PMC10524283 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiols are an abundant class of cysteine-derived small molecules found in all forms of life that maintain reducing conditions within cells. While their contributions to cellular redox homeostasis are well established, LMW thiols can also mediate other aspects of cellular physiology, including intercellular interactions between microbial and host cells. Here we discuss emerging roles for these redox-active metabolites at the host-microbe interface. We begin by providing an overview of chemical and computational approaches to LMW-thiol discovery. Next, we highlight mechanisms of virulence regulation by LMW thiols in infected cells. Finally, we describe how microbial metabolism of these compounds may influence host physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G Dumitrescu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Stavroula K Hatzios
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
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9
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Muramatsu H, Koujitani A, Yamada M, Maguchi H, Kashiwagi T, Kato SI. Characterization of hydantoin-5-propionic acid amidohydrolase involved in ergothioneine utilization in Burkholderia sp. HME13. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2023; 87:411-419. [PMID: 36694933 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbad002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
In our previous study, ertABC genes encoding ergothionase, thiourocanate hydratase, and 3-(5-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-yl) propionic acid desulfhydrase were identified, all of which may be involved in ergothioneine utilization of Burkholderia sp. HME13. In this study, we identify the ertD gene encoding metal-dependent hydantoin-5-propionic acid amidohydrolase in this strain. Mn2+-containing ErtD showed maximum activity at 45 °C and pH 8.5 and was stable at temperatures up to 45 °C. The Km and Vmax values of Mn2+-containing ErtD for hydantoin-5-propionic acid were 2.8 m m and 16 U/mg, respectively. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that ertD expression levels in Burkholderia sp. HME13 cells cultivated in ergothioneine medium were 3.3-fold higher than those in cells cultivated in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium. ErtD activity in the crude extract from Burkholderia sp. HME13 cells cultured in ergothioneine medium was 0.018 U/mg, whereas that in LB medium was not detected. Accordingly, we suggest that ErtD is involved in ergothioneine utilization in this strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Muramatsu
- Multidisciplinary Science Cluster, Research and Education Faculty, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Akihito Koujitani
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Masaaki Yamada
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Hiroki Maguchi
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Takehiro Kashiwagi
- Multidisciplinary Science Cluster, Research and Education Faculty, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Kato
- Multidisciplinary Science Cluster, Research and Education Faculty, Kochi University, B200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
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10
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Discovery and structure of a widespread bacterial ABC transporter specific for ergothioneine. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7586. [PMID: 36481738 PMCID: PMC9732360 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35277-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
L-Ergothioneine (ET), the 2-thioimidazole derivative of trimethylhistidine, is biosynthesized by select fungi and bacteria, notably Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and functions as a scavenger of reactive oxygen species. The extent to which ET broadly functions in bacterial cells unable to synthesize it is unknown. Here we show that spd_1642-1643 in Streptococcus pneumoniae, a Gram-positive respiratory pathogen, encodes an ET uptake ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, designated EgtU. The solute binding domain (SBD) of EgtU, EgtUC, binds ET with high affinity and exquisite specificity in a cleft between the two subdomains, with cation-π interactions engaging the betaine moiety and a network of water molecules that surround the thioimidazole ring. EgtU is highly conserved among known quaternary amine compound-specific transporters and widely distributed in Firmicutes, including the human pathogens Listeria monocytogenes, as BilEB, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. ET increases the chemical diversity of the low molecular weight thiol pool in Gram-positive human pathogens and may contribute to antioxidant defenses in the infected host.
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11
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Dumitrescu DG, Gordon EM, Kovalyova Y, Seminara AB, Duncan-Lowey B, Forster ER, Zhou W, Booth CJ, Shen A, Kranzusch PJ, Hatzios SK. A microbial transporter of the dietary antioxidant ergothioneine. Cell 2022; 185:4526-4540.e18. [PMID: 36347253 PMCID: PMC9691600 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiols are small-molecule antioxidants required for the maintenance of intracellular redox homeostasis. However, many host-associated microbes, including the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori, unexpectedly lack LMW-thiol biosynthetic pathways. Using reactivity-guided metabolomics, we identified the unusual LMW thiol ergothioneine (EGT) in H. pylori. Dietary EGT accumulates to millimolar levels in human tissues and has been broadly implicated in mitigating disease risk. Although certain microorganisms synthesize EGT, we discovered that H. pylori acquires this LMW thiol from the host environment using a highly selective ATP-binding cassette transporter-EgtUV. EgtUV confers a competitive colonization advantage in vivo and is widely conserved in gastrointestinal microbes. Furthermore, we found that human fecal bacteria metabolize EGT, which may contribute to production of the disease-associated metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide. Collectively, our findings illustrate a previously unappreciated mechanism of microbial redox regulation in the gut and suggest that inter-kingdom competition for dietary EGT may broadly impact human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G Dumitrescu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Gordon
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Yekaterina Kovalyova
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Anna B Seminara
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Brianna Duncan-Lowey
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Emily R Forster
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA; Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Wen Zhou
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Carmen J Booth
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Aimee Shen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Philip J Kranzusch
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stavroula K Hatzios
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA.
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12
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Beliaeva MA, Atac R, Seebeck FP. Bacterial Degradation of Nτ-Methylhistidine. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:1989-1995. [PMID: 35758414 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The first three enzymatic steps by which organisms degrade histidine are universally conserved. A histidine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.3) catalyzes 1,2-elimination of the α-amino group from l-histidine; a urocanate hydratase (EC 4.2.1.49) converts urocanate to 4-imidazolone-5-propionate, and this intermediate is hydrolyzed to N-formimino-l-glutamate by an imidazolonepropionase (EC 3.5.2.7). Surprisingly, despite broad distribution in many species from all kingdoms of life, this pathway has rarely served as a template for the evolution of other metabolic processes. The only other known pathway with a similar logic is that of ergothioneine degradation. In this report, we describe a new addition to this exclusive collection. We show that the firmicute Bacillus terra and other soil-dwelling bacteria contain enzymes for the degradation of Nτ-methylhistidine to l-glutamate and N-methylformamide. Our results indicate that in some environments, Nτ-methylhistidine can accumulate to concentrations that make its efficient degradation a competitive skill. In addition, this process describes the first biogenic source of N-methylformamide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariia A Beliaeva
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel 4002, Switzerland
| | - Reyhan Atac
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel 4002, Switzerland
| | - Florian P Seebeck
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel 4002, Switzerland
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13
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Yan Q, Huang H, Zhang X. In Vitro Reconstitution of a Bacterial Ergothioneine Sulfonate Catabolic Pathway. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Qiongxiang Yan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Institute of Ecological Science, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Hua Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Institute of Ecological Science, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Xinshuai Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Institute of Ecological Science, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
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14
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Yadan JC. Matching chemical properties to molecular biological activities opens a new perspective on L-ergothioneine. FEBS Lett 2021; 596:1299-1312. [PMID: 34928499 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
L-ergothioneine is a low-molecular weight natural product, the chemical structure of which comprises oxygen-, nitrogen- and sulfur-containing functional groups. This gives L-ergothioneine specific physicochemical properties and allows to better understanding its chemical reactivity, which is primarily due to the 2-thio-imidazole group. Here, I review how different modes of chemical reactivity account for the reported molecular biological activities of L-ergothioneine. By matching the physicochemical properties to the biological properties of L-ergothioneine, a new perspective of the function and the mode of action of this enigmatic molecule emerges into the limelight.
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