A blueprint of ectoine metabolism from the genome of the industrial producer Halomonas elongata DSM 2581 T

Unlocking Ectoine's Postbiotic Therapeutic Promise: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Directions

Ectoine, a cytoprotective compound derived from bacteria and categorized as a postbiotic, is increasingly recognized as a viable alternative to traditional therapeutic agents, frequently presenting considerable side effects. This extensive review underscores the effectiveness of ectoine as a postbiotic in managing conditions such as rhinosinusitis, atopic dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis, all while demonstrating a commendable safety profile. Its capacity to establish robust hydrogen bonds without compromising cellular integrity supports its potential application in anti-aging and cancer prevention strategies. Recent studies have clarified ectoine's function in alleviating oxidative stress caused by environmental pollutants and ultraviolet radiation, broadening its advantages for skin and ecological health. The review details ectoine's mechanisms of action, which include the protection of cellular macromolecules, modulation of inflammation, and prevention of apoptosis, while also highlighting emerging research that positions ectoine as a promising postbiotic candidate for therapeutic strategies in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, autoimmune conditions, and metabolic syndromes. Additionally, the review addresses challenges such as the low bioavailability of ectoine in eukaryotic cells, the constraints on scalability for industrial production, and the high costs associated with synthetic biology methods. Future prospects for ectoine as a postbiotic therapeutic option are also discussed, including the potential for advanced delivery systems, such as ectoine-loaded nanoparticles and hydrogels, to improve stability and bioavailability, as well as synergistic combinations with phytochemicals like resveratrol and curcumin to enhance therapeutic efficacy. Integrating artificial intelligence into ectoine research revolutionizes understanding its therapeutic properties, streamlining drug formulation and clinical applications. By synthesizing insights into ectoine's molecular mechanisms and investigating new therapeutic pathways, this review advocates for advancing ectoine as a natural postbiotic therapeutic agent, addressing contemporary health challenges while meeting the growing demand for safer alternatives.

High Ectoine Production from Lignocellulosic Hydrolysate by Escherichia coli through Metabolic and Fermentation Engineering

Ectoine, a major compatible solute in halophilic micro-organisms, shows great potential in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals areas owing to its water-binding properties and capability to prevent oxidative damage. In this study, the ectABC gene cluster responsible for the ectoine synthesis originated from halophilic bacterium Halomonas venusta was first assembled into Escherichia coli. Subsequently, the crr gene in PTS was knocked out to further drive the metabolic flux from phosphoenolpyruvate to oxaloacetate, resulting in 1.27 g/L of ectoine. Then, the rate-limiting enzyme LysC in the ectoine synthesis pathway was identified and modified. The recombinant E. coli with the further overexpression of feedback-insensitive mutant EclysC* increased the ectoine titer to 2.51 g/L with a yield of 0.37 g/g in shake flasks. After the medium optimization including the carbon and nitrogen source, sodium chloride, and magnesium sulfate concentration, the ectoine titer was improved to 4.55 g/L. 115.15 g/L of ectoine with a yield of 0.23 g/g was obtained in the 5.0 L bioreactor through the optimization of substrate feeding and IPTG supplementation in the fed-batch fermentation. To achieve the cost-effective production of ectoine, lignocellulosic hydrolysate from wheat straw was adopted. 134.08 g/L of ectoine with a yield of 0.33 g/g sugar and a productivity of 3.7 g/L/h was finally produced, representing a relatively high level of ectoine production from renewable resources compared to other studies. This study provides valuable insights into a cost-effective and efficient method for industrial-scale ectoine production.

Microbial Production of Ectoine: A Review

Ectoine is an important natural secondary metabolite widely used in biomedical fields, novel cosmetics development, and the food industry. Due to the increasing market demand for ectoine, more cost-effective production methods are being explored. With the rapid development of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering technologies, the production of ectoine using traditional halophilic bacteria is gradually being replaced by higher-yielding and environmentally friendly nonhalophilic engineered strains. By introducing the ectoine synthesis pathway into model strains and optimizing the fermentation process through various metabolic regulations, high-level production of ectoine can be achieved. This review focuses on strategies for the microbial production of ectoine, including screening of wild strains, mutation breeding, and metabolic engineering of model strains, to elucidate the current research status and provide insights for the industrial production of ectoine.

In-silico study of molecular adaptations in halophilic Cas9

This study explores the structural adaptations of the CRISPR-Cas9 system in halophilic bacteria, focusing on Cas9 protein of halophilic bacterium Salicibibacter cibi. Protein sequences were analyzed using different tools such as ExPASy ProtParam for different physicochemical properties, Predictor of Natural Disordered Regions web server for disordered regions, and InterPro server and WebLogo for domains. Protein structures were generated using the AlphaFold database, and the quality of the modelled structure was checked through PROCHECK. The protein surface's amino acids and electrostatic potential were visualized using PyMOL, APBS server, and UCSF chimera. Comparative analysis revealed that halophilic Cas9 proteins possess a higher abundance of acidic residues, resulting in enhanced stability and hydration in saline conditions; halophilic Cas9 proteins also shows higher intrinsically disordered regions. Electrostatic potential maps confirmed that S. cibi Cas9 proteins maintain a highly negative surface charge, crucial for adaptation to salt-rich environments. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms driving the structural and functional adaptations of Cas9 in salty environment, highlighting its potential applications in genome editing-based biotechnological approaches in extreme conditions.

Genomic Insight into Vibrio Isolates from Fresh Raw Mussels and Ready-to-Eat Stuffed Mussels

Consuming raw or undercooked mussels can lead to gastroenteritis and septicemia due to Vibrio contamination. This study analyzed the prevalence, density, species diversity, and molecular traits of Vibrio spp. in 48 fresh raw wild mussels (FRMs) and 48 ready-to-eat stuffed mussels (RTE-SMs) through genome analysis, assessing health risks. The results showed Vibrio prevalence rates of 12.5% in FRMs and 4.2% in RTE-SMs, with V. alginolyticus as the most common species (46.7%). It was determined that the seasonal distribution of Vibrio spp. prevalence in the samples was higher in the summer months. The genome sizes of the Vibrio spp. ranged from approximately 3.9 to 6.1 Mb, with the GC contents varying between 41.9% and 50.4%. A total of 22 virulence factor (VF) classes and up to six antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were detected in different Vibrio species. The presence of nine different biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), 27 prophage regions, and eight CRISPR/Cas systems in 15 Vibrio strains provides information about their potential pathogenicity, survival strategies, and adaptation to different habitats. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the genomic diversity of Vibrio spp. isolated from FRM and RTE-SM samples, shedding light on the prevalence, pathogenicity, and toxicity mechanisms of Vibrio-induced gastroenteritis.

Metabolic Engineering of Escherichia coli for Efficient Production of Ectoine

Ectoine is a valuable compatible solute with extensive applications in bioengineering, cosmetics, medicine, and the food industry. While certain halophilic bacteria can naturally produce ectoine, as a model organism for biomanufacturing, Escherichia coli offers significant advantages to be engineered for potentially high-level ectoine production. However, complex metabolic flux distributions and byproduct formation present bottlenecks that limit ectoine production in E. coli. In this study, we aimed to enhance ectoine production in E. coli BL21(DE3) through systematic metabolic engineering strategies. We investigated the effects of the ectABC gene cluster sequence, plasmid copy number, and key gene copy number on ectoine synthesis. Using the original ectABC sequence with the high-copy-number plasmid pRSFDuet-1 resulted in the highest level of ectoine production. Knocking out genes encoding homoserine dehydrogenase and diaminopimelate decarboxylase reduced competing pathways, further increasing ectoine yield. Overexpression of aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, aspartate kinase I (thrA*), aspartate aminotransferase, and aspartate ammonia-lyase (aspA) was performed, and optimal gene copy numbers were determined. When the copy numbers of thrA* and aspA were both three, ectoine synthesis improved, reaching 1.91 g/L. Enhancing the oxaloacetate pool by overexpressing phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (ppc) or introducing pyruvate carboxylase (pyc) from Corynebacterium glutamicum further increased ectoine production to 4.99 g/L. Balancing NADPH and ATP levels through cofactor engineering contributed to additional production improvements. Combining these strain engineering strategies, we ultimately constructed strain C24, which produced 35.33 g/L ectoine in a 5 L fermenter with a glucose conversion rate of 0.21 g/g. These results demonstrate that targeted metabolic engineering can significantly enhance ectoine production in E. coli, providing a foundation for industrial-scale production.

Selection for toxin production in spatially structured environments increases with growth rate

Microbes adopt diverse strategies to successfully compete with coexisting strains for space and resources. One common strategy is the production of toxic compounds to inhibit competitors, but the strength and direction of selection for this strategy vary depending on the environment. Existing theoretical and experimental evidence suggests that growth in spatially structured environments makes toxin production more beneficial because competitive interactions are localized. Because higher growth rates reduce the length scale of interactions in structured environments, theory predicts that toxin production should be especially beneficial under these conditions. We tested this hypothesis by developing a genome-scale metabolic modeling approach and complementing it with comparative genomics to investigate the impact of growth rate on selection for costly toxin production. Our modeling approach expands the current abilities of the dynamic flux balance analysis platform Computation Of Microbial Ecosystems in Time and Space (COMETS) to incorporate signaling and toxin production. Using this capability, we find that our modeling framework predicts that the strength of selection for toxin production increases as growth rate increases. This finding is supported by comparative genomics analyses that include diverse microbial species. Our work emphasizes that toxin production is more likely to be maintained in rapidly growing, spatially structured communities, thus improving our ability to manage microbial communities and informing natural product discovery.

"Genome-based in silico assessment of biosynthetic gene clusters in Planctomycetota: Evidences of its wide divergent nature"

The biotechnological potential of Planctomycetota only recently started to be unveiled. 129 reference genomes and 5194 available genomes (4988 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs)) were analysed regarding the presence of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters (BGCs). By antiSMASH, 987 BGCs in the reference genomes and 22,841 BGCs in all the available genomes were detected. The classes Ca Uabimicrobiia, Ca Brocadiia and Planctomycetia had the higher number of BGC per genome, while Phycisphaerae had the lowest number. The most prevalent BGCs found in Planctomycetota reference genomes were terpenes, NRPS, type III PKS, type I PKS. As much as 88 % of the predicted regions had no similarity with known clusters in MIBiG database. This study strengthens the uniqueness of Planctomycetota for the isolation of new compounds and provide an overview of BGCs taxonomic distribution and of the type of predicted product. This outline allows the acceleration and focus of the research on drug discovery in Planctomycetota.

Ectoine enhances recombinant antibody production in Chinese hamster ovary cells by promoting cell cycle arrest

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells represent the most preferential host cell system for therapeutic monoclonal antibody (mAb) production. Enhancing mAb production in CHO cells can be achieved by adding chemical compounds that regulate the cell cycle and cell survival pathways. This study investigated the impact of ectoine supplementation on mAb production in CHO cells. The results showed that adding ectoine at a concentration of 100 mM on the 3rd day of cultivation improved mAb production by improving cell viability and extending the culture duration. RNA sequencing analysis revealed differentially expressed genes associated with cell cycle regulation, cell proliferation, and cellular homeostasis, in particular promotion of cell cycle arrest, which was then confirmed by flow cytometry analysis. Ectoine-treated CHO cells exhibited an increase in the number of cells in the G0/G1 phase. In addition, the cell diameter was also increased. These findings support the hypothesis that ectoine enhances mAb production in CHO cells through mechanisms involving cell cycle arrest and cellular homeostasis. Overall, this study highlights the potential of ectoine as a promising supplementation strategy to enhance mAb production not only in CHO cells but also in other cell lines.

Expression of ABC transporters negatively correlates with ectoine biosynthesis in Halomonas campaniensis under NaCl and ultraviolet mutagenesis treatments revealed by transcriptomic and proteomics combined analysis

Halomonas species are renowned for their production of organic compatible solutes, particularly ectoine. However, the identification of key regulatory genes governing ectoine production in Halomonas remains limited. In this study, we conducted a combined transcriptome-proteome analysis to unveil additional regulatory genes influencing ectoine biosynthesis, particularly under ultraviolet (UV) and salt conditions. NaCl induction resulted in a 20-fold increase, while UV treatment led to at least 2.5-fold increases in ectoine production. The number of overlapping genes between transcriptomic and proteomic analyses for three comparisons, i.e., non-UV with NaCl (UV0-NaCl) vs. non-UV without NaCl (UV0), UV strain 1 (UV1-NaCl) vs. UV0-NaCl, and UV strain 2 (UV2-NaCl) vs. UV0-NaCl were 137, 19, and 21, respectively. The overlapped Gene Ontology (GO) enrichments between transcriptomic and proteomic analyses include ATPase-coupled organic phosphonate, phosphonate transmembrane transporter activity, and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport complex in different comparisons. Furthermore, five common genes exhibited different expression patterns at mRNA and protein levels across the three comparisons. These genes included orf01280, orf00986, orf01283, orf01282 and orf01284. qPCR verification confirmed that three of the five common genes were notably under-expressed following NaCl and UV treatments. This study highlighted the potential role of these five common genes in regulating ectoine production in Halomonas strains.

Metagenomic insights into the prokaryotic communities of heavy metal-contaminated hypersaline soils

Saline soils and their microbial communities have recently been studied in response to ongoing desertification of agricultural soils caused by anthropogenic impacts and climate change. Here we describe the prokaryotic microbiota of hypersaline soils in the Odiel Saltmarshes Natural Area of Southwest Spain. This region has been strongly affected by mining and industrial activity and feature high levels of certain heavy metals. We sequenced 18 shotgun metagenomes through Illumina NovaSeq from samples obtained from three different areas in 2020 and 2021. Taxogenomic analyses demonstrate that these soils harbored equal proportions of archaea and bacteria, with Methanobacteriota, Pseudomonadota, Bacteroidota, Gemmatimonadota, and Balneolota as most abundant phyla. Functions related to the transport of heavy metal outside the cytoplasm are among the most relevant features of the community (i.e., ZntA and CopA enzymes). They seem to be indispensable to avoid the increase of zinc and copper concentration inside the cell. Besides, the archaeal phylum Methanobacteriota is the main arsenic detoxifier within the microbiota although arsenic related genes are widely distributed in the community. Regarding the osmoregulation strategies, "salt-out" mechanism was identified in part of the bacterial population, whereas "salt-in" mechanism was present in both domains, Bacteria and Archaea. De novo biosynthesis of two of the most universal compatible solutes was detected, with predominance of glycine betaine biosynthesis (betAB genes) over ectoine (ectABC genes). Furthermore, doeABCD gene cluster related to the use of ectoine as carbon and energy source was solely identified in Pseudomonadota and Methanobacteriota.

Expression of an engineered salt-inducible proline biosynthetic operon in a glutamic acid over-producing mutant, Halomonas elongata GOP, confers increased proline yield due to enhanced growth under high-salinity conditions

L-Proline (Pro) is an essential amino acid additive in livestock and aquaculture feeds. Previously, we created a Pro overproducing Halomonas elongata HN6 by introducing an engineered salt-inducible Pro biosynthetic mCherry-proBm1AC operon and deleting a putA gene that encoded a Pro catabolic enzyme in the genome of H. elongata OUT30018. Here, we report a generation of a novel Pro overproducing H. elongata HN10 strain with improved salt tolerance and higher Pro yield by expressing the mCherry-proBm1AC operon and deleting the putA gene in the genome of a spontaneous mutant H. elongata Glutamic acid Over-Producing, which overproduces glutamic acid (Glu) that is a precursor for Pro biosynthesis. The optimal salt concentration for growth of H. elongata HN10 was found to be 7% to 8% w/v NaCl, and the average Pro yield of 166 mg/L was achieved when H. elongata HN10 was cultivated in M63 minimal medium containing 4% w/v glucose and 8% w/v NaCl.

Metabolic pathway engineering of high-salinity-induced overproduction of L-proline improves high-salinity stress tolerance of an ectoine-deficient Halomonas elongata

Halophilic bacteria have adapted to survive in high-salinity environments by accumulating amino acids and their derivatives as organic osmolytes. L-Proline (Pro) is one such osmolyte that is also being used as a feed stimulant in the aquaculture industry. Halomonas elongata OUT30018 is a moderately halophilic bacterium that accumulates ectoine (Ect), but not Pro, as an osmolyte. Due to its ability to utilize diverse biomass-derived carbon and nitrogen sources for growth, H. elongata OUT30018 is used in this work to create a strain that overproduces Pro, which could be used as a sustainable Pro-rich feed additive. To achieve this, we replaced the coding region of H. elongata OUT30018's Ect biosynthetic operon with the artificial self-cloned proBm1AC gene cluster that encodes the Pro biosynthetic enzymes: feedback-inhibition insensitive mutant γ-glutamate kinase (γ-GKD118N/D119N), γ-glutamyl phosphate reductase, and pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase. Additionally, the putA gene, which encodes the key enzyme of Pro catabolism, was deleted from the genome to generate H. elongata HN6. While the Ect-deficient H. elongata KA1 could not grow in minimal media containing more than 4% NaCl, H. elongata HN6 thrived in the medium containing 8% NaCl by accumulating Pro in the cell instead of Ect, reaching a concentration of 353.1 ± 40.5 µmol/g cell fresh weight, comparable to the Ect accumulated in H. elongata OUT30018 in response to salt stress. With its genetic background, H. elongata HN6 has the potential to be developed into a Pro-rich cell factory for upcycling biomass waste into single-cell feed additives, contributing to a more sustainable aquaculture industry.IMPORTANCEWe report here the evidence for de novo biosynthesis of Pro to be used as a major osmolyte in an ectoine-deficient Halomonas elongata. Remarkably, the concentration of Pro accumulated in H. elongata HN6 (∆ectABC::mCherry-proBm1AC ∆putA) is comparable to that of ectoine accumulated in H. elongata OUT30018 in response to high-salinity stress. We also found that among the two γ-glutamate kinase mutants (γ-GKD118N/D119N and γ-GKD154A/E155A) designed to resemble the two known Escherichia coli feedback-inhibition insensitive γ-GKD107N and γ-GKE143A, the γ-GKD118N/D119N mutant is the only one that became insensitive to feedback inhibition by Pro in H. elongata. As Pro is one of the essential feed additives for the poultry and aquaculture industries, the genetic makeup of the engineered H. elongata HN6 would allow for the sustainable upcycling of high-salinity waste biomass into a Pro-rich single-cell eco-feed.

Enhanced accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid by deletion of aminotransferase genes involved in γ-aminobutyric acid catabolism in engineered Halomonas elongata

Halomonas elongata OUT30018 is a moderately halophilic bacterium that synthesizes and accumulates ectoine as an osmolyte by activities of the enzymes encoded by the high salinity-inducible ectABC operon. Previously, we engineered a γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing H. elongata GOP-Gad (ΔectABC::mCherry-HopGadmut) from an ectoine-deficient mutant of this strain due to its ability to use high-salinity biomass waste as substrate. Here, to further increase GABA accumulation, we deleted gabT, which encodes GABA aminotransferase (GABA-AT) that catalyzes the first step of the GABA catabolic pathway, from the H. elongata GOP-Gad genome. The resulting strain H. elongata ZN3 (ΔectABC::mCherry-HopGadmut ΔgabT) accumulated 291 µmol/g cell dry weight (CDW) of GABA in the cells, which is a 1.5-fold increase from H. elongata GOP-Gad's 190 µmol/g CDW. This result has confirmed the role of GABA-AT in the GABA catabolic pathway. However, redundancy in endogenous GABA-AT activity was detected in a growth test, where a gabT-deletion mutant of H. elongata OUT30018 was cultured in a medium containing GABA as the sole carbon and nitrogen sources. Because L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid aminotransferase (DABA-AT), encoded by an ectB gene of the ectABC operon, shares sequence similarity with GABA-AT, a complementation analysis of the gabT and the ectB genes was performed in the H. elongata ZN3 genetic background to test the involvement of DABA-AT in the redundancy of GABA-AT activity. Our results indicate that the expression of DABA-AT can restore GABA-AT activity in H. elongata ZN3 and establish DABA-AT's aminotransferase activity toward GABA in vivo.

IMPORTANCE

In this study, we were able to increase the yield of GABA by 1.5 times in the GABA-producing H. elongata ZN3 strain by deleting the gabT gene, which encodes GABA-AT, the initial enzyme of the GABA catabolic pathway. We also report the first in vivo evidence for GABA aminotransferase activity of an ectB-encoded DABA-AT, confirming a longstanding speculation based on the reported in vitro GABA-AT activity of DABA-AT. According to our findings, the DABA-AT enzyme can catalyze the initial step of GABA catabolism, in addition to its known function in ectoine biosynthesis. This creates a cycle that promotes adequate substrate flow between the two pathways, particularly during the early stages of high-salinity stress response when the expression of the ectB gene is upregulated.

Metabolic Engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum for Highly Efficient Production of Ectoine

Ectoine is a compatible solute that functions as a cell protector from various stresses, protecting cells and stabilizing biomolecules, and is widely used in medicine, cosmetics, and biotechnology. Microbial fermentation has been widely used for the large-scale production of ectoine, and a number of fermentation strategies have been developed to increase the ectoine yield, reduce production costs, and simplify the production process. Here, Corynebacterium glutamicum was engineered for ectoine production by heterologous expression of the ectoine biosynthesis operon ectBAC gene from Halomonas elongata, and a series of genetic modifications were implemented. This included introducing the de3 gene from Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) to express the T7 promoter, eliminating the lysine transporter protein lysE to limit lysine production, and performing a targeted mutation lysCS301Y on aspartate kinase to alleviate feedback inhibition of lysine. The new engineered strain Ect10 obtained an ectoine titer of 115.87 g/L in an optimized fed-batch fermentation, representing the highest ectoine production level in C. glutamicum and achieving the efficient production of ectoine in a low-salt environment.

A Genomics-Based Discovery of Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in the Potential Novel Strain Streptomyces sp. 21So2-11 Isolated from Antarctic Soil

Streptomyces species are attractive sources of secondary metabolites that serve as major sources of antibiotics and other drugs. In this study, genome mining was used to determine the biosynthetic potential of Streptomyces sp. 21So2-11 isolated from Antarctic soil. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that this strain is most closely related to Streptomyces drozdowiczii NBRC 101007T, with a similarity of 98.02%. Genome comparisons based on average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) showed that strain 21So2-11 represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces. In addition to a large number of genes related to environmental adaptation and ecological function, a total of 28 putative biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) responsible for the biosynthesis of known and/or novel secondary metabolites, including terpenes, lantipeptides, polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, RiPPs and siderophores, were detected in the genome of strain 21So2-11. In addition, a total of 1456 BGCs were predicted to contribute to the biosynthesis of more than 300 secondary metabolites based on the genomes of 47 Streptomyces strains originating from polar regions. The results indicate the potential of Streptomyces sp. 21So2-11 for bioactive secondary metabolite production and are helpful for understanding bacterial adaptability and ecological function in cold terrestrial environments.

Improvement in Salt Tolerance Ability of Pseudomonas putida KT2440

Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is a popular platform for bioremediation due to its robust tolerance to environmental stress and strong biodegradation capacity. Limited research on the salt tolerance of P. putida KT2440 has hindered its application. In this study, the strain KT2440 was tested to tolerate a maximum of 4% w/v NaCl cultured with minimal salts medium. Transcriptomic data in a high-salinity environment showed significant expression changes in genes in membrane components, redox processes, chemotaxis, and cellular catabolic processes. betB-encoding betaine-aldehyde dehydrogenase was identified from the transcriptome data to overexpress and enhance growth profile of the strain KT2440 in minimal salts medium containing 4% w/v NaCl. Meanwhile, screening for exogenous salt-tolerant genes revealed that the Na+/H+ antiporter EcnhaA from Escherichia coli significantly increased the growth of the strain KT2440 in 4% w/v NaCl. Then, co-expression of EcnhaA and betB (KT2440-EcnhaA-betB) increased the maximum salt tolerance of strain KT2440 to 5% w/v NaCl. Further addition of betaine and proline improved the salt tolerance of the engineered strain to 6% w/v NaCl. Finally, the engineered strain KT2440-EcnhaA-betB was able to degrade 56.70% of benzoic acid and 95.64% of protocatechuic acid in minimal salt medium containing 4% w/v NaCl in 48 h, while no biodegradation was observed in the normal strain KT2440 in the same conditions. However, the strain KT2440-EcnhaA-betB failed to degrade catechol in minimal salt medium containing 3% w/v NaCl. This study illustrated the improvement in the salt tolerance performance of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and the feasibility of engineered strain KT2440 as a potential salt-tolerant bioremediation platform.

Rational engineering of Halomonas salifodinae to enhance hydroxyectoine production under lower-salt conditions

Hydroxyectoine is an important compatible solute that holds potential for development into a high-value chemical with broad applications. However, the traditional high-salt fermentation for hydroxyectoine production presents challenges in treating the high-salt wastewater. Here, we report the rational engineering of Halomonas salifodinae to improve the bioproduction of hydroxyectoine under lower-salt conditions. The comparative transcriptomic analysis suggested that the increased expression of ectD gene encoding ectoine hydroxylase (EctD) and the decreased expressions of genes responsible for tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle contributed to the increased hydroxyectoine production in H. salifodinae IM328 grown under high-salt conditions. By blocking the degradation pathway of ectoine and hydroxyectoine, enhancing the expression of ectD, and increasing the supply of 2-oxoglutarate, the engineered H. salifodinae strain HS328-YNP15 (ΔdoeA::PUP119-ectD p-gdh) produced 8.3-fold higher hydroxyectoine production than the wild-type strain and finally achieved a hydroxyectoine titer of 4.9 g/L in fed-batch fermentation without any detailed process optimization. This study shows the potential to integrate hydroxyectoine production into open unsterile fermentation process that operates under low-salinity and high-alkalinity conditions, paving the way for next-generation industrial biotechnology. KEY POINTS: • Hydroxyectoine production in H. salifodinae correlates with the salinity of medium • Transcriptomic analysis reveals the limiting factors for hydroxyectoine production • The engineered strain produced 8.3-fold more hydroxyectoine than the wild type.

Biotechnological production of ectoine: current status and prospects

Ectoine is an important natural secondary metabolite in halophilic microorganisms. It protects cells against environmental stressors, such as salinity, freezing, drying, and high temperatures. Ectoine is widely used in medical, cosmetic, and other industries. Due to the commercial market demand of ectoine, halophilic microorganisms are the primary method for producing ectoine, which is produced using the industrial fermentation process "bacterial milking." The method has some limitations, such as the high salt concentration fermentation, which is highly corrosive to the equipment, and this also increases the difficulty of downstream purification and causes high production costs. The ectoine synthesis gene cluster has been successfully heterologously expressed in industrial microorganisms, and the yield of ectoine was significantly increased and the cost was reduced. This review aims to summarize and update microbial production of ectoine using different microorganisms, environments, and metabolic engineering and fermentation strategies and provides important reference for the development and application of ectoine.

Temporal dynamics of stress response in Halomonas elongata to NaCl shock: physiological, metabolomic, and transcriptomic insights

BACKGROUND

The halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata is an industrially important strain for ectoine production, with high value and intense research focus. While existing studies primarily delve into the adaptive mechanisms of this bacterium under fixed salt concentrations, there is a notable dearth of attention regarding its response to fluctuating saline environments. Consequently, the stress response of H. elongata to salt shock remains inadequately understood.

RESULTS

This study investigated the stress response mechanism of H. elongata when exposed to NaCl shock at short- and long-time scales. Results showed that NaCl shock induced two major stresses, namely osmotic stress and oxidative stress. In response to the former, within the cell's tolerable range (1-8% NaCl shock), H. elongata urgently balanced the surging osmotic pressure by uptaking sodium and potassium ions and augmenting intracellular amino acid pools, particularly glutamate and glutamine. However, ectoine content started to increase until 20 min post-shock, rapidly becoming the dominant osmoprotectant, and reaching the maximum productivity (1450 ± 99 mg/L/h). Transcriptomic data also confirmed the delayed response in ectoine biosynthesis, and we speculate that this might be attributed to an intracellular energy crisis caused by NaCl shock. In response to oxidative stress, transcription factor cysB was significantly upregulated, positively regulating the sulfur metabolism and cysteine biosynthesis. Furthermore, the upregulation of the crucial peroxidase gene (HELO_RS18165) and the simultaneous enhancement of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities collectively constitute the antioxidant defense in H. elongata following shock. When exceeding the tolerance threshold of H. elongata (1-13% NaCl shock), the sustained compromised energy status, resulting from the pronounced inhibition of the respiratory chain and ATP synthase, may be a crucial factor leading to the stagnation of both cell growth and ectoine biosynthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of H. elongata's stress response to NaCl shock at multiple scales. It extends the understanding of stress response of halophilic bacteria to NaCl shock and provides promising theoretical insights to guide future improvements in optimizing industrial ectoine production.

Ectoine hyperproduction by engineered Halomonas bluephagenesis

Ectoine, a crucial osmoprotectant for salt adaptation in halophiles, has gained growing interest in cosmetics and medical industries. However, its production remains challenged by stringent fermentation process in model microorganisms and low production level in its native producers. Here, we systematically engineered the native ectoine producer Halomonas bluephagenesis for ectoine production by overexpressing ectABC operon, increasing precursors availability, enhancing product transport system and optimizing its growth medium. The final engineered H. bluephagenesis produced 85 g/L ectoine in 52 h under open unsterile incubation in a 7 L bioreactor in the absence of plasmid, antibiotic or inducer. Furthermore, it was successfully demonstrated the feasibility of decoupling salt concentration with ectoine synthesis and co-production with bioplastic P(3HB-co-4HB) by the engineered H. bluephagenesis. The unsterile fermentation process and significantly increased ectoine titer indicate that H. bluephagenesis as the chassis of Next-Generation Industrial Biotechnology (NGIB), is promising for the biomanufacturing of not only intracellular bioplastic PHA but also small molecular compound such as ectoine.

Glucosylglycerol phosphorylase, a potential novel pathway of microbial glucosylglycerol catabolism

Glucosylglycerol (GG) is a natural compatible solute that can be synthesized by many cyanobacteria and a few heterotrophic bacteria under high salinity conditions. In cyanobacteria, GG is synthesized by GG-phosphate synthase and GG-phosphate phosphatase, and a hydrolase GGHA catalyzes its degradation. In heterotrophic bacteria (such as some Marinobacter species), a fused form of GG-phosphate phosphatase and GG-phosphate synthase is present, but the cyanobacteria-like degradation pathway is not available. Instead, a phosphorylase GGP, of which the coding gene is located adjacent to the gene that encodes the GG-synthesizing enzyme, is supposed to perform the GG degradation function. In the present study, a GGP homolog from the salt-tolerant M. salinexigens ZYF650T was characterized. The recombinant GGP catalyzed GG decomposition via a two-step process of phosphorolysis and hydrolysis in vitro and exhibited high substrate specificity toward GG. The activity of GGP was enhanced by inorganic salts at low concentrations but significantly inhibited by increasing salt concentrations. While the investigation on the physiological role of GGP in M. salinexigens ZYF650T was limited due to the failed induction of GG production, the heterologous expression of ggp in the living cells of the GG-producing cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 significantly reduced the salt-induced GG accumulation. Together, these data suggested that GGP may represent a novel pathway of microbial GG catabolism. KEY POINTS: • GGP catalyzes GG degradation by a process of phosphorolysis and hydrolysis • GGP-catalyzed GG degradation is different from GGHA-based GG degradation • GGP represents a potential novel pathway of microbial GG catabolism.

Usage of ectoine as a cryoprotectant for cryopreservation of lactic acid bacteria

Streptococcus thermophilus, the only Streptococcus species considered "Generally Recognized Safe", has been used widely in the food industry. This bacterium is one of the most valuable industrial lactic acid bacterial species. Due to the importance of this bacterium in industrial applications, it should be stored for a long time without losing its metabolic properties. The present study aimed to investigate the cryoprotectant effect of three compatible solutes (ectoine, trehalose, and sucrose) on bacterial cells stored at different temperatures (frozen at -80 °C or freeze-dried and subsequently stored at +4, -20, and -80 °C) for three months. The bacterial cells were tested for cell viability, bile salt tolerance, and lactic acid production before and after processing. The highest cell viability, bile salt tolerance, and lactic acid production were obtained with ectoine and under frozen (storage at -80 °C) conditions. In freeze-dried and subsequently stored at various temperatures, the best preservation was obtained at -80 °C, followed by -20 °C and +4 °C. Moreover, when ectoine's preservation potential was compared to other cryoprotectants, ectoine showed the highest preservation, followed by trehalose and sucrose. Although ectoine has a variety of qualities that have been proven, in the current work, we have shown for the first time that ectoine has cryoprotectant potential in yogurt starter cultures (S. thermophilus).

Metabolic engineering of high-salinity-induced biosynthesis of γ-aminobutyric acid improves salt-stress tolerance in a glutamic acid-overproducing mutant of an ectoine-deficient Halomonas elongata

A moderately halophilic eubacterium, Halomonas elongata, has been used as cell factory to produce fine chemical 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid (ectoine), which functions as a major osmolyte protecting the cells from high-salinity stress. To explore the possibility of using H. elongata to biosynthesize other valuable osmolytes, an ectoine-deficient salt-sensitive H. elongata deletion mutant strain KA1 (ΔectABC), which only grows well in minimal medium containing up to 3% NaCl, was subjected to an adaptive mutagenesis screening in search of mutants with restored salt tolerance. Consequently, we obtained a mutant, which tolerates 6% NaCl in minimal medium by overproducing L-glutamic acid (Glu). However, this Glu-overproducing (GOP) strain has a lower tolerance level than the wild-type H. elongata, possibly because the acidity of Glu interferes with the pH homeostasis of the cell and hinders its own cellular accumulation. Enzymatic decarboxylation of Glu to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) by a Glu decarboxylase (GAD) could restore cellular pH homeostasis; therefore, we introduced an engineered salt-inducible HopgadBmut gene, which encodes a wide pH-range GAD mutant, into the genome of the H. elongata GOP strain. We found that the resulting H. elongata GOP-Gad strain exhibits higher salt tolerance than the GOP strain by accumulating high concentration of GABA as an osmolyte in the cell (176.94 µmol/g cell dry weight in minimal medium containing 7% NaCl). With H. elongata OUT30018 genetic background, H. elongata GOP-Gad strain can utilize biomass-derived carbon and nitrogen compounds as its sole carbon and nitrogen sources, making it a good candidate for the development of GABA-producing cell factories.IMPORTANCEWhile the wild-type moderately halophilic H. elongata can synthesize ectoine as a high-value osmolyte via the aspartic acid metabolic pathway, a mutant H. elongata GOP strain identified in this work opens doors for the biosynthesis of alternative valuable osmolytes via glutamic acid metabolic pathway. Further metabolic engineering to install a GAD system into the H. elongata GOP strain successfully created a H. elongata GOP-Gad strain, which acquired higher tolerance to salt stress by accumulating GABA as a major osmolyte. With the ability to assimilate biomass-derived carbon and nitrogen sources and thrive in high-salinity environment, the H. elongata GOP-Gad strain can be used in the development of sustainable GABA-producing cell factories.

Strategies for the biological production of ectoine by using different chassis strains

As an amino acid derivative and a typical compatible solute, ectoine can assist microorganisms in resisting high osmotic pressure. Own to its long-term moisturizing effects, ectoine shows extensive applications in cosmetics, medicine and other fields. With the rapid development of synthetic biology and fermentation engineering, many biological strategies have been developed to improve the ectoine production and simplify the production process. Currently, the microbial fermentation has been widely used for large scaling ectoine production. Accordingly, this review will introduce the metabolic pathway for ectoine synthesis and also comprehensively evaluate both wild-type and genetically modified strains for ectoine production. Furthermore, process parameters affecting the ectoine production efficiency and adoption of low cost substrates will be evaluated. Lastly, future prospects on the improvement of ectoine production will be proposed.

Molecular evolution steered structural adaptations in the DNA polymerase III α subunit of halophilic bacterium Salinibacter ruber

A significant portion of the earth has a salty environment, and the literature on bacterial survival mechanisms in salty environments is limited. During molecular evolution, halophiles increase acidic amino acid residues on their protein surfaces which leads to a negatively charged surface potential that helps them to maintain the protein integrity and protect them from denaturation by competing with salt ions. Through protein family analysis, we have investigated the molecular-level adaptive features of DNA polymerase III's catalytic subunit (alpha) and its structure-function relationship. This study throws light on the novel understanding of halophilic bacterial replication and the molecular basis of salt adaptation. Comparisons of the amino acid contents and electronegativity of halophilic and mesophilic bacterial proteins revealed adaptations that allow halophilic bacteria to thrive in high salt concentrations. A significantly lower isoelectric point of halophilic bacterial proteins indicates the acidic nature. Also, an abundance of disordered regions in halophiles suggests the requirement of the salt ions that play a crucial role in their stable protein folding. Despite having similar topology, mesophilic and halophilic proteins, a set of very prominent molecular modifications was observed in the alpha subunit of halophiles.

Metabolic engineering of Halomonas campaniensis strain XH26 to remove competing pathways to enhance ectoine production

Ectoine has gained considerable attention as a high-value chemical with significant application potential and market demand. This study aimed to increase ectoine yields by blocking the metabolic shunt pathway of L-aspartate-4-semialdehyde, the precursor substrate in ectoine synthesis. The homoserine dehydrogenase encoded by hom in H. campaniensis strain XH26 is responsible for the metabolic shunt of L-aspartate-4-semialdehyde to glycine. CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to seamlessly knockout hom, blocking the metabolic shunt pathway to increase ectoine yields. The ectoine yield of XH26/Δhom was 351.13 mg (g CDW)-1 after 48 h of incubation in 500 mL shake flasks using optimal medium with 1.5 mol L-1 NaCl, which was significantly higher than the 239.18 mg (g CDW)-1 of the wild-type strain. Additionally, the absence of the ectoine metabolic shunt pathway affects betaine synthesis, and thus the betaine yields of XH26/Δhom was 19.98 mg (g CDW)-1, considerably lower than the 69.58 mg (g CDW)-1 of the wild-type strain. Batch fermentation parameters were optimized, and the wild-type strain and XH26/Δhom were fermented in 3 L fermenters, resulting in a high ectoine yield of 587.09 mg (g CDW)-1 for the defective strain, which was significantly greater than the ectoine yield of 385.03 mg (g CDW)-1 of the wild-type strain. This study showed that blocking the metabolic shunt of synthetic substrates effectively increases ectoine production, and a reduction in the competitively compatible solute betaine appears to promote increased ectoine synthesis.

Co-Production of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and Gluconic Acid from Glucose by Halomonas elongata

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biopolyesters regarded as an attractive alternative to petroleum-derived plastics. Nitrogen limitation and phosphate limitation in glucose cultivations were evaluated for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) production by Halomonas elongata 1H9^T, a moderate halophilic strain. Co-production of P(3HB) and gluconic acid was observed in fed-batch glucose cultivations under nitrogen limiting conditions. A maximum P(3HB) accumulation of 53.0% (w/w) and a maximum co-production of 133 g/L of gluconic acid were attained. Fed-batch glucose cultivation under phosphate limiting conditions resulted in a P(3HB) accumulation of only 33.3% (w/w) and no gluconic acid production. As gluconic acid is a valuable organic acid with extensive applications in several industries, this work presents an interesting approach for the future development of an industrial process aiming at the co-production of an intracellular biopolymer, P(3HB), and a value-added extracellular product, gluconic acid.

Genome features and secondary metabolite potential of the marine symbiont Streptomyces sp. RS2

Streptomyces sp. RS2 was isolated from an unidentified sponge collected around Randayan Island, Indonesia. The genome of Streptomyces sp. RS2 consists of a linear chromosome of 9,391,717 base pairs with 71.9% of G + C content, 8270 protein-coding genes, as well as 18 rRNA and 85 tRNA loci. Twenty-eight putative secondary metabolites biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) were identified in the genome sequence. Nine of them have 100% similarity to BGCs for albaflavenone, α-lipomycin, coelibactin, coelichelin, ectoine, geosmin, germicidin, hopene, and lanthionine (SapB). The remaining 19 BGCs have low (< 50%) or moderate (50-80%) similarity to other known secondary metabolite BGCs. Biological activity assays of extracts from 21 different cultures of the RS2 strain showed that SCB ASW was the best medium for the production of antimicrobial and cytotoxic compounds. Streptomyces sp. RS2 has great potential to be a producer of novel secondary metabolites, particularly those with antimicrobial and antitumor activities.

A host-specific diaminobutyrate aminotransferase contributes to symbiotic performance, homoserine metabolism, and competitiveness in the Rhizobium leguminosarum/Pisum sativum system

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae (Rlv) UPM791 effectively nodulates pea and lentil, but bacteroids contain a number of proteins differentially expressed depending on the host. One of these host-dependent proteins (C189) is similar to a diaminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (DABA-AT). DABA-AT activity was demonstrated with cell extracts and with purified protein, so C189 was renamed as Dat. The dat gene was strongly induced in the central, active area of pea nodules, but not in lentil. Mutants defective in dat were impaired in symbiotic performance with pea plants, exhibiting reduced shoot dry weight, smaller nodules, and a lower competitiveness for nodulation. In contrast, there were no significant differences between mutant and wild-type in symbiosis with lentil plants. A comparative metabolomic approach using cell-free extracts from bacteroids induced in pea and lentil showed significant differences among the strains in pea bacteroids whereas no significant differences were found in lentil. Targeted metabolomic analysis revealed that the dat mutation abolished the presence of 2,4-diaminobutyrate (DABA) in pea nodules, indicating that DABA-AT reaction is oriented toward the production of DABA from L-aspartate semialdehyde. This analysis also showed the presence of L-homoserine, a likely source of aspartate semialdehyde, in pea bacteroids but not in those induced in lentil. The dat mutant showed impaired growth when cells were grown with L-homoserine as nitrogen source. Inclusion of DABA or L-homoserine as N source suppressed pantothenate auxotropy in Rlv UPM791, suggesting DABA as source of the pantothenate precursor β-alanine. These data indicate that Rlv UPM791 Dat enzyme is part of an adaptation mechanism of this bacterium to a homoserine-rich environment such as pea nodule and rhizosphere.

A step into the rare biosphere: genomic features of the new genus Terrihalobacillus and the new species Aquibacillus salsiterrae from hypersaline soils

Hypersaline soils are a source of prokaryotic diversity that has been overlooked until very recently. The phylum Bacillota, which includes the genus Aquibacillus, is one of the 26 phyla that inhabit the heavy metal contaminated soils of the Odiel Saltmarshers Natural Area (Southwest Spain), according to previous research. In this study, we isolated a total of 32 strains closely related to the genus Aquibacillus by the traditional dilution-plating technique. Phylogenetic studies clustered them into two groups, and comparative genomic analyses revealed that one of them represents a new species within the genus Aquibacillus, whereas the other cluster constitutes a novel genus of the family Bacillaceae. We propose the designations Aquibacillus salsiterrae sp. nov. and Terrihalobacillus insolitus gen. nov., sp. nov., respectively, for these two new taxa. Genome mining analysis revealed dissimilitude in the metabolic traits of the isolates and their closest related genera, remarkably the distinctive presence of the well-conserved pathway for the biosynthesis of molybdenum cofactor in the species of the genera Aquibacillus and Terrihalobacillus, along with genes that encode molybdoenzymes and molybdate transporters, scarcely found in metagenomic dataset from this area. In-silico studies of the osmoregulatory strategy revealed a salt-out mechanism in the new species, which harbor the genes for biosynthesis and transport of the compatible solutes ectoine and glycine betaine. Comparative genomics showed genes related to heavy metal resistance, which seem required due to the contamination in the sampling area. The low values in the genome recruitment analysis indicate that the new species of the two genera, Terrihalobacillus and Aquibacillus, belong to the rare biosphere of representative hypersaline environments.

Strategy for the Adaptation to Stressful Conditions of the Novel Isolated Conditional Piezophilic Strain Halomonas titanicae ANRCS81

Microorganisms have successfully predominated deep-sea ecosystems, while we know little about their adaptation strategy to multiple environmental stresses therein, including high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). Here, we focused on the genus Halomonas, one of the most widely distributed halophilic bacterial genera in marine ecosystems and isolated a piezophilic strain Halomonas titanicae ANRCS81 from Antarctic deep-sea sediment. The strain grew under a broad range of temperatures (2 to 45°C), pressures (0.1 to 55 MPa), salinities (NaCl, 0.5 to 17.5%, wt/vol), and chaotropic agent (Mg2+, 0 to 0.9 M) with either oxygen or nitrate as an electron acceptor. Genome annotation revealed that strain ANRCS81 expressed potential antioxidant genes/proteins and possessed versatile energy generation pathways. Based on the transcriptomic analysis, when the strain was incubated at 40 MPa, genes related to antioxidant defenses, anaerobic respiration, and fermentation were upregulated, indicating that HHP induced intracellular oxidative stress. Under HHP, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased, glucose consumption increased with less CO2 generation, and nitrate/nitrite consumption increased with more ammonium generation. The cellular response to HHP represents the common adaptation developed by Halomonas to inhabit and drive geochemical cycling in deep-sea environments. IMPORTANCE Microbial growth and metabolic responses to environmental changes are core aspects of adaptation strategies developed during evolution. In particular, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is the most common but least examined environmental factor driving microbial adaptation in the deep sea. According to recent studies, microorganisms developed a common adaptation strategy to multiple stresses, including HHP, with antioxidant defenses and energy regulation as key components, but experimental data are lacking. Meanwhile, cellular SOD activity is elevated under HHP. The significance of this research lies in identifying the HHP adaptation strategy of a Halomonas strain at the genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolic activity levels, which will allow researchers to bridge environmental factors with the ecological function of marine microorganisms.

Improved salt tolerance of Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 by heterologous synthesis of compatible solute ectoine

Salt stress is one of the essential abiotic stresses for the survival of cyanobacteria. However, the realization of large-scale cultivation of cyanobacteria is inseparable from the utilization of abundant seawater resources. Therefore, research on the regulatory mechanism, as well as the improvement of salt tolerance of cyanobacteria is fundamental. Ectoine, a compatible solute which was found in halophilic microorganisms, has potentiality to confer salt tolerance. Here in this article, the salt tolerance of Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 (Syn7942) was significantly improved via expressing the ectoine biosynthetic pathway, reaching an increased final OD₇₅₀ by 20% under 300 mM NaCl and 80% under 400 mM NaCl than that of wild-type (WT), respectively. Encouragingly, the engineered strain could even survive under 500 mM NaCl which was lethal to WT. In addition, by introducing the ectoine synthetic pathway into the sucrose-deficient strain, the salt tolerance of the obtained strain Syn7942/Δsps-ect was restored to the level of WT under 300 mM NaCl stress, demonstrating that ectoine could substitute for sucrose to combat against salt stress in Syn7942. In order to study the difference in the regulation of mechanism on the salt adaptation process after replacing sucrose with ectoine, transcriptomic analysis was performed for Syn7942/Δsps-ect and WT. The differentially expressed gene analysis successfully identified 19 up-regulated genes and 39 down-regulated genes in Syn7942/Δsps-ect compared with WT under salt stress condition. The results also showed that the global regulation of Syn7942/Δsps-ect and WT had certain differences in the process of salt adaptation, in which Syn7942/Δsps-ect reduced the demand for the intensity of sulfur metabolism in this process. This study provides a valuable reference for further salt tolerance engineering in cyanobacteria.

Production and Recovery of Ectoine: A Review of Current State and Future Prospects

Ectoine (1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid) is a revolutionizing substance with vast applications in the cosmetic and food industries. Ectoine is often sourced from halobacteria. The increasing market demand for ectoine has urged the development of cost-effective and sustainable large-scale production of ectoine from microbial sources. This review describes the existing and potential microbial sources of ectoine and its derivatives, as well as microbial production and fermentation approaches for ectoine recovery. In addition, conventional methods and emerging technologies for enhanced production and recovery of ectoine from microbial fermentation with a focus on the aqueous biphasic system (ABS) are discussed. The ABS is a practically feasible approach for the integration of fermentation, cell disruption, bioconversion, and clarification of various biomolecules in a single-step operation. Nonetheless, the implementation of the ABS on an industrial-scale basis for the enhanced production and recovery of ectoine is yet to be exploited. Therefore, the feasibility of the ABS to integrate the production and direct recovery of ectoine from microbial sources is also highlighted in this review.

Genomic diversity and metabolic potential of marine Pseudomonadaceae

Recent changes in the taxonomy of the Pseudomonadaceae family have led to the delineation of three new genera (Atopomonas, Halopseudomonas and Stutzerimonas). However, the genus Pseudomonas remains the most densely populated and displays a broad genetic diversity. Pseudomonas are able to produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites which drives important ecological functions and have a great impact in sustaining their lifestyles. While soilborne Pseudomonas are constantly examined, we currently lack studies aiming to explore the genetic diversity and metabolic potential of marine Pseudomonas spp. In this study, 23 Pseudomonas strains were co-isolated with Vibrio strains from three marine microalgal cultures and rpoD-based phylogeny allowed their assignment to the Pseudomonas oleovorans group (Pseudomonas chengduensis, Pseudomonas toyotomiensis and one new species). We combined whole genome sequencing on three selected strains with an inventory of marine Pseudomonas genomes to assess their phylogenetic assignations and explore their metabolic potential. Our results revealed that most strains are incorrectly assigned at the species level and half of them do not belong to the genus Pseudomonas but instead to the genera Halopseudomonas or Stutzerimonas. We highlight the presence of 26 new species (Halopseudomonas (n = 5), Stutzerimonas (n = 7) and Pseudomonas (n = 14)) and describe one new species, Pseudomonas chaetocerotis sp. nov. (type strain 536^T = LMG 31766^T = DSM 111343^T). We used genome mining to identify numerous BGCs coding for the production of diverse known metabolites (i.e., osmoprotectants, photoprotectants, quorum sensing molecules, siderophores, cyclic lipopeptides) but also unknown metabolites (e.g., ARE, hybrid ARE-DAR, siderophores, orphan NRPS gene clusters) awaiting chemical characterization. Finally, this study underlines that marine environments host a huge diversity of Pseudomonadaceae that can drive the discovery of new secondary metabolites.

High-efficiency production of 5-hydroxyectoine using metabolically engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum

BACKGROUND

Extremolytes enable microbes to withstand even the most extreme conditions in nature. Due to their unique protective properties, the small organic molecules, more and more, become high-value active ingredients for the cosmetics and the pharmaceutical industries. While ectoine, the industrial extremolyte flagship, has been successfully commercialized before, an economically viable route to its highly interesting derivative 5-hydroxyectoine (hydroxyectoine) is not existing.

RESULTS

Here, we demonstrate high-level hydroxyectoine production, using metabolically engineered strains of C. glutamicum that express a codon-optimized, heterologous ectD gene, encoding for ectoine hydroxylase, to convert supplemented ectoine in the presence of sucrose as growth substrate into the desired derivative. Fourteen out of sixteen codon-optimized ectD variants from phylogenetically diverse bacterial and archaeal donors enabled hydroxyectoine production, showing the strategy to work almost regardless of the origin of the gene. The genes from Pseudomonas stutzeri (PST) and Mycobacterium smegmatis (MSM) worked best and enabled hydroxyectoine production up to 97% yield. Metabolic analyses revealed high enrichment of the ectoines inside the cells, which, inter alia, reduced the synthesis of other compatible solutes, including proline and trehalose. After further optimization, C. glutamicum Ptuf ectD^PST achieved a titre of 74 g L^-1 hydroxyectoine at 70% selectivity within 12 h, using a simple batch process. In a two-step procedure, hydroxyectoine production from ectoine, previously synthesized fermentatively with C. glutamicum ectABC^opt, was successfully achieved without intermediate purification.

CONCLUSIONS

C. glutamicum is a well-known and industrially proven host, allowing the synthesis of commercial products with granted GRAS status, a great benefit for a safe production of hydroxyectoine as active ingredient for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. Because ectoine is already available at commercial scale, its use as precursor appears straightforward. In the future, two-step processes might provide hydroxyectoine de novo from sugar.

Bioactivity profiling of the extremolyte ectoine as a promising protectant and its heterologous production

Ectoine is a compatible solutes that is diffusely dispersed in bacteria and archaea. It plays a significant role as protectant against various external pressures, such as high temperature, high osmolarity, dryness and radiation, in cells. Ectoine can be utilized in cosmetics due to its properties of moisturizing and antiultraviolet. It can also be used in the pharmaceutical industry for treating various diseases. Therefore, strong protection of ectoine creates a high commercial value. Its current market value is approximately US$1000 kg-1. However, traditional ectoine production in high-salinity media causes high costs of equipment loss and wastewater treatment. There is a growing attention to reduce the salinity of the fermentation broth without sacrificing the production of ectoine. Thus, heterologous production of ectoine in nonhalophilic microorganisms may represent the new generation of the industrial production of ectoine. In this review, we summarized and discussed the biological activities of ectoine on cell and human health protection and its heterologous production.

Enhanced production of ectoine from methane using metabolically engineered Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z

Background

Ectoine (1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid) is an attractive compatible solute because of its wide industrial applications. Previous studies on the microbial production of ectoine have focused on sugar fermentation. Alternatively, methane can be used as an inexpensive and abundant resource for ectoine production by using the halophilic methanotroph, Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z. However, there are some limitations, including the low production of ectoine from methane and the limited tools for the genetic manipulation of methanotrophs to facilitate their use as industrial strains.

Results

We constructed M. alcaliphilum 20ZDP with a high conjugation efficiency and stability of the episomal plasmid by the removal of its native plasmid. To improve the ectoine production in M. alcaliphilum 20Z from methane, the ectD (encoding ectoine hydroxylase) and ectR (transcription repressor of the ectABC-ask operon) were deleted to reduce the formation of by-products (such as hydroxyectoine) and induce ectoine production. When the double mutant was batch cultured with methane, ectoine production was enhanced 1.6-fold compared to that obtained with M. alcaliphilum 20ZDP (45.58 mg/L vs. 27.26 mg/L) without growth inhibition. Notably, a maximum titer of 142.32 mg/L was reached by the use of an optimized medium for ectoine production containing 6% NaCl and 0.05 μM of tungsten without hydroxyectoine production. This result demonstrates the highest ectoine production from methane to date.

Conclusions

Ectoine production was significantly enhanced by the disruption of the ectD and ectR genes in M. alcaliphilum 20Z under optimized conditions favoring ectoine accumulation. We demonstrated effective genetic engineering in a methanotrophic bacterium, with enhanced production of ectoine from methane as the sole carbon source. This study suggests a potentially transformational path to commercial sugar-based ectoine production.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13068-022-02104-2.

Whole-genome sequencing and genome-scale metabolic modeling of Chromohalobacter canadensis 85B to explore its salt tolerance and biotechnological use

Salt tolerant organisms are increasingly being used for the industrial production of high-value biomolecules due to their better adaptability compared to mesophiles. Chromohalobacter canadensis is one of the early halophiles to show promising biotechnology potential, which has not been explored to date. Advanced high throughput technologies such as whole-genome sequencing allow in-depth insight into the potential of organisms while at the frontiers of systems biology. At the same time, genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) enable phenotype predictions through a mechanistic representation of metabolism. Here, we sequence and analyze the genome of C. canadensis 85B, and we use it to reconstruct a GEM. We then analyze the GEM using flux balance analysis and validate it against literature data on C. canadensis. We show that C. canadensis 85B is a metabolically versatile organism with many features for stress and osmotic adaptation. Pathways to produce ectoine and polyhydroxybutyrates were also predicted. The GEM reveals the ability to grow on several carbon sources in a minimal medium and reproduce osmoadaptation phenotypes. Overall, this study reveals insights from the genome of C. canadensis 85B, providing genomic data and a draft GEM that will serve as the first steps towards a better understanding of its metabolism, for novel applications in industrial biotechnology.

Physiological metabolic topology analysis of Halomonas elongata DSM 2581T in response to sodium chloride stress

The halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata DSM 2581^T generally adapts well to high level of salinity by biosynthesizing ectoine, which functions as an important compatible solute protecting the cell against external salinity environment. Halophilic bacteria have specific metabolic activities under high-salt conditions and are gradually applied in various industries. The present study focuses on investigating the physiological and metabolic mechanism of Halomonas elongata DSM 2581^T driven by the external salinity environment. The physiological metabolic dynamics under salt stress were investigated to evaluate the effect of NaCl stress on the metabolism of H. elongata. The obtained results demonstrated that ectoine biosynthesis transited from a non-growth-related process to a growth-related process when the NaCl concentration varied from 1% to 13% (w/v). The maximum biomass (X_m =41.37 g/L), and highest ectoine production (P_m =12.91 g/L) were achieved under 8% NaCl. Moreover, the maximum biomass (X_m ) and the maximum specific growth rates (μ_m ) showed a first rising and then declining trend with the increased NaCl stress. Furthermore, the transcriptome analysis of H. elongata under different NaCl concentrations demonstrated that both 8% and 13% NaCl conditions resulted in increased expressions of genes involved in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathway, Flagellar assembly pathway and ectoine metabolism, but negatively affected the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and Fatty acid metabolism. At last, the proposed possible adaptation mechanism under the optimum NaCl concentration in H. elongata was described. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Metabolic engineering of Halomonas elongata: Ectoine secretion is increased by demand and supply driven approaches

The application of naturally-derived biomolecules in everyday products, replacing conventional synthetic manufacturing, is an ever-increasing market. An example of this is the compatible solute ectoine, which is contained in a plethora of treatment formulations for medicinal products and cosmetics. As of today, ectoine is produced in a scale of tons each year by the natural producer Halomonas elongata. In this work, we explore two complementary approaches to obtain genetically improved producer strains for ectoine production. We explore the effect of increased precursor supply (oxaloacetate) on ectoine production, as well as an implementation of increased ectoine demand through the overexpression of a transporter. Both approaches were implemented on an already genetically modified ectoine-excreting strain H. elongata KB2.13 (ΔteaABC ΔdoeA) and both led to new strains with higher ectoine excretion. The supply driven approach led to a 45% increase in ectoine titers in two different strains. This increase was attributed to the removal of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), which allowed the conversion of 17.9% of the glucose substrate to ectoine. For the demand driven approach, we investigated the potential of the TeaBC transmembrane proteins from the ectoine-specific Tripartite ATP-Independent Periplasmic (TRAP) transporter as export channels to improve ectoine excretion. In the absence of the substrate-binding protein TeaA, an overexpression of both subunits TeaBC facilitated a three-fold increased excretion rate of ectoine. Individually, the large subunit TeaC showed an approximately five times higher extracellular ectoine concentration per dry weight compared to TeaBC shortly after its expression was induced. However, the detrimental effect on growth and ectoine titer at the end of the process hints toward a negative impact of TeaC overexpression on membrane integrity and possibly leads to cell lysis. By using either strategy, the ectoine synthesis and excretion in H. elongata could be boosted drastically. The inherent complementary nature of these approaches point at a coordinated implementation of both as a promising strategy for future projects in Metabolic Engineering. Moreover, a wide variation of intracelllular ectoine levels was observed between the strains, which points at a major disruption of mechanisms responsible for ectoine regulation in strain KB2.13.

Transcriptome Analysis to Understand Salt Stress Regulation Mechanism of Chromohalobacter salexigens ANJ207

Soil salinity is one of the major global issues affecting soil quality and agricultural productivity. The plant growth-promoting halophilic bacteria that can thrive in regions of high salt (NaCl) concentration have the ability to promote the growth of plants in salty environments. In this study, attempts have been made to understand the salinity adaptation of plant growth-promoting moderately halophilic bacteria Chromohalobacter salexigens ANJ207 at the genetic level through transcriptome analysis. In order to identify the stress-responsive genes, the transcriptome sequencing of C. salexigens ANJ207 under different salt concentrations was carried out. Among the 8,936 transcripts obtained, 93 were upregulated while 1,149 were downregulated when the NaCl concentration was increased from 5 to 10%. At 10% NaCl concentration, genes coding for lactate dehydrogenase, catalase, and OsmC-like protein were upregulated. On the other hand, when salinity was increased from 10 to 25%, 1,954 genes were upregulated, while 1,287 were downregulated. At 25% NaCl, genes coding for PNPase, potassium transporter, aconitase, excinuclease subunit ABC, and transposase were found to be upregulated. The quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed an increase in the transcript of genes related to the biosynthesis of glycine betaine coline genes (gbcA, gbcB, and L-pro) and in the transcript of genes related to the uptake of glycine betaine (OpuAC, OpuAA, and OpuAB). The transcription of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of L-hydroxyproline (proD and proS) and one stress response proteolysis gene for periplasmic membrane stress sensing (serP) were also found to be increased. The presence of genes for various compatible solutes and their increase in expression at the high salt concentration indicated that a coordinated contribution by various compatible solutes might be responsible for salinity adaptation in ANJ207. The investigation provides new insights into the functional roles of various genes involved in salt stress tolerance and oxidative stress tolerance produced by high salt concentration in ANJ207 and further support the notion regarding the utilization of bacterium and their gene(s) in ameliorating salinity problem in agriculture.

Deficiency of exopolysaccharides and O-antigen makes Halomonas bluephagenesis self-flocculating and amenable to electrotransformation

Halomonas bluephagenesis, a haloalkaliphilic bacterium and native polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) producer, is a non-traditional bioproduction chassis for the next generation industrial biotechnology (NGIB). A single-sgRNA CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool is optimized using dual-sgRNA strategy to delete large DNA genomic fragments (>50 kb) with efficiency of 12.5% for H. bluephagenesis. The non-essential or redundant gene clusters of H. bluephagenesis, including those encoding flagella, exopolysaccharides (EPSs) and O-antigen, are sequentially deleted using this improved genome editing strategy. Totally, ~3% of the genome is reduced with its rapid growth and high PHB-production ability unaffected. The deletion of EPSs and O-antigen gene clusters shows two excellent properties from industrial perspective. Firstly, the EPSs and O-antigen deleted mutant rapidly self-flocculates and precipitates within 20 min without centrifugation. Secondly, DNA transformation into the mutant using electroporation becomes feasible compared to the wild-type H. bluephagenesis. The genome-reduced H. bluephagenesis mutant reduces energy and carbon source requirement to synthesize PHB comparable to its wild type. The H. bluephagenesis chassis with a reduced genome serves as an improved version of a NGIB chassis for productions of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or other chemicals.

CRISPR/Cas9 editing of a PHB-producing H. bluephagenesis strain is used to delete the redundant synthesis pathways of flagella and EPSs, allowing for enhanced self-flocculation, less carbon and energy requirement for metabolic processes and feasible electrotransformation.

Isolation of an ectoine-producing Sinobaca sp. and identification of genes that are involved in ectoine biosynthesis

A moderate halophilic bacterium that could accumulate ectoine and hydroxyectoine was isolated from soil near a salt mine and was identified as a Sinobaca sp. (designed strain H24) according to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The bacterium grew well in the presence of 1 to 2 M NaCl, while growth in a medium that contained 2 M NaCl led to higher accumulation of ectoines. The yields of ectoine and hydroxyectoine by Sinobaca sp. H24 reached 11.27 mg/L and 1.34 mg/L, respectively, when cultured in the following medium: NaCl (2 M), peptone (5 g/L), yeast extract (1 g/L), NH4Cl (0.02 M), KH2PO4 (1 M), K2HPO4 (0.1 M) and glycerol (1% w/v). Genes that are involved in ectoine biosynthesis of Sinobaca sp. H24 were also identified, and their sequences were determined by a metagenomics approach. The results demonstrated that Sinobaca sp. H24 possesses ectoine metabolism genes for both ectoine biosynthesis (ectA, ectB, ectC and ectD) and ectoine degradation (doeA). Genes that are related to ectoine biosynthesis, such as lysC and asd, were also characterized. The identification and characterization results for ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthesis genes are in agreement with the physiology of Sinobaca sp. H24 as a potential candidate for ectoine production for industrial applications. This report established for the first time the accumulation of ectoine/hydroxyectoine in Sinobaca sp. and characterized the genes that are involved in ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthesis in Sinobaca sp. H24.

Hypersaline environments as natural sources of microbes with potential applications in biotechnology: The case of solar evaporation systems to produce salt in Alicante County (Spain)

Extremophilic microbes show a unique metabolism due to the adaptations they display to deal with extreme environmental parameters characterizing the extreme ecosystems that they inhabit (high salt concentration, high temperatures, and extreme pH values, high exposure to solar radiation etc.). Halophilic microorganisms characterised and isolated from saltmarshes, brines, salted ponds, salty lagoons etc. have recently attracted attention due to their potential biotechnological applications (as whole cells used for different purposes like wastewater treatments, or their biomolecules: enzymes, antibiotics, carotenoids, bioplastics). Alicante county (southeast of Spain) accounts for a significant number of salty environments like coastal or inland salty ponds from where sodium chloride (NaCl)is obtained, marshes, salty lagoons, etc. The best system characterised so far from a microbiological point of view is "Salinas de Santa Pola", also termed "Salinas Bras del Port". However, there are many other salty environments to be explored, like the natural park of Torrevieja and la Mata lagoons, salty lagoon located in Calpe city or inland salted ponds like those located in the northwest of the county. This review summarises the most relevant biotechnological applications of halophilic microbes described up to now. In addition, special attention is focused on ecosystems such as the lagoons of Torrevieja or inland salt marshes as natural environments whose microbial biodiversity is worthy of being studied in search of new strains and species with the aim to analyze their potential biotechnological applications (pharmaceutical, food industry, biomedicine, etc.).

Adaptation to Varying Salinity in Halomonas elongata: Much More Than Ectoine Accumulation

The halophilic γ-proteobacterium Halomonas elongata DSM 2581 ^T thrives at salt concentrations well above 10 % NaCl (1.7 M NaCl). A well-known osmoregulatory mechanism is the accumulation of the compatible solute ectoine within the cell in response to osmotic stress. While ectoine accumulation is central to osmoregulation and promotes resistance to high salinity in halophilic bacteria, ectoine has this effect only to a much lesser extent in non-halophiles. We carried out transcriptome analysis of H. elongata grown on two different carbon sources (acetate or glucose), and low (0.17 M NaCl), medium (1 M), and high salinity (2 M) to identify additional mechanisms for adaptation to high saline environments. To avoid a methodological bias, the transcripts were evaluated by applying two methods, DESeq2 and Transcripts Per Million (TPM). The differentially transcribed genes in response to the available carbon sources and salt stress were then compared to the transcriptome profile of Chromohalobacter salexigens, a closely related moderate halophilic bacterium. Transcriptome profiling supports the notion that glucose is degraded via the cytoplasmic Entner-Doudoroff pathway, whereas the Embden-Meyerhoff-Parnas pathway is employed for gluconeogenesis. The machinery of oxidative phosphorylation in H. elongata and C. salexigens differs greatly from that of non-halophilic organisms, and electron flow can occur from quinone to oxygen along four alternative routes. Two of these pathways via cytochrome bo' and cytochrome bd quinol oxidases seem to be upregulated in salt stressed cells. Among the most highly regulated genes in H. elongata and C. salexigens are those encoding chemotaxis and motility proteins, with genes for chemotaxis and flagellar assembly severely downregulated at low salt concentrations. We also compared transcripts at low and high-salt stress (low growth rate) with transcripts at optimal salt concentration and found that the majority of regulated genes were down-regulated in stressed cells, including many genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, while ribosome synthesis was up-regulated, which is in contrast to what is known from non-halophiles at slow growth. Finally, comparing the acidity of the cytoplasmic proteomes of non-halophiles, extreme halophiles and moderate halophiles suggests adaptation to an increased cytoplasmic ion concentration of H. elongata. Taken together, these results lead us to propose a model for salt tolerance in H. elongata where ion accumulation plays a greater role in salt tolerance than previously assumed.

Visualization of DNA Damage and Protection by Atomic Force Microscopy in Liquid

DNA damage is closely related to cancer and many aging-related diseases. Peroxynitrite is a strong oxidant, thus a typical DNA damage agent, and is a major mediator of the inflammation-associated pathogenesis. For the first time, we directly visualized the process of DNA damage by peroxynitrite and DNA protection by ectoine via atomic force microscopy in liquid. We found that the persistence length of DNA decreases significantly by adding a small amount of peroxynitrite, but the observed DNA chains are still intact. Specifically, the persistence length of linear DNA in a low concentration of peroxynitrite (0 µM to 200 µM) solution decreases from about 47 nm to 4 nm. For circular plasmid DNA, we observed the enhanced superhelices of plasmid DNA due to the chain soften. When the concentration of peroxynitrite was above 300 µM, we observed the fragments of DNA. Interestingly, we also identified single-stranded DNAs during the damage process, which is also confirmed by ultraviolet spectroscopy. However, if we added 500 mM ectoine to the high concentration PN solution, almost no DNA fragments due to double strand breaks were observed because of the protection of ectoine. This protection is consistent with the similar effect for DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation and oxygenation. We ascribe DNA protection to the preferential hydration of ectoine.

Whole genome sequencing of the halophilic Halomonas qaidamensis XH36, a novel species strain with high ectoine production

Here, we report the whole genome of a novel halophilic Halomonas species strain XH36 with high ectoine production potential. The genome was 3,818,310 bp in size with a GC content of 51.97%, and contained 3533 genes, 61 tRNAs and 18 rRNAs. The phylogenetic analysis using the 16s rRNA genes, the UBCGs and the TYGS database indicated that XH36 belongs to a novel Halomonas species, which we named as Halomonas qaidamensis. Osmoadaptation related genes including Na(+) and K(+) transport and compatible solute accumulation were both present in the XH36 genome, the latter of which mainly contained ectoine, 5-hydroxyectoine and betaine. HPLC validation studies showed that H. qaidamensis XH36 accumulated ectoine to cope with salt stress, and the content of ectoine could be as high as 315 mg/g CDW under 3 mol/l NaCl. Our results show that XH36 is a new promising industrial strain for ectoine production, and the genomic analysis will guide us to better understand its salt-induced osmoadaptation mechanisms, and provide theoretical references for future application research of ectoine.

Identification of New Halomonas Strains from Food-related Environments

Halomonas species, which are aerobic, alkaliphilic, and moderately halophilic bacteria, produce diverse biochemicals. To identify food-related Halomonas strains for bioremediation and the industrial production of biochemicals, 20 strains were isolated from edible seashells, shrimp, and umeboshi (pickled Japanese plum) factory effluents. All isolates were phylogenetically classified into a large clade of Halomonas species. Most isolates, which grew in wide pH (6–13) and salt concentration (0–14%) ranges, exhibited the intracellular accumulation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) granules. The characteristics of these isolates varied. A020 isolated from umeboshi factory effluents exhibited enhanced stress tolerance and proliferation and comprised two plasmids. IMZ03 and A020 grew to more than 200 OD₆₀₀, while IMZ03 produced 3.5% 3-hydroxybutyrate in inorganic medium supplemented with 10% sucrose. The mucus of TK1-1 cultured on agar medium comprised approximately 64‍ ‍mM of ectoine. Whole-genome sequencing of A020 was performed to elucidate its origin and genomic characteristics. The genome ana­lysis revealed a region exhibiting synteny with a large virus genome isolated from the ocean, but did not identify any predictable pathogenic genes. Therefore, saline foods and related materials may be suitable resources for isolating Halomonas strains exhibiting unique, useful, and innocuous features.

Study of osmoadaptation mechanisms of halophilic Halomonas alkaliphila XH26 under salt stress by transcriptome and ectoine analysis

Halophilic bacteria such as the genus Halomonas are promising candidates in diverse industrial, agricultural and biomedical applications. Here, we successfully isolated a halophilic Halomonas alkaliphila strain XH26 from Xiaochaidan Salt Lake, and studied its osmoadaptation strategies using transcriptome and ectoine analysis. Divergent mechanisms were involved in osmoadaptation at different salinities in H. alkaliphila XH26. At moderate salinity (6% NaCl), increased transcriptions of ABC transporters related to iron (III), phosphate, phosphonate, monosaccharide and oligosaccharide import were observed. At high salinity (15% NaCl), transcriptions of flagellum assembly and cell motility were significantly inhibited. The transcriptional levels of ABC transporter genes related to iron (III) and iron³⁺-hydroxamate import, glycine betaine and putrescine uptake, and cytochrome biogenesis and assembly were significantly up-regulated. Ectoine synthesis and accumulation was significantly increased under salt stress, and the increased transcriptional expressions of ectoine synthesis genes ectB and ectC may play a key role in high salinity induced osmoadaptation. At extreme high salinity (18% NaCl), 5-hydroxyectoine and ectoine worked together to maintain cell survival. Together these results give valuable insights into the osmoadaptation mechanisms of H. alkaliphila XH26, and provide useful information for further engineering this specific strain for increased ectoine synthesis and related applications.