Environmental factors influence the Haloferax volcanii S-layer protein structure

The salty tango of brine composition and UV photochemistry effects on Halobacterium salinarum cell envelope biosignature preservation

Hypersaline environments, including brines and brine inclusions of evaporite crystals, are currently of great interest due to their unique preservation properties for the search for terrestrial and potentially extraterrestrial biosignatures of ancient life. However, much is still unclear about the specific effects that dictate the preservation properties of brines. Here we present the first insights into the preservation of cell envelope fragments in brines, characterizing the relative contributions of brine composition, UV photochemistry, and cellular macromolecules on biosignature preservation. Cell envelopes from the model halophile Halobacterium salinarum were used to simulate dead microbial cellular remains in hypersaline environments based on life as we currently know it. Using different Early Earth and Mars analogue brines, we show that acidic and NaCl-dominated brine compositions are more predisposed to preserving complex biosignatures from UV degradation, but that the composition of the biological material also influences this preservation. Furthermore, a combinatory effect between chaotropicity and photochemistry occurs, with the relative importance of each being brine-specific. These results provide an experimental framework for biosignature detection in hypersaline environments, emphasizing the need for laboratory simulations to evaluate preservation properties of each potential brine environment, on Earth and elsewhere in the solar system.

Stress response proteins within biofilm matrixome protect the cell membrane against heavy metals-induced oxidative damage in a marine bacterium Bacillus stercoris GST-03

Biofilm formation is a key adaptive response of marine bacteria towards stress conditions. The protective mechanisms of biofilm matrixome proteins against heavy metals (Pb and Cd) induced oxidative damage in the marine bacterium Bacillus stercoris GST-03 was investigated. Exposure to heavy metals resulted in significant changes in cell morphology, biofilm formation, and matrixome composition. Biofilm-encased cells showed lower oxidative damage. Biofilm matrixome protein exhibited major conformational changes, with 100 % α-helix turned to 62.33 % and 69.64 % of random coil under Pb and Cd stress, respectively. Fluorescence quenching kinetics revealed slow interactions between biofilm matrixome proteins and heavy metals (Kq values < 2.0 × 1010). Thermodynamic analysis showed negative ∆G (-16.02 kJ/mol for Pb and -17.45 kJ/mol for Cd) and binding dissociation constant (KD) (1530 ± 157 μM for Pb and 875 ± 97.4 μM for Cd), indicating a stronger binding affinity of biofilm matrixome to heavy metals. Pb stress led to overproduction of detoxification proteins (YnaI, KhtS, Bacillopeptidase F), competence and sporulation proteins (RapF, CSSF, XkdP), while Cd exposure leads to overproduction of proteins involved in protein misfolding repair (YlxX, cysteine-tRNA ligase, YacP), DNA repair (YfkN), and redox balance (cysteine synthase, YdiK). The findings highlight the resilience of B. stercoris GST-03 to heavy metal stress in biofilm mode.

DPANN symbiont of Haloferax volcanii accelerates xylan degradation by the non-host haloarchaeon Halorhabdus sp

This study examines a natural consortium of halophilic archaea, comprising xylan-degrading Halorhabdus sp. SVX81, consortium cohabitant Haloferax volcanii SVX82 (formerly H. lucentense SVX82), and its DPANN ectosymbiont Ca. Nanohalococcus occultus SVXNc. Transcriptomics and targeted metabolomics demonstrated that the tripartite consortium outperformed individual and the Halorhabdus sp. SVX81 with H. volcanii SVX82 bipartite cultures in xylan degradation, exhibiting a division of labor: the DPANN symbiont processed glycolysis products, while other members performed xylan depolymerization and biosynthesis of essential compounds. Electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography revealed the formation of heterocellular biofilms interlinked by DPANN cells. The findings demonstrated that DPANN symbionts can interact directly with other members of microbial communities, which are not their primary hosts, influencing their gene expression. However, DPANN proliferation requires their primary host presence. The study highlights the collective contribution of consortium members to xylan degradation and their potential for biotechnological applications in the management of hypersaline environments.

Composition and in situ structure of the Methanospirillum hungatei cell envelope and surface layer

Archaea share genomic similarities with Eukarya and cellular architectural similarities with Bacteria, though archaeal and bacterial surface layers (S-layers) differ. Using cellular cryo-electron tomography, we visualized the S-layer lattice surrounding Methanospirillum hungatei, a methanogenic archaeon. Though more compact than known structures, M. hungatei's S-layer is a flexible hexagonal lattice of dome-shaped tiles, uniformly spaced from both the overlying cell sheath and the underlying cell membrane. Subtomogram averaging resolved the S-layer hexamer tile at 6.4-angstrom resolution. By fitting an AlphaFold model into hexamer tiles in flat and curved conformations, we uncover intra- and intertile interactions that contribute to the S-layer's cylindrical and flexible architecture, along with a spacer extension for cell membrane attachment. M. hungatei cell's end plug structure, likely composed of S-layer isoforms, further highlights the uniqueness of this archaeal cell. These structural features offer advantages for methane release and reflect divergent evolutionary adaptations to environmental pressures during early microbial emergence.

Cell cycle dependent coordination of surface layer biogenesis in Caulobacter crescentus

Surface layers (S-layers) are proteinaceous, two-dimensional paracrystalline arrays that constitute a major component of the cell envelope in many prokaryotic species. In this study, we investigated S-layer biogenesis in the bacterial model organism Caulobacter crescentus. Fluorescence microscopy revealed localised incorporation of new S-layer at the poles and mid-cell, consistent with regions of cell growth in the cell cycle. Light microscopy and electron cryotomography investigations of drug-treated bacteria revealed that localised S-layer insertion is retained when cell division is inhibited, but is disrupted upon dysregulation of MreB or lipopolysaccharide. We further uncovered that S-layer biogenesis follows new peptidoglycan synthesis and localises to regions of high cell wall turnover. Finally, correlated cryo-light microscopy and electron cryotomographic analysis of regions of S-layer insertion showed the presence of discontinuities in the hexagonal S-layer lattice, contrasting with other S-layers completed by defined symmetric defects. Our findings present insights into how C. crescentus cells form an ordered S-layer on their surface in coordination with the biogenesis of other cell envelope components.

Structure of the two-component S-layer of the archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Surface layers (S-layers) are resilient two-dimensional protein lattices that encapsulate many bacteria and most archaea. In archaea, S-layers usually form the only structural component of the cell wall and thus act as the final frontier between the cell and its environment. Therefore, S-layers are crucial for supporting microbial life. Notwithstanding their importance, little is known about archaeal S-layers at the atomic level. Here, we combined single-particle cryo electron microscopy, cryo electron tomography, and Alphafold2 predictions to generate an atomic model of the two-component S-layer of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. The outer component of this S-layer (SlaA) is a flexible, highly glycosylated, and stable protein. Together with the inner and membrane-bound component (SlaB), they assemble into a porous and interwoven lattice. We hypothesise that jackknife-like conformational changes in SlaA play important roles in S-layer assembly.

Protection Mechanism of Metal Ion Pre-Stress on Lactobacillus acidophilus CICC 6074 under Acid Tolerance

The prerequisite for the probiotic effect of lactic acid bacteria is that they could survive the acid stress environment of production and application. In this experiment, the mechanism for the effect of different metal ion pre-stress on the acid-tolerant survival of Lactobacillus was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier infrared spectroscopy, and flow cytometry were used to analyze the condition of bacteria after acid treatment, which revealed that different metal ion pre-stress could improve the survival ability of Lactobacillus acidophilus CICC 6074 under low acid conditions by improving cell morphology, mitigating cell membrane damage, and regulating surface protein expression. Furthermore, Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) proteomic analysis revealed that Mn2+ pre-stress showed relatively more superior protective effects on acid tolerance in L. acidophilus CICC 6074 through activation of DNA replication, RNA synthesis, S-layer protein secretion, H+-ATPase enzyme activity, etc. This study will provide new ideas and a theoretical basis for the development and application of lactic acid bacteria.

The Human Milk Microbiota Produces Potential Therapeutic Biomolecules and Shapes the Intestinal Microbiota of Infants

Human milk not only provides a perfect balance of nutrients to meet all the needs of the infant in the first months of life but also contains a variety of bacteria that play a key role in tailoring the neonatal faecal microbiome. Microbiome analysis of human milk and infant faeces from mother-breastfed infant pairs was performed by sequencing the V1-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene using the Illumina MiSeq platform. According to the results, there is a connection in the composition of the microbiome in each mother-breastfed infant pair, supporting the hypothesis that the infant's gut is colonised with bacteria from human milk. MiSeq sequencing also revealed high biodiversity of the human milk microbiome and the infant faecal microbiome, whose composition changes during lactation and infant development, respectively. A total of 28 genetically distinct strains were selected by hierarchical cluster analysis of RAPD-PCR (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction) electrophoresis profiles of 100 strains isolated from human milk and identified by 16S RNA sequencing. Since certain cellular molecules may support their use as probiotics, the next focus was to detect (S)-layer proteins, bacteriocins and exopolysaccharides (EPSs) that have potential as therapeutic biomolecules. SDS-PAGE (Sodium Dodecyl-Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis) coupled with LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) analysis revealed that four Levilactobacillus brevis strains expressed S-layer proteins, which were identified for the first time in strains isolated from human milk. The potential biosynthesis of plantaricin was detected in six Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains by PCR analysis and in vitro antibacterial studies. ¹H NMR (Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) analysis confirmed EPS production in only one strain, Limosilactobacillus fermentum MC1. The overall microbiome analysis suggests that human milk contributes to the establishment of the intestinal microbiota of infants. In addition, it is a promising source of novel Lactobacillus strains expressing specific functional biomolecules.

Isolation and characterization of a main porin from the outer membrane of Salinibacter ruber

Salinibacter ruber is an extremophilic bacterium able to grow in high-salts environments, such as saltern crystallizer ponds. This halophilic bacterium is red-pigmented due to the production of several carotenoids and their derivatives. Two of these pigment molecules, salinixanthin and retinal, are reported to be essential cofactors of the xanthorhodopsin, a light-driven proton pump unique to this bacterium. Here, we isolate and characterize an outer membrane porin-like protein that retains salinixanthin. The characterization by mass spectrometry identified an unknown protein whose structure, predicted by AlphaFold, consists of a 8 strands beta-barrel transmembrane organization typical of porins. The protein is found to be part of a functional network clearly involved in the outer membrane trafficking. Cryo-EM micrographs showed the shape and dimensions of a particle comparable with the ones of the predicted structure. Functional implications, with respect to the high representativity of this protein in the outer membrane fraction, are discussed considering its possible role in primary functions such as the nutrients uptake and the homeostatic balance. Finally, also a possible involvement in balancing the charge perturbation associated with the xanthorhodopsin and ATP synthase activities is considered.

Adhesion properties of the cell surface proteins in Lactobacillus strains under the GIT environment

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play an essential role in the epithelial barrier and the gut immune system. It can antagonize pathogens by producing antimicrobial substances like bacteriocins, and compete with...

Complete atomic structure of a native archaeal cell surface

Many prokaryotic cells are covered by an ordered, proteinaceous, sheet-like structure called a surface layer (S-layer). S-layer proteins (SLPs) are usually the highest copy number macromolecules in prokaryotes, playing critical roles in cellular physiology such as blocking predators, scaffolding membranes, and facilitating environmental interactions. Using electron cryomicroscopy of two-dimensional sheets, we report the atomic structure of the S-layer from the archaeal model organism Haloferax volcanii. This S-layer consists of a hexagonal array of tightly interacting immunoglobulin-like domains, which are also found in SLPs across several classes of archaea. Cellular tomography reveal that the S-layer is nearly continuous on the cell surface, completed by pentameric defects in the hexagonal lattice. We further report the atomic structure of the SLP pentamer, which shows markedly different relative arrangements of SLP domains needed to complete the S-layer. Our structural data provide a framework for understanding cell surfaces of archaea at the atomic level.

High-resolution mapping of metal ions reveals principles of surface layer assembly in Caulobacter crescentus cells

Surface layers (S-layers) are proteinaceous crystalline coats that constitute the outermost component of most prokaryotic cell envelopes. In this study, we have investigated the role of metal ions in the formation of the Caulobacter crescentus S-layer using high-resolution structural and cell biology techniques, as well as molecular simulations. Utilizing optical microscopy of fluorescently tagged S-layers, we show that calcium ions facilitate S-layer lattice formation and cell-surface binding. We report all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the S-layer lattice, revealing the importance of bound metal ions. Finally, using electron cryomicroscopy and long-wavelength X-ray diffraction experiments, we mapped the positions of metal ions in the S-layer at near-atomic resolution, supporting our insights from the cellular and simulations data. Our findings contribute to the understanding of how C. crescentus cells form a regularly arranged S-layer on their surface, with implications on fundamental S-layer biology and the synthetic biology of self-assembling biomaterials.

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Live imaging shows Ca²⁺-dependent expansion of the C. crescentus S-layer

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Molecular simulations reveal Ca²⁺-binding properties of the S-layer

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Ca²⁺ ion mapping in three-dimensional crystals using in-vacuum X-ray anomalous diffraction

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Ca²⁺ replacement by Ho³⁺ allows cryo-EM mapping of heavy metals

Comprehensive glycoproteomics shines new light on the complexity and extent of glycosylation in archaea

Glycosylation is one of the most complex posttranslational protein modifications. Its importance has been established not only for eukaryotes but also for a variety of prokaryotic cellular processes, such as biofilm formation, motility, and mating. However, comprehensive glycoproteomic analyses are largely missing in prokaryotes. Here, we extend the phenotypic characterization of N-glycosylation pathway mutants in Haloferax volcanii and provide a detailed glycoproteome for this model archaeon through the mass spectrometric analysis of intact glycopeptides. Using in-depth glycoproteomic datasets generated for the wild-type (WT) and mutant strains as well as a reanalysis of datasets within the Archaeal Proteome Project (ArcPP), we identify the largest archaeal glycoproteome described so far. We further show that different N-glycosylation pathways can modify the same glycosites under the same culture conditions. The extent and complexity of the Hfx. volcanii N-glycoproteome revealed here provide new insights into the roles of N-glycosylation in archaeal cell biology.

A comprehensive glycoproteomic analysis of Haloferax volcanii reveals the extent and complexity of glycosylation in archaea and provides new insights into the roles of this post-translational modification in various cellular processes, including cell shape determination.

Molecular Logic of Prokaryotic Surface Layer Structures

Most prokaryotic cells are encased in a surface layer (S-layer) consisting of a paracrystalline array of repeating lattice-forming proteins. S-layer proteins populate a vast and diverse sequence space, performing disparate functions in prokaryotic cells, including cellular defense, cell-shape maintenance, and regulation of import and export of materials. This article highlights recent advances in the understanding of S-layer structure and assembly, made possible by rapidly evolving structural and cell biology methods. We underscore shared assembly principles revealed by recent work and discuss a common molecular framework that may be used to understand the structural organization of S-layer proteins across bacteria and archaea.

Archaea Biotechnology

Archaea are a domain of prokaryotic organisms with intriguing physiological characteristics and ecological importance. In Microbial Biotechnology, archaea are historically overshadowed by bacteria and eukaryotes in terms of public awareness, industrial application, and scientific studies, although their biochemical and physiological properties show a vast potential for a wide range of biotechnological applications. Today, the majority of microbial cell factories utilized for the production of value-added and high value compounds on an industrial scale are bacterial, fungal or algae based. Nevertheless, archaea are becoming ever more relevant for biotechnology as their cultivation and genetic systems improve. Some of the main advantages of archaeal cell factories are the ability to cultivate many of these often extremophilic organisms under non-sterile conditions, and to utilize inexpensive feedstocks often toxic to other microorganisms, thus drastically reducing cultivation costs. Currently, the only commercially available products of archaeal cell factories are bacterioruberin, squalene, bacteriorhodopsin and diether-/tetraether-lipids, all of which are produced utilizing halophiles. Other archaeal products, such as carotenoids and biohydrogen, as well as polyhydroxyalkanoates and methane are in early to advanced development stages, respectively. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current state of Archaea Biotechnology by describing the actual state of research and development as well as the industrial utilization of archaeal cell factories, their role and their potential in the future of sustainable bioprocessing, and to illustrate their physiological and biotechnological potential.

Electrochemical Biosensors Based on S-Layer Proteins

Designing and development of electrochemical biosensors enable molecule sensing and quantification of biochemical compositions with multitudinous benefits such as monitoring, detection, and feedback for medical and biotechnological applications. Integrating bioinspired materials and electrochemical techniques promote specific, rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive biosensing platforms for (e.g., point-of-care testing). The selection of biomaterials to decorate a biosensor surface is a critical issue as it strongly affects selectivity and sensitivity. In this context, smart biomaterials with the intrinsic self-assemble capability like bacterial surface (S-) layer proteins are of paramount importance. Indeed, by forming a crystalline two-dimensional protein lattice on many sensors surfaces and interfaces, the S-layer lattice constitutes an immobilization matrix for small biomolecules and lipid membranes and a patterning structure with unsurpassed spatial distribution for sensing elements and bioreceptors. This review aims to highlight on exploiting S-layer proteins in biosensor technology for various applications ranging from detection of metal ions over small organic compounds to cells. Furthermore, enzymes immobilized on the S-layer proteins allow specific detection of several vital biomolecules. The special features of the S-layer protein lattice as part of the sensor architecture enhances surface functionalization and thus may feature an innovative class of electrochemical biosensors.