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Michael-Pitschaze T, Cohen N, Ofer D, Hoshen Y, Linial M. Detecting anomalous proteins using deep representations. NAR Genom Bioinform 2024; 6:lqae021. [PMID: 38486884 PMCID: PMC10939404 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqae021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Many advances in biomedicine can be attributed to identifying unusual proteins and genes. Many of these proteins' unique properties were discovered by manual inspection, which is becoming infeasible at the scale of modern protein datasets. Here, we propose to tackle this challenge using anomaly detection methods that automatically identify unexpected properties. We adopt a state-of-the-art anomaly detection paradigm from computer vision, to highlight unusual proteins. We generate meaningful representations without labeled inputs, using pretrained deep neural network models. We apply these protein language models (pLM) to detect anomalies in function, phylogenetic families, and segmentation tasks. We compute protein anomaly scores to highlight human prion-like proteins, distinguish viral proteins from their host proteome, and mark non-classical ion/metal binding proteins and enzymes. Other tasks concern segmentation of protein sequences into folded and unstructured regions. We provide candidates for rare functionality (e.g. prion proteins). Additionally, we show the anomaly score is useful in 3D folding-related segmentation. Our novel method shows improved performance over strong baselines and has objectively high performance across a variety of tasks. We conclude that the combination of pLM and anomaly detection techniques is a valid method for discovering a range of global and local protein characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomer Michael-Pitschaze
- The Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Niv Cohen
- The Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Dan Ofer
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yedid Hoshen
- The Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michal Linial
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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2
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Yadav BNS, Sharma P, Maurya S, Yadav RK. Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics as potential driving forces for the exploration of diversity and functions of micro-eukaryotes in soil. 3 Biotech 2023; 13:423. [PMID: 38047037 PMCID: PMC10689336 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-023-03841-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Micro-eukaryotes are ubiquitous and play vital roles in diverse ecological systems, yet their diversity and functions are scarcely known. This may be due to the limitations of formerly used conventional culture-based methods. Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics are enabling to unravel the genomic, metabolic, and phylogenetic diversity of micro-eukaryotes inhabiting in different ecosystems in a more comprehensive manner. The in-depth study of structural and functional characteristics of micro-eukaryote community residing in soil is crucial for the complete understanding of this major ecosystem. This review provides a deep insight into the methodologies employed under these approaches to study soil micro-eukaryotic organisms. Furthermore, the review describes available computational tools, pipelines, and database sources and their manipulation for the analysis of sequence data of micro-eukaryotic origin. The challenges and limitations of these approaches are also discussed in detail. In addition, this review summarizes the key findings of metagenomic and metatranscriptomic studies on soil micro-eukaryotes. It also highlights the exploitation of these methods to study the structural as well as functional profiles of soil micro-eukaryotic community and to screen functional eukaryotic protein coding genes for biotechnological applications along with the future perspectives in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhupendra Narayan Singh Yadav
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh 211002 India
| | - Priyanka Sharma
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh 211002 India
| | - Shristy Maurya
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh 211002 India
| | - Rajiv Kumar Yadav
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh 211002 India
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3
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Ghaly TM, Rajabal V, Penesyan A, Coleman NV, Paulsen IT, Gillings MR, Tetu SG. Functional enrichment of integrons: Facilitators of antimicrobial resistance and niche adaptation. iScience 2023; 26:108301. [PMID: 38026211 PMCID: PMC10661359 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrons are genetic elements, found among diverse bacteria and archaea, that capture and rearrange gene cassettes to rapidly generate genetic diversity and drive adaptation. Despite their broad taxonomic and geographic prevalence, and their role in microbial adaptation, the functions of gene cassettes remain poorly characterized. Here, using a combination of bioinformatic and experimental analyses, we examined the functional diversity of gene cassettes from different environments. We find that cassettes encode diverse antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants, including those conferring resistance to antibiotics currently in the developmental pipeline. Further, we find a subset of cassette functions is universally enriched relative to their broader metagenomes. These are largely involved in (a)biotic interactions, including AMR, phage defense, virulence, biodegradation, and stress tolerance. The remainder of functions are sample-specific, suggesting that they confer localised functions relevant to their microenvironment. Together, they comprise functional profiles different from bulk metagenomes, representing niche-adaptive components of the prokaryotic pangenome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M. Ghaly
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Vaheesan Rajabal
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Anahit Penesyan
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Nicholas V. Coleman
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Ian T. Paulsen
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Michael R. Gillings
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Sasha G. Tetu
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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4
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Williams GB, Ma H, Khusnutdinova AN, Yakunin AF, Golyshin PN. Harnessing extremophilic carboxylesterases for applications in polyester depolymerisation and plastic waste recycling. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:715-729. [PMID: 37334661 PMCID: PMC10423841 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The steady growth in industrial production of synthetic plastics and their limited recycling have resulted in severe environmental pollution and contribute to global warming and oil depletion. Currently, there is an urgent need to develop efficient plastic recycling technologies to prevent further environmental pollution and recover chemical feedstocks for polymer re-synthesis and upcycling in a circular economy. Enzymatic depolymerization of synthetic polyesters by microbial carboxylesterases provides an attractive addition to existing mechanical and chemical recycling technologies due to enzyme specificity, low energy consumption, and mild reaction conditions. Carboxylesterases constitute a diverse group of serine-dependent hydrolases catalysing the cleavage and formation of ester bonds. However, the stability and hydrolytic activity of identified natural esterases towards synthetic polyesters are usually insufficient for applications in industrial polyester recycling. This necessitates further efforts on the discovery of robust enzymes, as well as protein engineering of natural enzymes for enhanced activity and stability. In this essay, we discuss the current knowledge of microbial carboxylesterases that degrade polyesters (polyesterases) with focus on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is one of the five major synthetic polymers. Then, we briefly review the recent progress in the discovery and protein engineering of microbial polyesterases, as well as developing enzyme cocktails and secreted protein expression for applications in the depolymerisation of polyester blends and mixed plastics. Future research aimed at the discovery of novel polyesterases from extreme environments and protein engineering for improved performance will aid developing efficient polyester recycling technologies for the circular plastics economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwion B Williams
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2UW, U.K
| | - Hairong Ma
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2UW, U.K
| | - Anna N Khusnutdinova
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2UW, U.K
| | - Alexander F Yakunin
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2UW, U.K
| | - Peter N Golyshin
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2UW, U.K
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5
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Østby H, Várnai A. Hemicellulolytic enzymes in lignocellulose processing. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:533-550. [PMID: 37068264 PMCID: PMC10160854 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant source of carbon-based material on a global basis, serving as a raw material for cellulosic fibers, hemicellulosic polymers, platform sugars, and lignin resins or monomers. In nature, the various components of lignocellulose (primarily cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) are decomposed by saprophytic fungi and bacteria utilizing specialized enzymes. Enzymes are specific catalysts and can, in many cases, be produced on-site at lignocellulose biorefineries. In addition to reducing the use of often less environmentally friendly chemical processes, the application of such enzymes in lignocellulose processing to obtain a range of specialty products can maximize the use of the feedstock and valorize many of the traditionally underutilized components of lignocellulose, while increasing the economic viability of the biorefinery. While cellulose has a rich history of use in the pulp and paper industries, the hemicellulosic fraction of lignocellulose remains relatively underutilized in modern biorefineries, among other reasons due to the heterogeneous chemical structure of hemicellulose polysaccharides, the composition of which varies significantly according to the feedstock and the choice of pretreatment method and extraction solvent. This paper reviews the potential of hemicellulose in lignocellulose processing with focus on what can be achieved using enzymatic means. In particular, we discuss the various enzyme activities required for complete depolymerization of the primary hemicellulose types found in plant cell walls and for the upgrading of hemicellulosic polymers, oligosaccharides, and pentose sugars derived from hemicellulose depolymerization into a broad spectrum of value-added products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Østby
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Anikó Várnai
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Aas, Norway
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6
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Liu Y, Angelov A, Feiler W, Baudrexl M, Zverlov V, Liebl W, Vanderhaeghen S. Arabinan saccharification by biogas reactor metagenome-derived arabinosyl hydrolases. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2022; 15:121. [PMID: 36371193 PMCID: PMC9655821 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-022-02216-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plant cell walls represent the most plentiful renewable organic resource on earth, but due to their heterogeneity, complex structure and partial recalcitrance, their use as biotechnological feedstock is still limited. RESULTS In order to identify efficient enzymes for polysaccharide breakdown, we have carried out functional screening of metagenomic fosmid libraries from biogas fermenter microbial communities grown on sugar beet pulp, an arabinan-rich agricultural residue, or other sources containing microbes that efficiently depolymerize polysaccharides, using CPH (chromogenic polysaccharide hydrogel) or ICB (insoluble chromogenic biomass) labeled polysaccharide substrates. Seventy-one depolymerase-encoding genes were identified from 55 active fosmid clones by using Illumina and Sanger sequencing and dbCAN CAZyme (carbohydrate-active enzyme) annotation. An around 56 kb assembled DNA fragment putatively originating from Xylanivirga thermophila strain or a close relative was analyzed in detail. It contained 48 ORFs (open reading frames), of which 31 were assigned to sugar metabolism. Interestingly, a large number of genes for enzymes putatively involved in degradation and utilization of arabinose-containing carbohydrates were found. Seven putative arabinosyl hydrolases from this DNA fragment belonging to glycoside hydrolase (GH) families GH51 and GH43 were biochemically characterized, revealing two with endo-arabinanase activity and four with exo-α-L-arabinofuranosidase activity but with complementary cleavage properties. These enzymes were found to act synergistically and can completely hydrolyze SBA (sugar beet arabinan) and DA (debranched arabinan). CONCLUSIONS We screened 32,776 fosmid clones from several metagenomic libraries with chromogenic lignocellulosic substrates for functional enzymes to advance the understanding about the saccharification of recalcitrant lignocellulose. Seven putative X. thermophila arabinosyl hydrolases were characterized for pectic substrate degradation. The arabinosyl hydrolases displayed maximum activity and significant long-term stability around 50 °C. The enzyme cocktails composed in this study fully degraded the arabinan substrates and thus could serve for arabinose production in food and biofuel industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Liu
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straβe 4, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
- Present Address: Chair of Chemistry of Biogenic Resources, Technical University of Munich, Schulgasse 16, 94315 Straubing, Germany
| | - Angel Angelov
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straβe 4, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
- Present Address: NGS Competence Center Tübingen, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Calwerstraße 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Werner Feiler
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straβe 4, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Melanie Baudrexl
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straβe 4, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Vladimir Zverlov
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straβe 4, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Liebl
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straβe 4, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Sonja Vanderhaeghen
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straβe 4, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
- Present Address: IMGM Laboratories, Lochhamer Straße 29a, 82152 Planegg, Germany
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7
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Caparco AA, Dautel DR, Champion JA. Protein Mediated Enzyme Immobilization. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2106425. [PMID: 35182030 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202106425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Enzyme immobilization is an essential technology for commercializing biocatalysis. It imparts stability, recoverability, and other valuable features that improve the effectiveness of biocatalysts. While many avenues to join an enzyme to solid phases exist, protein-mediated immobilization is rapidly developing and has many advantages. Protein-mediated immobilization allows for the binding interaction to be genetically coded, can be used to create artificial multienzyme cascades, and enables modular designs that expand the variety of enzymes immobilized. By designing around binding interactions between protein domains, they can be integrated into functional materials for protein immobilization. These materials are framed within the context of biocatalytic performance, immobilization efficiency, and stability of the materials. In this review, supports composed entirely of protein are discussed first, with systems such as cellulosomes and protein cages being discussed alongside newer technologies like spore-based biocatalysts and forizymes. Protein-composite materials such as polymersomes and protein-inorganic supraparticles are then discussed to demonstrate how protein-mediated strategies are applied to many classes of solid materials. Critical analysis and future directions of protein-based immobilization are then discussed, with a particular focus on both computational and design strategies to advance this area of research and make it more broadly applicable to many classes of enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam A Caparco
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, MC 0448, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Dylan R Dautel
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Julie A Champion
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
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8
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Keown RA, Dums JT, Brumm PJ, MacDonald J, Mead DA, Ferrell BD, Moore RM, Harrison AO, Polson SW, Wommack KE. Novel Viral DNA Polymerases From Metagenomes Suggest Genomic Sources of Strand-Displacing Biochemical Phenotypes. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:858366. [PMID: 35531281 PMCID: PMC9069017 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.858366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are the most abundant and diverse biological entities on the planet and constitute a significant proportion of Earth's genetic diversity. Most of this diversity is not represented by isolated viral-host systems and has only been observed through sequencing of viral metagenomes (viromes) from environmental samples. Viromes provide snapshots of viral genetic potential, and a wealth of information on viral community ecology. These data also provide opportunities for exploring the biochemistry of novel viral enzymes. The in vitro biochemical characteristics of novel viral DNA polymerases were explored, testing hypothesized differences in polymerase biochemistry according to protein sequence phylogeny. Forty-eight viral DNA Polymerase I (PolA) proteins from estuarine viromes, hot spring metagenomes, and reference viruses, encompassing a broad representation of currently known diversity, were synthesized, expressed, and purified. Novel functionality was shown in multiple PolAs. Intriguingly, some of the estuarine viral polymerases demonstrated moderate to strong innate DNA strand displacement activity at high enzyme concentration. Strand-displacing polymerases have important technological applications where isothermal reactions are desirable. Bioinformatic investigation of genes neighboring these strand displacing polymerases found associations with SNF2 helicase-associated proteins. The specific function of SNF2 family enzymes is unknown for prokaryotes and viruses. In eukaryotes, SNF2 enzymes have chromatin remodeling functions but do not separate nucleic acid strands. This suggests the strand separation function may be fulfilled by the DNA polymerase for viruses carrying SNF2 helicase-associated proteins. Biochemical data elucidated from this study expands understanding of the biology and ecological behavior of unknown viruses. Moreover, given the numerous biotechnological applications of viral DNA polymerases, novel viral polymerases discovered within viromes may be a rich source of biological material for further in vitro DNA amplification advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Keown
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Jacob T. Dums
- Biotechnology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | | | | | - David A. Mead
- Varigen Biosciences Corporation, Middleton, WI, United States
| | - Barbra D. Ferrell
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Ryan M. Moore
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Amelia O. Harrison
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Shawn W. Polson
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - K. Eric Wommack
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
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9
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Discovery and Biotechnological Exploitation of Glycoside-Phosphorylases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063043. [PMID: 35328479 PMCID: PMC8950772 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Among carbohydrate active enzymes, glycoside phosphorylases (GPs) are valuable catalysts for white biotechnologies, due to their exquisite capacity to efficiently re-modulate oligo- and poly-saccharides, without the need for costly activated sugars as substrates. The reversibility of the phosphorolysis reaction, indeed, makes them attractive tools for glycodiversification. However, discovery of new GP functions is hindered by the difficulty in identifying them in sequence databases, and, rather, relies on extensive and tedious biochemical characterization studies. Nevertheless, recent advances in automated tools have led to major improvements in GP mining, activity predictions, and functional screening. Implementation of GPs into innovative in vitro and in cellulo bioproduction strategies has also made substantial advances. Herein, we propose to discuss the latest developments in the strategies employed to efficiently discover GPs and make the best use of their exceptional catalytic properties for glycoside bioproduction.
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10
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Cecchini DA, Sánchez-Costa M, Orrego AH, Fernández-Lucas J, Hidalgo A. Ultrahigh-Throughput Screening of Metagenomic Libraries Using Droplet Microfluidics. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2397:19-32. [PMID: 34813057 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1826-4_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics enables the ultrahigh-throughput screening of the natural or man-made genetic diversity for industrial enzymes, with reduced reagent consumption and lower costs than conventional robotic alternatives. Here we describe an example of metagenomic screening for nucleoside 2'-deoxyribosyl transferases using FACS as a more widespread and accessible alternative than microfluidic on-chip sorters. This protocol can be easily adapted to directed evolution libraries by replacing the library construction steps and to other enzyme activities, e.g., oxidases, by replacing the proposed coupled assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Agostino Cecchini
- Department of Molecular Biology, Center for Molecular Biology "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Sánchez-Costa
- Department of Molecular Biology, Center for Molecular Biology "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro H Orrego
- Department of Molecular Biology, Center for Molecular Biology "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Aurelio Hidalgo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Center for Molecular Biology "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
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11
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Robinson SL, Piel J, Sunagawa S. A roadmap for metagenomic enzyme discovery. Nat Prod Rep 2021; 38:1994-2023. [PMID: 34821235 PMCID: PMC8597712 DOI: 10.1039/d1np00006c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2021Metagenomics has yielded massive amounts of sequencing data offering a glimpse into the biosynthetic potential of the uncultivated microbial majority. While genome-resolved information about microbial communities from nearly every environment on earth is now available, the ability to accurately predict biocatalytic functions directly from sequencing data remains challenging. Compared to primary metabolic pathways, enzymes involved in secondary metabolism often catalyze specialized reactions with diverse substrates, making these pathways rich resources for the discovery of new enzymology. To date, functional insights gained from studies on environmental DNA (eDNA) have largely relied on PCR- or activity-based screening of eDNA fragments cloned in fosmid or cosmid libraries. As an alternative, shotgun metagenomics holds underexplored potential for the discovery of new enzymes directly from eDNA by avoiding common biases introduced through PCR- or activity-guided functional metagenomics workflows. However, inferring new enzyme functions directly from eDNA is similar to searching for a 'needle in a haystack' without direct links between genotype and phenotype. The goal of this review is to provide a roadmap to navigate shotgun metagenomic sequencing data and identify new candidate biosynthetic enzymes. We cover both computational and experimental strategies to mine metagenomes and explore protein sequence space with a spotlight on natural product biosynthesis. Specifically, we compare in silico methods for enzyme discovery including phylogenetics, sequence similarity networks, genomic context, 3D structure-based approaches, and machine learning techniques. We also discuss various experimental strategies to test computational predictions including heterologous expression and screening. Finally, we provide an outlook for future directions in the field with an emphasis on meta-omics, single-cell genomics, cell-free expression systems, and sequence-independent methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jörn Piel
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland.
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12
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Strategies for Natural Products Discovery from Uncultured Microorganisms. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26102977. [PMID: 34067778 PMCID: PMC8156983 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26102977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are highly regarded as a prominent source of natural products that have significant importance in many fields such as medicine, farming, environmental safety, and material production. Due to this, only tiny amounts of microorganisms can be cultivated under standard laboratory conditions, and the bulk of microorganisms in the ecosystems are still unidentified, which restricts our knowledge of uncultured microbial metabolism. However, they could hypothetically provide a large collection of innovative natural products. Culture-independent metagenomics study has the ability to address core questions in the potential of NP production by cloning and analysis of microbial DNA derived directly from environmental samples. Latest advancements in next generation sequencing and genetic engineering tools for genome assembly have broadened the scope of metagenomics to offer perspectives into the life of uncultured microorganisms. In this review, we cover the methods of metagenomic library construction, and heterologous expression for the exploration and development of the environmental metabolome and focus on the function-based metagenomics, sequencing-based metagenomics, and single-cell metagenomics of uncultured microorganisms.
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13
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Buongermino Pereira M, Österlund T, Eriksson KM, Backhaus T, Axelson-Fisk M, Kristiansson E. A comprehensive survey of integron-associated genes present in metagenomes. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:495. [PMID: 32689930 PMCID: PMC7370490 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06830-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Integrons are genomic elements that mediate horizontal gene transfer by inserting and removing genetic material using site-specific recombination. Integrons are commonly found in bacterial genomes, where they maintain a large and diverse set of genes that plays an important role in adaptation and evolution. Previous studies have started to characterize the wide range of biological functions present in integrons. However, the efforts have so far mainly been limited to genomes from cultivable bacteria and amplicons generated by PCR, thus targeting only a small part of the total integron diversity. Metagenomic data, generated by direct sequencing of environmental and clinical samples, provides a more holistic and unbiased analysis of integron-associated genes. However, the fragmented nature of metagenomic data has previously made such analysis highly challenging. Results Here, we present a systematic survey of integron-associated genes in metagenomic data. The analysis was based on a newly developed computational method where integron-associated genes were identified by detecting their associated recombination sites. By processing contiguous sequences assembled from more than 10 terabases of metagenomic data, we were able to identify 13,397 unique integron-associated genes. Metagenomes from marine microbial communities had the highest occurrence of integron-associated genes with levels more than 100-fold higher than in the human microbiome. The identified genes had a large functional diversity spanning over several functional classes. Genes associated with defense mechanisms and mobility facilitators were most overrepresented and more than five times as common in integrons compared to other bacterial genes. As many as two thirds of the genes were found to encode proteins of unknown function. Less than 1% of the genes were associated with antibiotic resistance, of which several were novel, previously undescribed, resistance gene variants. Conclusions Our results highlight the large functional diversity maintained by integrons present in unculturable bacteria and significantly expands the number of described integron-associated genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Buongermino Pereira
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tobias Österlund
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - K Martin Eriksson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Gothenburg Centre for Sustainable Development, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Thomas Backhaus
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marina Axelson-Fisk
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Erik Kristiansson
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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14
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Badiea EA, Sayed AA, Maged M, Fouad WM, Said MM, Esmat AY. A novel thermostable and halophilic thioredoxin reductase from the Red Sea Atlantis II hot brine pool. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217565. [PMID: 31150456 PMCID: PMC6544261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The highly extreme conditions of the lower convective layer in the Atlantis II (ATII) Deep brine pool of the Red Sea make it an ideal environment for the search for novel enzymes that can function under extreme conditions. In the current study, we isolated a novel sequence of a thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) enzyme from the metagenomic dataset established from the microbial community that resides in the lower convective layer of Atlantis II. The gene was cloned, expressed and characterized for redox activity, halophilicity, and thermal stability. The isolated thioredoxin reductase (ATII-TrxR) was found to belong to the high-molecular-weight class of thioredoxin reductases. A search for conserved domains revealed the presence of an extra domain (Crp) in the enzyme sequence. Characterization studies of ATII-TrxR revealed that the enzyme was halophilic (maintained activity at 4 M NaCl), thermophilic (optimum temperature was 65°C) and thermostable (60% of its activity was retained at 70°C). Additionally, the enzyme utilized NADH in addition to NADPH as an electron donor. In conclusion, a novel thermostable and halophilic thioredoxin reductase has been isolated with a unique sequence that adapts to the harsh conditions of the brine pools making this protein a good candidate for biological research and industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham A. Badiea
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Engineering, American University in Cairo, New Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A. Sayed
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
- Children Cancer Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamad Maged
- Faculty of Biotechnology, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts, 6th October City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Walid M. Fouad
- Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Engineering, American University in Cairo, New Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud M. Said
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Amr Y. Esmat
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
- * E-mail:
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15
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Calderon D, Peña L, Suarez A, Villamil C, Ramirez-Rojas A, Anzola JM, García-Betancur JC, Cepeda ML, Uribe D, Del Portillo P, Mongui A. Recovery and functional validation of hidden soil enzymes in metagenomic libraries. Microbiologyopen 2019; 8:e00572. [PMID: 30851083 PMCID: PMC6460280 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The vast microbial diversity on the planet represents an invaluable source for identifying novel activities with potential industrial and therapeutic application. In this regard, metagenomics has emerged as a group of strategies that have significantly facilitated the analysis of DNA from multiple environments and has expanded the limits of known microbial diversity. However, the functional characterization of enzymes, metabolites, and products encoded by diverse microbial genomes is limited by the inefficient heterologous expression of foreign genes. We have implemented a pipeline that combines NGS and Sanger sequencing as a way to identify fosmids within metagenomic libraries. This strategy facilitated the identification of putative proteins, subcloning of targeted genes and preliminary characterization of selected proteins. Overall, the in silico approach followed by the experimental validation allowed us to efficiently recover the activity of previously hidden enzymes derived from agricultural soil samples. Therefore, the methodology workflow described herein can be applied to recover activities encoded by environmental DNA from multiple sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayana Calderon
- Molecular Biotechnology Research Group, Corporación CorpoGen, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Luis Peña
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Friedrich-Schiller Universität, Jena, Germany
| | - Angélica Suarez
- Molecular Biotechnology Research Group, Corporación CorpoGen, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Villamil
- Molecular Biotechnology Research Group, Corporación CorpoGen, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adan Ramirez-Rojas
- Molecular Biotechnology Research Group, Corporación CorpoGen, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan M Anzola
- Computational Biology, Corporación CorpoGen, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Martha L Cepeda
- Molecular Biotechnology Research Group, Corporación CorpoGen, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daniel Uribe
- Biotechnology Institute, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Alvaro Mongui
- Molecular Biotechnology Research Group, Corporación CorpoGen, Bogotá, Colombia.,Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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16
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López-Leal G, Cornejo-Granados F, Hurtado-Ramírez JM, Mendoza-Vargas A, Ochoa-Leyva A. Functional and taxonomic classification of a greenhouse water drain metagenome. Stand Genomic Sci 2018; 13:20. [PMID: 30323887 PMCID: PMC6173933 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-018-0326-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbiome sequencing has become the standard procedure in the study of new ecological and human-constructed niches. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a metagenome from the water of a greenhouse drain. We found that the greenhouse is not a diverse niche, mainly dominated by Rhizobiales and Rodobacterales. The analysis of the functions encoded in the metagenome showed enrichment of characteristic features of soil and root-associated bacteria such as ABC-transporters and hydrolase enzymes. Additionally, we found antibiotic resistances genes principally for spectinomycin, tetracycline, and aminoglycosides. This study aimed to identify the bacteria and functional gene composition of a greenhouse water drain sample and also provide a genomic resource to search novel proteins from a previously unexplored niche. All the metagenome proteins and their annotations are available to the scientific community via http://microbiomics.ibt.unam.mx/tools/metagreenhouse/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gamaliel López-Leal
- 1Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, 62210 Morelos Mexico
| | - Fernanda Cornejo-Granados
- 1Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, 62210 Morelos Mexico
| | - Juan Manuel Hurtado-Ramírez
- 1Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, 62210 Morelos Mexico
| | - Alfredo Mendoza-Vargas
- 2Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Secretaría de Salud, Periférico Sur No. 4809, Col. Arenal Tepepan, Delegación Tlalpan, 14610 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Adrian Ochoa-Leyva
- 1Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, 62210 Morelos Mexico
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17
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Two new gene clusters involved in the degradation of plant cell wall from the fecal microbiota of Tunisian dromedary. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194621. [PMID: 29601586 PMCID: PMC5877837 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dromedaries are capable of digesting plant cell wall with high content of lignocellulose of poor digestibility. Consequently, their intestinal microbiota can be a source of novel carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). To the best of our knowledge, no data are available describing the biochemical analysis of enzymes in dromedary intestinal microbiota. To investigate new hydrolytic enzymes from the dromedary gut, a fosmid library was constructed using metagenomic DNA from feces of non-domestic adult dromedary camels living in the Tunisian desert. High-throughput functional screening of 13756 clones resulted in 47 hit clones active on a panel of various chromogenic and non-chromogenic glycan substrates. Two of them, harboring multiple activities, were retained for further analysis. Clone 26H3 displayed activity on AZO-CM-cellulose, AZCL Carob galactomannan and Tween 20, while clone 36A23 was active on AZCL carob galactomannan and AZCL barley β-glucan. The functional annotation of their sequences highlighted original metagenomic loci originating from bacteria of the Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi group, involved in the metabolization of mannosides and β-glucans thanks to a complete battery of endo- and exo-acting glycoside hydrolases, esterases, phosphorylases and transporters.
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18
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Yi Z, Fang Y, He K, Liu D, Luo H, Zhao D, He H, Jin Y, Zhao H. Directly mining a fungal thermostable α-amylase from Chinese Nong-flavor liquor starter. Microb Cell Fact 2018; 17:30. [PMID: 29471820 PMCID: PMC5822527 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-018-0878-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chinese Nong-flavor (NF) liquor is continuously and stably produced by solid-state fermentation technology for 1000 years, resulting in enrichment of special microbial community and enzymes system in its starter. Based on traditional culture-dependent methods, these functional enzymes are hardly obtained. According to our previous metatranscriptomic analysis, which identifies plenty of thermostable carbohydrate-active enzymes in NF liquor starter, the aim of this study is to provide a direct and efficient way to mine these thermostable enzymes. RESULTS In present study, an alpha-amylase (NFAmy13A) gene, which showed the highest expression level of enzymes in starch degradation at high temperature stage (62 °C), was directly obtained by functional metatranscriptomics from Chinese Nong-flavor liquor starter and expressed in Pichia pastoris. NFAmy13A had a typical signal peptide and shared the highest sequence identity of 64% with α-amylase from Aspergillus niger. The recombinant enzyme of NFAmy13A showed an optimal pH at 5.0-5.5 and optimal temperature at 60 °C. NFAmy13A was activated and stabilized by Ca2+, and its half-lives at 60 and 70 °C were improved significantly from 1.5 and 0.4 h to 16 and 0.7 h, respectively, in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2. Meanwhile, Hg2+, Co2+ and SDS largely inhibited its activity. NFAmy13A showed the maximum activity on amylopectin, followed by various starches, amylose, glycogen, and pullulan, and its specificity activity on amylopectin was 200.4 U/mg. Moreover, this α-amylase efficiently hydrolyzed starches (from corn, wheat, and potato) at high concentrations up to 15 mg/ml. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a direct way to mine active enzymes from man-made environment of NF liquor starter, by which a fungal thermostable α-amylase (NFAmy13A) is successfully obtained. The good characteristics of NFAmy13A in degrading starch at high temperature are consistent with its pivotal role in solid-state fermentation of NF liquor brewing. This work would stimulate mining more enzymes from NF liquor starter and studying their potentially synergistic roles in NF liquor brewing, thus paving the way toward the optimization of liquor production and improvement of liquor quality in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuolin Yi
- Meat-processing Application Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Pharmacy and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China.,Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Fang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China.,Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Kaize He
- Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China.,Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Dayu Liu
- Meat-processing Application Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Pharmacy and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huibo Luo
- Liquor Making Bio-Technology & Application of Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Bioengineering College, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong, China
| | | | - Hui He
- Department of Liquor Making Engineering, Moutai College, Renhuai, China
| | - Yanling Jin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China. .,Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hai Zhao
- Meat-processing Application Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Pharmacy and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China. .,Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China. .,Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
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19
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Narumi R, Masuda K, Tomonaga T, Adachi J, Ueda HR, Shimizu Y. Cell-free synthesis of stable isotope-labeled internal standards for targeted quantitative proteomics. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2018; 3:97-104. [PMID: 29900422 PMCID: PMC5995455 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
High-sensitivity mass spectrometry approaches using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) or multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) methods are powerful tools for targeted quantitative proteomics-based investigation of dynamics in specific biological systems. Both high-sensitivity detection of low-abundance proteins and their quantification using this technique employ stable isotope-labeled peptide internal standards. Currently, there are various ways for preparing standards, including chemical peptide synthesis, cellular protein expression, and cell-free protein or peptide synthesis. Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) or in vitro translation (IVT) systems in particular provide high-throughput and low-cost preparation methods, and various cell types and reconstituted forms are now commercially available. Herein, we review the use of such systems for precise and reliable protein quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryohei Narumi
- Laboratory of Proteome Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, 7-6-8, Satio-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Keiko Masuda
- Laboratory for Single Cell Mass Spectrometry, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), 6-2-3, Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
| | - Takeshi Tomonaga
- Laboratory of Proteome Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, 7-6-8, Satio-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Jun Adachi
- Laboratory of Proteome Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, 7-6-8, Satio-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Hiroki R. Ueda
- Department of Systems Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), 6-2-3, Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Shimizu
- Laboratory for Single Cell Mass Spectrometry, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), 6-2-3, Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
- Laboratory for Cell-Free Protein Synthesis, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), 6-2-3, Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
- Corresponding author. Laboratory for Cell-Free Protein Synthesis, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), 6-2-3, Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan.
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20
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Abstract
Many of the most important evolutionary variations that generated phenotypic adaptations and originated novel taxa resulted from complex cellular activities affecting genome content and expression. These activities included (i) the symbiogenetic cell merger that produced the mitochondrion-bearing ancestor of all extant eukaryotes, (ii) symbiogenetic cell mergers that produced chloroplast-bearing ancestors of photosynthetic eukaryotes, and (iii) interspecific hybridizations and genome doublings that generated new species and adaptive radiations of higher plants and animals. Adaptive variations also involved horizontal DNA transfers and natural genetic engineering by mobile DNA elements to rewire regulatory networks, such as those essential to viviparous reproduction in mammals. In the most highly evolved multicellular organisms, biological complexity scales with 'non-coding' DNA content rather than with protein-coding capacity in the genome. Coincidentally, 'non-coding' RNAs rich in repetitive mobile DNA sequences function as key regulators of complex adaptive phenotypes, such as stem cell pluripotency. The intersections of cell fusion activities, horizontal DNA transfers and natural genetic engineering of Read-Write genomes provide a rich molecular and biological foundation for understanding how ecological disruptions can stimulate productive, often abrupt, evolutionary transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Shapiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, GCISW123B, 979 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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21
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Abstract
The microbiota - the collection of microorganisms that live within and on all mammals - provides crucial signals for the development and function of the immune system. Increased availability of technologies that profile microbial communities is facilitating the entry of many immunologists into the evolving field of host-microbiota studies. The microbial communities, their metabolites and components are not only necessary for immune homeostasis, they also influence the susceptibility of the host to many immune-mediated diseases and disorders. In this Review, we discuss technological and computational approaches for investigating the microbiome, as well as recent advances in our understanding of host immunity and microbial mutualism with a focus on specific microbial metabolites, bacterial components and the immune system.
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22
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Khan FI, Lan D, Durrani R, Huan W, Zhao Z, Wang Y. The Lid Domain in Lipases: Structural and Functional Determinant of Enzymatic Properties. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2017; 5:16. [PMID: 28337436 PMCID: PMC5343024 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2017.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipases are important industrial enzymes. Most of the lipases operate at lipid–water interfaces enabled by a mobile lid domain located over the active site. Lid protects the active site and hence responsible for catalytic activity. In pure aqueous media, the lid is predominantly closed, whereas in the presence of a hydrophobic layer, it is partially opened. Hence, the lid controls the enzyme activity. In the present review, we have classified lipases into different groups based on the structure of lid domains. It has been observed that thermostable lipases contain larger lid domains with two or more helices, whereas mesophilic lipases tend to have smaller lids in the form of a loop or a helix. Recent developments in lipase engineering addressing the lid regions are critically reviewed here. After on, the dramatic changes in substrate selectivity, activity, and thermostability have been reported. Furthermore, improved computational models can now rationalize these observations by relating it to the mobility of the lid domain. In this contribution, we summarized and critically evaluated the most recent developments in experimental and computational research on lipase lids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faez Iqbal Khan
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dongming Lan
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology , Guangzhou , China
| | - Rabia Durrani
- School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology , Guangzhou , China
| | - Weiqian Huan
- School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology , Guangzhou , China
| | - Zexin Zhao
- School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology , Guangzhou , China
| | - Yonghua Wang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology , Guangzhou , China
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23
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Cheng J, Romantsov T, Engel K, Doxey AC, Rose DR, Neufeld JD, Charles TC. Functional metagenomics reveals novel β-galactosidases not predictable from gene sequences. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0172545. [PMID: 28273103 PMCID: PMC5342196 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The techniques of metagenomics have allowed researchers to access the genomic potential of uncultivated microbes, but there remain significant barriers to determination of gene function based on DNA sequence alone. Functional metagenomics, in which DNA is cloned and expressed in surrogate hosts, can overcome these barriers, and make important contributions to the discovery of novel enzymes. In this study, a soil metagenomic library carried in an IncP cosmid was used for functional complementation for β-galactosidase activity in both Sinorhizobium meliloti (α-Proteobacteria) and Escherichia coli (γ-Proteobacteria) backgrounds. One β-galactosidase, encoded by six overlapping clones that were selected in both hosts, was identified as a member of glycoside hydrolase family 2. We could not identify ORFs obviously encoding possible β-galactosidases in 19 other sequenced clones that were only able to complement S. meliloti. Based on low sequence identity to other known glycoside hydrolases, yet not β-galactosidases, three of these ORFs were examined further. Biochemical analysis confirmed that all three encoded β-galactosidase activity. Lac36W_ORF11 and Lac161_ORF7 had conserved domains, but lacked similarities to known glycoside hydrolases. Lac161_ORF10 had neither conserved domains nor similarity to known glycoside hydrolases. Bioinformatic and structural modeling implied that Lac161_ORF10 protein represented a novel enzyme family with a five-bladed propeller glycoside hydrolase domain. By discovering founding members of three novel β-galactosidase families, we have reinforced the value of functional metagenomics for isolating novel genes that could not have been predicted from DNA sequence analysis alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiujun Cheng
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | | | - Katja Engel
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew C. Doxey
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - David R. Rose
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Josh D. Neufeld
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Trevor C. Charles
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- * E-mail:
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24
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Zapata-Pérez R, García-Saura AG, Jebbar M, Golyshin PN, Sánchez-Ferrer Á. Combined Whole-Cell High-Throughput Functional Screening for Identification of New Nicotinamidases/Pyrazinamidases in Metagenomic/Polygenomic Libraries. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1915. [PMID: 28018295 PMCID: PMC5147024 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinamidases catalyze the hydrolysis of the amide bond in nicotinamide (NAM) to produce ammonia and nicotinic acid (NA). These enzymes are an essential component of the NAD+ salvage pathway and are implicated in the viability of several pathogenic organisms. Its absence in humans makes them a promising drug target. In addition, although they are key analytical biocatalysts for screening modulators in relevant biomedical enzymes, such as sirtuins and poly-ADP-ribosyltransferases, no commercial sources are available. Surprisingly, the finding of an affordable source of nicotinamidase from metagenomic libraries is hindered by the absence of a suitable and fast screening method. In this manuscript, we describe the development of two new whole-cell methods using the chemical property of one of the products formed in the enzymatic reaction (pyrazinoic or NA) to form colored complexes with stable iron salts, such as ammonium ferrous sulfate or sodium nitroprusside (SNP). After optimization of the assay conditions, a fosmid polygenomic expression library obtained from deep-sea mesophilic bacteria was screened, discovering several positive clones with the ammonium ferrous sulfate method. Their quantitative rescreening with the SNP method allowed the finding of the first nicotinamidase with balanced catalytic efficiency toward NAM (nicotinamidase activity) and pyrazinamide (pyrazinamidase activity). Its biochemical characterization has also made possible the development of the first high-throughput whole-cell method for prescreening of new nicotinamidase inhibitors by the naked eye, saving time and costs in the design of future antimicrobial and antiparasitic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Zapata-Pérez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-A, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia Murcia, Spain
| | - Antonio G García-Saura
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-A, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia Murcia, Spain
| | - Mohamed Jebbar
- Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, UMR 6197-Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes (LM2E), Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM) Plouzané, France
| | - Peter N Golyshin
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor UniversityBangor, UK; Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal UniversityKaliningrad, Russia
| | - Álvaro Sánchez-Ferrer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-A, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of MurciaMurcia, Spain; Murcia Biomedical Research InstituteMurcia, Spain
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DeCastro ME, Rodríguez-Belmonte E, González-Siso MI. Metagenomics of Thermophiles with a Focus on Discovery of Novel Thermozymes. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1521. [PMID: 27729905 PMCID: PMC5037290 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial populations living in environments with temperatures above 50°C (thermophiles) have been widely studied, increasing our knowledge in the composition and function of these ecological communities. Since these populations express a broad number of heat-resistant enzymes (thermozymes), they also represent an important source for novel biocatalysts that can be potentially used in industrial processes. The integrated study of the whole-community DNA from an environment, known as metagenomics, coupled with the development of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, has allowed the generation of large amounts of data from thermophiles. In this review, we summarize the main approaches commonly utilized for assessing the taxonomic and functional diversity of thermophiles through metagenomics, including several bioinformatics tools and some metagenome-derived methods to isolate their thermozymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- María-Eugenia DeCastro
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña A Coruña, Spain
| | - Esther Rodríguez-Belmonte
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña A Coruña, Spain
| | - María-Isabel González-Siso
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña A Coruña, Spain
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Shapiro JA. Nothing in Evolution Makes Sense Except in the Light of Genomics: Read-Write Genome Evolution as an Active Biological Process. BIOLOGY 2016; 5:E27. [PMID: 27338490 PMCID: PMC4929541 DOI: 10.3390/biology5020027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The 21st century genomics-based analysis of evolutionary variation reveals a number of novel features impossible to predict when Dobzhansky and other evolutionary biologists formulated the neo-Darwinian Modern Synthesis in the middle of the last century. These include three distinct realms of cell evolution; symbiogenetic fusions forming eukaryotic cells with multiple genome compartments; horizontal organelle, virus and DNA transfers; functional organization of proteins as systems of interacting domains subject to rapid evolution by exon shuffling and exonization; distributed genome networks integrated by mobile repetitive regulatory signals; and regulation of multicellular development by non-coding lncRNAs containing repetitive sequence components. Rather than single gene traits, all phenotypes involve coordinated activity by multiple interacting cell molecules. Genomes contain abundant and functional repetitive components in addition to the unique coding sequences envisaged in the early days of molecular biology. Combinatorial coding, plus the biochemical abilities cells possess to rearrange DNA molecules, constitute a powerful toolbox for adaptive genome rewriting. That is, cells possess "Read-Write Genomes" they alter by numerous biochemical processes capable of rapidly restructuring cellular DNA molecules. Rather than viewing genome evolution as a series of accidental modifications, we can now study it as a complex biological process of active self-modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Shapiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, GCIS W123B, 979 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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27
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Mazard S, Penesyan A, Ostrowski M, Paulsen IT, Egan S. Tiny Microbes with a Big Impact: The Role of Cyanobacteria and Their Metabolites in Shaping Our Future. Mar Drugs 2016; 14:E97. [PMID: 27196915 PMCID: PMC4882571 DOI: 10.3390/md14050097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are among the first microorganisms to have inhabited the Earth. Throughout the last few billion years, they have played a major role in shaping the Earth as the planet we live in, and they continue to play a significant role in our everyday lives. Besides being an essential source of atmospheric oxygen, marine cyanobacteria are prolific secondary metabolite producers, often despite the exceptionally small genomes. Secondary metabolites produced by these organisms are diverse and complex; these include compounds, such as pigments and fluorescent dyes, as well as biologically-active compounds with a particular interest for the pharmaceutical industry. Cyanobacteria are currently regarded as an important source of nutrients and biofuels and form an integral part of novel innovative energy-efficient designs. Being autotrophic organisms, cyanobacteria are well suited for large-scale biotechnological applications due to the low requirements for organic nutrients. Recent advances in molecular biology techniques have considerably enhanced the potential for industries to optimize the production of cyanobacteria secondary metabolites with desired functions. This manuscript reviews the environmental role of marine cyanobacteria with a particular focus on their secondary metabolites and discusses current and future developments in both the production of desired cyanobacterial metabolites and their potential uses in future innovative projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Mazard
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Anahit Penesyan
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Martin Ostrowski
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Ian T Paulsen
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Suhelen Egan
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation and School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
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Yutin N, Shevchenko S, Kapitonov V, Krupovic M, Koonin EV. A novel group of diverse Polinton-like viruses discovered by metagenome analysis. BMC Biol 2015; 13:95. [PMID: 26560305 PMCID: PMC4642659 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-015-0207-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The rapidly growing metagenomic databases provide increasing opportunities for computational discovery of new groups of organisms. Identification of new viruses is particularly straightforward given the comparatively small size of viral genomes, although fast evolution of viruses complicates the analysis of novel sequences. Here we report the metagenomic discovery of a distinct group of diverse viruses that are distantly related to the eukaryotic virus-like transposons of the Polinton superfamily. Results The sequence of the putative major capsid protein (MCP) of the unusual linear virophage associated with Phaeocystis globosa virus (PgVV) was used as a bait to identify potential related viruses in metagenomic databases. Assembly of the contigs encoding the PgVV MCP homologs followed by comprehensive sequence analysis of the proteins encoded in these contigs resulted in the identification of a large group of Polinton-like viruses (PLV) that resemble Polintons (polintoviruses) and virophages in genome size, and share with them a conserved minimal morphogenetic module that consists of major and minor capsid proteins and the packaging ATPase. With a single exception, the PLV lack the retrovirus-type integrase that is encoded in the genomes of all Polintons and the Mavirus group of virophages. However, some PLV encode a newly identified tyrosine recombinase-integrase that is common in bacteria and bacteriophages and is also found in the Organic Lake virophage group. Although several PLV genomes and individual genes are integrated into algal genomes, it appears likely that most of the PLV are viruses. Given the absence of protease and retrovirus-type integrase, the PLV could resemble the ancestral polintoviruses that evolved from bacterial tectiviruses. Apart from the conserved minimal morphogenetic module, the PLV widely differ in their genome complements but share a gene network with Polintons and virophages, suggestive of multiple gene exchanges within a shared gene pool. Conclusions The discovery of PLV substantially expands the emerging class of eukaryotic viruses and transposons that also includes Polintons and virophages. This class of selfish elements is extremely widespread and might have been a hotbed of eukaryotic virus, transposon and plasmid evolution. New families of these elements are expected to be discovered. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0207-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Sofiya Shevchenko
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Vladimir Kapitonov
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Unité Biologie Moléculaire du Gène chez les Extrêmophiles, Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA.
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Ju F, Zhang T. Experimental Design and Bioinformatics Analysis for the Application of Metagenomics in Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:12628-40. [PMID: 26451629 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b03719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in DNA sequencing technologies have prompted the widespread application of metagenomics for the investigation of novel bioresources (e.g., industrial enzymes and bioactive molecules) and unknown biohazards (e.g., pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes) in natural and engineered microbial systems across multiple disciplines. This review discusses the rigorous experimental design and sample preparation in the context of applying metagenomics in environmental sciences and biotechnology. Moreover, this review summarizes the principles, methodologies, and state-of-the-art bioinformatics procedures, tools and database resources for metagenomics applications and discusses two popular strategies (analysis of unassembled reads versus assembled contigs/draft genomes) for quantitative or qualitative insights of microbial community structure and functions. Overall, this review aims to facilitate more extensive application of metagenomics in the investigation of uncultured microorganisms, novel enzymes, microbe-environment interactions, and biohazards in biotechnological applications where microbial communities are engineered for bioenergy production, wastewater treatment, and bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Ju
- Environmental Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SRA, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Environmental Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SRA, China
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Gray AN, Koo BM, Shiver AL, Peters JM, Osadnik H, Gross CA. High-throughput bacterial functional genomics in the sequencing era. Curr Opin Microbiol 2015; 27:86-95. [PMID: 26336012 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2015.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
High-throughput functional genomic technologies are accelerating progress in understanding the diversity of bacterial life and in developing a systems-level understanding of model bacterial organisms. Here we highlight progress in deep-sequencing-based functional genomics, show how whole genome sequencing is enabling phenotyping in organisms recalcitrant to genetic approaches, recount the rapid proliferation of functional genomic approaches to non-growth phenotypes, and discuss how advances are enabling genome-scale resource libraries for many different bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N Gray
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Byoung-Mo Koo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Anthony L Shiver
- Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jason M Peters
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Hendrik Osadnik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Carol A Gross
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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