Dental implant material related changes in molecular signatures in peri-implantitis - A systematic review of omics in-vivo studies

OBJECTIVE

Titanium particles have been shown in in-vitro studies to lead to the activation of specific pathways, this work aims to systematically review in- vivo studies examining peri-implant and periodontal tissues at the transcriptome, proteome, epigenome and genome level to reveal implant material-related processes favoring peri-implantitis development investigated in animal and human trials.

METHODS

Inquiring three literature databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane) a systematic search based on a priori defined PICOs was conducted: '-omics' studies comparing molecular signatures in healthy and infected peri-implant sites and/or healthy and periodontitis-affected teeth in animals/humans. After risk of bias assessments, lists of differentially expressed genes and results of functional enrichment analyses were compiled whenever possible.

RESULTS

Out of 2187 screened articles 9 publications were deemed eligible. Both healthy and inflamed peri-implant tissues showed distinct gene expression patterns compared to healthy/diseased periodontal tissues in animal (n = 4) or human studies (n = 5), with immune response, bone metabolism and oxidative stress being affected the most. Due to the lack of available re-analyzable data and inconsistency in methodology of the eligible studies, integrative analyses on differential gene expression were not applicable CONCLUSION: The differences of transcriptomic signatures in between peri-implant lesions compared to periodontal tissue might be related to titanium particles arising from dental implants and are in line with the in-vitro data recently published by our group. Nevertheless, limitations emerge from small sample sizes of included studies and insufficient publication of re-analyzable data.

Dental implant material related changes in molecular signatures in peri-implantitis - A systematic review and integrative analysis of omics in-vitro studies

OBJECTIVE

Since peri-implantitis differs clinically and histopathologically from periodontitis, implant wear debris is considered to play a role in the destructive processes. This work aims to systematically review if titanium particles affect oral-related cells through changes in molecular signatures (e.g., transcriptome, proteome, epigenome), thereby promoting peri-implantitis.

METHODS

Leveraging three literature databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane) a systematic search based on a priori defined PICOs was conducted: '-omics' studies examining titanium exposure in oral-related cells. After risk of bias assessments, lists of differentially expressed genes, proteins, and results of functional enrichment analyses were compiled. The significance of overlapping genes across multiple studies was assessed via Monte Carlo simulation and their ranking was verified using rank aggregation.

RESULTS

Out of 2104 screened articles we found 12 eligible publications. A significant overlap of gene expression in oral-related cells exposed to titanium particles was found in four studies. Furthermore, changes in biological processes like immune/inflammatory or stress response as well as toll-like receptor (TLR) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were linked to titanium in transcriptome and proteome studies. Epigenetic changes caused by titanium were detected but inconsistent.

CONCLUSION

An influence of titanium implant wear debris on the development and progression of peri-implantitis is plausible but needs to be proven in further studies. Limitations arise from small sample sizes of included studies and insufficient publication of re-analyzable data.

COVID-19: Seroprevalence and Vaccine Responses in UK Dental Care Professionals

Dental care professionals (DCPs) are thought to be at enhanced risk of occupational exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, robust data to support this from large-scale seroepidemiological studies are lacking. We report a longitudinal seroprevalence analysis of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, with baseline sampling prior to large-scale practice reopening in July 2020 and follow-up postimplementation of new public health guidance on infection prevention control (IPC) and enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE). In total, 1,507 West Midlands DCPs were recruited into this study in June 2020. Baseline seroprevalence was determined using a combined IgGAM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the cohort followed longitudinally for 6 mo until January/February 2021 through the second wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in the United Kingdom and vaccination commencement. Baseline seroprevalence was 16.3%, compared to estimates in the regional population of 6% to 7%. Seropositivity was retained in over 70% of participants at 3- and 6-mo follow-up and conferred a 75% reduced risk of infection. Nonwhite ethnicity and living in areas of greater deprivation were associated with increased baseline seroprevalence. During follow-up, no polymerase chain reaction-proven infections occurred in individuals with a baseline anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG level greater than 147.6 IU/ml with respect to the World Health Organization international standard 20-136. After vaccination, antibody responses were more rapid and of higher magnitude in those individuals who were seropositive at baseline. Natural infection with SARS-CoV-2 prior to enhanced PPE was significantly higher in DCPs than the regional population. Natural infection leads to a serological response that remains detectable in over 70% of individuals 6 mo after initial sampling and 9 mo from the peak of the first wave of the pandemic. This response is associated with protection from future infection. Even if serological responses wane, a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech 162b vaccine is associated with an antibody response indicative of immunological memory.

DNA-Based Vaccination with Polycistronic Expression Plasmids

DNA-based vaccination is a potent technique to prime cellular (T-cell mediated) immune responses (reviewed in 1). Many details of the priming of T-cell precursors by antigen translated from injected expression plasmid DNA are unknown. The relevant cell that is transfected in situ after DNA vaccination and that can process and present the protein in an immunogenic form has not yet been identified. Alternatively, the transfected cell may initiate 'cross-priming' in vivo by transferring processed antigen to a professional antigen-presenting cell (APC).

GARP: a key receptor controlling FOXP3 in human regulatory T cells

Recent evidence suggests that regulatory pathways might control sustained high levels of FOXP3 in regulatory CD4(+)CD25(hi) T (T(reg)) cells. Based on transcriptional profiling of ex vivo activated T(reg) and helper CD4(+)CD25(-) T (T(h)) cells we have identified GARP (glycoprotein-A repetitions predominant), LGALS3 (lectin, galactoside-binding, soluble, 3) and LGMN (legumain) as novel genes implicated in human T(reg) cell function, which are induced upon T-cell receptor stimulation. Retroviral overexpression of GARP in antigen-specific T(h) cells leads to an efficient and stable re-programming of an effector T cell towards a regulatory T cell, which involves up-regulation of FOXP3, LGALS3, LGMN and other T(reg)-associated markers. In contrast, overexpression of LGALS3 and LGMN enhance FOXP3 and GARP expression, but only partially induced a regulatory phenotype. Lentiviral down-regulation of GARP in T(reg) cells significantly impaired the suppressor function and was associated with down-regulation of FOXP3. Moreover, down-regulation of FOXP3 resulted in similar phenotypic changes and down-regulation of GARP. This provides compelling evidence for a GARP-FOXP3 positive feedback loop and provides a rational molecular basis for the known difference between natural and transforming growth factor-beta induced T(reg) cells as we show here that the latter do not up-regulate GARP. In summary, we have identified GARP as a key receptor controlling FOXP3 in T(reg) cells following T-cell activation in a positive feedback loop assisted by LGALS3 and LGMN, which represents a promising new system for the therapeutic manipulation of T cells in human disease.

Less chronic pain following mesh fixation using a fibrin sealant in TEP inguinal hernia repair

Endoscopic hernia repair methods have become increasingly popular over the past 15 years. The postulated main advantages of the endoscopic technique are less postoperative pain, early recovery and lower recurrence rates. Fixation of the endoscopic mesh seems to be necessary to minimize the risk of recurrence. Stapling has been implicated to cause chronic inguinal pain syndromes. We performed a retrospective study on male patients who were endoscopically operated on primary inguinal hernias. Our aim was to clarify whether mesh fixation using a fibrin sealant is as safe and reliable as conventional stapling. Additionally, we compared the prevalence of chronic inguinal pain. A standardized population of 133 male patients (mean age 55.9 years) with 186 (80 unilateral; 53 bilateral) consecutive primary laparoscopic total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repairs was assigned to two groups, depending on whether stapling or a fibrin sealant had been used for mesh fixation. A retrospective case control study was performed to conduct statistical analysis based on the following parameters: recurrence, complications, chronic inguinal pain, foreign body sensation and numbness. Hernia repairs numbering 173 (staples n=87; fibrin n=86) were followed up for a mean duration of 23.7 (11-47) months. The prevalence of chronic inguinal pain was significantly (P=0.002; Fisher exact test) higher in the stapled group-20.7% than in the fibrin sealant group with a prevalence of 4.7%. In terms of recurrence rate, complications and foreign body sensation, fewer patients were affected in the fibrin group than in the reference population, although the differences were not statistically significant. There were no major complications in either of the groups. The mean postoperative stay in hospital was 1.4 days. Fibrin sealing is as effective as stapling in providing secure mesh fixation. The fibrin group displayed a statistically significant lower prevalence of chronic pain syndromes. Mesh sealing provides adequate fixation and reduces the risk of chronic inguinal pain as a complication of the intervention.

C4-dicarboxylate carriers and sensors in bacteria

Bacteria contain secondary carriers for the uptake, exchange or efflux of C4-dicarboxylates. In aerobic bacteria, dicarboxylate transport (Dct)A carriers catalyze uptake of C4-dicarboxylates in a H(+)- or Na(+)-C4-dicarboxylate symport. Carriers of the dicarboxylate uptake (Dcu)AB family are used for electroneutral fumarate:succinate antiport which is required in anaerobic fumarate respiration. The DcuC carriers apparently function in succinate efflux during fermentation. The tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporter carriers are secondary uptake carriers requiring a periplasmic solute binding protein. For heterologous exchange of C4-dicarboxylates with other carboxylic acids (such as citrate:succinate by CitT) further types of carriers are used. The different families of C4-dicarboxylate carriers, the biochemistry of the transport reactions, and their metabolic functions are described. Many bacteria contain membraneous C4-dicarboxylate sensors which control the synthesis of enzymes for C4-dicarboxylate metabolism. The C4-dicarboxylate sensors DcuS, DctB, and DctS are histidine protein kinases and belong to different families of two-component systems. They contain periplasmic domains presumably involved in C4-dicarboxylate sensing. In DcuS the periplasmic domain seems to be essential for direct interaction with the C4-dicarboxylates. In signal perception by DctB, interaction of the C4-dicarboxylates with DctB and the DctA carrier plays an important role.

Retroviral vectors for the transduction of autoregulated, bidirectional expression cassettes

Regulated transgene expression is increasingly used in research but is also needed for certain therapies. Regulatory systems are usually composed of two expression units, one bearing the gene of interest under control of a regulatable promoter and the other, a constitutively expressed transactivator that modulates the activity of the regulatable promoter. Because the cotransfer of two independent elements is not efficient in primary cells, single transduction step vectors conferring regulatable gene expression cassettes would be helpful. We have developed retroviral vectors containing an autoregulatory bidirectional expression cassette that encodes all components necessary for regulated expression of a gene of interest. The influence of the orientation of the reporter gene with respect to the viral long terminal repeat (LTR) and the effect of transcriptionally inactive LTRs were investigated using mouse leukemia virus (MLV) and self-inactivating (SIN)-based retroviral vectors. Strict regulation was observed when the reporter was inserted in antisense orientation with respect to the LTR, whereas a sense arrangement of the reporter resulted in a loss of regulation capacity. Expression and regulation of the antisense-orientated reporter gene were homogenous in infected cell pools and investigated cell clones. Long-term observations of infected cells over a period of 30 passages revealed stable expression and regulation. These autoregulated, bidirectional retroviral vectors combine the advantages of single-step transduction with strict regulation of the gene of interest in the infected target cells.

Periplasmic methacrylate reductase activity in Wolinella succinogenes

The cell homogenate and the soluble cell fraction of Wolinella succinogenes grown with formate and fumarate catalyzed the oxidation of benzyl viologen radical by methacrylate [apparent Km=0.23 mM, Vmax=1.0 U (mg cell protein) -1] or acrylate [apparent Km=0.50 mM, Vmax=0.77 U (mg cell protein) -1]. Crotonate did not serve as an oxidant. A mutant of W. succinogenes lacking the fccABC operon was unable to catalyze methacrylate or acrylate reduction. In contrast, the inactivation of fccC alone had no effect on these activities. Methacrylate reduction by benzyl viologen radical was not catalyzed by fumarate reductase isolated from the membrane of W. succinogenes. Cells grown with formate and fumarate did not catalyze methacrylate reduction by formate, and W. succinogenes did not grow with formate and methacrylate as catabolic substrates. The results suggest that the reduction of methacrylate or acrylate by benzyl viologen radical is most likely catalyzed either by the periplasmic flavoprotein FccA or by a complex consisting of FccA and the predicted c-type cytochrome FccB. The metabolic function of the fccABC operon remains unknown.

Composition and arrangement of genes define the strength of IRES-driven translation in bicistronic mRNAs

In addition to the cap-dependent mechanism, eukaryotic initiation of translation can occur by a cap-independent mechanism which directs ribosomes to defined start codons enabled by internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements. IRES elements from poliovirus and encephalomyocarditis virus are often used to construct bi- or oligocistronic expression vectors to co-express various genes from one mRNA. We found that while cap-dependent translation initiation from bicistronic mRNAs remains comparable to monocistronic expression, internal initiation mediated by these viral IRESs is often very inefficient. Expression of bicistronic expression vectors containing the hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) together with various cytokines in the second cistron of bicistronic mRNAs gave rise to very low levels of the tested cytokines. On the other hand, the HBcAg was well expressed when positioned in the second cistron. This suggests that the arrangement of cistrons in a bicistronic setting is crucial for IRES-dependent translation of the second cistron. A systematic examination of expression of reporter cistrons from bicistronic mRNAs with respect to position was carried out. Using the dual luciferase assay system we show that the composition of reading frames on a bicistronic mRNA and the order in which they are arranged define the strength of IRES-dependent translation. Although the cellular environment and the nature of the IRES element influence translation strength the dominant determinant is the nature and the arrangement of cistrons on the mRNA.

Generation of a proton potential by succinate dehydrogenase of Bacillus subtilis functioning as a fumarate reductase

The membrane fraction of Bacillus subtilis catalyzes the reduction of fumarate to succinate by NADH. The activity is inhibited by low concentrations of 2-(heptyl)-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide (HOQNO), an inhibitor of succinate: quinone reductase. In sdh or aro mutant strains, which lack succinate dehydrogenase or menaquinone, respectively, the activity of fumarate reduction by NADH was missing. In resting cells fumarate reduction required glycerol or glucose as the electron donor, which presumably supply NADH for fumarate reduction. Thus in the bacteria, fumarate reduction by NADH is catalyzed by an electron transport chain consisting of NADH dehydrogenase (NADH:menaquinone reductase), menaquinone, and succinate dehydrogenase operating in the reverse direction (menaquinol:fumarate reductase). Poor anaerobic growth of B. subtilis was observed when fumarate was present. The fumarate reduction catalyzed by the bacteria in the presence of glycerol or glucose was not inhibited by the protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) or by membrane disruption, in contrast to succinate oxidation by O2. Fumarate reduction caused the uptake by the bacteria of the tetraphenyphosphonium cation (TPP+) which was released after fumarate had been consumed. TPP+ uptake was prevented by the presence of CCCP or HOQNO, but not by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, an inhibitor of ATP synthase. From the TPP+ uptake the electrochemical potential generated by fumarate reduction was calculated (Deltapsi = -132 mV) which was comparable to that generated by glucose oxidation with O2 (Deltapsi = -120 mV). The Deltapsi generated by fumarate reduction is suggested to stem from menaquinol:fumarate reductase functioning in a redox half-loop.

Growth suppression of the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hepa1-6 by an activatable interferon regulatory factor-1 in mice

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant tumor with a poor prognosis and few therapeutic options. The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential of IFN regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) for cytokine gene therapy of HCC using an IRF-1/human estrogen receptor fusion protein (IRF-1hER), which is reversibly activatable by beta-estradiol (E2). IRF-1hER stably expressing murine Hepa1-6 HCC cells (HepaIRF-1hER) were characterized by lowMHC 1, highCD54, and lack of MHC II, CD80, and CD86 expression. Activation of HepaIRF-1hER cells induced a highMHC I, lowMHC II, and highCD54 phenotype. Furthermore, they were characterized by IFN-beta secretion, decreased anchorage-independent growth in a soft agar assay, and diminished cell growth. Tumor growth in E2-treated syngeneic C57L/J mice, but not in E2-untreated mice, was suppressed. These E2-treated mice were protected against rechallenge with HepaIRF-1hER and wild-type Hepa1-6 tumors even in the absence of E2, suggesting induction of tumor specific immunity. In fact, significant CTL activity against Hepa1-6 tumors and the endogenously expressed HCC-specific self antigen alpha-fetoprotein was observed. Antitumoral effects, however, were only partially dependent on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. IRF-1 treatment of mice bearing HepaIRF-1hER tumors resulted in growth arrest of tumors, and a significant survival benefit was observed in comparison to E2-untreated mice. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that IRF-1 suppresses HCC growth through both a direct antitumor growth effect and enhanced immune cell recognition of the tumor and is a promising candidate for gene therapy of HCC.

Cytochrome c nitrite reductase from Wolinella succinogenes. Structure at 1.6 A resolution, inhibitor binding, and heme-packing motifs

Cytochrome c nitrite reductase catalyzes the 6-electron reduction of nitrite to ammonia. This second part of the respiratory pathway of nitrate ammonification is a key step in the biological nitrogen cycle. The x-ray structure of the enzyme from the epsilon-proteobacterium Wolinella succinogenes has been solved to a resolution of 1.6 A. It is a pentaheme c-type cytochrome whose heme groups are packed in characteristic motifs that also occur in other multiheme cytochromes. Structures of W. succinogenes nitrite reductase have been obtained with water bound to the active site heme iron as well as complexes with two inhibitors, sulfate and azide, whose binding modes and inhibitory functions differ significantly. Cytochrome c nitrite reductase is part of a highly optimized respiratory system found in a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria. It reduces both anionic and neutral substrates at the distal side of a lysine-coordinated high-spin heme group, which is accessible through two different channels, allowing for a guided flow of reaction educt and product. Based on sequence comparison and secondary structure prediction, we have demonstrated that cytochrome c nitrite reductases constitute a protein family of high structural similarity.

Essential role of Glu-C66 for menaquinol oxidation indicates transmembrane electrochemical potential generation by Wolinella succinogenes fumarate reductase

Quinol:fumarate reductase (QFR) is a membrane protein complex that couples the reduction of fumarate to succinate to the oxidation of quinol to quinone, in a reaction opposite to that catalyzed by the related enzyme succinate:quinone reductase (succinate dehydrogenase). In the previously determined structure of QFR from Wolinella succinogenes, the site of fumarate reduction in the flavoprotein subunit A of the enzyme was identified, but the site of menaquinol oxidation was not. In the crystal structure, the acidic residue Glu-66 of the membrane spanning, diheme-containing subunit C lines a cavity that could be occupied by the substrate menaquinol. Here we describe that, after replacement of Glu-C66 with Gln by site-directed mutagenesis, the resulting mutant is unable to grow on fumarate and the purified enzyme lacks quinol oxidation activity. X-ray crystal structure analysis of the Glu-C66-->Gln variant enzyme at 3.1-A resolution rules out any major structural changes compared with the wild-type enzyme. The oxidation-reduction potentials of the heme groups are not significantly affected. We conclude that Glu-C66 is an essential constituent of the menaquinol oxidation site. Because Glu-C66 is oriented toward a cavity leading to the periplasm, the release of two protons on menaquinol oxidation is expected to occur to the periplasm, whereas the uptake of two protons on fumarate reduction occurs from the cytoplasm. Thus our results indicate that the reaction catalyzed by W. succinogenes QFR generates a transmembrane electrochemical potential.

Transport of C(4)-dicarboxylates in Wolinella succinogenes

C(4)-dicarboxylate transport is a prerequisite for anaerobic respiration with fumarate in Wolinella succinogenes, since the substrate site of fumarate reductase is oriented towards the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. W. succinogenes was found to transport C(4)-dicarboxylates (fumarate, succinate, malate, and aspartate) across the cytoplasmic membrane by antiport and uniport mechanisms. The electrogenic uniport resulted in dicarboxylate accumulation driven by anaerobic respiration. The molar ratio of internal to external dicarboxylate concentration was up to 10(3). The dicarboxylate antiport was either electrogenic or electroneutral. The electroneutral antiport required the presence of internal Na(+), whereas the electrogenic antiport also operated in the absence of Na(+). In the absence of Na(+), no electrochemical proton potential (delta p) was measured across the membrane of cells catalyzing fumarate respiration. This suggests that the proton potential generated by fumarate respiration is dissipated by the concomitant electrogenic dicarboxylate antiport. Three gene loci (dcuA, dcuB, and dctPQM) encoding putative C(4)-dicarboxylate transporters were identified on the genome of W. succinogenes. The predicted gene products of dcuA and dcuB are similar to the Dcu transporters that are involved in the fumarate respiration of Escherichia coli with external C(4)-dicarboxylates. The genes dctP, -Q, and -M probably encode a binding-protein-dependent secondary uptake transporter for dicarboxylates. A mutant (DcuA(-) DcuB(-)) of W. succinogenes lacking the intact dcuA and dcuB genes grew by nitrate respiration with succinate as the carbon source but did not grow by fumarate respiration with fumarate, malate, or aspartate as substrates. The DcuA(-), DcuB(-), and DctQM(-) mutants grew by fumarate respiration as well as by nitrate respiration with succinate as the carbon source. Cells of the DcuA(-) DcuB(-) mutant performed fumarate respiration without generating a proton potential even in the presence of Na(+). This explains why the DcuA(-) DcuB(-) mutant does not grow by fumarate respiration. Growth by fumarate respiration appears to depend on the function of the Na(+)-dependent, electroneutral dicarboxylate antiport which is catalyzed exclusively by the Dcu transporters. Dicarboxylate transport via the electrogenic uniport is probably catalyzed by the DctPQM transporter and by a fourth, unknown transporter that may also operate as an electrogenic antiporter.

Succinate: quinone oxidoreductases: new insights from X-ray crystal structures

Membrane-bound succinate dehydrogenases (succinate:quinone reductases, SQR) and fumarate reductases (quinol:fumarate reductases, QFR) couple the oxidation of succinate to fumarate to the reduction of quinone to quinol and also catalyse the reverse reaction. SQR (respiratory complex II) is involved in aerobic metabolism as part of the citric acid cycle and of the aerobic respiratory chain. QFR is involved in anaerobic respiration with fumarate as the terminal electron acceptor, and is part of an electron transport chain catalysing the oxidation of various donor substrates by fumarate. QFR and SQR complexes are collectively referred to as succinate:quinone oxidoreductases (EC 1.3.5.1), have very similar compositions and are predicted to share similar structures. The complexes consist of two hydrophilic and one or two hydrophobic, membrane-integrated subunits. The larger hydrophilic subunit A carries covalently bound flavin adenine dinucleotide and subunit B contains three iron-sulphur centres. QFR of Wolinella succinogenes and SQR of Bacillus subtilis contain only one hydrophobic subunit (C) with two haem b groups. In contrast, SQR and QFR of Escherichia coli contain two hydrophobic subunits (C and D) which bind either one (SQR) or no haem b group (QFR). The structure of W. succinogenes QFR has been determined at 2.2 A resolution by X-ray crystallography (C.R.D. Lancaster, A. Kröger, M. Auer, H. Michel, Nature 402 (1999) 377-385). Based on this structure of the three protein subunits and the arrangement of the six prosthetic groups, a pathway of electron transfer from the quinol-oxidising dihaem cytochrome b to the site of fumarate reduction and a mechanism of fumarate reduction was proposed. The W. succinogenes QFR structure is different from that of the haem-less QFR of E. coli, described at 3.3 A resolution (T.M. Iverson, C. Luna-Chavez, G. Cecchini, D.C. Rees, Science 284 (1999) 1961-1966), mainly with respect to the structure of the membrane-embedded subunits and the relative orientations of soluble and membrane-embedded subunits. Also, similarities and differences between QFR transmembrane helix IV and transmembrane helix F of bacteriorhodopsin and their implications are discussed.

A NapC/NirT-type cytochrome c (NrfH) is the mediator between the quinone pool and the cytochrome c nitrite reductase of Wolinella succinogenes

Wolinella succinogenes can grow by anaerobic respiration with nitrate or nitrite using formate as electron donor. Two forms of nitrite reductase were isolated from the membrane fraction of W. succinogenes. One form consisted of a 58 kDa polypeptide (NrfA) that was identical to the periplasmic nitrite reductase. The other form consisted of NrfA and a 22 kDa polypeptide (NrfH). Both forms catalysed nitrite reduction by reduced benzyl viologen, but only the dimeric form catalysed nitrite reduction by dimethylnaphthoquinol. Liposomes containing heterodimeric nitrite reductase, formate dehydrogenase and menaquinone catalysed the electron transport from formate to nitrite; this was coupled to the generation of an electrochemical proton potential (positive outside) across the liposomal membrane. It is concluded that the electron transfer from menaquinol to the catalytic subunit (NrfA) of W. succinogenes nitrite reductase is mediated by NrfH. The structural genes nrfA and nrfH were identified in an apparent operon (nrfHAIJ) with two additional genes. The gene nrfA encodes the precursor of NrfA carrying an N-terminal signal peptide (22 residues). NrfA (485 residues) is predicted to be a hydrophilic protein that is similar to the NrfA proteins of Sulfurospirillum deleyianum and of Escherichia coli. NrfH (177 residues) is predicted to be a membrane-bound tetrahaem cytochrome c belonging to the NapC/NirT family. The products of nrfI and nrfJ resemble proteins involved in cytochrome c biogenesis. The C-terminal third of NrfI (902 amino acid residues) is similar to CcsA proteins from Gram-positive bacteria, cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. The residual N-terminal part of NrfI resembles Ccs1 proteins. The deduced NrfJ protein resembles the thioredoxin-like proteins (ResA) of Helicobacter pylori and of Bacillus subtilis, but lacks the common motif CxxC of ResA. The properties of three deletion mutants of W. succinogenes (DeltanrfJ, DeltanrfIJ and DeltanrfAIJ) were studied. Mutants DeltanrfAIJ and DeltanrfIJ did not grow with nitrite as terminal electron acceptor or with nitrate in the absence of NH4+ and lacked nitrite reductase activity, whereas mutant DeltanrfJ showed wild-type properties. The NrfA protein formed by mutant DeltanrfIJ seemed to lack part of the haem C, suggesting that NrfI is involved in NrfA maturation.

Structure of fumarate reductase from Wolinella succinogenes at 2.2 A resolution

Fumarate reductase couples the reduction of fumarate to succinate to the oxidation of quinol to quinone, in a reaction opposite to that catalysed by the related complex II of the respiratory chain (succinate dehydrogenase). Here we describe the crystal structure at 2.2 A resolution of the three protein subunits containing fumarate reductase from the anaerobic bacterium Wolinella succinogenes. Subunit A contains the site of fumarate reduction and a covalently bound flavin adenine dinucleotide prosthetic group. Subunit B contains three iron-sulphur centres. The menaquinol-oxidizing subunit C consists of five membrane-spanning, primarily helical segments and binds two haem b molecules. On the basis of the structure, we propose a pathway of electron transfer from the dihaem cytochrome b to the site of fumarate reduction and a mechanism of fumarate reduction. The relative orientations of the soluble and membrane-embedded subunits of succinate:quinone oxidoreductases appear to be unique.

The single cysteine residue of the Sud protein is required for its function as a polysulfide-sulfur transferase in Wolinella succinogenes

The periplasmic Sud protein which is induced in Wolinella succinogenes growing by polysulfide respiration, has been previously proposed to serve as a polysulfide binding protein and to transfer polysulfide-sulfur to the active site of polysulfide reductase [Klimmek, O, Kreis, V., Klein, C., Simon, J., Wittershagen, A. & Kröger, A. (1998) Eur. J. Biochem. 253, 263-269.]. The results presented in this communication suggest that polysulfide-sulfur is covalently bound to the single cysteine residue (Cys109) of the Sud monomer, and that Cys109 is required for tight binding of polysulfide-sulfur and for sulfur transfer. A modified Sud protein [(C109S)Sud-His6] in which the cysteine residue was replaced by serine, did not catalyze sulfur transfer from polysulfide to cyanide and did not stimulate electron transport to polysulfide, in contrast to Sud-His6. The polysulfide-sulfur bound to (C109S)Sud-His6 was fully removed upon dialysis against sulfide. After this treatment, Sud-His6 retained one sulfur atom per monomer; thiocyanate was formed upon addition of cyanide to the preparation. After incubation of Sud-His6 with polysulfide, a proportion of the Sud-His6 monomers carried one or two sulfur atoms, as shown by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. The sulfur atoms were absent from monomers derived from Sud-His6 treated with cyanide and from (C109S)Sud-His6 incubated with polysulfide.

Identification of histidine residues in Wolinella succinogenes hydrogenase that are essential for menaquinone reduction by H2

The cytochrome b subunit (HydC) of Wolinella succinogenes hydrogenase binds two haem B groups. This is concluded from the haem B content of the isolated hydrogenase and is confirmed by the response of its cytochrome b to redox titration. In addition, three of the four haem B ligands were identified by characterizing mutants with the corresponding histidine residues replaced by alanine or methionine. Substitution in HydC of His-25, His-67 or His-186, which are, in addition to His-200, predicted to be haem B ligands, caused the loss of quinone reactivity of the hydrogenase, while the activity of benzylviologen reduction was retained. The corresponding mutants did not grow with H2 as electron donor and either fumarate or polysulphide as terminal electron acceptor. The mutants grown with formate and fumarate did not catalyse electron transport from H2 to fumarate or to polysulphide, or quinone reduction by H2, in contrast to the wild-type strain. Cytochrome b was not reduced by H2 in the Triton X-100 extract of the mutant membranes, which contained wild-type amounts of the mutated HydC protein. Substitution in HydC of His-122, His-158 or His-187, which are predicted not to be haem B ligands, yielded mutants with wild-type properties. Substitution in HydA of His-188 or of His-305 resulted in mutants with the same properties as those lacking one of the haem B ligands of HydC. His-305 is located in the membrane-integrated C-terminal helix of HydA. His-188 of HydA is predicted to be a ligand of the distal iron-sulphur centre that may serve as the direct electron donor to the haem B groups of HydC. The results suggest that each of the three predicted haem B ligands of HydC tested (out of four) is required for electron transport from H2 to either fumarate or polysulphide, and for quinone reactivity. This also holds true for the two conserved histidine residues of HydA.

A putative lichenysin A synthetase operon in Bacillus licheniformis: initial characterization

Certain Bacillus licheniformis strains isolated from oil wells have been shown to produce a very effective biosurfactant, lichenysin A, which is structurally similar to another less active lipopeptide, surfactin. Surfactin, like many small peptides in prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes, is synthesized non-ribosomally by multi-enzyme peptide synthetase complex. Analysis of several peptide synthetases of bacterial and fungal origin has revealed a high degree of sequence conservation. Two 35-mer oligonucleotides derived from highly conserved motifs ('core I' and 'core II') of surfactin synthetase were used to identify the cloned putative operon of lichenysin A synthetase lchA from B. licheniformis BNP29, a strain not amenable to genetic manipulation in a BAC system (F-plasmid-based bacterial artificial chromosome) based on Escherichia coli and its single-copy plasmid F-factor. A 32.4 kb fragment containing lichenysin A biosynthesis locus was sequenced and analysed. The structural architecture of putative lichenysin A synthetase protein containing seven amino acid (aa) activation-thiolation, two epimerization and one thioesterase domains is discussed in terms of its similarity to surfactin and other peptide synthetases. The 100 aa peptide chain situated between the highly conserved signature sequences FDXX and NXYGPTE(IV)X within amino acid binding domains of peptide synthetases is proposed to be a minimal block dictating the substrate specificity of the enzymes. A new operon-type structure has been localized directly upstream from the lichenysin A synthetase genes which, on the basis of sequence determination, potentially encode a four-member ABC-type transport system involved in product secretion.

Identification and characterization of IS1302, a novel insertion element from Wolinella succinogenes belonging to the IS3 family

A new insertion sequence (IS) designated IS1302 was identified in Wolinella succinogenes. IS1302 is 1,306 bp in size with 36-bp imperfect terminal inverted repeats. It contains only one open reading frame (tnpA), which encodes a putative transposase whose sequence is similar to that of transposases of various IS elements of the IS3 family. IS1302 was identified in the genome of a W. succinogenes fumarate reductase deletion mutant in which the frd operon had been replaced by the kan gene. The insertion of IS1302 occurred when the mutant was propagated in the presence of a high concentration of kanamycin. Two different target sites of IS1302 were found immediately upstream of the kan gene, where the insertion of IS1302 resulted in a duplication of 3 bp of the target DNA. Upon insertion of IS1302, new possible promoter structures of the kan gene were created, which might lead to a stimulated transcription of the kan gene and result in a selective advantage of cells containing IS1302 at one of the two target sites. Southern blot analysis suggested the presence of at least 13 copies of IS1302 in the genome of W. succinogenes. This is the first IS element discovered in W. succinogenes.

Two membrane anchors of Wolinella succinogenes hydrogenase and their function in fumarate and polysulfide respiration

Wolinella succinogenes can grow by anaerobic respiration with fumarate or polysulfide as the terminal electron acceptor, and H2 or formate as the electron donor. A DeltahydABC mutant lacking the hydrogenase structural genes did not grow with H2 and either fumarate or polysulfide. In contrast to the wild-type strain, the mutant grown with fumarate and with formate instead of H2 did not catalyze the reduction of fumarate, polysulfide, dimethylnaphthoquinone, or benzyl viologen by H2. Growth and enzymic activities were restored upon integration of a plasmid carrying hydABC into the genome of the DeltahydABC mutant. The DeltahydABC mutant was complemented with hydABC operons modified by artificial stop codons in hydA (StopA) or at the 5'-end of hydC (StopC). The StopC mutant lacked HydC, and the hydrophobic C-terminus of HydA was missing in the hydrogenase of the StopA mutant. The two mutants catalyzed benzyl viologen reduction by H2. The enzyme activity was located in the membrane of the mutants. A mutant with both modifications (StopAC) contained the activity in the periplasm. The three mutants did not grow with H2 and either fumarate or polysulfide, and did not catalyze dimethylnaphthoquinone reduction by H2. We conclude that the same hydrogenase serves in the anaerobic respiration with fumarate and with polysulfide. HydC and the C-terminus of HydA appear to be required for both routes of electron transport and for dimethylnaphthoquinone reduction by H2. The hydrogenase is anchored in the membrane by HydC and by the C-terminus of HydA. The catalytic subunit HydB is oriented towards the periplasmic side of the membrane.

A periplasmic flavoprotein in Wolinella succinogenes that resembles the fumarate reductase of Shewanella putrefaciens

During growth with fumarate as the terminal electron transport acceptor and either formate or sulfide as the electron donor, Wolinella succinogenes induced a peri-plasmic protein (54 kDa) that reacted with an antiserum raised against the periplasmic fumarate reductase (Fcc) of Shewanella putrefaciens. However, the periplasmic cell fraction of W. succinogenes did not catalyze fumarate reduction with viologen radicals. W. succinogenes grown with polysulfide instead of fumarate contained much less (< 10%) of the 54-kDa antigen, and the antigen was not detectable in nitrate-grown bacteria. The antigen was most likely encoded by the fccA gene of W. succinogenes. The antigen was absent from a DeltafccABC mutant, and its size is close to that of the protein predicted by fccA. The fccA gene probably encodes a pre-protein carrying an N-terminal signal peptide. The sequence of the mature FccA (481 residues, 52.4 kDa) is similar (31% identity) to that of the C-terminal part (450 residues) of S. putrefaciens fumarate reductase. As indicated by Northern blot analysis, fccA is cotranscribed with fccB and fccC. The proteins predicted from the fccB and fccC gene sequences represent tetraheme cytochromes c. FccB is similar to the N-terminal part (150 residues) of S. putrefaciens fumarate reductase, while FccC resembles the tetraheme cytochromes c of the NirT/NapC family. The DeltafccABC mutant of W. succinogenes grew with fumarate and formate or sulfide, suggesting that the deleted proteins were not required for fumarate respiration with either electron donor.

The function of the periplasmic Sud protein in polysulfide respiration of Wolinella succinogenes

The periplasmic Sud protein was previously isolated as a sulfide dehydrogenase from Wolinella succinogenes. Sud modified by a C-terminal His-tag (Sud-His6) was produced in Escherichia coli by expression of the sud gene. Sud-His6 catalyzed thiocyanate formation from cyanide and polysulfide. The Vmax of this activity was more than one order of magnitude higher than that of sulfide oxidation by dimethyl-naphthoquinone and that of polysulfide reduction by BH4-. The apparent Km was less than 20 microM polysulfide. Polysulfide and not elemental sulfur was found to be the product of sulfide oxidation by dimethyl-naphthoquinone, in contrast to the earlier view [Kreis-Kleinschmidt, V., Fahrenholz, F., Kojro, E. & Kröger. A. (1995) Arch. Microbiol. 165, 65-68]. Sud-His6 did not contain metal ions or other prosthetic groups. Replacement by site-directed mutagenesis of the single cysteine residue of the Sud monomer caused complete loss of activity, while the exchange of the single histidine residue or of the lysine residue situated next to cysteine did not affect activity. In equilibrium dialysis, the Sud-His6 monomer bound up to ten polysulfide sulfur atoms with a dissociation constant of 0.2 mM. Sud-His6 loaded with polysulfide sulfur showed an absorption spectrum in the range of 350-400 nm; this spectrum differed from that of free polysulfide. Electron transport from H2 to polysulfide catalyzed by the membrane fraction of W. succinogenes was stimulated by the presence of small amounts of Sud-His6. The apparent Km for polysulfide decreased sevenfold in the presence of saturating amounts of Sud-His6 (1 microM Sud-His6 dimer). Similar results were obtained with intact W. succinogenes cells containing low and high amounts of Sud. Sud appears to function as a polysulfide binding protein and probably binds polysulfide sulfur to its cysteine residue and transfers it to the substrate site of the membraneous polysulfide reductase.

Deletion and site-directed mutagenesis of the Wolinella succinogenes fumarate reductase operon

Wolinella succinogenes is known to grow at the expense of fumarate respiration with formate or sulfide as electron donor. A W. succinogenes mutant (delta frdCAB) lacking the fumarate reductase operon did not grow with fumarate as terminal electron acceptor and either formate or sulfide as electron donor. The delta frdCAB mutant grown with formate and nitrate did not contain fumarate reductase activity and did not catalyze electron transport from sulfide to fumarate, in contrast to the nitrate-grown wild-type strain. A mutant constructed by integration of frdCAB into the delta frdCAB mutant genome showed wild-type properties with respect to growth and enzyme activities. The frdC2 gene located downstream of the fumarate reductase operon frdCAB possibly encodes a diheme cytochrome b that is similar to FrdC (41% identical residues). The corresponding transcript differs from that of frdCAB. A delta frdC2 mutant showed wild-type properties with respect to growth and enzyme activities. Using site-directed mutagenesis, each of the four histidine residues that are predicted to serve as the axial heme ligands in FrdC (His44, His93, His143, and His182) was replaced by alanine or other residues. The resulting mutants did not grow with formate and fumarate and did not contain fumarate reductase activity, FrdA or FrdC when grown with formate and nitrate. In contrast, substitution of two histidine residues that are not considered heme ligands, yielded mutants (H114A and H120A) that grew with fumarate. It is concluded that FrdCAB is an obligatory component of fumarate respiration with formate and with sulfide in W. succinogenes. FrdC2 is not involved in fumarate respiration. Replacement of the putative heme ligands of FrdC prevents formation of a functional fumarate reductase.

Structure and function of a second gene cluster encoding the formate dehydrogenase of Wolinella succinogenes

Wolinella succinogenes contains a single formate dehydrogenase, but two gene loci (fdhI and fdhII) code for the subunits of the enzyme. The nucleotide sequence of fdhII is almost identical with that of fdhI in the region comprising fdhEABCD. The sequences of fdhI and fdhII differ in the promotor regions upstream of fdhE. Deletion mutants lacking either fdhI or fdhII synthesize functional formate dehydrogenases, as shown by growth with formate as electron donor and either fumarate or polysulfide as acceptor substrates, and by the presence of the FdhA subunit and of enzyme activity. In the wild-type strain, the fdhI genes appear to be expressed preferentially during growth with formate and fumarate. The six-times greater amount of the enzyme present upon growth with formate and polysulfide is due to the expression of both fdhI and fdhII. The transcription start sites were located 196-bp and 129-bp upstream of the fdhE start codons of fdhI and fdhII, respectively. An apparently single transcript (5.6 kbp) was detected in polysulfide-grown W. succinogenes by Northern-blot analysis, suggesting that the five open reading frames form operons.

Flavodoxin from Wolinella succinogenes

A monomeric flavoprotein (18.8 kDa) was isolated from the soluble cell fraction of Wolinella succinogenes and was identified as a flavodoxin based on its N-terminal sequence, FMN content, and redox properties. The midpoint potentials of the flavodoxin (Fld) at pH 7. 5 were measured as -95 mV (Fldox/Flds) and -450 mV (Flds/Fldred) relative to the standard hydrogen electrode. The cellular flavodoxin content [0.3 micromol (g protein)-1] was the same in bacteria grown with fumarate or with polysulfide as the terminal acceptor of electron transport. The flavodoxin did not accept electrons from hydrogenase or formate dehydrogenase, the donor enzymes of electron transport to fumarate or polysulfide. Pyruvate:flavodoxin oxidoreductase activity [180 U (g cellular protein)-1] was detected in the soluble cell fraction of W. succinogenes grown with fumarate or polysulfide. The enzyme was equally active with Fldox or Flds at high concentrations. The Km for Flds (80 microM) was larger than that for Fldox and for the ferredoxin isolated from W. succinogenes (15 microM). We conclude that flavodoxin serves anabolic rather than catabolic functions in W. succinogenes.

Properties of a Wolinella succinogenes mutant lacking periplasmic sulfide dehydrogenase (Sud)

A delta sud deletion mutant of Wolinella succinogenes that lacked the periplasmic sulfide dehydrogenase (Sud) was constructed using homologous recombination. The mutant grew with sulfide and fumarate, indicating that Sud was not a component of the electron transport chain that catalyzed fumarate respiration with sulfide as an electron donor. Likewise, growth with formate and either polysulfide or sulfur was not affected by the deletion. Removal of Sud from wild-type W. succinogenes by spheroplast formation did not decrease the activity of electron transport to polysulfide. The delta psr deletion mutant that lacks polysulfide reductase (Psr) grew by fumarate respiration with sulfide as an electron donor, indicating that Psr is not required for this activity.

The function of Wolinella succinogenes psr genes in electron transport with polysulphide as the terminal electron acceptor

The membrane-integrated polysulphide reductase (Psr) of Wolinella succinogenes is part of the electron transport chain catalyzing polysulphide reduction by formate or hydrogen. The isolated enzyme catalyzes sulphide oxidation by dimethylnaphthoquinone. The two hydrophilic subunits, PsrA and PsrB of the enzyme, are encoded by genes that form an apparent operon psrABC together with a third gene. Using homologous recombination, three deletion mutants of W. succinogenes were constructed that lack psrC, psrBC or the whole psr operon. The mutants grown with formate and fumarate were fractionated, and the cell fractions were analyzed for the presence of PsrA and enzyme activity. It was concluded that: (a) polysulphide reductase is a constituent of the wild-type chain catalyzing electron transport from formate to polysulphide; (b) the gene psrC encodes a subunit that anchors the enzyme in the membrane and is required for electron transport; (c) PsrA which probably carries the substrate site, is exposed to the bacterial periplasm; (d) PsrA and PsrB are required for the activity of sulphide oxidation with 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone. Surprisingly, the delta psrABC mutant could grow with formate and polysulphide. The membrane fraction of the mutant grown under these conditions contained an enzyme that replaced polysulphide reductase in electron transport, and catalyzed sulphide oxidation with 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone.

Properties of the menaquinol oxidase (Qox) and of qox deletion mutants of Bacillus subtilis

Menaquinol oxidase isolated from the membrane of Bacillus subtilis W23 was found to consist of four polypeptides (QoxA, B, C, and D) that were predicted by the sequence of the qox operon of B. subtilis 168 (Santana et al. 1992). The preparation contained 7 mol cytochrome aa3 per g protein, which corresponds to 2 mol heme A per mol enzyme of 144 kDa molecular mass. Respiration with dimethylnaphthoquinol catalyzed by the enzyme was ten times faster than that with menadiol. Activities with more electropositive quinols were negligible. The activity of the enzyme was inhibited by equimolar amounts of HQNO, while antimycin, myxothiazol, and stigmatellin were more than tenfold less effective. When cells of both strains of B. subtilis (W23 and 168) were grown with glucose, quinol respiration was an order of magnitude more active than respiration with N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine plus ascorbate. Surprisingly, the same result was obtained with mutant strains lacking qoxB. As cytochromes a and d were virtually absent, a second quinol oxidase, possibly of the cytochrome o-type, was apparently formed by the mutants.

Periplasmic sulphide dehydrogenase (Sud) from Wolinella succinogenes: isolation, nucleotide sequence of the sud gene and its expression in Escherichia coli

Wolinella succinogenes contains a periplasmic sulphide dehydrogenase when grown with formate and polysulphide as catabolic substrates. The isolated enzyme catalyzes the reduction of dimethylnaphthoquinone with sulphide at high values of both apparent Km and turnover number. The active enzyme consists of two identical subunits (14 kDa) and amounts to approximately 1% of the soluble cell protein. Prosthetic groups such as flavin, haem or molybdenum are missing. The corresponding gene (sud) encodes a signal peptide together with the mature subunit that consists of 129 amino acid residues including one single cysteine. The sud gene is expressed from a plasmid in Escherichia coli. The resulting enzyme catalyzes sulphide oxidation with dimethylnaphthoquinone and is located in the periplasm of E. coli.

Fumarate reductase of Helicobacter pylori--an immunogenic protein

An immunogenic protein with an apparent mol. wt of 80 kDa that was recognised by 55% of sera from patients infected with Helicobacter pylori in Western blots was found in butanol extracts of H. pylori membranes. The N-terminal amino-acid sequence of the 80-kDa protein showed 80% identity with the N-terminal sequence of subunit A of the fumarate reductase of Wolinella succinogenes, suggesting the existence of a fumarate reductase in H. pylori. The membrane fraction of H. pylori catalysed succinate oxidation with methylene blue at a specific enzyme activity of 0.06 U/mg of protein. The enzyme was purified by Triton X100 extraction followed by ion-exchange chromatography. The purified enzyme contained an 80-kDa protein which was recognised by rabbit serum raised against subunit A of fumarate reductase of W. succinogenes. A second protein band with a mol. wt of 31 kDa was recognised by rabbit serum raised against subunit B of fumarate reductase of W. succinogenes. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the 80- and 31-kDa proteins were subunits of one protein complex. These results indicate that H. pylori contains an enzyme that is very similar to W. succinogenes fumarate reductase. The 80-kDa subunit was recognised in sonicates of all 32 H. pylori strains tested by rabbit antibodies raised against subunit A of fumarate reductase of W. succinogenes, indicating that fumarate reductase is a common protein in H. pylori. The fumarate reductase of H. pylori might enable the bacterium to perform anaerobic respiration in a similar fashion to other anaerobic or facultative bacteria.

The menaquinol oxidase of Bacillus subtilis W23

The quinol oxidase appears to be mainly responsible for the oxidation of the bacterial MKH2 in Bacillus subtilis W23 growing with either glucose or succinate. The activity of the enzyme was maximum with dimethylnaphthoquinol, a water-soluble analogue of the bacterial menaquinol. Menadiol or duroquinol were less actively respired, and naphthoquinol was not oxidized at all. After fourtyfold purification the isolated enzyme contained 5.3 mumol cytochrome aa3 per gram of protein and negligible amounts of cytochrome b and c. The turnover number based on cytochrome aa3 was about 10(3) electrons.s-1 at pH 7 and 37 degrees C. The preparation consisted mainly of a M(r) 57,000 and a M(r) 36,000 polypeptide. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the latter polypeptide differed from that predicted by the qoxA gene of B. subtilis strain 168 (Santana et al. 1992), in that asp-14 predicted by qoxA was missing in the M(r) 36,000 polypeptide.

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the psrA gene of Wolinella succinogenes polysulphide reductase

The polysulphide reductase (formerly sulphur reductase) of Wolinella succinogenes is a component of the phosphorylative electron transport system with polysulphide as the terminal acceptor. Using an antiserum raised against the major subunit (PsrA, 85 kDa) of the enzyme, the corresponding gene (psrA) was cloned from a lambda-gene bank. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of PsrA mapped within the psrA gene product, which also contained an apparent signal peptide. Downstream of the psrA gene two more open reading frames (psrB and psrC) were found. The three genes may form a transcriptional unit with the transcription start site in front of psrA. The three genes were present only once on the genome. PsrA is a hydrophilic protein homologous to the largest subunits of six prokaryotic molybdoenzymes. PsrB is predicted to be hydrophilic, to contain ferredoxin-like cysteine clusters and to be homologous to the smaller hydrophilic subunits of four molybdoenzymes. PsrC is predicted to be a hydrophobic protein that could possibly serve as the membrane anchor of the enzyme.

Secondary metabolites by chemical screening. 17. Nigericinol derivatives: synthesis, biological activities, and modeling studies

The synthesis and the biological activity of C-1-reduced nigericin derivatives (nigericinols) are described and discussed. The dichloronigericinol 7 impressively demonstrated that the C-1 carboxylic acid moiety was not required for a distinct activity against bacteria and viruses. Based on the correlation between K+/H+ antiport activities and antibacterial activities it was deduced that the mode of action of the described nigericinols are related to their ionophoric properties. Molecular modeling studies showed that the efficiency of the nigericinols as ionophores correlates, qualitatively, with the probability of forming a cyclic structure, with the exception of 7.

Reactivity of the Bacillus subtilis succinate dehydrogenase complex with quinones

The succinate dehydrogenase isolated from Bacillus subtilis was found to catalyze the oxidation of succinate with hydrophilic quinones. Either naphthoquinones or benzoquinones served as acceptors. The enzyme activity increased with the redox potential of the quinone. The highest turnover number was commensurate with that of the bacterial succinate respiration in vivo. The succinate dehydrogenase was similarly active in fumarate reduction with quinols. The highest activity was obtained with the most electronegative quinol. The fumarate reductase isolated from Wolinella succinogenes catalyzed succinate oxidation with quinones and fumarate reduction with the corresponding quinols at activities similar to those of the B. subtilis enzyme. Succinate oxidation by the lipophilic quinones, ubiquinone or vitamin K-1, was monitored as cytochrome c reduction using proteoliposomes containing succinate dehydrogenase together with the cytochrome bc1 complex. The activity with ubiquinone or vitamin K-1 was commensurate with the succinate respiratory activity of bacteria or of the bacterial membrane fraction. The results suggest that menaquinone is involved in the succinate respiration of B. subtilis, although its redox potential is unfavorable.

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the structural genes encoding the formate dehydrogenase of Wolinella succinogenes

The formate dehydrogenase of Wolinella succinogenes is a membraneous molybdo-enzyme which is involved in phosphorylative electron transport. The gene (fdhA) encoding the largest subunit was isolated from a gene bank by immunological screening. The fdhA gene was located in an apparent transcriptional unit (fdhA,B,C,D) together with three more structural genes. The N-terminal sequences of three polypeptides present in the isolated enzyme were found to map within the fdhA, B and C structural genes. A polypeptide corresponding to fdhD was not detected in the enzyme preparation. This suggested that the functional formate dehydrogenase was made up of three or four different subunits. The genes fdhA and C encode larger preproteins which differ from the corresponding mature proteins by N-terminal signal peptides. The N-terminal half of the mature FdhA is homologous to the larger subunits of the formate dehydrogenases of E. coli (formate-hydrogenlyase linked) and Methanobacterium formicicum as well as to three bacterial reductases containing molybdenum. It harbours a conserved cysteine cluster and two more domains which may be involved in binding the molybdenum cofactor. FdhB may represent an iron-sulphur protein, twelve cysteine residues of which are arranged in two clusters which are typical of ligands of the iron-sulfur centers in ferredoxins. FdhC is a hydrophobic protein with four predicted transmembrane segments, which appears to be identical with the cytochrome b present in the isolated formate dehydrogenase. It may form the membrane anchor of the enzyme and react with the bacterial menaquinone.

Menaquinone is an obligatory component of the chain catalyzing succinate respiration in Bacillus subtilis

The question was investigated as to whether the bacterial menaquinone (MK) is a component of the electron transport chain catalyzing succinate respiration in Bacillus subtilis. Three different methods were applied, and the following consistent results were obtained. (i) Solvent extraction of MK from the bacterial membrane caused total inhibition of the respiratory activities with succinate and NADH, while the activity of succinate dehydrogenase remained unaffected. The respiratory activities were restored on incorporation of vitamin K1 into the membrane preparation. (ii) The membrane fraction of a B. subtilis mutant containing 15% of the wild-type amount of MK, respired succinate and NADH at reduced activities. Wild-type activities were restored on fusion of the preparation to liposomes containing vitamin K1. (iii) The membrane fraction of B. subtilis catalyzed succinate oxidation by various water-soluble naphtho- or benzoquinones at specific activities exceeding to that of succinate respiration. The results suggest that MK is involved in succinate respiration, although its redox potential is unfavorable.

The fumarate reductase operon of Wolinella succinogenes. Sequence and expression of the frdA and frdB genes

The genes of the fumarate reductase of Wolinella succinogenes are organized in an operon. The three structural genes in the order frdC, frdA, frdB, are preceded by a common promoter (Körtner et al. 1990) and followed by a terminator of transcription. The proteins encoded by the genes are identical with the subunits present in the isolated enzyme. FrdA and FrdB are hydrophilic proteins consisting of 656 and 238 amino acids, respectively. The 12 cysteine residues present in FrdB form 3 ferredoxin-like clusters, whereas the 12 cysteines of FrdA are not clustered. Expression of FrdA and FrdB in Escherichia coli from a plasmid containing a DNA fragment with both genes in full length, gave rise to the EPR signals of the bi- and trinuclear iron-sulfur centers of the enzyme. Only the binuclear center was seen on the expression of FrdB together with a C-terminal fragment of FrdA (130 amino acid residues). Neither of the two centers was detected on the expression of FrdA together with a N-terminal fragment of FrdB including cysteine cluster I. Sequence comparison of FrdA and FrdB with the corresponding subunits of the fumarate reductases of E. coli or Proteus vulgaris or to those of the succinate dehydrogenases of E. coli or Bacillus subtilis revealed strong homologies (28-36% identical amino acid residues). Part of the homologous peptide stretches could be assigned to domains that are involved in the binding of the substrate of the FAD prosthetic group of the enzyme.

The specific functions of menaquinone and demethylmenaquinone in anaerobic respiration with fumarate, dimethylsulfoxide, trimethylamine N-oxide and nitrate by Escherichia coli

The respiratory activities of E. coli with H2 as donor and with nitrate, fumarate, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) as acceptor were measured using the membrane fraction of quinone deficient strains. The specific activities of the membrane fraction lacking naphthoquinones with fumarate, DMSO or TMAO amounted to less than or equal to 2% of those measured with the membrane fraction of the wild-type strain. After incorporation of vitamin K1 [instead of menaquinone (MK)] into the membrane fraction deficient of naphthoquinones, the activities with fumarate or DMSO were 92% or 17%, respectively, of the activities which could be theoretically achieved. Incorporation of demethylmenaquinone (DMK) did not lead to a stimulation of the activities of the mutant. In contrast, the electron transport activity with TMAO was stimulated by the incorporation of either vitamin K1 or DMK. Nitrate respiration was fully active in membrane fractions lacking either naphthoquinones or Q, but was less than or equal to 3% of the wild-type activity, when all quinones were missing. Nitrate respiration was stimulated on the incorporation of either vitamin K1 or Q into the membrane fraction lacking quinones, while the incorporation of DMK was without effect. These results suggest that MK is specifically involved in the electron transport chains catalyzing the reduction of fumarate or DMSO, while either MK or DMK serve as mediators in TMAO reduction. Nitrate respiration requires either Q or MK.

Wolinella succinogenes fumarate reductase contains a dihaem cytochrome b

The fumarate reductase operon of Wolinella succinogenes is made up of three structural genes (frd-CAB). The frdC gene was located next to the promoter region and identified as the cytochrome b structural gene encoding 256 amino acid residues. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of seven fragments derived from the cytochrome b moiety of the enzyme all mapped within the frdC gene. This suggested that the enzyme contained only one species of cytochrome b. Re-evaluation of earlier measurements of subunit composition, haem B content and molecular weight led to the conclusion that the enzyme contained one molecule of cytochrome b with two haem B groups. The hydropathy plot of the amino acid sequence predicted five membrane-spanning hydrophobic segments, the first four of which contained a single histidine residue each. These residues could form the axial ligands to the two haem B groups. FrdC was found to be homologous with the cytochrome b (SdhC) of the Bacillus subtilis succinate dehydrogenase, but not with the hydrophobic subunits of the fumarate reductase or succinate dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli.

Correlation of the turnover number of the ATP synthase in liposomes with the proton flux and the proton potential across the membrane

The fluorescent indicator pyranine was used for recording the internal pH of liposomes. The proton permeability was deduced from the velocity of the internal pH increase which was caused by shifting the external pH from 7 to 9. From valinomycin titration of the proton permeability in the presence of internal and external KCl (0.1 M), the permeability coefficient of H+ (PH) was obtained as 10(-4) cm/s at 22 degrees C. The coefficient was twice this value with the ATP synthase isolated from Wolinella succinogenes present in the liposomal membrane (10 mg protein/g phospholipid). ADP and phosphate had no effect on the latter PH. The protonophore TTFB (5 mumol/g phospholipid) increased the PH by 3 orders of magnitude. The permeability coefficients of H+ and K+ were used for calculating the delta uH and the proton flux associated with the phosphorylation which was driven by gradients of H+ and K+. For the conditions of limiting permeability of K+, the following conclusions were drawn. (1) In the steady state of rapid ion flux, the electrical potential across the liposomal membrane as calculated according to the Goldman equation, is directed opposite to the corresponding Nernst potential which is calculated from the K+ gradient. (2) The maximum turnover numbers of phosphorylation require a delta uH of 200-220 mV across the liposomal membrane. These values of delta uH and the corresponding turnover numbers are close to those brought about by the bacterial electron transport and the coupled phosphorylation. (3) The velocity of phosphorylation is linearly related to the proton flux. The slope of the line can be explained on the basis of an H+/ATP ratio of approx. 3.

Phorphorylative electron transport chains lacking a cytochrome bc1 complex

Electron transport-coupled phosphorylation with fumarate as terminal acceptor in Wolinella succinogenes yields less than 1 ATP/2 electrons. The delta mu H generated by the electron transport is 0.18 V and the H+/electron ratio is 1. The electron transport chain is made up of two dehydrogenases (hydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase) that catalyze the reduction of menaquinone, and fumarate reductase which catalyzes the oxidation of menaquinol. C-type cytochromes are not involved. The phosphorylative electron transport with sulfur as terminal acceptor in W. succinogenes or Desulfuromonas acetoxidans does not involve known quinones. The ATP yields should be even smaller than those with fumarate. Succinate oxidation by sulfur, which is a catabolic reaction in D. acetoxidans, is accomplished by reversed electron transport.