The opportunistic pathogen Stenotrophomonas maltophilia utilizes a type IV secretion system for interbacterial killing.

Bacterial type IV secretion systems (T4SS) are a highly diversified but evolutionarily related family of macromolecule transporters that can secrete proteins and DNA into the extracellular medium or into target cells. It was recently shown that a subtype of T4SS harboured by the plant pathogen Xanthomonas citri transfers toxins into target cells. Here, we show that a similar T4SS from the multi-drug-resistant opportunistic pathogen Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is proficient in killing competitor bacterial species. T4SS-dependent duelling between S. maltophilia and X. citri was observed by time-lapse fluorescence microscopy. A bioinformatic search of the S. maltophilia K279a genome for proteins containing a C-terminal domain conserved in X. citri T4SS effectors (XVIPCD) identified twelve putative effectors and their cognate immunity proteins. We selected a putative S. maltophilia effector with unknown function (Smlt3024) for further characterization and confirmed that it is indeed secreted in a T4SS-dependent manner. Expression of Smlt3024 in the periplasm of E. coli or its contact-dependent delivery via T4SS into E. coli by X. citri resulted in reduced growth rates, which could be counteracted by expression of its cognate inhibitor Smlt3025 in the target cell. Furthermore, expression of the VirD4 coupling protein of X. citri can restore the function of S. maltophilia ΔvirD4, demonstrating that effectors from one species can be recognized for transfer by T4SSs from another species. Interestingly, Smlt3024 is homologous to the N-terminal domain of large Ca2+-binding RTX proteins and the crystal structure of Smlt3025 revealed a topology similar to the iron-regulated protein FrpD from Neisseria meningitidis which has been shown to interact with the RTX protein FrpC. This work expands our current knowledge about the function of bacteria-killing T4SSs and increases the panel of effectors known to be involved in T4SS-mediated interbacterial competition, which possibly contribute to the establishment of S. maltophilia in clinical and environmental settings.

Introduction to Metals in Biology 2017: Iron transport, storage, and the ramifications.

In this tenth Thematic Series in Metals in Biology, six Minireviews deal with aspects of iron metabolism. A number of important proteins control iron homeostasis, including hepcidin and ferroportin, in various cells. Other aspects of iron dealt with here include biogenesis of iron-sulfur proteins and chaperones that deliver iron cofactors in cells. Additionally, an iron-regulated metastasis suppressor interacts with the epidermal growth factor receptor and mediates its downstream signaling activity.

Biogenesis and functions of mammalian iron-sulfur proteins in the regulation of iron homeostasis and pivotal metabolic pathways.

Fe-S cofactors are composed of iron and inorganic sulfur in various stoichiometries. A complex assembly pathway conducts their initial synthesis and subsequent binding to recipient proteins. In this minireview, we discuss how discovery of the role of the mammalian cytosolic aconitase, known as iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1), led to the characterization of the function of its Fe-S cluster in sensing and regulating cellular iron homeostasis. Moreover, we present an overview of recent studies that have provided insights into the mechanism of Fe-S cluster transfer to recipient Fe-S proteins.

Iron-regulatory proteins secure iron availability in cardiomyocytes to prevent heart failure.

Aims: Iron deficiency (ID) is associated with adverse outcomes in heart failure (HF) but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Intracellular iron availability is secured by two mRNA-binding iron-regulatory proteins (IRPs), IRP1 and IRP2. We generated mice with a cardiomyocyte-targeted deletion of Irp1 and Irp2 to explore the functional implications of ID in the heart independent of systemic ID and anaemia. Methods and results: Iron content in cardiomyocytes was reduced in Irp-targeted mice. The animals were not anaemic and did not show a phenotype under baseline conditions. Irp-targeted mice, however, were unable to increase left ventricular (LV) systolic function in response to an acute dobutamine challenge. After myocardial infarction, Irp-targeted mice developed more severe LV dysfunction with increased HF mortality. Mechanistically, the activity of the iron-sulphur cluster-containing complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain was reduced in left ventricles from Irp-targeted mice. As demonstrated by extracellular flux analysis in vitro, mitochondrial respiration was preserved at baseline but failed to increase in response to dobutamine in Irp-targeted cardiomyocytes. As shown by 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy in vivo, LV phosphocreatine/ATP ratio declined during dobutamine stress in Irp-targeted mice but remained stable in control mice. Intravenous injection of ferric carboxymaltose replenished cardiac iron stores, restored mitochondrial respiratory capacity and inotropic reserve, and attenuated adverse remodelling after myocardial infarction in Irp-targeted mice but not in control mice. As shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assays, IRP activity was significantly reduced in LV tissue samples from patients with advanced HF and reduced LV tissue iron content. Conclusions: ID in cardiomyocytes impairs mitochondrial respiration and adaptation to acute and chronic increases in workload. Iron supplementation restores cardiac energy reserve and function in iron-deficient hearts.

Mapping Key Residues of ISD11 Critical for NFS1-ISD11 Subcomplex Stability: IMPLICATIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MITOCHONDRIAL DISORDER, COXPD19.

Biogenesis of the iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster is an indispensable process in living cells. In mammalian mitochondria, the initial step of the Fe-S cluster assembly process is assisted by the NFS1-ISD11 complex, which delivers sulfur to scaffold protein ISCU during Fe-S cluster synthesis. Although ISD11 is an essential protein, its cellular role in Fe-S cluster biogenesis is still not defined. Our study maps the important ISD11 amino acid residues belonging to putative helix 1 (Phe-40), helix 3 (Leu-63, Arg-68, Gln-69, Ile-72, Tyr-76), and C-terminal segment (Leu-81, Glu-84) are critical for in vivo Fe-S cluster biogenesis. Importantly, mutation of these conserved ISD11 residues into alanine leads to its compromised interaction with NFS1, resulting in reduced stability and enhanced aggregation of NFS1 in the mitochondria. Due to altered interaction with ISD11 mutants, the levels of NFS1 and Isu1 were significantly depleted, which affects Fe-S cluster biosynthesis, leading to reduced electron transport chain complex (ETC) activity and mitochondrial respiration. In humans, a clinically relevant ISD11 mutation (R68L) has been associated in the development of a mitochondrial genetic disorder, COXPD19. Our findings highlight that the ISD11 R68A/R68L mutation display reduced affinity to form a stable subcomplex with NFS1, and thereby fails to prevent NFS1 aggregation resulting in impairment of the Fe-S cluster biogenesis. The prime affected machinery is the ETC complex, which showed compromised redox properties, causing diminished mitochondrial respiration. Furthermore, the R68L ISD11 mutant displayed accumulation of mitochondrial iron and reactive oxygen species, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, which correlates with the phenotype observed in COXPD19 patients.

Catecholamine stress hormones regulate cellular iron homeostasis by a posttranscriptional mechanism mediated by iron regulatory protein: implication in energy homeostasis.

Adequate availability of iron is important for cellular energy metabolism. Catecholamines such as epinephrine and norepinephrine promote energy expenditure to adapt to conditions that arose due to stress. To restore the energy balance, epinephrine/norepinephrine-exposed cells may face higher iron demand. So far, no direct role of epinephrine/norepinephrine in cellular iron homeostasis has been reported. Here we show that epinephrine/norepinephrine regulates iron homeostasis components such as transferrin receptor-1 and ferritin-H in hepatic and skeletal muscle cells by promoting the binding of iron regulatory proteins to iron-responsive elements present in the UTRs of transferrin receptor-1 and ferritin-H transcripts. Increased transferrin receptor-1, decreased ferritin-H, and increased iron-responsive element-iron regulatory protein interaction are also observed in liver and muscle tissues of epinephrine/norepinephrine-injected mice. We demonstrate the role of epinephrine/norepinephrine-induced generation of reactive oxygen species in converting cytosolic aconitase (ACO1) into iron regulatory protein-1 to bind iron-responsive elements present in UTRs of transferrin receptor-1 and ferritin-H. Our study further reveals that mitochondrial iron content and mitochondrial aconitase (ACO2) activity are elevated by epinephrine/norepinephrine that are blocked by the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine and iron regulatory protein-1 siRNA, suggesting involvement of reactive oxygen species and iron regulatory protein-1 in this mechanism. This study reveals epinephrine and norepinephrine as novel regulators of cellular iron homeostasis.

Iron regulatory proteins are essential for intestinal function and control key iron absorption molecules in the duodenum.

Iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) orchestrate the posttranscriptional regulation of critical iron metabolism proteins at the cellular level. Redundancy between IRP1 and IRP2 associated with embryonic lethality of doubly IRP-deficient mice has precluded the study of IRP function in vivo. Here we use Cre/Lox technology to generate viable organisms lacking IRP expression in a single tissue, the intestine. Mice lacking intestinal IRP expression develop intestinal malabsorption and dehydration postnatally and die within 4 weeks of birth. We demonstrate that IRPs control the expression of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) mRNA and protein, a limiting intestinal iron importer. IRPs are also shown to be critically important to secure physiological levels of the basolateral iron exporter ferroportin. IRPs are thus essential for intestinal function and organismal survival and coordinate the synthesis of key iron metabolism proteins in the duodenum.

Iron regulatory protein-1 and -2: transcriptome-wide definition of binding mRNAs and shaping of the cellular proteome by iron regulatory proteins.

Iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) 1 and 2 are RNA-binding proteins that control cellular iron metabolism by binding to conserved RNA motifs called iron-responsive elements (IREs). The currently known IRP-binding mRNAs encode proteins involved in iron uptake, storage, and release as well as heme synthesis. To systematically define the IRE/IRP regulatory network on a transcriptome-wide scale, IRP1/IRE and IRP2/IRE messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes were immunoselected, and the mRNA composition was determined using microarrays. We identify 35 novel mRNAs that bind both IRP1 and IRP2, and we also report for the first time cellular mRNAs with exclusive specificity for IRP1 or IRP2. To further explore cellular iron metabolism at a system-wide level, we undertook proteomic analysis by pulsed stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture in an iron-modulated mouse hepatic cell line and in bone marrow-derived macrophages from IRP1- and IRP2-deficient mice. This work investigates cellular iron metabolism in unprecedented depth and defines a wide network of mRNAs and proteins with iron-dependent regulation, IRP-dependent regulation, or both.

Iron-regulatory proteins limit hypoxia-inducible factor-2alpha expression in iron deficiency.

Hypoxia stimulates erythropoiesis, the major iron-utilization pathway. We report the discovery of a conserved, functional iron-responsive element (IRE) in the 5' untranslated region of the messenger RNA encoding endothelial PAS domain protein-1, EPAS1 (also called hypoxia-inducible factor-2alpha, HIF2alpha). Via this IRE, iron regulatory protein binding controls EPAS1 mRNA translation in response to cellular iron availability. Our results uncover a regulatory link that permits feedback control between iron availability and the expression of a key transcription factor promoting iron utilization. They also show that an IRE that is structurally distinct from, for example, the ferritin mRNA IRE and that has been missed by in silico approaches, can mediate mechanistically similar responses.

Regulation of cellular iron metabolism.

Iron is an essential but potentially hazardous biometal. Mammalian cells require sufficient amounts of iron to satisfy metabolic needs or to accomplish specialized functions. Iron is delivered to tissues by circulating transferrin, a transporter that captures iron released into the plasma mainly from intestinal enterocytes or reticuloendothelial macrophages. The binding of iron-laden transferrin to the cell-surface transferrin receptor 1 results in endocytosis and uptake of the metal cargo. Internalized iron is transported to mitochondria for the synthesis of haem or iron-sulfur clusters, which are integral parts of several metalloproteins, and excess iron is stored and detoxified in cytosolic ferritin. Iron metabolism is controlled at different levels and by diverse mechanisms. The present review summarizes basic concepts of iron transport, use and storage and focuses on the IRE (iron-responsive element)/IRP (iron-regulatory protein) system, a well known post-transcriptional regulatory circuit that not only maintains iron homoeostasis in various cell types, but also contributes to systemic iron balance.

Cancer cell iron metabolism and the development of potent iron chelators as anti-tumour agents.

Cancer contributes to 50% of deaths worldwide and new anti-tumour therapeutics with novel mechanisms of actions are essential to develop. Metabolic inhibitors represent an important class of anti-tumour agents and for many years, agents targeting the nutrient folate were developed for the treatment of cancer. This is because of the critical need of this factor for DNA synthesis. Similarly to folate, Fe is an essential cellular nutrient that is critical for DNA synthesis. However, in contrast to folate, there has been limited effort applied to specifically design and develop Fe chelators for the treatment of cancer. Recently, investigations have led to the generation of novel di-2-pyridylketone thiosemicarbazone (DpT) and 2-benzoylpyridine thiosemicarbazone (BpT) group of ligands that demonstrate marked and selective anti-tumour activity in vitro and also in vivo against a wide spectrum of tumours. Indeed, administration of these compounds to mice did not induce whole body Fe-depletion or disturbances in haematological or biochemical indices due to the very low doses required. The mechanism of action of these ligands includes alterations in expression of molecules involved in cell cycle control and metastasis suppression, as well as the generation of redox-active Fe complexes. This review examines the alterations in Fe metabolism in tumour cells and the systematic development of novel aroylhydrazone and thiosemicarbazone Fe chelators for cancer treatment.

[Recent progress in iron metabolism and iron-related anemia].

Iron is an essential metal not only in oxygen delivery, but also in cell proliferation and drug metabolism, while it is a very toxic metal producing reactive oxygen species(ROS). In order to avoid the toxicity and shortage of iron, the level of iron is strictly regulated in the body and cells. The central player regulating the amount of iron in the body is hepcidin. Hepcidin inhibits the release of iron from enterocytes and macrophages by accelerating the degradation of ferroportin, which is an exporter of iron. The amount of cellular iron is regulated by the IRE (iron responsive element) and IRP (iron regulatory protein) system. IRP1 and 2, whose activities depend on the concentration of cellular iron, bind to IRE, and regulate the translation of iron-related genes, which have IRE in 5' or 3'-UTR to balance iron uptake and utilization. Iron is utilized for the generation of heme and the iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster in mitochondoria. Mutations of genes involved in heme biosynthesis, iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster biogenesis, or Fe-S cluster transport cause an accumulation of iron in mitochondoria, leading to the onset of inherited sideroblastic anemia. The most common inherited sideroblastic anemia is X-linked sideroblastic anemia (XLSA) caused by mutations of the erythroid-specific delta-aminolevulinate synthase gene (ALAS2), which is the first enzyme involved in heme biosynthesis in erythroid cells. However, there are still significant numbers of cases with genetically undefined, inherited sideroblastic anemia. Molecular analysis of these cases will contribute to the understanding of mitochondrial iron metabolism.

Production of biologically active forms of recombinant hepcidin, the iron-regulatory hormone.

Hepcidin is a liver produced cysteine-rich peptide hormone that acts as the central regulator of body iron metabolism. Hepcidin is synthesized under the form of a precursor, prohepcidin, which is processed to produce the biologically active mature 25 amino acid peptide. This peptide is secreted and acts by controlling the concentration of the membrane iron exporter ferroportin on intestinal enterocytes and macrophages. Hepcidin binds to ferroportin, inducing its internalization and degradation, thus regulating the export of iron from cells to plasma. The aim of the present study was to develop a novel method to produce human and mouse recombinant hepcidins, and to compare their biological activity towards their natural receptor ferroportin. Hepcidins were expressed in Escherichia coli as thioredoxin fusion proteins. The corresponding peptides, purified after cleavage from thioredoxin, were properly folded and contained the expected four-disulfide bridges without the need of any renaturation or oxidation steps. Human and mouse hepcidins were found to be biologically active, promoting ferroportin degradation in macrophages. Importantly, biologically inactive aggregated forms of hepcidin were observed depending on purification and storage conditions, but such forms were unrelated to disulfide bridge formation.

Heart failure in patients with kidney disease and iron deficiency; the role of iron therapy. / Insuficiencia cardíaca en la enfermedad renal y déficit de hierro: importancia de la ferroterapia.

Chronic kidney disease and anaemia are common in heart failure (HF) and are associated with a worse prognosis in these patients. Iron deficiency is also common in patients with HF and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality, regardless of the presence or absence of anaemia. While the treatment of anaemia with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in patients with HF have failed to show a benefit in terms of morbidity and mortality, treatment with IV iron in patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction and iron deficiency is associated with clinical improvement. In a posthoc analysis of a clinical trial, iron therapy improved kidney function in patients with HF and iron deficiency. In fact, the European Society of Cardiology's recent clinical guidelines on HF suggest that in symptomatic patients with reduced ejection fraction and iron deficiency, treatment with IV ferric carboxymaltose should be considered to improve symptoms, the ability to exercise and quality of life. Iron plays a key role in oxygen storage (myoglobin) and in energy metabolism, and there are pathophysiological bases that explain the beneficial effect of IV iron therapy in patients with HF. All these aspects are reviewed in this article.

Iron regulatory protein-independent regulation of ferritin synthesis by nitrogen monoxide.

The discovery of iron-responsive elements (IREs), along with the identification of iron regulatory proteins (IRP1, IRP2), has provided a molecular basis for our current understanding of the remarkable post-transcriptional regulation of intracellular iron homeostasis. In iron-depleted conditions, IRPs bind to IREs present in the 5'-UTR of ferritin mRNA and the 3'-UTR of transferrin receptor (TfR) mRNA. Such binding blocks the translation of ferritin, the iron storage protein, and stabilizes TfR mRNA, whereas the opposite scenario develops when iron in the intracellular transit pool is plentiful. Nitrogen monoxide (commonly designated nitric oxide; NO), a gaseous molecule involved in numerous functions, is known to affect cellular iron metabolism via the IRP/IRE system. We previously demonstrated that the oxidized form of NO, NO(+), causes IRP2 degradation that is associated with an increase in ferritin synthesis [Kim, S & Ponka, P (2002) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA99, 12214-12219]. Here we report that sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an NO(+) donor, causes a dramatic and rapid increase in ferritin synthesis that initially occurs without changes in the RNA-binding activities of IRPs. Moreover, we demonstrate that the translational efficiency of ferritin mRNA is significantly higher in cells treated with SNP compared with those incubated with ferric ammonium citrate, an iron donor. Importantly, we also provide definitive evidence that the iron moiety of SNP is not responsible for such changes. These results indicate that SNP-mediated increase in ferritin synthesis is, in part, due to an IRP-independent and NO(+)-dependent post-transcriptional, regulatory mechanism.

Hepcidins in amphibians and fishes: Antimicrobial peptides or iron-regulatory hormones?

Hepcidin, originally identified as a 25 amino acid peptide antibiotic produced in the liver, is a key regulator of iron balance and recycling in humans and mice. Closely related hepcidin genes and peptides also have been identified in other mammals, amphibians, and a number of fish species. We hypothesize that hepcidin, the iron-regulatory hormone in humans, may have evolved from an antimicrobial peptide in fishes. In this review we will highlight the evidence that indicates hepcidin evolved from an antimicrobial peptide to an iron-regulatory hormone in vertebrate evolution. This evidence includes the discovery of hepcidin as an antimicrobial peptide and iron-regulatory hormone, structural comparison of mammalian hepcidins and nonmammalian hepcidins, and the cellular and molecular evidence indicating that, while some fish hepcidins may serve only as antimicrobial peptides, other fish and amphibian hepcidins may function as iron regulators.

Iron metabolism in insect disease vectors: mining the Anopheles gambiae translated protein database.

All animals require iron for survival. This requirement reflects the role of this mineral as a cofactor of numerous proteins. However, under physiological conditions, Fe(2+) oxidizes to Fe(3+) encouraging the formation of toxic free radicals. In mammals, the potential for oxidative damage from iron is minimized by binding iron to proteins. Mammalian iron metabolism is complex and numerous proteins are involved in iron absorption, transport, uptake and utilization. We have analyzed the Anopheles gambiae translated protein database for candidates that show identity to proteins involved in mammalian iron metabolism (Holt et al., 2002. The genome sequence of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Science 298, 129-149). Our results indicate that proteins involved in iron absorption and intracellular iron utilization are, for the most part, conserved in A. gambiae. In contrast, proteins involved in the pathways of iron export from the gut, transport in hemolymph and uptake at peripheral tissues in mosquitos differ from those for mammals.

Iron regulatory proteins as NO signal transducers.

The iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) are an example of different proteins regulating the same metabolic process, iron uptake and metabolism. IRP1 is an iron-sulfur cluster-containing protein that can be converted from a cytosolic aconitase to an RNA binding posttranscriptional regulator in response to nitric oxide (NO). IRP2 lacks aconitase activity and its expression is decreased by NO signaling. In macrophages, NO is produced in response to such inflammatory ligands as interferon-gamma, which is expressed in response to mitogenic and antigenic stimuli, and lipopolysaccharide, a marker of bacterial invasion. Until recently, research results predict that the cellular response to increased NO production should be a decrease in ferritin synthesis, due to IRP1 binding to ferritin mRNA, and an increase in transferrin receptor biosynthesis, due to IRP1 binding to the transferrin mRNA. Surprisingly, however, macrophages exhibit decreased transferrin receptor concentration in response to inflammatory ligands. Bouton and Drapier discuss the physiological role and the mechanisms that may underlie this contradictory response.

Ndfip1 attenuated 6-OHDA-induced iron accumulation via regulating the degradation of DMT1.

Elevated iron levels and increased expression of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been reported. Nedd4 family-interacting protein 1 (Ndfip1), an adaptor protein for the Nedd4 family of ubiquitin ligases, played an essential role in regulating DMT1 and iron homeostasis in human cortical neurons. In this study, we demonstrated that the expression of Ndfip1 decreased in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD rats and 6-OHDA-treated MES23.5 dopaminergic cells. Further study showed that the decrease of Ndfip1 occurred earlier than the increase of DMT1 with iron-responsive element (DMT1 + IRE) in 6-OHDA-treated MES23.5 cells, indicating that the decrease of Ndfip1 might be involved in the increase of DMT1 + IRE. In addition, we demonstrated that overexpression of Ndfip1 caused DMT1 + IRE downregulation, resulting in the decreased iron influx and iron-induced neurotoxicity. Although Ndfip1 knockdown led to decreased protein levels of DMT1 + IRE, partially aggravated iron-induced neurotoxicity. Further experiments showed that 6-OHDA-induced decrease in Ndfip1 levels might be related to proteasomal and lysosomal activations and oxidative stress caused by 6-OHDA. These data suggest that decreased Ndfip1 expression might contribute to the pathogenesis of 6-OHDA-induced iron accumulation and Ndfip1 could attenuate 6-OHDA-induced iron accumulation via regulating the degradation of DMT1.