Unveiling the role of novel carbohydrate-binding modules in laminarin interaction of multimodular proteins from marine Bacteroidota during phytoplankton blooms.

Laminarin, a ß(1,3)-glucan, serves as a storage polysaccharide in marine microalgae such as diatoms. Its abundance, water solubility and simple structure make it an appealing substrate for marine bacteria. Consequently, many marine bacteria have evolved strategies to scavenge and decompose laminarin, employing carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) as crucial components. In this study, we characterized two previously unassigned domains as laminarin-binding CBMs in multimodular proteins from the marine bacterium Christiangramia forsetii KT0803T, thereby introducing the new laminarin-binding CBM families CBM102 and CBM103. We identified four CBM102s in a surface glycan-binding protein (SGBP) and a single CBM103 linked to a glycoside hydrolase module from family 16 (GH16_3). Our analysis revealed that both modular proteins have an elongated shape, with GH16_3 exhibiting greater flexibility than SGBP. This flexibility may aid in the recognition and/or degradation of laminarin, while the constraints in SGBP could facilitate the docking of laminarin onto the bacterial surface. Exploration of bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from phytoplankton blooms in the North Sea showed that both laminarin-binding CBM families are widespread among marine Bacteroidota. The high protein abundance of CBM102- and CBM103-containing proteins during phytoplankton blooms further emphasizes their significance in marine laminarin utilization.

Specificity of a ß-porphyranase produced by the carrageenophyte red alga Chondrus crispus and implications of this unexpected activity on red algal biology.

The carrageenophyte red alga Chondrus crispus produces three family 16 glycoside hydrolases (CcGH16-1, CcGH16-2, and CcGH16-3). Phylogenetically, the red algal GH16 members are closely related to bacterial GH16 homologs from subfamilies 13 and 14, which have characterized marine bacterial ß-carrageenase and ß-porphyranase activities, respectively, yet the functions of these CcGH16 hydrolases have not been determined. Here, we first confirmed the gene locus of the ccgh16-3 gene in the alga to facilitate further investigation. Next, our biochemical characterization of CcGH16-3 revealed an unexpected ß-porphyranase activity, since porphyran is not a known component of the C. crispus extracellular matrix. Kinetic characterization was undertaken on natural porphyran substrate with an experimentally determined molecular weight. We found CcGH16-3 has a pH optimum between 7.5 and 8.0; however, it exhibits reasonably stable activity over a large pH range (pH 7.0-9.0). CcGH16-3 has a KM of 4.0 ± 0.8 µM, a kcat of 79.9 ± 6.9 s-1, and a kcat/KM of 20.1 ± 1.7 µM-1 s-1. We structurally examined fine enzymatic specificity by performing a subsite dissection. CcGH16-3 has a strict requirement for D-galactose and L-galactose-6-sulfate in its -1 and +1 subsites, respectively, whereas the outer subsites are less restrictive. CcGH16-3 is one of a handful of algal enzymes characterized with a specificity for a polysaccharide unknown to be found in their own extracellular matrix. This ß-porphyranase activity in a carrageenophyte red alga may provide defense against red algal pathogens or provide a competitive advantage in niche colonization.

Systematic comparison of eight methods for preparation of high purity sulfated fucans extracted from the brown alga Pelvetia canaliculata.

Sulfated fucans from brown algae are a heterogeneous group of biologically active molecules. To learn more on their structure and to analyze and exploit their biological activities, there is a growing need to develop reliable and cost effective protocols for their preparation. In the present study, a brown alga Pelvetia canaliculata (Linnaeus) was used as a rich source of sulfated fucans. Sulfated fucan preparation methods included neutral and acidic extractions followed by purification with activated charcoal (AC), polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), or cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). Final products were compared in terms of yield, purity, monosaccharide composition and molecular weight. Acidic extractions provided higher yields compared to neutral ones, whereas the AC purification provided sulfated fucan products with the highest purity. Mass spectrometry analyses were done on oligosaccharides produced by the fucanase MfFcnA from the marine bacterium Mariniflexille fucanivorans. This has provided unique insight into enzyme specificity and the structural characteristics of sulfated fucans.

In-depth structural characterization of oligosaccharides released by GH107 endofucanase MfFcnA reveals enzyme subsite specificity and sulfated fucan substructural features.

The extracellular matrix of brown algae represents an abundant source of fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharides (FCSPs). FCSPs include sulfated fucans, essentially composed of fucose, and highly heterogeneous fucoidans, comprising various monosaccharides. Despite a range of potentially valuable biological activities, the structures of FCSPs are only partially characterized and enzymatic tools leading to their deconstruction are rare. Previously, the enzyme MfFcnA was isolated from the marine bacterium Mariniflexile fucanivorans and biochemically characterized as an endo-α-1 â†’ 4-l-fucanase, the first member of glycoside hydrolase family 107. Here, MfFcnA was used as an enzymatic tool to deconstruct the structure of the sulfated fucans from Pelvetia canaliculata (Fucales brown alga). Oligofucans released by MfFcnA at different time points were characterized using mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry through Charge Transfer Dissociation. This approach highlights a large diversity in the structures released. In particular, the analyses show the presence of species with less than three sulfates per two fucose residues. They also reveal species with monosaccharides other than fucose and the occurrence of laterally branched residues. Precisely, the lateral branching is either in the form of a hexose accompanied by a trisulfated fucose nearby, or of a side chain of fucoses with a pentose as the branching point on the polymer. Overall, the results indicate that the structure of sulfated fucans from P. canaliculata is more complex than expected. They also reveal the interesting capacity of MfFcnA to accommodate different substrates, leading to structurally diverse oligofucan products that potentially could be screened for bioactivities.

Structure-function analysis of a new PL17 oligoalginate lyase from the marine bacterium Zobellia galactanivorans DsijT.

Alginate is a major compound of brown macroalgae and as such an important carbon and energy source for heterotrophic marine bacteria. Despite the rather simple composition of alginate only comprising mannuronate and guluronate units, these bacteria feature complex alginolytic systems that can contain up to seven alginate lyases. This reflects the necessity of large enzyme systems for the complete degradation of the abundant substrate. Numerous alginate lyases have been characterized. They belong to different polysaccharide lyase (PL) families, but only one crystal structure of a family 17 (PL17) alginate lyase has been reported to date, namely Alg17c from the gammaproteobacterium Saccharophagus degradans. Biochemical and structural characterizations are helpful to link sequence profiles to function, evolution of functions and niche-specific characteristics. Here, we combined detailed biochemical and crystallographic analysis of AlyA3, a PL17 alginate lyase from the marine flavobacteria Zobellia galactanivorans DsijT, providing the first structure of a PL17 in the Bacteroidetes phylum. AlyA3 is exo-lytic and highly specific of mannuronate stretches. As part of an "alginate utilizing locus", its activity is complementary to that of other characterized alginate lyases from the same bacterium. Structural comparison with Alg17c highlights a common mode of action for exo-lytic cleavage of the substrate, strengthening our understanding of the PL17 catalytic mechanism. We show that unlike Alg17c, AlyA3 contains an inserted flexible loop at the entrance to the catalytic groove, likely involved in substrate recognition, processivity and turn over.

A marine bacterial enzymatic cascade degrades the algal polysaccharide ulvan.

Marine seaweeds increasingly grow into extensive algal blooms, which are detrimental to coastal ecosystems, tourism and aquaculture. However, algal biomass is also emerging as a sustainable raw material for the bioeconomy. The potential exploitation of algae is hindered by our limited knowledge of the microbial pathways-and hence the distinct biochemical functions of the enzymes involved-that convert algal polysaccharides into oligo- and monosaccharides. Understanding these processes would be essential, however, for applications such as the fermentation of algal biomass into bioethanol or other value-added compounds. Here, we describe the metabolic pathway that enables the marine flavobacterium Formosa agariphila to degrade ulvan, the main cell wall polysaccharide of bloom-forming Ulva species. The pathway involves 12 biochemically characterized carbohydrate-active enzymes, including two polysaccharide lyases, three sulfatases and seven glycoside hydrolases that sequentially break down ulvan into fermentable monosaccharides. This way, the enzymes turn a previously unexploited renewable into a valuable and ecologically sustainable bioresource.

The agar-specific hydrolase ZgAgaC from the marine bacterium Zobellia galactanivorans defines a new GH16 protein subfamily.

Agars are sulfated galactans from red macroalgae and are composed of a d-galactose (G unit) and l-galactose (L unit) alternatively linked by α-1,3 and ß-1,4 glycosidic bonds. These polysaccharides display high complexity, with numerous modifications of their backbone (e.g. presence of a 3,6-anhydro-bridge (LA unit) and sulfations and methylation). Currently, bacterial polysaccharidases that hydrolyze agars (ß-agarases and ß-porphyranases) have been characterized on simple agarose and more rarely on porphyran, a polymer containing both agarobiose (G-LA) and porphyranobiose (GL6S) motifs. How bacteria can degrade complex agars remains therefore an open question. Here, we studied an enzyme from the marine bacterium Zobellia galactanivorans (ZgAgaC) that is distantly related to the glycoside hydrolase 16 (GH16) family ß-agarases and ß-porphyranases. Using a large red algae collection, we demonstrate that ZgAgaC hydrolyzes not only agarose but also complex agars from Ceramiales species. Using tandem MS analysis, we elucidated the structure of a purified hexasaccharide product, L6S-G-LA2Me-G(2Pentose)-LA2S-G, released by the activity of ZgAgaC on agar extracted from Osmundea pinnatifida By resolving the crystal structure of ZgAgaC at high resolution (1.3 Å) and comparison with the structures of ZgAgaB and ZgPorA in complex with their respective substrates, we determined that ZgAgaC recognizes agarose via a mechanism different from that of classical ß-agarases. Moreover, we identified conserved residues involved in the binding of complex oligoagars and demonstrate a probable influence of the acidic polysaccharide's pH microenvironment on hydrolase activity. Finally, a phylogenetic analysis supported the notion that ZgAgaC homologs define a new GH16 subfamily distinct from ß-porphyranases and classical ß-agarases.

Discovery and screening of novel metagenome-derived GH107 enzymes targeting sulfated fucans from brown algae.

Sulfated fucans, often denoted as fucoidans, are highly variable cell wall polysaccharides of brown algae, which possess a wide range of bioactive properties with potential pharmaceutical applications. Due to their complex architecture, the structures of algal fucans have until now only been partly determined. Enzymes capable of hydrolyzing sulfated fucans may allow specific release of defined bioactive oligosaccharides and may serve as a tool for structural elucidation of algal walls. Currently, such enzymes include only a few hydrolases belonging to the glycoside hydrolase family 107 (GH107), and little is known about their mechanistics and the substrates they degrade. In this study, we report the identification and recombinant production of three novel GH107 family proteins derived from a marine metagenome. Activity screening against a large substrate collection showed that all three enzymes degraded sulfated fucans from brown algae in the order Fucales. This is in accordance with a hydrolytic activity against α-1,4-fucosidic linkages in sulfated fucans as reported for previous GH107 members. Also, the activity screening gave new indications about the structural differences in brown algal cell walls. Finally, sequence analyses allowed identification of the proposed catalytic residues of the GH107 family. The findings presented here form a new basis for understanding the GH107 family of enzymes and investigating the complex sulfated fucans from brown algae. DATABASE: The assembled metagenome and raw sequence data is available at EMBL-EBI (Study number: PRJEB28480). Sequences of the GH107 fucanases (Fp273, Fp277, and Fp279) have been deposited in GenBank under accessions MH755451-MH755453.

Double blind microarray-based polysaccharide profiling enables parallel identification of uncharacterized polysaccharides and carbohydrate-binding proteins with unknown specificities.

Marine algae are one of the largest sources of carbon on the planet. The microbial degradation of algal polysaccharides to their constitutive sugars is a cornerstone in the global carbon cycle in oceans. Marine polysaccharides are highly complex and heterogeneous, and poorly understood. This is also true for marine microbial proteins that specifically degrade these substrates and when characterized, they are frequently ascribed to new protein families. Marine (meta)genomic datasets contain large numbers of genes with functions putatively assigned to carbohydrate processing, but for which empirical biochemical activity is lacking. There is a paucity of knowledge on both sides of this protein/carbohydrate relationship. Addressing this 'double blind' problem requires high throughput strategies that allow large scale screening of protein activities, and polysaccharide occurrence. Glycan microarrays, in particular the Comprehensive Microarray Polymer Profiling (CoMPP) method, are powerful in screening large collections of glycans and we described the integration of this technology to a medium throughput protein expression system focused on marine genes. This methodology (Double Blind CoMPP or DB-CoMPP) enables us to characterize novel polysaccharide-binding proteins and to relate their ligands to algal clades. This data further indicate the potential of the DB-CoMPP technique to accommodate samples of all biological sources.

Carrageenan catabolism is encoded by a complex regulon in marine heterotrophic bacteria.

Macroalgae contribute substantially to primary production in coastal ecosystems. Their biomass, mainly consisting of polysaccharides, is cycled into the environment by marine heterotrophic bacteria using largely uncharacterized mechanisms. Here we describe the complete catabolic pathway for carrageenans, major cell wall polysaccharides of red macroalgae, in the marine heterotrophic bacterium Zobellia galactanivorans. Carrageenan catabolism relies on a multifaceted carrageenan-induced regulon, including a non-canonical polysaccharide utilization locus (PUL) and genes distal to the PUL, including a susCD-like pair. The carrageenan utilization system is well conserved in marine Bacteroidetes but modified in other phyla of marine heterotrophic bacteria. The core system is completed by additional functions that might be assumed by non-orthologous genes in different species. This complex genetic structure may be the result of multiple evolutionary events including gene duplications and horizontal gene transfers. These results allow for an extension on the definition of bacterial PUL-mediated polysaccharide digestion.

Structural insights into marine carbohydrate degradation by family GH16 κ-carrageenases.

Carrageenans are sulfated α-1,3-ß-1,4-galactans found in the cell wall of some red algae that are practically valuable for their gelation and biomimetic properties but also serve as a potential carbon source for marine bacteria. Carbohydrate degradation has been studied extensively for terrestrial plant/bacterial systems, but sulfation is not present in these cases, meaning the marine enzymes used to degrade carrageenans must possess unique features to recognize these modifications. To gain insights into these features, we have focused on κ-carrageenases from two distant bacterial phyla, which belong to glycoside hydrolase family 16 and cleave the ß-1,4 linkage of κ-carrageenan. We have solved the crystal structure of the catalytic module of ZgCgkA from Zobellia galactanivorans at 1.66 Å resolution and compared it with the only other structure available, that of PcCgkA from Pseudoalteromonas carrageenovora 9T (ATCC 43555T). We also describe the first substrate complex in the inactivated mutant form of PcCgkA at 1.7 Å resolution. The structural and biochemical comparison of these enzymes suggests key determinants that underlie the functional properties of this subfamily. In particular, we identified several arginine residues that interact with the polyanionic substrate, and confirmed the functional relevance of these amino acids using a targeted mutagenesis strategy. These results give new insight into the diversity of the κ-carrageenase subfamily. The phylogenetic analyses show the presence of several distinct clades of enzymes that relate to differences in modes of action or subtle differences within the same substrate specificity, matching the hybrid character of the κ-carrageenan polymer.

The Complete Genome Sequence of the Fish Pathogen Tenacibaculum maritimum Provides Insights into Virulence Mechanisms.

Tenacibaculum maritimum is a devastating bacterial pathogen of wild and farmed marine fish with a broad host range and a worldwide distribution. We report here the complete genome sequence of the T. maritimum type strain NCIMB 2154T. The genome consists of a 3,435,971-base pair circular chromosome with 2,866 predicted protein-coding genes. Genes encoding the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides, the type IX secretion system, iron uptake systems, adhesins, hemolysins, proteases, and glycoside hydrolases were identified. They are likely involved in the virulence process including immune escape, invasion, colonization, destruction of host tissues, and nutrient scavenging. Among the predicted virulence factors, type IX secretion-mediated and cell-surface exposed proteins were identified including an atypical sialidase, a sphingomyelinase and a chondroitin AC lyase which activities were demonstrated in vitro.

Genetic analyses unravel the crucial role of a horizontally acquired alginate lyase for brown algal biomass degradation by Zobellia galactanivorans.

Comprehension of the degradation of macroalgal polysaccharides suffers from the lack of genetic tools for model marine bacteria, despite their importance for coastal ecosystem functions. We developed such tools for Zobellia galactanivorans, an algae-associated flavobacterium that digests many polysaccharides, including alginate. These tools were used to investigate the biological role of AlyA1, the only Z. galactanivorans alginate lyase known to be secreted in soluble form and to have a recognizable carbohydrate-binding domain. A deletion mutant, ΔalyA1, grew as well as the wild type on soluble alginate but was deficient in soluble secreted alginate lyase activity and in digestion of and growth on alginate gels and algal tissues. Thus, AlyA1 appears to be essential for optimal attack of alginate in intact cell walls. alyA1 appears to have been recently acquired via horizontal transfer from marine Actinobacteria, conferring an adaptive advantage that might benefit other algae-associated bacteria by exposing new substrate niches. The genetic tools described here function in diverse members of the phylum Bacteroidetes and should facilitate analyses of polysaccharide degradation systems and many other processes in these common but understudied bacteria.

Unraveling the multivalent binding of a marine family 6 carbohydrate-binding module with its native laminarin ligand.

UNLABELLED: Laminarin is an abundant brown algal storage polysaccharide. Marine microorganisms, such as Zobellia galactanivorans, produce laminarinases for its degradation, which are important for the processing of this organic matter in the ocean carbon cycle. These laminarinases are often modular, as is the case with ZgLamC which has an N-terminal GH16 module, a central family 6 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) and a C-terminal PorSS module. To date, no studies have characterized a true marine laminarin-binding CBM6 with its natural carbohydrate ligand. The crystal structure of ZgLamCCBM6 indicates that this CBM has two clefts for binding sugar (variable loop site, VLS; and concave face site, CFS). The ZgLamCCBM6 VLS binds in an exo-manner and the CFS interacts in an endo-manner with laminarin. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments on native and mutant ZgLamCCBM6 confirm that these binding sites have different modes of recognition for laminarin, in agreement with the 'regional model' postulated for CBM6-binding modules. Based on ITC data and structural data, we propose a model of ZgLamCCBM6 interacting with different chains of laminarin in a multivalent manner, forming a complex cross-linked protein-polysaccharide network. DATABASE: PDB code 5FUI.

Biochemical and structural investigation of two paralogous glycoside hydrolases from Zobellia galactanivorans: novel insights into the evolution, dimerization plasticity and catalytic mechanism of the GH117 family.

The family 117 glycoside hydrolase (GH117) enzymes have exo-α-1,3-(3,6-anhydro)-L-galactosidase activity, removing terminal nonreducing α-1,3-linked 3,6-anhydro-L-galactose residues from their red algal neoagarose substrate. These enzymes have previously been phylogenetically divided into clades, and only the clade A enzymes have been experimentally studied to date. The investigation of two GH117 enzymes, Zg3615 and Zg3597, produced by the marine bacterium Zobellia galactanivorans reveals structural, biochemical and further phylogenetic diversity between clades. A product complex with the unusual ß-3,6-anhydro-L-galactose residue sheds light on the inverting catalytic mechanism of the GH117 enzymes as well as the structure of this unique sugar produced by hydrolysis of the agarophyte red algal cell wall.

The solution structure of YbcJ from Escherichia coli reveals a recently discovered alphaL motif involved in RNA binding.

The structure of the recombinant Escherichia coli protein YbcJ, a representative of a conserved family of bacterial proteins (COG2501), was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance. The fold of YbcJ identified it as a member of the larger family of S4-like RNA binding domains. These domains bind to structured RNA, such as that found in tRNA, rRNA, and a pseudoknot of mRNA. The structure of YbcJ revealed a highly conserved patch of basic residues, comprising amino acids K26, K38, R55, K56, and K59, which likely participate in RNA binding.

Genetic analysis of the interface between Cdc42p and the CRIB domain of Ste20p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Mutagenesis was used to probe the interface between the small GTPase Cdc42p and the CRIB domain motif of Ste20p. Members of a cluster of hydrophobic residues of Cdc42p were changed to alanine and/or arginine. The interaction of the wild-type and mutant proteins was measured using the two-hybrid assay; many, but not all, changes reduced interaction between Cdc42p and the target CRIB domain. Mutations in conserved residues in the CRIB domain were also tested for their importance in the association with Cdc42p. Two conserved CRIB domain histidines were changed to aspartic acid. These mutants reduced mating, as well as responsiveness to pheromone-induced gene expression and cell cycle arrest, but did not reduce in vitro the kinase activity of Ste20p. GFP-tagged mutant proteins were unable to localize to sites of polarized growth. In addition, these point mutants were synthetically lethal with disruption of CLA4 and blocked the Ste20p-Cdc42p two-hybrid interaction. Compensatory mutations in Cdc42p that reestablished the two-hybrid association with the mutant Ste20p CRIB domain baits were identified. These mutations improved the pheromone responsiveness of cells containing the CRIB mutations, but did not rescue the lethality associated with the CRIB mutant CLA4 deletion interaction. These results suggest that the Ste20p-Cdc42p interaction plays a direct role in Ste20p kinase function and that this interaction is required for efficient activity of the pheromone response pathway.

The structure of the RlmB 23S rRNA methyltransferase reveals a new methyltransferase fold with a unique knot.

In Escherichia coli, RlmB catalyzes the methylation of guanosine 2251, a modification conserved in the peptidyltransferase domain of 23S rRNA. The crystal structure of this 2'O-methyltransferase has been determined at 2.5 A resolution. RlmB consists of an N-terminal domain connected by a flexible extended linker to a catalytic C-terminal domain and forms a dimer in solution. The C-terminal domain displays a divergent methyltransferase fold with a unique knotted region, and lacks the classic AdoMet binding site features. The N-terminal domain is similar to ribosomal proteins L7 and L30, suggesting a role in 23S rRNA recognition. The conserved residues in this novel family of 2'O-methyltransferases cluster in the knotted region, suggesting the location of the catalytic and AdoMet binding sites.

Structure of the 16S rRNA pseudouridine synthase RsuA bound to uracil and UMP.

In Escherichia coli, the pseudouridine synthase RsuA catalyzes formation of pseudouridine (psi) at position 516 in 16S rRNA during assembly of the 30S ribosomal subunit. We have determined the crystal structure of RsuA bound to uracil at 2.0 A resolution and to uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) at 2.65 A resolution. RsuA consists of an N-terminal domain connected by an extended linker to the central and C-terminal domains. Uracil and UMP bind in a cleft between the central and C-terminal domains near the catalytic residue Asp 102. The N-terminal domain shows structural similarity to the ribosomal protein S4. Despite only 15% amino acid identity, the other two domains are structurally similar to those of the tRNA-specific psi-synthase TruA, including the position of the catalytic Asp. Our results suggest that all four families of pseudouridine synthases share the same fold of their catalytic domain(s) and uracil-binding site.

Mechanism of action and NAD+-binding mode revealed by the crystal structure of L-histidinol dehydrogenase.

The histidine biosynthetic pathway is an ancient one found in bacteria, archaebacteria, fungi, and plants that converts 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate to l-histidine in 10 enzymatic reactions. This pathway provided a paradigm for the operon, transcriptional regulation of gene expression, and feedback inhibition of a pathway. l-histidinol dehydrogenase (HisD, EC ) catalyzes the last two steps in the biosynthesis of l-histidine: sequential NAD-dependent oxidations of l-histidinol to l-histidinaldehyde and then to l-histidine. HisD functions as a homodimer and requires the presence of one Zn(2+) cation per monomer. We have determined the three-dimensional structure of Escherichia coli HisD in the apo state as well as complexes with substrate, Zn(2+), and NAD(+) (best resolution is 1.7 A). Each monomer is made of four domains, whereas the intertwined dimer possibly results from domain swapping. Two domains display a very similar incomplete Rossmann fold that suggests an ancient event of gene duplication. Residues from both monomers form the active site. Zn(2+) plays a crucial role in substrate binding but is not directly involved in catalysis. The active site residue His-327 participates in acid-base catalysis, whereas Glu-326 activates a water molecule. NAD(+) binds weakly to one of the Rossmann fold domains in a manner different from that previously observed for other proteins having a Rossmann fold.