Identification of the biosynthetic gene cluster for 3-methylarginine, a toxin produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 22d/93.

The epiphyte Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 22d/93 (Pss22d) produces the rare amino acid 3-methylarginine (MeArg), which is highly active against the closely related soybean pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea. Since these pathogens compete for the same habitat, Pss22d is a promising candidate for biocontrol of P. syringae pv. glycinea. The MeArg biosynthesis gene cluster codes for the S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferase MrsA, the putative aminotransferase MrsB, and the amino acid exporter MrsC. Transfer of the whole gene cluster into Escherichia coli resulted in heterologous production of MeArg. The methyltransferase MrsA was overexpressed in E. coli as a His-tagged protein and functionally characterized (K(m), 7 mM; k(cat), 85 min(-1)). The highly selective methyltransferase MrsA transfers the methyl group from SAM into 5-guanidino-2-oxo-pentanoic acid to yield 5-guanidino-3-methyl-2-oxo-pentanoic acid, which then only needs to be transaminated to result in the antibiotic MeArg.

Gut bacteria may be involved in interactions between plants, herbivores and their predators: microbial biosynthesis of N-acylglutamine surfactants as elicitors of plant volatiles.

N-Acylamino acids are dominant and widespread constituents of insect oral secretions (regurgitants), serving the insect as biosurfactants in the digestive process. During feeding the conjugates may be introduced into damaged leaves and contribute there to the elicitation of plant defenses such as the induction of volatile biosynthesis. From gut segments of Spodoptera exigua, Mamestra brassicae and Agrotis segetum 23 bacterial strains were isolated, ten of which were able to synthesise typical lepidopteran N-acylamino acids from externally added precursors. Four strains, Providencia rettgeri, Ochrobactrum spec., Myroides odoratus and Acinetobacter sp. genospecies 11 were identified on the basis of their 16 S rDNA. The organisms displayed a very broad substrate tolerance, since fatty acids of different chain length and different degree of saturation were converted into N-acylamino acids. Moreover, most of the proteinogenic amino acids, but not glutamic and aspartic acid, were used as substrates. The dominant occurrence of fatty acids conjugated with glutamine may result from a preferred transport of glutamine from the hemolymph into the gut of the insects. The involvement of bacteria in the biosynthesis of compounds which play a pivotal role in the interaction of plants, herbivores and their predators adds a new trophic level to this complex network of interactions. Due to their short generation cycle and the ease of adaptation endosymbiontic bacteria may have an outstanding importance for the coevolution of plant-insect interactions.

Identification of Toxic 2,4-Decadienal in Oxidized, Low-Density Lipoprotein by Solid-Phase Microextraction.

The oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in vitro was studied by a combination of solid-phase microextraction and GC/MS. 2-trans,4-cis-2,4-Decadienal, which is strongly toxic in vitro, was detected as the early oxidation product. This compound is degraded further to hexanal and (by cyclization of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal) to 2-pentylfuran.

Oxidation of Linoleic Acid in Low-Density Lipoprotein: An Important Event in Atherogenesis.

Contrary to earlier views the main oxidation products of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are derived from linoleic acid and not arachidonic acid, as determined by GC/MS investigations of the in vitro oxidation of LDL samples. A similar product spectrum, in which epoxyhydroxyoctadecenoic acids such as 1 and 2 have been identified for the first time, is obtained from minimally oxidized (that is, aged) LDL. Since this is still recognized by the LDL receptor, it is concluded that toxic oxidation products are introduced in endothelial cells in vivo and cause damage there.