A tripartite tricarboxylate transporter (MIM_c39170-MIM_c39210) of Advenella mimigardefordensis DPN7T is involved in citrate uptake

To date, tripartite tricarboxylate transport (TTT) systems are not well characterized in most organisms. To investigate which carbon sources are transported by the TTT system of A. mimigardefordensis DPN7T, single deletion mutants were generated lacking either completely both sets of genes encoding for these transport systems tctABCDE1 and tctABDE2 in the organism or the two genes encoding for the regulatory components of the third chosen TTT system, tctDE3. Deletion of tctABCDE1 (MIM_c39170-MIM_c39210) in Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T led to inhibition of growth of the cells with citrate indicating that TctABCDE1 is the transport system for the uptake of citrate. Because of the negative phenotype, it was concluded that this deletion cannot be substituted by other transporters encoded in the genome of strain DPN7T. A triple deletion mutant of A. mimigardefordensis lacking both complete TTT transport systems and the regulatory components of the third chosen system (ΔTctABCDE1 ΔTctABDE2 ΔTctDE3) showed a leaky growth with alpha-ketoglutarate in comparison with the wild type. The other investigated TTT (TctABDE3, MIM_c17190-MIM_c17220) is most probably involved in the transport of alpha-ketoglutarate. Additionally, thermoshift assays with TctC1 (MIM_c39190) showed a significant shift in the melting temperature of the protein in the presence of citrate whereas no shift occurred with alpha-ketoglutarate. A dissociation constant Kd for citrate of 41.7 μM was determined. Furthermore, alternative alpha-ketoglutarate transport was investigated via in silico analysis

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A tripartite tricarboxylate transporter (MIM_c39170-MIM_c39210) of Advenella mimigardefordensis DPN7T is involved in citrate uptake.

To date, tripartite tricarboxylate transport (TTT) systems are not well characterized in most organisms. To investigate which carbon sources are transported by the TTT system of A. mimigardefordensis DPN7T, single deletion mutants were generated lacking either completely both sets of genes encoding for these transport systems tctABCDE1 and tctABDE2 in the organism or the two genes encoding for the regulatory components of the third chosen TTT system, tctDE3. Deletion of tctABCDE1 (MIM_c39170-MIM_c39210) in Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T led to inhibition of growth of the cells with citrate indicating that TctABCDE1 is the transport system for the uptake of citrate. Because of the negative phenotype, it was concluded that this deletion cannot be substituted by other transporters encoded in the genome of strain DPN7T. A triple deletion mutant of A. mimigardefordensis lacking both complete TTT transport systems and the regulatory components of the third chosen system (ΔTctABCDE1 ΔTctABDE2 ΔTctDE3) showed a leaky growth with α-ketoglutarate in comparison with the wild type. The other investigated TTT (TctABDE3, MIM_c17190-MIM_c17220) is most probably involved in the transport of α-ketoglutarate. Additionally, thermoshift assays with TctC1 (MIM_c39190) showed a significant shift in the melting temperature of the protein in the presence of citrate whereas no shift occurred with α-ketoglutarate. A dissociation constant Kd for citrate of 41.7 µM was determined. Furthermore, alternative α-ketoglutarate transport was investigated via in silico analysis.

Sphingomonas jeddahensis sp. nov., isolated from Saudi Arabian desert soil.

A novel Sphingomonas strain was isolated from a sample of desert soil collected near Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. A polyphasic approach was performed to characterize this strain, initially designated as G39T. Cells of strain G39T are motile, Gram-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive. The strain is able to grow aerobically at 20-35 °C, pH 6.5-8 and tolerates up to 4 % (w/v) NaCl. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, the closest relative type strains of G39T are Sphingomonas mucosissima DSM 17494T (98.6 %), S. dokdonensis DSM 21029T (98.4 %) and S. hankookensis DSM 23329T (97.4 %). Furthermore, the average nucleotide identities between the draft genome sequence of strain G39T and the genome sequences of all other available and related Sphingomonas species are significantly below the threshold of 94 %. The G+C content of the draft genome (3.12 Mbp) is 65.84 %. The prevalent (>5 %) cellular fatty acids of G39T were C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c, C14 : 0 2-OH and C16 : 0. The only detectable respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10 and the polar lipids profile is composed of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingoglycolipid, as well as unidentified lipids, phospholipids and glycolipids. The results of the conducted polyphasic approach confirmed that this isolate represents a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, for which the name Sphingomonas jeddahensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this species is G39T (=DSM 103790T=LMG 29955T).

Draft Genome Sequences of Sphingomonas mucosissima DSM 17494 and Sphingomonas dokdonensis DSM 21029.

Sphingomonas mucosissima and Sphingomonas dokdonensis are Gram-negative chemoheterotrophic strictly aerobic rods or cocci. The genomes (3.453 Mb and 3.587 Mb, respectively) contain 3,279 and 3,329 predicted protein-encoding genes, respectively. The genome of S. dokdonensis harbors a 90-kb plasmid.

Carbohydrate uptake in Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T is mediated by periplasmic sugar oxidation and a TRAP-transport system.

In this study, we investigated an SBP (DctPAm ) of a tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transport system (TRAP) in Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T . Deletion of dctPAm as well as of the two transmembrane compounds of the tripartite transporter, dctQ and dctM, impaired growth of A. mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T , if cultivated on mineral salt medium supplemented with d-glucose, d-galactose, l-arabinose, d-fucose, d-xylose or d-gluconic acid, respectively. The wild type phenotype was restored during complementation studies of A. mimigardefordensis ΔdctPAm using the broad host vector pBBR1MCS-5::dctPAm . Furthermore, an uptake assay with radiolabeled [14 C(U)]-d-glucose clearly showed that the deletion of dctPAm , dctQ and dctM, respectively, disabled the uptake of this aldoses in cells of either mutant strain. Determination of KD performing thermal shift assays showed a shift in the melting temperature of DctPAm in the presence of d-gluconic acid (KD 11.76 ± 1.3 µM) and the corresponding aldonic acids to the above-mentioned carbohydrates d-galactonate (KD 10.72 ± 1.4 µM), d-fuconic acid (KD 13.50 ± 1.6 µM) and d-xylonic acid (KD 8.44 ± 1.0 µM). The sugar (glucose) dehydrogenase activity (E.C.1.1.5.2) in the membrane fraction was shown for all relevant sugars, proving oxidation of the molecules in the periplasm, prior to transport.

Proteomic analysis of organic sulfur compound utilisation in Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T.

2-Mercaptosuccinate (MS) and 3,3´-ditiodipropionate (DTDP) were discussed as precursor substance for production of polythioesters (PTE). Therefore, degradation of MS and DTDP was investigated in Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T, applying differential proteomic analysis, gene deletion and enzyme assays. Protein extracts of cells cultivated with MS, DTDP or 3-sulfinopropionic acid (SP) were compared with those cultivated with propionate (P) and/or succinate (S). The chaperone DnaK (ratio DTDP/P 9.2, 3SP/P 4.0, MS/S 6.1, DTDP/S 6.2) and a Do-like serine protease (DegP) were increased during utilization of all organic sulfur compounds. Furthermore, a putative bacterioferritin (locus tag MIM_c12960) showed high abundance (ratio DTDP/P 5.3, 3SP/P 3.2, MS/S 4.8, DTDP/S 3.9) and is probably involved in a thiol-specific stress response. The deletion of two genes encoding transcriptional regulators (LysR (MIM_c31370) and Xre (MIM_c31360)) in the close proximity of the relevant genes of DTDP catabolism (acdA, mdo and the genes encoding the enzymes of the methylcitric acid cycle; prpC,acnD, prpF and prpB) showed that these two regulators are essential for growth of A. mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T with DTDP and that they most probably regulate transcription of genes mandatory for this catabolic pathway. Furthermore, proteome analysis revealed a high abundance (ratio MS/S 10.9) of a hypothetical cupin-2-domain containing protein (MIM_c37420). This protein shows an amino acid sequence similarity of 60% to a newly identified MS dioxygenase from Variovorax paradoxus strain B4. Deletion of the gene and the adjacently located transcriptional regulator LysR, as well as heterologous expression of MIM_c37420, the putative mercaptosuccinate dioxygenase (Msdo) from A. mimigardefordensis, showed that this protein is the key enzyme of MS degradation in A. mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T (KM 0.2 mM, specific activity 17.1 µmol mg-1 min-1) and is controlled by LysR (MIM_c37410).

Genome and Proteome Analysis of Rhodococcus erythropolis MI2: Elucidation of the 4,4´-Dithiodibutyric Acid Catabolism.

Rhodococcus erythropolis MI2 has the extraordinary ability to utilize the xenobiotic 4,4´-dithiodibutyric acid (DTDB). Cleavage of DTDB by the disulfide-reductase Nox, which is the only verified enzyme involved in DTDB-degradation, raised 4-mercaptobutyric acid (4MB). 4MB could act as building block of a novel polythioester with unknown properties. To completely unravel the catabolism of DTDB, the genome of R. erythropolis MI2 was sequenced, and subsequently the proteome was analyzed. The draft genome sequence consists of approximately 7.2 Mbp with an overall G+C content of 62.25% and 6,859 predicted protein-encoding genes. The genome of strain MI2 is composed of three replicons: one chromosome and two megaplasmids with sizes of 6.45, 0.4 and 0.35 Mbp, respectively. When cells of strain MI2 were cultivated with DTDB as sole carbon source and compared to cells grown with succinate, several interesting proteins with significantly higher expression levels were identified using 2D-PAGE and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A putative luciferase-like monooxygenase-class F420-dependent oxidoreductase (RERY_05640), which is encoded by one of the 126 monooxygenase-encoding genes of the MI2-genome, showed a 3-fold increased expression level. This monooxygenase could oxidize the intermediate 4MB into 4-oxo-4-sulfanylbutyric acid. Next, a desulfurization step, which forms succinic acid and volatile hydrogen sulfide, is proposed. One gene coding for a putative desulfhydrase (RERY_06500) was identified in the genome of strain MI2. However, the gene product was not recognized in the proteome analyses. But, a significant expression level with a ratio of up to 7.3 was determined for a putative sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (RERY_02710), which could also be involved in the abstraction of the sulfur group. As response to the toxicity of the intermediates, several stress response proteins were strongly expressed, including a superoxide dismutase (RERY_05600) and an osmotically induced protein (RERY_02670). Accordingly, novel insights in the catabolic pathway of DTDB were gained.

Substrate and Cofactor Range Differences of Two Cysteine Dioxygenases from Ralstonia eutropha H16.

Cysteine dioxygenases (Cdos), which catalyze the sulfoxidation of cysteine to cysteine sulfinic acid (CSA), have been extensively studied in eukaryotes because of their roles in several diseases. In contrast, only a few prokaryotic enzymes of this type have been investigated. In Ralstonia eutropha H16, two Cdo homologues (CdoA and CdoB) have been identified previously. In vivo studies showed that Escherichia coli cells expressing CdoA could convert 3-mercaptopropionate (3MP) to 3-sulfinopropionate (3SP), whereas no 3SP could be detected in cells expressing CdoB. The objective of this study was to confirm these findings and to study both enzymes in detail by performing an in vitro characterization. The proteins were heterologously expressed and purified to apparent homogeneity by immobilized metal chelate affinity chromatography (IMAC). Subsequent analysis of the enzyme activities revealed striking differences with regard to their substrate ranges and their specificities for the transition metal cofactor, e.g., CdoA catalyzed the sulfoxidation of 3MP to a 3-fold-greater extent than the sulfoxidation of cysteine, whereas CdoB converted only cysteine. Moreover, the dependency of the activities of the Cdos from R. eutropha H16 on the metal cofactor in the active center could be demonstrated. The importance of CdoA for the metabolism of the sulfur compounds 3,3'-thiodipropionic acid (TDP) and 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid (DTDP) by further converting their degradation product, 3MP, was confirmed. Since 3MP can also function as a precursor for polythioester (PTE) synthesis in R. eutropha H16, deletion of cdoA might enable increased synthesis of PTEs.

Biodegradation of the organic disulfide 4,4'-dithiodibutyric acid by Rhodococcus spp.

Four Rhodococcus spp. exhibited the ability to use 4,4'-dithiodibutyric acid (DTDB) as a sole carbon source for growth. The most important step for the production of a novel polythioester (PTE) using DTDB as a precursor substrate is the initial cleavage of DTDB. Thus, identification of the enzyme responsible for this step was mandatory. Because Rhodococcus erythropolis strain MI2 serves as a model organism for elucidation of the biodegradation of DTDB, it was used to identify the genes encoding the enzymes involved in DTDB utilization. To identify these genes, transposon mutagenesis of R. erythropolis MI2 was carried out using transposon pTNR-TA. Among 3,261 mutants screened, 8 showed no growth with DTDB as the sole carbon source. In five mutants, the insertion locus was mapped either within a gene coding for a polysaccharide deacetyltransferase, a putative ATPase, or an acetyl coenzyme A transferase, 1 bp upstream of a gene coding for a putative methylase, or 176 bp downstream of a gene coding for a putative kinase. In another mutant, the insertion was localized between genes encoding a putative transcriptional regulator of the TetR family (noxR) and an NADH:flavin oxidoreductase (nox). Moreover, in two other mutants, the insertion loci were mapped within a gene encoding a hypothetical protein in the vicinity of noxR and nox. The interruption mutant generated, R. erythropolis MI2 noxΩtsr, was unable to grow with DTDB as the sole carbon source. Subsequently, nox was overexpressed and purified, and its activity with DTDB was measured. The specific enzyme activity of Nox amounted to 1.2 ± 0.15 U/mg. Therefore, we propose that Nox is responsible for the initial cleavage of DTDB into 2 molecules of 4-mercaptobutyric acid (4MB).

The genome of Variovorax paradoxus strain TBEA6 provides new understandings for the catabolism of 3,3'-thiodipropionic acid and hence the production of polythioesters.

The betaproteobacterium Variovorax paradoxus strain TBEA6 is capable of using 3,3'-thiodipropionic acid (TDP) as sole carbon and energy source for growth. This thioether is employed for several industrial applications. It can be applied as precursor for the biotechnical production of polythioesters (PTE), which represent persistent bioplastics. Consequently, the genome of V. paradoxus strain TBEA6 was sequenced. The draft genome sequence comprises approximately 7.2Mbp and 6852 predicted open reading frames. Furthermore, transposon mutagenesis to unravel the catabolism of TDP in strain TBEA6 was performed. Screening of 20,000 mutants mapped the insertions of Tn5::mob in 32 mutants, which all showed no growth with TDP as sole carbon source. Based on the annotated genome sequence together with transposon-induced mutagenesis, defined gene deletions, in silico analyses and comparative genomics, a comprehensive pathway for the catabolism of TDP is proposed: TDP is imported via the tripartite tricarboxcylate transport system and/or the TRAP-type dicarboxylate transport system. The initial cleavage of TDP into 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP) and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3MP), which serves as precursor substrate for PTE synthesis, is most probably performed by the FAD-dependent oxidoreductase Fox. 3HP is presumably catabolized via malonate semialdehyde, whereas 3MP is oxygenated by the 3MP-dioxygenase Mdo yielding 3-sulfinopropionic acid (3SP). Afterwards, 3SP is linked to coenzyme A. The next step is the abstraction of sulfite by a desulfinase, and the resulting propionyl-CoA enters the central metabolism. Sulfite is oxidized to sulfate by the sulfite-oxidizing enzyme SoeABC and is subsequently excreted by the cells by the sulfate exporter Pse.

Polythioester synthesis in Ralstonia eutropha H16: novel insights into 3,3'-thiodipropionic acid and 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid catabolism.

Ralstonia eutropha H16 is capable of utilizing 3,3'-thiodipropionic acid (TDP) and 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid (DTDP) as precursor substrates for biosynthesis of a polythioester (PTE) heteropolymer consisting of 3-hydroxybutyric acid (3HB) and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3MP). To elucidate the hitherto unknown catabolic pathways of TDP and DTDP in R. eutropha H16, 19 defined deletion mutants were generated based on extensive functional genome analyses. Deletions of two ABC-type transporter clusters (H16_A0357-0359, H16_A3658-3660) resulted in an alteration of poly(3HB-co-3MP) composition with TDP as precursor to only 10.2±1.9mol% 3MP in comparison to 15.1±5.5mol% in the wild type. A mutant strain of H16 lacking Bordetella uptake gene-like substrate binding proteins (H16_A2779, H16_A0337) incorporated only 7.4±3.8mol% 3MP into PTE heteropolymers with DTDP as precursor in comparison to 24.5±14.5mol% in the wild type. Therefore, both gene products are probably involved in transport processes of this compound into the cells. However, the most significant reduction in 3MP contents of the heteropolymers with DTDP as precursor occurred upon the deletion of a gene encoding the putative thiol-disulfide interchange protein DsbD (H16_A3455, 3.9±2.6mol% 3MP). DsbD is proposed to be involved in the reduction of DTDP into two molecules of 3MP, the common cleavage product of TDP and DTDP.

Unravelling the complete genome sequence of Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T and novel insights in the catabolism of the xenobiotic polythioester precursor 3,3'-dithiodipropionate.

Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7(T) is a remarkable betaproteobacterium because of its extraordinary ability to use the synthetic disulfide 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid (DTDP) as the sole carbon source and electron donor for aerobic growth. One application of DTDP is as a precursor substrate for biotechnically synthesized polythioesters (PTEs), which are interesting non-degradable biopolymers applicable for plastics materials. Metabolic engineering for optimization of PTE production requires an understanding of DTDP conversion. The genome of A. mimigardefordensis strain DPN7(T) was sequenced and annotated. The circular chromosome was found to be composed of 4,740,516 bp and 4112 predicted ORFs, whereas the circular plasmid consisted of 23,610 bp and 24 predicted ORFs. The genes participating in DTDP catabolism had been characterized in detail previously, but knowing the complete genome sequence and with support of Tn5: :mob-induced mutants, putatively involved transporter proteins and a transcriptional regulator were also identified. Most probably, DTDP is transported into the cell by a specific tripartite tricarboxylate transport system and is then cleaved by the disulfide reductase LpdA, sulfoxygenated by the 3-mercaptopropionate dioxygenase Mdo, activated by the CoA ligase SucCD and desulfinated by the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase-like desulfinase AcdA. Regulation of this pathway is presumably performed by a transcriptional regulator of the xenobiotic response element family. The excessive sulfate that is inevitably produced is secreted by the cells by a unique sulfate exporter of the CPA (cation : proton antiporter) superfamily.

New pathways for bacterial polythioesters.

Polythioesters (PTE) contain sulfur in the backbone and represent persistent biopolymers, which are produced by certain chemical procedures as well as biotechnological in vitro and in vivo techniques. Different building blocks can be incorporated, resulting in PTE with variable features that could become interesting for special purposes. Particularly, the option to produce PTE in large-scale and in accordance with the methods of white biotechnology or green chemistry is valuable due to economical potentials and public environmental consciousness. This review is focused on the synthesis of PTE by the three established bacterial production strains Ralstonia eutropha, Escherichia coli and Advenella mimigardefordensis. In addition, an overview of the in vitro production and degradation of PTE is depicted.

Identification of 3-sulfinopropionyl coenzyme A (CoA) desulfinases within the Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase superfamily.

In a previous study, the essential role of 3-sulfinopropionyl coenzyme A (3SP-CoA) desulfinase acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (Acd) in Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7(T) (AcdDPN7) during degradation of 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid (DTDP) was elucidated. DTDP is a sulfur-containing precursor substrate for biosynthesis of polythioesters (PTEs). AcdDPN7 showed high amino acid sequence similarity to acyl-CoA dehydrogenases but was unable to catalyze a dehydrogenation reaction. Hence, it was investigated in the present study whether 3SP-CoA desulfinase activity is an uncommon or a widespread property within the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase superfamily. Therefore, proteins of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase superfamily from Advenella kashmirensis WT001, Bacillus cereus DSM31, Cupriavidus necator N-1, Escherichia coli BL21, Pseudomonas putida KT2440, Burkholderia xenovorans LB400, Ralstonia eutropha H16, Variovorax paradoxus B4, Variovorax paradoxus S110, and Variovorax paradoxus TBEA6 were expressed in E. coli strains. All purified acyl-CoA dehydrogenases appeared as homotetramers, as revealed by size exclusion chromatography. AcdS110, AcdB4, AcdH16, and AcdKT2440 were able to dehydrogenate isobutyryl-CoA. AcdKT2440 additionally dehydrogenated butyryl-CoA and valeryl-CoA, whereas AcdDSM31 dehydrogenated only butyryl-CoA and valeryl-CoA. No dehydrogenation reactions were observed with propionyl-CoA, isovaleryl-CoA, succinyl-CoA, and glutaryl-CoA for any of the investigated acyl-CoA dehydrogenases. Only AcdTBEA6, AcdN-1, and AcdLB400 desulfinated 3SP-CoA and were thus identified as 3SP-CoA desulfinases within the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase family, although none of these three Acds dehydrogenated any of the tested acyl-CoA thioesters. No appropriate substrates were identified for AcdBL21 and AcdWT001. Spectrophotometric assays provided apparent Km and Vmax values for active substrates and indicated the applicability of phylogenetic analyses to predict the substrate range of uncharacterized acyl-CoA dehydrogenases. Furthermore, C. necator N-1 was found to utilize 3SP as the sole source of carbon and energy.

Genome-guided insights into the versatile metabolic capabilities of the mercaptosuccinate-utilizing ß-proteobacterium Variovorax paradoxus strain B4.

Variovorax paradoxus B4 is able to utilize 2-mercaptosuccinate (MS) as sole carbon, sulfur and energy source. The whole genome of V. paradoxus B4 was sequenced, annotated and evaluated with special focus on genomic elements related to MS metabolism. The genome encodes two chromosomes harbouring 5 795 261 and 1 353 255 bp. A total of 6753 putative protein-coding sequences were identified. Based on the genome and in combination with results from previous studies, a putative pathway for the degradation of MS could be postulated. The putative molybdopterin oxidoreductase identified during transposon mutagenesis probably catalyses the conversion of MS first into sulfinosuccinate and then into sulfosuccinate by successive transfer of oxygen atoms. Subsequently, the cleavage of sulfosuccinate yields oxaloacetate and sulfite, while the latter is oxidized to sulfate. The expression of the putative molybdopterin oxidoreductase was induced by MS, but not by gluconate, as confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Further, in silico studies combined with experiments and comparative genomics revealed high metabolic diversity of strain B4. It bears a high potential as plant growth-promoting bacterium and as candidate for degradation and detoxification of xenobiotics and other hardly degradable substances. Additionally, the strain is of special interest for production of polythioesters with sulfur-containing precursors as MS.

Novel characteristics of succinate coenzyme A (Succinate-CoA) ligases: conversion of malate to malyl-CoA and CoA-thioester formation of succinate analogues in vitro.

Three succinate coenzyme A (succinate-CoA) ligases (SucCD) from Escherichia coli, Advenella mimigardefordensis DPN7(T), and Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2 were characterized regarding their substrate specificity concerning succinate analogues. Previous studies had suggested that SucCD enzymes might be promiscuous toward succinate analogues, such as itaconate and 3-sulfinopropionate (3SP). The latter is an intermediate of the degradation pathway of 3,3'-dithiodipropionate (DTDP), a precursor for the biotechnical production of polythioesters (PTEs) in bacteria. The sucCD genes were expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3)/pLysS. The SucCD enzymes of E. coli and A. mimigardefordensis DPN7(T) were purified in the native state using stepwise purification protocols, while SucCD from A. borkumensis SK2 was equipped with a C-terminal hexahistidine tag at the SucD subunit. Besides the preference for the physiological substrates succinate, itaconate, ATP, and CoA, high enzyme activity was additionally determined for both enantiomeric forms of malate, amounting to 10 to 21% of the activity with succinate. Km values ranged from 2.5 to 3.6 mM for l-malate and from 3.6 to 4.2 mM for d-malate for the SucCD enzymes investigated in this study. As l-malate-CoA ligase is present in the serine cycle for assimilation of C1 compounds in methylotrophs, structural comparison of these two enzymes as members of the same subsubclass suggested a strong resemblance of SucCD to l-malate-CoA ligase and gave rise to the speculation that malate-CoA ligases and succinate-CoA ligases have the same evolutionary origin. Although enzyme activities were very low for the additional substrates investigated, liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analyses proved the ability of SucCD enzymes to form CoA-thioesters of adipate, glutarate, and fumarate. Since all SucCD enzymes were able to activate 3SP to 3SP-CoA, we consequently demonstrated that the activation of 3SP is not a unique characteristic of the SucCD from A. mimigardefordensis DPN7(T). The essential role of sucCD in the activation of 3SP in vivo was proved by genetic complementation.

Succinyl-CoA:3-sulfinopropionate CoA-transferase from Variovorax paradoxus strain TBEA6, a novel member of the class III coenzyme A (CoA)-transferase family.

The act gene of Variovorax paradoxus TBEA6 encodes a succinyl-CoA:3-sulfinopropionate coenzyme A (CoA)-transferase, Act(TBEA6) (2.8.3.x), which catalyzes the activation of 3-sulfinopropionate (3SP), an intermediate during 3,3'-thiodipropionate (TDP) degradation. In a previous study, accumulation of 3SP was observed in a Tn5::mob-induced mutant defective in growth on TDP. In contrast to the wild type and all other obtained mutants, this mutant showed no growth when 3SP was applied as the sole source of carbon and energy. The transposon Tn5::mob was inserted in a gene showing high homology to class III CoA-transferases. In the present study, analyses of the translation product clearly allocated Act(TBEA6) to this protein family. The predicted secondary structure indicates the lack of a C-terminal α-helix. Act(TBEA6) was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli Lemo21(DE3) and was then purified by Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) affinity chromatography. Analytical size exclusion chromatography revealed a homodimeric structure with a molecular mass of 96 ± 3 kDa. Enzyme assays identified succinyl-CoA, itaconyl-CoA, and glutaryl-CoA as potential CoA donors and unequivocally verified the conversion of 3SP to 3SP-CoA. Kinetic studies revealed an apparent V(max) of 44.6 µmol min(-1) mg(-1) for succinyl-CoA, which corresponds to a turnover number of 36.0 s(-1) per subunit of Act(TBEA6). For 3SP, the apparent V(max) was determined as 46.8 µmol min(-1) mg(-1), which corresponds to a turnover number of 37.7 s(-1) per subunit of Act(TBEA6). The apparent K(m) values were 0.08 mM for succinyl-CoA and 5.9 mM for 3SP. Nonetheless, the V. paradoxus Δact mutant did not reproduce the phenotype of the Tn5::mob-induced mutant. This defined deletion mutant was able to utilize TDP or 3SP as the sole carbon source, like the wild type. Complementation of the Tn5::mob-induced mutant with pBBR1MCS5::acdDPN7 partially restored growth on 3SP, which indicated a polar effect of the Tn5::mob transposon on acd(TBEA6), located downstream of act(TBEA6).

A novel 3-sulfinopropionyl coenzyme A (3SP-CoA) desulfinase from Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T acting as a key enzyme during catabolism of 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid is a member of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase superfamily.

3-Sulfinopropionyl coenzyme A (3SP-CoA) desulfinase (AcdDPN7) is a new desulfinase that catalyzes the sulfur abstraction from 3SP-CoA in the betaproteobacterium Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7(T). During investigation of a Tn5::mob-induced mutant defective in growth on 3,3'-dithiodipropionate (DTDP) and also 3-sulfinopropionate (3SP), the transposon insertion was mapped to an open reading frame with the highest homology to an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (Acd) from Burkholderia phenoliruptrix strain BR3459a (83% identical and 91% similar amino acids). An A. mimigardefordensis Δacd mutant was generated and verified the observed phenotype of the Tn5::mob-induced mutant. For enzymatic studies, AcdDPN7 was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)/pLysS by using pET23a::acdDPN7. The purified protein is yellow and contains a noncovalently bound flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor, as verified by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) analyses. Size-exclusion chromatography revealed a native molecular mass of about 173 kDa, indicating a homotetrameric structure (theoretically 179 kDa), which is in accordance with other members of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase superfamily. In vitro assays unequivocally demonstrated that the purified enzyme converted 3SP-CoA into propionyl-CoA and sulfite (SO3(2-)). Kinetic studies of AcdDPN7 revealed a Vmax of 4.19 µmol min(-1) mg(-1), an apparent Km of 0.013 mM, and a kcat/Km of 240.8 s(-1) mM(-1) for 3SP-CoA. However, AcdDPN7 is unable to perform a dehydrogenation, which is the usual reaction catalyzed by members of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase superfamily. Comparison to other known desulfinases showed a comparably high catalytic efficiency of AcdDPN7 and indicated a novel reaction mechanism. Hence, AcdDPN7 encodes a new desulfinase based on an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.8.x) scaffold. Concomitantly, we identified the gene product that is responsible for the final desulfination step during catabolism of 3,3'-dithiodipropionate (DTDP), a sulfur-containing precursor substrate for biosynthesis of polythioesters.

Metabolic characteristics of the species Variovorax paradoxus.

This review outlines information about the Gram-negative, aerobic bacterium Variovorax paradoxus. The genomes of these species have G+C contents of 66.5-69.4 mol%, and the cells form yellow colonies. Some strains of V. paradoxus are facultative lithoautotrophic, others are chemoorganotrophic. Many of them are associated with important catabolic processes including the degradation of toxic and/or complex chemical compounds. The degradation pathways or other skills related to the following compounds, respectively, are described in this review: sulfolane, 3-sulfolene, 2-mercaptosuccinic acid, 3,3'-thiodipropionic acid, aromatic sulfonates, alkanesulfonates, amino acids and other sulfur sources, polychlorinated biphenyls, dimethyl terephthalate, linuron, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, homovanillate, veratraldehyde, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, anthracene, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), chitin, cellulose, humic acids, metal-EDTA complexes, yttrium, rare earth elements, As(III), trichloroethylene, capsaicin, 3-nitrotyrosine, acyl-homoserine lactones, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate, methyl tert-butyl ether, geosmin, and 2-methylisoborneol. Strains of V. paradoxus are also engaged in mutually beneficial interactions with other plant and bacterial species in various ecosystems. This species comprises probably promising strains for bioremediation and other biotechnical applications. Lately, the complete genomes of strains S110 and EPS have been sequenced for further investigations.