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- Ectoine (9)
- Halomonas elongata (6)
- DNA (5)
- Osmoadaptation (4)
- Compatible solute (3)
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Organisationseinheit der BAM
The halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata accumulates K+, glutamate, and the compatible solute ectoine as osmoprotectants. By functional complementation of Escherichia coli mutants defective in K+ uptake, we cloned three genes that are required for K+ uptake in H. elongata. Two adjacent genes, named trkA (1,374 bp) and trkH (1,449 bp), were identified on an 8.5-kb DNA fragment, while a third gene, called trkI (1,479 bp), located at a different site in the H. elongata chromosome, was found on a second 8.5-kb fragment. The potential protein expressed by trkA is similar to the cytoplasmic NAD+/NADH binding protein TrkA from E. coli, which is required for the activity of the Trk K+ uptake system. The deduced amino acid sequences of trkH and trkI showed significant identity to the transmembrane protein of Trk transporters. K+ transport experiments with trkH and trkI mutants of H. elongata revealed that TrkI exhibits a Km value of 1.12 mM, while the TrkH system has a half-saturation constant of 3.36 mM. Strain KB12, relying on TrkH alone, accumulated K+ with a lower Vmax and required a higher K+ concentration for growth in highly saline medium than the wild type. Strain KB15, expressing only TrkI, showed the same phenotype and the same K+ transport kinetics as the wild type, proving that TrkI is the main K+ transport system in H. elongata. In the absence of both transporters TrkH and TrkI, K+ accumulation was not detectable. K+ transport was also abolished in a trkA deletion mutant, indicating that TrkI and TrkH depend on one type of TrkA protein. Reverse transcriptase PCR experiments and Northern hybridization analyses of the trkAH locus revealed cotranscription of trkAH as well as a monocistronic transcript with only trkA.
Bacteria and Archaea have developed two basic mechanisms to cope with osmotic stress, the salt-in-cytoplasm mechanism, and the organic-osmolyte mechanism. Organic osmolytes or so-called compatible solutes can be accumulated in molar concentration in the cytoplasm and allow for the adaptation of bacterial cells to varying salt concentrations. The biosynthetic pathways of compatible solutes and different compatible solute transport systems are described. A model for osmoregulatory compatible solute accumulation is introduced.
TeaABC from the moderate halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata belongs to the tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporters (TRAP-T), a family of secondary transporters functioning in conjunction with periplasmic substrate binding proteins. TeaABC facilitates the uptake of the compatible solutes ectoine and hydroxyectoine that are accumulated in the cytoplasm under hyperosmotic stress to protect the cell from dehydration. TeaABC is the only known TRAP-T activated by osmotic stress. Currently, our knowledge on the osmoregulated compatible solute transporter is limited to ABC transporters or conventional secondary transporters. Therefore, this study presents the first detailed analysis of the molecular mechanisms underlying substrate recognition of the substrate binding protein of an osmoregulated TRAP-T. In the present study we were able to demonstrate by isothermal titration calorimetry measurements that TeaA is a high-affinity ectoine binding protein (Kd = 0.19 μM) that also has a significant but somewhat lower affinity to hydroxyectoine (Kd = 3.8 μM). Furthermore, we present the structure of TeaA in complex with ectoine at a resolution of 1.55 Å and hydroxyectoine at a resolution of 1.80 Å. Analysis of the TeaA binding pocket and comparison of its structure to other compatible solute binding proteins from ABC transporters reveal common principles in compatible solute binding but also significant differences like the solvent-mediated specific binding of ectoine to TeaA.
The halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata takes up the compatible solute ectoine via the osmoregulated TRAP transporter TeaABC. A fourth orf (teaD) is located adjacent to the teaABC locus that encodes a putative universal stress protein (USP). By RT-PCR experiments we proved a cotranscription of teaD along with teaABC. Deletion of teaD resulted in an enhanced uptake for ectoine by the transporter TeaABC and hence a negative activity regulation of TeaABC by TeaD. A transcriptional regulation via DNA binding could be excluded. ATP binding to native TeaD was shown by HPLC, and the crystal structure of TeaD was solved in complex with ATP to a resolution of 1.9 Å by molecular replacement. TeaD forms a dimer–dimer complex with one ATP molecule bound to each monomer, which has a Rossmann-like α/β overall fold. Our results reveal an ATP-dependent oligomerization of TeaD, which might have a functional role in the regulatory mechanism of TeaD. USP-encoding orfs, which are located adjacent to genes encoding for TeaABC homologues, could be identified in several other organisms, and their physiological role in balancing the internal cellular ectoine pool is discussed.
The halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata takes up the compatible solute ectoine via the osmoregulated TRAP transporter TeaABC. A fourth orf (teaD) is located adjacent to the teaABC locus that encodes a putative universal stress protein (USP). By RT-PCR experiments we proved a cotranscription of teaD along with teaABC. Deletion of teaD resulted in an enhanced uptake for ectoine by the Transporter TeaABC and hence a negative activity regulation of TeaABC by TeaD. Atranscriptional regulation viaDNA binding could be excluded. ATP binding to native TeaD was shown by HPLC, and the Crystal structure of TeaD was solved in complex with ATP to a resolution of 1.9 A ° by molecular replacement. TeaD forms a dimer-dimer complex with one ATP molecule bound to each monomer, which has a Rossmann-like R/β overall fold. Our results reveal an ATP-dependent oligomerization of TeaD, which might have a functional role in the regulatory mechanism of TeaD. USP-encoding orfs, which are located adjacent to genes Encoding for TeaABC homologues, could be identified in several other organisms, and their physiological role in balancing the internal cellular ectoine pool is discussed.
Linear and hyperbranched polyglycerol derivatives as excellent bioinert glass coating materials
(2011)
The non-specific adsorption of proteins to surfaces in contact with biofluids constitutes a major problem in the biomedical and biotechnological field, due to the initiation of biofilm formation and the resulting improper function of devices. Therefore, non-fouling surfaces modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) are usually applied. In this study, we report the synthesis of triethoxysilane modified glycerol based polymers of linear and branched architecture for the preparation of covalently attached monolayers on glass. Evaluation of the biocompatibility of these surfaces was performed in comparison to bare non-coated glass, hydrophobic hexadecane modified glass, and mPEG modified glass as the controls. Protein adsorption of BSA and fibrinogen (1 mg · mL-1 in PBS) after 4 and 24 h immersion was reduced by more than 96 and 90%, respectively, compared to the adsorption on bare glass substrates. In addition, mouse NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells showed only marginal adhesion on the polyglycerol and mPEG coated slides after 3 and 7 d incubation in cell suspension, which demonstrates the long-term stability of the applied glass coatings. The non-adhesive properties of these coatings were further reflected in bacterial adhesion tests of Escherichia coli K12 and three clinically relevant Gram-positive and negative strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Aeromonas hydrophila), since linear polyglycerol (LPG(OH)), linear poly(methyl glycerol) (LPG(OMe)), and hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG) reduced the adhesion for all tested strains by more than 99% compared to bare glass. Therefore, polyglycerol derivatives present an excellent non-fouling surface coating as an alternative to PEG with feasibility for surface modification of various substrates.
Numerous membrane importers rely on accessory water-soluble proteins to capture their substrates. These substrate-binding proteins (SBP) have a strong affinity for their ligands; yet, substrate release onto the low-affinity membrane transporter must occur for uptake to proceed. It is generally accepted that release is facilitated by the association of SBP and transporter, upon which the SBP adopts a conformation similar to the unliganded state, whose affinity is sufficiently reduced. Despite the appeal of this mechanism, however, direct supporting evidence is lacking. Here, we use experimental and theoretical methods to demonstrate that an allosteric mechanism of enhanced substrate release is indeed plausible. First, we report the atomic-resolution structure of apo TeaA, the SBP of the Na+-coupled ectoine TRAP transporter TeaBC from Halomonas elongata DSM2581T, and compare it with the substrate-bound structure previously reported. Conformational free-energy landscape calculations based upon molecular dynamics simulations are then used to dissect the mechanism that couples ectoine binding to structural change in TeaA. These insights allow us to design a triple mutation that biases TeaA toward apo-like conformations without directly perturbing the binding cleft, thus mimicking the influence of the membrane transporter. Calorimetric measurements demonstrate that the ectoine affinity of the conformationally biased triple mutant is 100-fold weaker than that of the wild type. By contrast, a control mutant predicted to be conformationally unbiased displays wild-type affinity. This work thus demonstrates that substrate release from SBPs onto their membrane transporters can be facilitated by the latter through a mechanism of allosteric modulation of the former.
The halophilic γ-proteobacterium Halomonas elongata DSM 2581T thrives at high salinity by synthesizing and accumulating the compatible solute ectoine. Ectoine levels are highly regulated according to external salt levels but the overall picture of its metabolism and control is not well understood. Apart from its critical role in cell adaptation to halophilic environments, ectoine can be used as a stabilizer for enzymes and as a cell protectant in skin and health care applications and is thus produced annually on a scale of tons in an industrial process using H. elongata as producer strain. This paper presents the complete genome sequence of H. elongata (4 061 296 bp) and includes experiments and analysis identifying and characterizing the entire ectoine metabolism, including a newly discovered pathway for ectoine degradation and its cyclic connection to ectoine synthesis. The degradation of ectoine (doe) proceeds via hydrolysis of ectoine (DoeA) to Nα-acetyl-L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid, followed by deacetylation to diaminobutyric acid (DoeB). In H. elongata, diaminobutyric acid can either flow off to aspartate or re-enter the ectoine synthesis pathway, forming a cycle of ectoine synthesis and degradation. Genome comparison revealed that the ectoine degradation pathway exists predominantly in non-halophilic bacteria unable to synthesize ectoine. Based on the resulting genetic and biochemical data, a metabolic flux model of ectoine metabolism was derived that can be used to understand the way H. elongata survives under varying salt stresses and that provides a basis for a model-driven improvement of industrial ectoine production.
Numerous membrane importers rely on accessory water-soluble proteins to capture their substrates. These substrate-binding Proteins (SBP) have a strong affinity for their ligands; yet, Substrate release onto the low-affinity membrane transporter must occur for uptake to proceed. It is generally accepted that release is facilitated by the association of SBP and transporter, upon which the SBP adopts a conformation similar to the unliganded state, whose affinity is sufficiently reduced. Despite the appeal of this mechanism, however, direct supporting evidence is lacking. Here, we use experimental and theoretical methods to demonstrate that an allosteric mechanism of enhanced substrate release is indeed plausible.
First, we report the atomic-resolution structure of APO TeaA, the SBP of the Na!-coupled ectoine TRAP transporter TeaBC from Halomonas elongata DSM2581T, and compare it with the substrate-bound structure previously reported. Conformational freeenergy landscape calculations based upon molecular Dynamics simulations are then used to dissect the mechanism that couples ectoine binding to structural change in TeaA. These insights allow us to design a triple mutation that biases TeaA toward apo-like conformations without directly perturbing the binding cleft, thus mimicking the influence of the membrane transporter. Calorimetric measurements demonstrate that the ectoine affinity of the conformationally biased triple mutant is 100-fold weaker than that of the wild type. By contrast, a control mutant predicted to be conformationally unbiased displays wild-type affinity. This work thus demonstrates that substrate release from SBPs onto their Membrane transporters can be facilitated by the latter through a mechanism of allosteric modulation of the former.
Industrial production of the cell protectant ectoine: protection mechanisms, processes, and products
(2014)
Bacteria, Ärchaea and Eukatya can adapt to saline environments by accumulating compatible solutes in order to maintain an osmotic equilibrium. Compatible solutes are of diverse Chemical structure (sugars, polyols, amino acid derivatives) and are beneficial for bacterial cells not only as osmoregulatory solutes, but also as protectants of proteins by mitigating detrimental effects of ffeezing, drying and high temperatures. The aspartate derivative ectoine is a wide spread compatible solute in Bacteria and possesses additional protective properties compared with other compatible solutes, and stabilizes even vvhole cells against stresses such as UV radiation or cytotoxins. The protective properties of ectoine for proteins can be explained by its strong (kosmotropic) interaction with water and subsequent exclusion ffom Protein surface, the decrease of the solubility of the peptide backbone and the strengthening of intramolecular hydrogen bonds (secondary structures). The stabilizing and UV-protective properties of ectoine attracted industry, which saw the potential to market ectoine as a novel active component in health care products and cosmetics. In joint efforts of industry and research large-scale fermentation procedures have been developed with the halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata used as a producer strain. The two key technologies that allow for the annual production of ectoine on a scale of tons are the bacterial milking procedure and the development and application of ectoine-excreting mutants (“leaky” mutant). The details of these two procedures including the strain development and fermentation processes will be introduced and current and future applications of ectoine will be discussed.