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Archives of Microbiology (v.167, #2-3)

Ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides: their function, structure, biogenesis, and mechanism of action by J. Nissen-Meyer; Ingolf F. Nes (pp. 67-77).

Ribosomally synthesized peptides with antimicrobial activity are produced by prokaryotes, plants, and a wide variety of animals, both vertebrates and invertebrates. These peptides represent an important defense against micro-organisms. Although the peptides differ greatly in primary structures, they are nearly all cationic and very often amphiphilic, which reflects the fact that many of these peptides kill their target cells by permeabilizing the cell membrane. Moreover, many of these peptides may roughly be placed into one of three groups: (1) those that have a high content of one (or two) amino acid(s), often proline, (2) those that contain intramolecular disulfide bonds, often stabilizing a predominantly β-sheet structure, and (3) those with amphiphilic regions if they assume an α-helical structure. Most known ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides have been identified and characterized during the past 15 years. As a result of these studies, insight has been gained into fundamental aspects of biology and biochemistry such as innate immunity, membrane-protein interactions, and protein modification and secretion. Moreover, it has become evident that these peptides may be developed into useful antimicrobial additives and drugs. This review presents a broad overview of the main types of ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides produced by eukaryotes and prokaryotes.

Keywords: Key words Antimicrobial peptides; Defensins; Cathelicidins; Magainins; Cecropins; Bacteriocins; Lantibiotics

Anaerobic citrate metabolism and its regulation in enterobacteria by M. Bott (pp. 78-88).

Several species of enterobacteria are able to utilize citrate as carbon and energy source. Under oxic conditions in the presence of a functional tricarboxylic acid cycle, growth on this compound solely depends on an appropriate transport system. During anaerobiosis, when 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase is repressed, some species such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhimurium, but not Escherichia coli, are capable of growth on citrate by a Na⁺-dependent pathway forming acetate, formate, and CO₂ as products. During the last decade, several novel features associated with this type of fermentation have been discovered in K. pneumoniae. The biotin protein oxaloacetate decarboxylase, one of the key enzymes of the pathway besides citrate lyase, is a Na⁺ pump. Recently it has been shown that the proton required for the decarboxylation of carboxybiotin is taken up from the side to which Na⁺ ions are pumped, and a membrane-embedded aspartate residue that is probably involved both in Na⁺ and in H⁺ transport was identified. The Na⁺ gradient established by oxaloacetate decarboxylase drives citrate uptake via CitS, a homodimeric carrier protein with a simultaneous-type reaction mechanism, and NADH formation by reversed electron transfer involving formate dehydrogenase, quinone, and a Na⁺-dependent NADH:quinone oxidoreductase. All enzymes specifically required for citrate fermentation are induced under anoxic conditions in the presence of citrate and Na⁺ ions. The corresponding genes form a cluster on the chromosome and are organized as two divergently transcribed operons. Their co-ordinate expression is dependent on a two-component system consisting of the sensor kinase CitA and the response regulator CitB. The citAB genes are part of the cluster and are positively autoregulated. In addition to CitA/CitB, the cAMP receptor protein (Crp) is involved in the regulation of the citrate fermentation enzymes, subjecting them to catabolite repression.

Keywords: Key words Catabolite repression; Citrate fermentation; Citrate transport; Enterobacteria; Gene regulation; Two-component system; Escherichia coli; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Providencia rettgeri; Salmonella; typhimurium

Composition of the carbohydrate granules of the cyanobacterium, Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142 by M. A. Schneegurt; Debra M. Sherman; L. A. Sherman (pp. 89-98).

Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142 is an aerobic, unicellular, diazotrophic cyanobacterium that temporally separates O₂-sensitive N₂ fixation from oxygenic photosynthesis. The energy and reducing power needed for N₂ fixation appears to be generated by an active respiratory apparatus that utilizes the contents of large interthylakoidal carbohydrate granules. We report here on the carbohydrate and protein composition of the granules of Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142. The carbohydrate component is a glucose homopolymer with branches every nine residues and is chemically identical to glycogen. Granule-associated protein fractions showed temporal changes in the number of proteins and their abundance during the metabolic oscillations observed under diazotrophic conditions. There also were temporal changes in the protein pattern of the granule-depleted supernatant fractions from diazotrophic cultures. None of the granule-associated proteins crossreacted with antisera directed against several glycogen-metabolizing enzymes or nitrogenase, although these proteins were tentatively identified in supernatant fractions. It is suggested that the granule-associated proteins are structural proteins required to maintain a complex granule architecture.

Keywords: Key words Nitrogen fixation; Glycogen; Circadian; rhythms; Cyanothece; Cyanobacteria

The effect of respiration on the phototactic behavior of the purple nonsulfur bacterium Rhodospirillum centenum by Simona Romagnoli; Alejandro Hochkoeppler; Lars Damgaard; D. Zannoni (pp. 99-105).

The effect of respiration on the positive phototactic movement of swarming agar colonies of the facultative phototroph Rhodospirillum centenum was studied. When the electron flow was blocked at the bc 1 complex level by myxothiazol, the oriented movement of the colonies was totally blocked. Conversely, inhibition of respiration via the cytochrome c oxidase stimulated the phototactic response. No phototaxis was observed in a photosynthesis deficient mutant (YB707) lacking bacteriochlorophylls. Analyses of the respiratory activities as monitored by a oxygen microelectrode in single agar colonies during light/dark transitions showed a close functional correlation between the photosynthetic and respiratory apparatuses. The respiratory chain of Rsp. centenum was formed by two oxidative pathways: one branch leading to a cytochrome c oxidase inhibited by low cyanide concentrations and a second pathway formed by an oxidase less-sensitive to cyanide that also catalyzes the light-driven respiration. These results were interpreted to indicate that (1) there is a cyclic electron transport, and (2) photoinduced cyclic electron flow is required for the phototactic response of Rsp. centenum. Furthermore, under oxic conditions in the light, reducing equivalents may switch from photosynthetic to respiratory components so as to reduce both the membrane potential and the rate of locomotion.

Keywords: Key words Electron transport inhibitors; Oxygen; microelectrode; Phototaxis; Purple non-sulfur bacteria; Respiratory chain; Rhodospirillum centenum

Anaerobic ammonia oxidation with nitrogen dioxide by Nitrosomonas eutropha by Ingo Schmidt; E. Bock (pp. 106-111).

Nitrosomonas eutropha, an obligately lithoautotrophic bacterium, was able to nitrify and denitrify simultaneously under anoxic conditions when gaseous nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) was supplemented to the atmosphere. In the presence of gaseous NO₂, ammonia was oxidized, nitrite and nitric oxide (NO) were formed, and hydroxylamine occurred as an intermediate. Between 40 and 60% of the produced nitrite was denitrified to dinitrogen (N₂). Nitrous oxide (N₂O) was shown to be an intermediate of denitrification. Under an N₂ atmosphere supplemented with 25 ppm NO₂ and 300 ppm CO₂, the amount of cell protein increased by 0.87 mg protein per mmol ammonia oxidized, and the cell number of N. eutropha increased by 5.8 × 10⁹ cells per mmol ammonia oxidized. In addition, the ATP and NADH content increased by 4.3 μmol ATP (g protein)^–1 and 6.3 μmol NADH (g protein)^–1 and was about the same in both anaerobically and aerobically grown cells. Without NO₂, the ATP content decreased by 0.7 μmol (g protein)^–1, and the NADH content decreased by 1.2 μmol (g protein)^–1. NO was shown to inhibit anaerobic ammonia oxidation.

Keywords: Key wordsNitrosomonas; Anaerobic ammonia; oxidation; Anaerobic cell growth; Nitrogen dioxide; Nitric oxide; Nitrous oxide; Dinitrogen

Uptake and use of the osmoprotective compounds trehalose, glucosylglycerol, and sucrose by the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 by S. Mikkat; U. Effmert; Martin Hagemann (pp. 112-118).

Accumulation of exogenously supplied osmoprotective compounds was analyzed in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, which synthesizes glucosylglycerol as the principal osmoprotective compound. Glucosylglycerol and trehalose were accumulated to high levels and protected cells of a mutant unable to synthesize glucosylglycerol against the deleterious effects of salt stress. In the wild-type, uptake of trehalose repressed the synthesis of glucosylglycerol and caused metabolic conversion of originally accumulated glucosylglycerol. Trehalose cannot be synthesized by Synechocystis and was not or only insignificantly metabolized. Sucrose, which can be synthesized in low quantities by Synechocystis, was also taken up, as indicated by its disappearance from the medium. Sucrose was not accumulated to high levels, probably due to a sucrose-degrading activity found in cells adapted to both low- and high-salt conditions. Despite its low intracellular concentration, sucrose showed a weak osmoprotective effect in salt-shocked cells of a mutant unable to synthesize glucosylglycerol.

Keywords: Key words Cyanobacterium; Synechocystis sp.; Osmoregulation; Salt adaptation; Trehalose; Glucosylglycerol; Sucrose; Sucrase

Pyranose 2-dehydrogenase, a novel sugar oxidoreductase from the basidiomycete fungus Agaricus bisporus by Jindřich Volc; Elena Kubátová; David A. Wood; Geoffrey Daniel (pp. 119-125).

A novel C-2-specific sugar oxidoreductase, tentatively designated as pyranose 2-dehydrogenase, was purified 68-fold to apparent homogeneity (16.4 U/mg protein) from the mycelia of Agaricus bisporus, which expressed maximum activity of the enzyme during idiophasic growth in liquid media. Using 1,4-benzoquinone as an electron acceptor, pyranose 2-dehydrogenase oxidized d-glucose to d-arabino-2-hexosulose (2-dehydroglucose, 2-ketoglucose), which was identified spectroscopically through its N,N-diphenylhydrazone. The enzyme is highly nonspecific. d-,l-Arabinose, d-ribose, d-xylose, d-galactose, and several oligosaccharides and glycopyranosides were all converted to the corresponding 2-aldoketoses (aldosuloses) as indicated by TLC. d-Glucono-1,5-lactone, d-arabino-2-hexosulose, and l-sorbose were also oxidized at significant rates. UV/VIS spectrum of the native enzyme (λ_max 274, 362, and 465 nm) was consistent with a flavin prosthetic group. In contrast to oligomeric intracellular pyranose 2-oxidase (EC 1.1.3.10), pyranose 2-dehydrogenase is a monomeric glycoprotein (pI 4.2) incapable of reducing O₂ to H₂O₂ (> 5 × 10⁴-fold lower rate using a standard pyranose oxidase assay); pyranose 2-dehydrogenase is actively secreted into the extracellular fluid (up to 0.5 U/ml culture filtrate). The dehydrogenase has a native molecular mass of ∼79 kDa as determined by gel filtration; its subunit molecular mass is ∼75 kDa as estimated by SDS-PAGE. Two pH optima of the enzyme were found, one alkaline at pH 9 (phosphate buffer) and the other acidic at pH 4 (acetate buffer). Ag⁺, Hg²⁺, Cu²⁺, and CN^– (10 mM) were inhibitory, while 50 mM acetate had an activating effect.

Keywords: Key words Pyranose 2-dehydrogenase; Pyranose; 2-oxidase; d-arabino-2-Hexosulose; 2-Dehydroglucose; 2-Ketoglucose; Aldoketoses; Agaricus bisporus; Lignocellulose; Biodegradation

Requirement of a large K+-uptake capacity and of extracytoplasmic protease activity for protamine resistance of Escherichia coli by Stefan Stumpe; E. P. Bakker (pp. 126-136).

The effect of protamine on growing cells of Escherichia coli K-12 strains containing different K⁺-uptake systems was investigated. Immediately after the addition of the toxic peptide, growth ceased and all strains lost most of their K⁺. In addition, these cells released a significant amount of their ATP into the medium, and the cytoplasmic volume of these cells decreased by 70%. Whereas cells without rapid K⁺-uptake systems did not recover, cells containing either the Trk systems or the overproduced Kup system slowly reversed the effects of protamine, and growth resumed after the cells had reached their original volume. Experiments with a set of strains carrying mutations in the K⁺-uptake gene trkA showed a reasonably satisfactory correlation between inhibition of net K⁺ uptake and the lag time for resumption of growth after addition of protamine. Cells carrying mutations in three extracytoplasmic proteases were hypersusceptible to protamine, suggesting that the toxic peptide is degraded by these proteases. Data on the effect of a second addition of protamine suggest that protamine degradation activity is inducible. These data are interpreted to mean that reaccumulation of K⁺ by protamine-treated cells triggers recovery of the cells, thereby allowing induction of extracytoplasmic proteases. These, in turn, degrade protamine, leading to complete recovery of the cells and resumption of growth. Cells that cannot take up K⁺ rapidly remain metabolically compromised to such an extent that extracytoplasmic protease activity is not induced, leading to a prolonged susceptibility of the cells to the toxic peptide.

Keywords: Key words Defensins; K+ release; K+-uptake system Kup; K+-uptake system Trk; Protamine; Protease DegP; Protease OmpT; Protease III; Toxic peptides; Transmembrane channel

The role of the cellulolytic high molecular mass (HMM) complex of the anaerobic fungus Piromyces sp. strain E2 in the hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose by R. Dijkerman; Huub J. M. Op den Camp; Chris Van der Drift; Godfried D. Vogels (pp. 137-142).

The anaerobic fungus Piromyces sp. strain E2 produces extracellular cellulolytic enzymes present both in a high molecular mass (HMM) complex or as individual proteins. Although the HMM complex was present in the culture fluid during all growth stages, the highest amounts of complex were obtained when cultures were harvested at the end of fungal growth. The complex obtained after gel-filtration chromatography on Sephacryl S-300 HR was found to be the major factor in hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose (sole product, up to 250 mM). The complex was very stable as demonstrated by identical hydrolysis patterns with fresh preparations or preparations stored at 4° C for 2 months. From inhibition experiments with gluconic acid lactone and glucose, it was concluded that the HMM complex must contain at least one glucohydrolase. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that a partially purified HMM complex was composed of at least ten polypeptides and contained numerous endoglucanases and one β-glucosidase.

Keywords: Key words Anaerobic fungus; Piromyces; Multiprotein complex; Hydrolysis; Crystalline cellulose; Cellulosome

The kil gene of the ColE1 plasmid of Escherichia coli controlled by a growth-phase-dependent promoter mediates the secretion of a heterologous periplasmic protein during the stationary phase by G. Miksch; E. Fiedler; P. Dobrowolski; K. Friehs (pp. 143-150).

Heterologous gene products produced by Escherichia coli cells can be exported into the culture medium by the action of the kil gene of the ColE1 plasmid, which encodes a bacterial release protein. The kil gene was fused with the stationary-phase promoter of the fic gene of E. coli, and a secretion cassette (Kil-Km cassette) containing the regulated kil gene, the Km-resistance gene, and multiple cloning sites for the integration of target genes was constructed. Using the gene for β-glucanase (bgl) as a target gene, it was shown that the protein produced was only secreted into the medium during the stationary phase. Quasi-lysis and lethality were not observed. The primary effect of the induction of the kil gene was the overproduction of β-glucanase. The total amount produced per milliliter of bacterial culture was almost threefold higher than that of the corresponding Kil^– control. The protein pattern of periplasm and culture medium was analyzed before and after induction of the kil gene expression, indicating that the release of periplasmic proteins is semiselective. This secretion system is the first to use a growth-phase-regulated promoter for the expression of the kil gene.

Keywords: Key words Protein secretion; kil Gene; β-Glucanase; Escherichia coli; Growth-phase-dependent promoter; Stationary phase

The alternative sigma factor σB in Staphylococcus aureus: regulation of the sigB operon in response to growth phase and heat shock by I. Kullik; P. Giachino (pp. 151-159).

In the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, many proteins involved in the infection process are preferentially produced during the stationary growth phase. Using a DNA probe corresponding to the Bacillus subtilis gene encoding the stationary-phase sigma factor SigB (σ^B), we identified a gene in S. aureus with similarity to B. subtilis sigB. The sigB region was mapped on the SmaI I fragment of the S. aureus chromosome and contains a total of six open reading frames (orf1-6). The deduced amino acid sequences of orf2, orf3, orf4, and orf5 show 64, 67, 71, and 77% similarity to the B. subtilis proteins RsbU, RsbV, RsbW, and SigB, respectively, with SigB representing the sigma factor and the Rsb proteins representing regulators of sigma B. Furthermore, the relative position of the corresponding genes is conserved in B. subtilis, which strongly suggests that we identified the sigB operon of S. aureus, encoding an alternative sigma factor in this organism. The proposed gene products of the two remaining open reading frames show 48–62% similarity to the PemK, ChpAK, and ChpBK growth inhibitors of Escherichia coli (ORF1) and 61% similarity to the ribosomal protein S1 of Haemophilus influenzae (ORF6). Northern blot analysis of the sigB region in S. aureus revealed that four different transcripts are expressed under different conditions of growth phase and stress. These results indicate a complex transcriptional regulation that differs between S. aureus and B. subtilis.

Keywords: Key wordsStaphylococcus aureus; Sigma factor; σB; Stress response; Stationary phase; Heat shock

Molecular cloning and analysis of the genes encoding the 4-hydroxyphenylacetate hydroxylase from Klebsiella pneumoniae by A. Gibello; Mónica Suárez; J. Luis Allende; Margarita Martín (pp. 160-166).

The Klebsiella pneumoniae genes encoding the hydroxylase involved in the meta-cleavage pathway of 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (4-HPA) were cloned, and the DNA fragment from the region essential for hydroxylase activity was sequenced. K. pneumoniae 4-HPA hydroxylase was composed of two proteins (HpaA and HpaH) with different molecular masses. HpaA seems to be a flavin-containing hydroxylase with a molecular mass of 58,781 Da. HpaH, with a molecular mass of 18,680 Da, seems to be a “helper” protein required for productive hydroxylation of the substrate. The hpa genes were expressed and the hydroxylase was active in Escherichia coli. Comparison of the enzyme with other monooxygenases indicates that K. pneumoniae 4-HPA hydroxylase is a member of a new family of hydroxylases.

Keywords: Key words Catabolism; Aromatic compounds; Hydroxylases; 4-Hydroxyphenylacetic acid; 4-Hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylase; Gene; expression; DNA sequence; Amino acid sequence

An elevation of the molar growth yield of Zymomonas mobilis during aerobic exponential growth by Pe¯teris Zikmanis; Ramona Krúče; Lilija Auzin¸a (pp. 167-171).

Elevated values of molar growth yield (Y_x/s = 14–26 g mol^–1) were obtained during exponential growth (μ > 0.4 h^–1) of Zymomonas mobilis ATCC 29191 by using reduced concentrations of glucose (6.25–100 mM) and increased oxygen supply (E _h > 300 mV) in the growth medium, as compared to the Y_x/s of anaerobic exponential growth (8–10 g mol^–1). Aerobically grown cells showed an increased maximum growth rate (μ_max), and a reduced specific glucose consumption rate (q_s), and specific ethanol formation rate (q_p), thus demonstrating a more pronounced energy-coupling growth under oxic conditions. These results can be neither explained by the concept of a solely operating Entner-Doudoroff pathway as an ATP source in aerobically growing cultures of Z. mobilis nor considered to be consistent with existing data on the lack of the Pasteur effect in this bacterium. Therefore, the results rather give evidence for the essential contribution of aerobic ATP generation under the reported conditions.

Keywords: Key wordsZymomonas mobilis; Biomass yield; Aerobic growth; Anaerobic growth; Ethanol formation; Pasteur effect

Location, catalytic activity, and subunit composition of NAD-reducing hydrogenases of some Alcaligenes strains and Rhodococcus opacus MR22 by C. Grzeszik; K. Roß; K. Schneider; M. Reh; H. G. Schlegel (pp. 172-176).

Six new strains of Alcaligenes enriched for and isolated as nickel-resistant bacteria resemble Alcaligenes eutrophus H16 and contain both an NAD-reducing, tetrameric soluble hydrogenase and a membrane-bound hydrogenase. None of the soluble hydrogenases share with the Rhodococcus opacus MR11 enzyme tetramer the property of being cleaved easily into two dimeric moieties [a hydrogenase (βδ) and an NADH:acceptor oxidoreductase (αγ)], in the absence of nickel or at low ionic strength. The soluble hydrogenase of the newly isolated strain MR22 of R. opacus equalled that of strain MR11. The absence of a membrane-bound hydrogenase in Alcaligenes denitrificans strain 4a-2 and in Alcaligenes ruhlandii was confirmed.

Keywords: Key words Soluble NAD-reducing hydrogenase; Membrane-bound hydrogenase; Diaphorase; Rhodococcus opacus 1b; Alcaligenes eutrophus H16

Assimilation of sulfur from alkyl- and arylsulfonates by Clostridium spp. by Karin Denger; A. M. Cook (pp. 177-181).

Organisms able to utilize one of several alkyl- and arylsulfonates as sole source of sulfur under anoxic conditions were enriched. Three fermenting bacteria, all putative Clostridium spp., were isolated in pure culture. All three organisms had wide substrate ranges for alkylsulfonates, taurine and arylsulfonates, presumably due to three different enzyme systems. One organism, strain KNNDS (DSM 10612) was selected for further characterization. The organism was possibly a new Clostridium sp., with Clostidium intestinalis as its nearest neighbor (97.6% similarity of rDNA). Strain KNNDS catalyzed complete sulfonate utilization concomitant with growth. Growth yields of approximtely 3 kg protein/mol sulfur were observed, independent of the sulfur source [e.g. sulfate, sulfide, 4-(phenyl)butyl-1-sulfonate, 2,6-naphthyldisulfonate or 4-nitrocatechol sulfate]. We failed to detect significant amounts of either an arylsulfonatase or an arylsulfatase, and we hypothesize different arylsulfatases [EC 3.1.6.1] in aerobes and in Clostridium spp.

Keywords: Key words Clostridium sp.; Anaerobic desulfonation; Desulfonation; Assimilation of sulfonate sulfur

The requirement for exopolysaccharide precedes the requirement for flavolan-binding polysaccharide in nodulation of Leucaena leucocephala by Rhizobium loti by G. S. Hotter; D. Barry Scott (pp. 182-186).

Rhizobium loti strain PN4115 (NZP2213 str-1) ineffectively nodulates Leucaena leucocephala, i.e., strain PN4115 induces nodulation (Nod⁺) and is able to invade these nodules (Inv⁺), but fails to fix nitrogen (Fix^–). Strain PN4115 does not synthesize a flavolan-binding polysaccharide (FBP), which is synthesized by the fully effective (Nod⁺Inv⁺Fix⁺) R. loti strain PN184 (NZP2037 str-1). The FBP may offer protection from prodelphinidin-rich flavolans synthesized by Lc. leucocephala. In this work, we show that exopolysaccharide (EPS)-negative mutants derived from strain PN4115 have a more severe ineffective phenotype (Nod⁺Inv^–Fix^–) on Lc. leucocephala than strain PN4115. This suggests that EPS from strain PN4115 is functional during invasion of Lc. leucocephala and that the requirement for EPS precedes the requirement for FBP.

Keywords: Key words Exopolysaccharide; Invasion; Tannin; Indeterminate nodules; Lotus; Leucaena; Rhizobium

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Archives of Microbiology (v.167, #2-3)