Escherichia Coli K-12 in Response to Trimethylamine-N-Oxide
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Studying the adaptation of Escherichia coli K-12 in response to trimethylamine-N-oxide A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield Katie Jane Denby MBiolSci (Hons) University of Sheffield September 2016 I Abstract Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, metabolically versatile facultative anaerobe, which utilises either fermentation, anaerobic respiration or aerobic respiration for energy generation and growth. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is used by E. coli as an alternative terminal electron acceptor, being reduced to trimethylamine (TMA). Although the regulation and operation of the E. coli TMAO respiratory chain (TorCAD) are well characterised, there is no understanding of the dynamic adaptive processes that occur in E. coli during transition from fermentative to TMAO-respiratory growth. Here, glucose-limited chemostat cultures were used to study these adaptive processes. Analyses of the transcriptional and metabolic changes occurring when E. coli K-12 responds to TMAO revealed a number of unexpected components of the adaptive process. Firstly, it was found that growth on a sub-optimal concentration of TMAO resulted in mixed metabolism, with two distinct sub-populations of cells that either activate or do not activate the transcription of the torCAD operon in response to TMAO. DNA methylation was found to contribute to this regulation in response to low concentrations of TMAO. Secondly, it was found that E. coli possesses TMAO demethylase activity, as both the products of this activity, dimethylamine and formaldehyde and the induction of the frmRAB operon was detected when cells were grown in the presence of TMAO. Work was carried out to characterise the regulator protein, FrmR, of the frmRAB operon. Here, it is shown that the FrmR transcriptional repressor specifically reacts with formaldehyde, resulting in the formation of two inter-molecular methylene bridges between the N-terminal Pro2 and Cys35 residues of adjacent FrmR subunits, leading to alleviation of repression. It was also shown that growth yield was higher in the presence of TMAO under aerobic conditions eventhough TMAO reduction to TMA was not detected. Futhermore, the nitrate response regulator NarL does not directly regulate the torCAD operon. II Acknowledgements Firstly, I would like to thank Professor Jeff Green for all his advice, support and patience throughout the last four years. I would also like to thank Professor Robert Poole, whose advice was greatly valued. Thank you to everyone in F10 (both past and present), for their help and making the workplace a lovely place to be. Special thanks must of course go to Dr Matt Rolfe, for his endless patience whilst teaching me all he knows; a lot of the work done here would not have been possible without his help. Thanks also go to Sue Clark for her assistance with flow cytometry and Dr Christa Walther for her advice regarding fluorescence microscopy. I also have to thank our collaborators at Durham University, for their insights into working with FrmR. Thanks also to all of my friends in Sheffield, within MBB, who over the past eight years have made it a truly excellent place to both work and live. Many thanks go to my family. Mum and Dad, without the encouragement and support you have given me over the years, none of this would have been possible. Laura and Sam, thanks for being genuinely awesome siblings who always provide much laughter and fun. Thanks to you all for showing interest in my work and listening to my incessant science-related ramblings. You are truly the best family anyone could have, for that I am privileged. Lastly, and most importantly, is my husband Rich. You have seen more than anyone else, witnessed the tears; restored the lost documents; provided endless support and at times much needed perspective. Thank you for trying to learn and understand biological terms and principles, despite not having a background in science (being a muggle, as you say), in order to perhaps become able to understand my project. You have picked me up and encouraged me to carry on through the tough times and moments of self-doubt. It goes without saying that completing this thesis would not have been possible without you. III Publications and Presentations Publications Denby, K. J., Rolfe, M. D., Crick, E., Sanguinetti, G., Poole, R. K., and Green, J. (2015) Adaptation of anaerobic cultures of Escherichia coli K-12 in response to environmental trimethylamine-N-oxide. Environmental Microbiology, 17: 2477-2491. Denby, K. J., Iwig, J., Bisson, C., Westwood, J., Rolfe, M. D., Sedelnikova, S. E., Higgins, K., Maroney, M. J., Baker, P. J., Chivers, P. T., and Green, J. (2016). The mechanism of a formaldehyde-sensing transcriptional regulator. Scientific Reports. Submitted. Presentations Society of General Microbiology (SGM) Autumn Conference - University of Sussex (2-4th September 2013) Poster presented: Transcriptomic and biochemical changes in Escherichia coli during a shift from fermentation to Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) respiration Bacterial Electron Transfer Processes and Their Regulation Conference - Vimeiro, Portugal (15-18th March 2015) Poster presented: Adaptation of anaerobic cultures of Escherichia coli K-12 in response to environmental trimethylamine-N-oxide IV Table of contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... I Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. III Publications and Presentations ............................................................................................... IV List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... IX List of Tables .......................................................................................................................... XII 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. The metabolic modes of Escherichia coli ...................................................................... 1 1.2. The hierarchy of metabolism in E. coli and its regulation ............................................. 3 1.2.1. FNR ......................................................................................................................... 5 1.2.2. The ArcBA system .................................................................................................. 6 1.2.3. The Nar system ...................................................................................................... 9 1.3. Reprogramming of the metabolic mode of E. coli under stable (steady-state) and dynamic conditions (transitions) ....................................................................................... 10 1.3.1. Gene expression and transcription factor (TF) activities under steady-state conditions in response to oxygen availability ................................................................ 10 1.3.2. Gene expression and transcription factor (TF) activities during transitions between oxygen-replete and oxygen-deficient environments ..................................... 12 1.4. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) ............................................................................... 14 1.4.1. Bacterial TMAO respiration.................................................................................. 14 1.4.2. TMAO and its role in human disease ................................................................... 26 1.4.3. TMAO and fish spoilage ....................................................................................... 30 1.5. Mechanisms of transcriptional repression ................................................................. 31 1.6. Aims of this work ........................................................................................................ 32 2. Materials and Methods ...................................................................................................... 34 2.1. Strains and plasmids ................................................................................................... 34 2.2. Media .......................................................................................................................... 34 2.2.1. Rich media ............................................................................................................ 34 2.2.2. Minimal media ..................................................................................................... 34 2.2.3. Media supplements ............................................................................................. 37 2.3. Culture techniques ...................................................................................................... 37 2.3.1. Chemostat culture of Escherichia coli MG1655 ................................................... 37 2.3.2. Aerobic batch culture of Escherichia coli MG1655 .............................................. 38 2.3.3. Anaerobic batch culture of Escherichia coli MG1655 .......................................... 38 2.4. Cell viability assays ...................................................................................................... 38 2.5. Formaldehyde-sensitivity of FrmR mutants in vivo ...................................................