Carbohydrate Hydrolysis and Transport in the Extreme Thermoacidophile Sulfolobus Solfataricus Sreedevi Lalithambika University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Faculty Publications in the Biological Sciences Papers in the Biological Sciences 2012 Carbohydrate Hydrolysis and Transport in the Extreme Thermoacidophile Sulfolobus solfataricus Sreedevi Lalithambika University of Nebraska-Lincoln Landon Peterson University of Nebraska-Lincoln Karl Dana University of Nebraska-Lincoln Paul H. Blum University of Nebraska - Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/bioscifacpub Part of the Biology Commons Lalithambika, Sreedevi; Peterson, Landon; Dana, Karl; and Blum, Paul H., "Carbohydrate Hydrolysis and Transport in the Extreme Thermoacidophile Sulfolobus solfataricus" (2012). Faculty Publications in the Biological Sciences. 515. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/bioscifacpub/515 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Papers in the Biological Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications in the Biological Sciences by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Carbohydrate Hydrolysis and Transport in the Extreme Thermoacidophile Sulfolobus solfataricus Sreedevi Lalithambika, Landon Peterson, Karl Dana, and Paul Blum Beadle Center for Genetics, University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA Extremely thermoacidophilic microbes, such as Sulfolobus solfataricus, are strict chemoheterotrophs despite their geologic niche. To clarify their ecophysiology, the overlapping roles of endoglucanases and carbohydrate transporters were examined during growth on soluble cellodextrins as the sole carbon and energy source. Strain-specific differences in genome structure implied a unique role for one of three endogenous endoglucanases. Plasmid-based endoglucanase expression promoted the consumption of oligosaccharides, in- cluding cellohexaose (G6) through cellonanaose (G9). Protein transporters required for cellodextrin uptake were identified through mutagenesis and complementation of an ABC transporter cassette, including a putative oligosaccharide binding protein. In addition, ablation of the binding protein compromised growth on glucose and alpha-linked oligosaccharides while inactivation of a previously described glucose transporter had no apparent impact. These data demonstrate that S. solfataricus employs a redundant mechanism for soluble cellodextrin catabolism having both substrate uptake and extracytoplasmic hydrolytic components. ulfolobus solfataricus is an extremely thermophilic and acido- ries, oligodipeptide transporters and carbohydrate uptake trans- Sphilic organism that thrives in hot acidic habitats, growing porters (2, 3). The oligodipeptide transporters possess a signal optimally between pH values of 3 and 4 at 70 to 90°C (7, 12). S. sequence followed by a catalytic domain, a serine/threonine solfataricus belongs to the archaeal domain and the phylum Cren- linker, and a hydrophobic domain, while sugar transporters con- archaeota (36). It is an obligate aerobe and chemoheterotroph that tain a type III signal sequence followed by a hydrophobic domain, grows on a variety of reduced carbon sources, including simple a serine/threonine linker, and a catalytic domain (2, 35). While sugars and more complex carbohydrates, such as starch (12, 17) these glucose transporter genes were expressed constitutively, and cellulose (38). Even though its native habitat excludes plants, those involved in arabinose uptake were inducible (24). Sso3053 nearby vegetation may be introduced by natural events. Resident (annotated as MalE) was previously reported as a maltose binding conditions are likely to promote chemical transformation of this protein due to the transcription of the gene in the presence of lignocellulosic material, providing carbon for growth. maltose, while Sso2669 (CbtA) bound cellobiose (13). Interest- Glycosyl hydrolase enzymes are classified into 128 families ingly, a recently described oligodipeptide transporter (16) also (GHF) and 14 clans. Those derived from extremophiles have provides a receptor for virus-host interaction (14). To obtain an gained considerable attention because of their inherent thermo- understanding of the potential overlap between sugar transporters stability and resistance to extremes of pH (5, 6, 10, 15, 19–23, 27, and oligosaccharide hydrolysis, in this study, a genetics-based ap- 31, 32). Three homologous open reading frames (ORFs) have proach was used to examine their impacts on cellodextrin utiliza- been identified in the genome of S. solfataricus strain P2 tion. (DSM1617) as putative extracellular cellulases (35). These genes encode endoglucanases belonging to GHF 12 and lack a cellulose MATERIALS AND METHODS binding domain (CBD). However, an N-terminal signal peptide Archaeal strains and construction. The strains used in this study are listed ranging from 21 to 24 amino acids is present that could guide in Table 1. The strains were grown in modified Allen’s medium in batch membrane targeting and/or secretion. The Sso2534 gene product, culture at 80°C and pH 3.0 with aeration, as described previously (4, 7). Five- identified in the growth medium of S. solfataricus strain MT4, milliliter cultures were cultivated in glass screw-cap test tubes placed in rotary exhibited optimal endoglucanase activity on carboxymethyl cellu- tube-drum agitators mounted in forced-air incubators with external DC mo- lose (CMC) at pH 5.8 and 65°C (23). A recombinant form of tors. A mixture of soluble cellodextrins prepared by dilute acid hydrolysis of Sigmacell (Sigma) was added to modified Allen’s medium at a concentration Sso1949, cloned from S. solfataricus strain P2 (DSM1617) and of 1:4 (vol/vol). Other sugars were added as indicated at 0.2% (wt/vol). For a expressed in Escherichia coli, had optimum activity at pH 1.8 and complex medium, tryptone was added at 0.2% (wt/vol). Growth was moni- 80°C. The enzyme utilized cellotetraose as the smallest substrate tored by absorption at 540 nm. The differences between biological replicates and generated cellobiose and cellotriose as the primary products, are shown in the figures as error bars. Spent culture medium was obtained by indicating it was an endoglucanase (19). Both endoglucanase and successive passages of specific cell lines with cell removal by sterile filtration. A xylanase activities were identified for the native form of Sso1354 solid medium was prepared as described previously (17). (9, 27). The enzyme was purified from S. solfataricus strain O␣ and hydrolyzed CMC, producing cellobiose and cellooligomers under optimal conditions of pH 3.5 and 90°C (27). Received 30 May 2012 Accepted 28 August 2012 The presence of these endoglucanases implies the existence of Published ahead of print 31 August 2012 oligosaccharide transporters that would enable substrate uptake Address correspondence to Paul Blum, [email protected]. and subsequent catabolism. Binding-protein-dependent ABC Copyright © 2012, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. transporters are a common transport system in S. solfataricus (2). doi:10.1128/AEM.01758-12 Sugar transporters in these organisms are assigned to two catego- November 2012 Volume 78 Number 22 Applied and Environmental Microbiology p. 7931–7938 aem.asm.org 7931 Lalithambika et al. TABLE 1 Strain list Genomic analysis of S. solfataricus strains. NCBI BLASTp was used Reference(s) to analyze the duplicated region centered around Sso1354 in S. solfataricus Strain Description or source strain P2 (DSM1617). The corresponding but deleted region in strain 98/2 PBL2000 S. solfataricus strain 98/2 (wild type) 30 (PBL2000) (30) was identified by PCR analysis with primers flanking the PBL2025 PBL2000; deletion of Sso3004 to Sso3050 33 deletion region, followed by sequencing and NCBI BLASTn analysis. DSM1617 S. solfataricus P2 (wild type) DSMZ Mixed-acid hydrolysis of cellulose. Generation of mixed soluble cel- PBL2028 PBL2000; deletion of Sso3017 to Sso3050; IS1::Sso3053 18, 33 lodextrins from hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose was as described PBL2091 PBL2025; deletion of Sso0615 to Sso0616 (pyrEF)by This work previously (39) with modifications. Sigmacell in 2-g amounts was gradu- markerless exchange ally added to 16 ml of ice-cold concentrated hydrochloric acid while stir- PBL2092 PBL2091; Sso1949::lacS, Sso2534::pyrEF by linear This work recombination ring. Then, 4 ml of ice-cold concentrated sulfuric acid was gradually PBL2074 PBL2025; Sso1949::lacS by linear recombination This work added, and the flask was capped with a rubber stopper and stirred gently PBL2105 PBL2025; deletion of Sso3052 to Sso3060 using This work for4hatroom temperature. The hydrolysate was then poured into 180 ml plasmid pBN1202 (pUC19; Sso3052::lacS::Sso3060) of Ϫ20°C acetone, chilled at Ϫ20°C for 2 h, and then filtered through a by consecutive single crossover Millipore AP40 glass fiber filter. The filter cake of cellodextrins was PBL2099 PBL2091/pBN1226 (pKlacS; Sso1354::C-His6) This work washed four times with 20 ml Ϫ20°C acetone. The filter cake was resus- PBL2106 PBL2025; deletion of Sso2833 to Sso2850 using This work plasmid pBN1204 (pUC19; Sso2833::lacS::Sso2850) pended with 60 ml of deionized water and stirred overnight in an open by linear recombination container to evaporate residual acetone. The next day, the pH for the PBL2113 PBL2028/pBN1239 (pKlacS; Sso3053) This work hydrolysate was adjusted to 3.0 using potassium hydroxide, and the mix- ture was centrifuged