Identification and Characterization of Thiamine Biosynthesis, Transport, and Regulation Elements Among Bacteroides Species
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IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THIAMINE BIOSYNTHESIS, TRANSPORT, AND REGULATION ELEMENTS AMONG BACTEROIDES SPECIES BY ZACHARY ANDREW COSTLIOW DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2018 Urbana, Illinois Doctoral Committee: Assistant Professor Patrick H. Degnan, Chair Associate Professor Carin K. Vanderpool, Co-Chair Professor Gary J. Olsen Professor James A. Imlay ABSTRACT Thiamine (vitamin B1) is an essential cofactor for all organisms. Humans primarily acquire thiamine through their diet and thiamine deficiencies have adverse neurological effects. However, the role gut microbes play in modulating thiamine availability is poorly understood. In addition, little is known about how thiamine, the Bacteroidetes ability to biosynthesize and transport thiamine, or the regulation of biosynthesis and transport impacts the stability of microbial gut communities and human health as a whole. To investigate the role thiamine plays in the gut we leveraged in silico analyses of gut microbial species to determine prominent strategies utilized to attain thiamine. In addition, we have identified the genetic content and operon structure of thiamine transport and biosynthesis across the prominent gut phylum, Bacteroidetes. Along with the bioinformatic methods, RNAseq revealed differential responses to exogenous thiamine by three abundant Bacteroides species. This is highlighted by the global down- regulation of thiamine and amino acid biosynthesis, central, and purine metabolism when thiamine was present in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. In contrast Bacteroides uniformis and vulgatus show a much more reserved transcriptomic response to exogenous thiamine. In order to build upon these data, we leveraged genetic mutants of thiamine biosynthesis and transport loci in B. thetaiotaomicron. These analyses determined both systems were critical for growth in thiamine-deficient medium. The defect in the double transport mutant suggests an uncharacterized feedback mechanism between thiamine transport and biosynthesis in B. thetaiotaomicron. Along with the phenotypic analysis of ii thiamine acquisition operons in B. thetaiotaomicron we investigated how these deletions impacted its fitness in thiamine deplete and replete conditions. Building on the phenotypic analysis in B. thetaiotaomicron we turned our attention to the conserved regulatory TPP riboswitches preceding thiamine biosynthesis and transport genes in B. thetaiotaomicron, B. uniformis, and B. vulgatus utilizing transcriptional and translational reporter assays. These assays have shown a clear regulatory hierarchy between thiamine biosynthesis and transport pathways. In addition, trends in TPP riboswitch distance from their predicted regulon points to the mechanism of regulation (transcriptional or translational) and warrants further investigation. Together, these data show that thiamine acquisition mechanisms and their regulation are critical to physiology and fitness among the Bacteroidetes. In addition future work may provide insight into modeling how other gut microbes respond to the shifting availability of thiamine in the gut and how to therapeutically alter the gut microbiota from a dysbiotic state to a non-disease state. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my advisors Dr. Patrick Degnan and Dr. Cari Vanderpool for instructing me in the matter microbial and providing the opportunity for me to work in their laboratories over the course of my Ph.D. at the University of Illinois in Urbana- Champaign. Patrick has been a driving force in developing my understanding of the gut microbiome and the development of my science communication skills and data presentation. I also owe Cari many thanks for fostering an interest in Microbiology and for encouraging me to pursue my doctorate, without her and the amazing community she has created in her laboratory I would not have made it this far. Both of my mentors have been crucial to my growth as a scientist and have encouraged me to pursue my dreams in the future. In addition to my advisors, I have to thank my committee members present and former, Dr. Gary Olsen, Dr. James Imlay, and Dr. Jeffrey Gardner, for the critical advice over the course of the year that helped shape my thesis over my time here at the University of Illinois. I am deeply thankful for all the members of the Degnan and Vanderpool laboratories for dealing with my daily shenanigans and being incredible people to talk about a wide variety of topics in the realms of life and science. In addition they provided a supportive and collaborative environment that enriched my time as a graduate student. Finally I would not have been able to attain my Ph.D. without the unconditional support and love of my parents, sister, extended family, and friends. They have all been incredible and have enriched the many years I have spent at the University of Illinois with joy, happiness, and many memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 Thiamine and the microbiome: a crossroads of human health and disease .............1 The role of thiamine .................................................................................................3 Thiamine acquisition and biosynthesis ....................................................................7 The microbiome .....................................................................................................14 Thiamine, the microbiome, and disease .................................................................15 Conclusion .............................................................................................................20 Figures....................................................................................................................21 References ..............................................................................................................26 CHAPTER 2: THIAMINE ACQUISITION STRATEGIES IMPACT METABOLISM AND COMPETITION IN THE GUT MICROBE BACTEROIDES THETAIOTAOMICRON .........................................................................39 Abstract ..................................................................................................................39 Importance .............................................................................................................40 Introduction ............................................................................................................40 Results ....................................................................................................................43 Discussion ..............................................................................................................56 Methods..................................................................................................................60 Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................67 Figures....................................................................................................................68 Tables .....................................................................................................................84 References ..............................................................................................................97 v CHAPTER 3: TRANSCRIPTIONAL AND TRANSLATIONAL ACTING TPP RIBOSWITCHES IDENTIFIED AMONG BACTEROIDES SPECIES .........................101 Abstract ................................................................................................................101 Importance ...........................................................................................................102 Introduction ..........................................................................................................103 Results ..................................................................................................................106 Discussion ............................................................................................................114 Methods................................................................................................................119 Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................123 Figures..................................................................................................................125 Tables ...................................................................................................................133 References ............................................................................................................138 CHAPTER 4: SUMMARY AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS ..........................................143 Summary ..............................................................................................................143 Future Directions .................................................................................................146 References ............................................................................................................152 vi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Thiamine and the microbiome: a crossroads of human health and disease: Before scientists had shifted their attention to the microbiome in