Co-existence of type I fatty acid synthase and polyketide synthase metabolons in Aurantiochytrium SW1 and their implications for lipid biosynthesis.

The key enzymes of lipid biosynthesis in oleaginous filamentous fungi exist as metabolons. However, the existence of a similar organization in other groups of oleaginous microorganisms is still unknown. In this study, we confirmed the occurrence of two separate and distinct lipogenic metabolons in a thraustochytrid, Aurantiochytrium SW1. These involve the Type I Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS) pathway, consisting of six enzymes: fatty acid synthase, malic enzyme (ME), ATP: citrate lyase (ACL), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), malate dehydrogenase (MD) and pyruvate carboxylase (PC), and the Polyketide Synthase-like (PKS) pathway, consisting of PKS subunits a, b, c, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), ACL and ACC. This suggests that the NADPH requirement for the FAS pathway is primarily generated and channelled by ME whereas G6PDH and 6PGDH fulfil this role for the PKS pathway. Diminished biosynthesis of palmitic acid (16:0), docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3, DHA) and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5 n-6, DPA) correlated with the dissociation of their respective metabolons thereby suggesting that regulation of the pathways is achieved through the formation and dissociation of the metabolons.

First evidence for a multienzyme complex of lipid biosynthesis pathway enzymes in Cunninghamella bainieri.

Malic enzyme (ME) plays a vital role in determining the extent of lipid accumulation in oleaginous fungi being the major provider of NADPH for the activity of fatty acid synthase (FAS). We report here the first direct evidence of the existence of a lipogenic multienzyme complex (the lipid metabolon) involving ME, FAS, ATP: citrate lyase (ACL), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) in Cunninghamella bainieri 2A1. Cell-free extracts prepared from cells taken in both growth and lipid accumulation phases were prepared by protoplasting and subjected to Blue Native (BN)-PAGE coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A high molecular mass complex (approx. 3.2 MDa) consisting of the above enzymes was detected during lipid accumulation phase indicating positive evidence of multienzyme complex formation. The complex was not detected in cells during the balanced phase of growth or when lipid accumulation ceased, suggesting that it was transiently formed only during lipogenesis.

Improved γ-linolenic acid production in Mucor circinelloides by homologous overexpressing of delta-12 and delta-6 desaturases.

BACKGROUND: γ-Linolenic acid (GLA) is important because of its nutritional value and medicinal applications. Although the biosynthetic pathways of some plant and microbial GLA have been deciphered, current understanding of the correlation between desaturases and GLA synthesis in oleaginous fungi is incomplete. In previous work, we found that a large amount of oleic acid (OA) had not been converted to linoleic acid (LA) or GLA in Mucor circinelloides CBS 277.49, which may be due to inadequate activities of the delta-12 or delta-6 desaturases, and thus leading to the accumulation of OA and LA. Thus, it is necessary to explore the main contributing factor during the process of GLA biosynthesis in M. circinelloides. RESULTS: To enhance GLA production in M. circinelloides, homologous overexpression of delta-12 and two delta-6 desaturases (named delta-6-1 and delta-6-2, respectively) were analyzed. When delta-6 desaturase were overexpressed in M. circinelloides, up to 43% GLA was produced in the total fatty acids, and the yield of GLA reached 180 mg/l, which were, respectively, 38 and 33% higher than the control strain. CONCLUSION: These findings revealed that delta-6 desaturase (especially for delta-6-1 desaturase) plays an important role in GLA synthesis by M. circinelloides. The strain overexpressing delta-6-1 desaturase may have potential application in microbial GLA production.

Boosting fatty acid synthesis in Rhodococcus opacus PD630 by overexpression of autologous thioesterases.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the role of thioesterases in Rhodococcus opacus PD630 by endogenously overexpression in this bacteria for increased lipid production. RESULTS: Overexpression of four thioesterases from R. opacus PD630 in E. coli led to a 2- to 8-fold increase in C16:1 and C18:1 fatty acids while, when overexpressed in R. opacus PD630, only two recombinants had significant effect on the quantities and compositions of total fatty acid. The contents of total fatty acids (FAs) in two recombinants, pJTE2 (OPAG_00508 thioesterase) and pJTE4 (WP_012687673.1 thioesterase), were 400-460 mg/g (CDW) which is 1.5 times of wild-type strain PD630 (300-350 mg/g CDW), and 20-30 % (w/w) more than that of the control strain PDpJAM2 (330-370 mg/g CDW). The contents of 17:1 and 18:1 fatty acids increased by about 27 and 35 %, respectively, in pJTE2 and by 35 and 20 %, respectively, in pJTE4 compared with the control strain. CONCLUSIONS: The engineered strains showed improved production of lipid (as total fatty acids), and could also tailor the composition of the fatty acid profile when cultured in mineral salts medium using glucose as sole carbon source.

Proteomics analysis of high lipid-producing strain Mucor circinelloides WJ11: an explanation for the mechanism of lipid accumulation at the proteomic level.

BACKGROUND: The oleaginous fungus, Mucor circinelloides, is attracting considerable interest as it produces oil rich in γ-linolenic acid. Nitrogen (N) deficiency is a common strategy to trigger the lipid accumulation in oleaginous microorganisms. Although a simple pathway from N depletion in the medium to lipid accumulation has been elucidated at the enzymatic level, global changes at protein levels upon N depletion have not been investigated. In this study, we have systematically analyzed the changes at the levels of protein expression in M. circinelloides WJ11, a high lipid-producing strain (36 %, lipid/cell dry weight), during lipid accumulation. RESULTS: Proteomic analysis demonstrated that N depletion increased the expression of glutamine synthetase, involved in ammonia assimilation, for the supply of cellular nitrogen but decreased the metabolism of amino acids. Upon N deficiency, many proteins (e.g., fructose-bisphosphate aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, enolase, pyruvate kinase) involved in glycolytic pathway were up-regulated while proteins involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (e.g., isocitrate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA ligase, succinate dehydrogenase, fumarate hydratase) were down-regulated, indicating this activity was retarded thereby leading to a greater flux of carbon into fatty acid biosynthesis. Moreover, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, transaldolase and transketolase, which participate in the pentose phosphate pathway, were up-regulated, leading to the increased production of NADPH, the reducing power for fatty acid biosynthesis. Furthermore, protein and nucleic acid metabolism were down-regulated and some proteins involved in energy metabolism, signal transduction, molecular chaperone and redox homeostasis were up-regulated upon N depletion, which may be the cellular response to the stress produced by the onset of N deficiency. CONCLUSION: N limitation increased those expressions of the proteins involved in ammonia assimilation but decreased that involved in the biosynthesis of amino acids. Upon N deprivation, the glycolytic pathway was up-regulated, while the activity of the tricarboxylic acid cycle was retarded, thus, leading more carbon flux to fatty acid biosynthesis. Moreover, the pentose phosphate pathway was up-regulated, then this would increase the production of NADPH. Together, coordinated regulation of central carbon metabolism upon N limitation, provides more carbon flux to acetyl-CoA and NADPH for fatty acid biosynthesis.

Role of malate transporter in lipid accumulation of oleaginous fungus Mucor circinelloides.

Fatty acid biosynthesis in oleaginous fungi requires the supply of reducing power, NADPH, and the precursor of fatty acids, acetyl-CoA, which is generated in the cytosol being produced by ATP: citrate lyase which requires citrate to be, transported from the mitochondrion by the citrate/malate/pyruvate transporter. This transporter, which is within the mitochondrial membrane, transports cytosolic malate into the mitochondrion in exchange for mitochondrial citrate moving into the cytosol (Fig. 1). The role of malate transporter in lipid accumulation in oleaginous fungi is not fully understood, however. Therefore, the expression level of the mt gene, coding for a malate transporter, was manipulated in the oleaginous fungus Mucor circinelloides to analyze its effect on lipid accumulation. The results showed that mt overexpression increased the lipid content for about 70 % (from 13 to 22 % dry cell weight, CDW), whereas the lipid content in mt knockout mutant decreased about 27 % (from 13 to 9.5 % CDW) compared with the control strain. Furthermore, the extracellular malate concentration was decreased in the mt overexpressing strain and increased in the mt knockout strain compared with the wild-type strain. This work suggests that the malate transporter plays an important role in regulating lipid accumulation in oleaginous fungus M. circinelloides.

Complete Genome Sequence of a High Lipid-Producing Strain of Mucor circinelloides WJ11 and Comparative Genome Analysis with a Low Lipid-Producing Strain CBS 277.49.

The genome of a high lipid-producing fungus Mucor circinelloides WJ11 (36% w/w lipid, cell dry weight, CDW) was sequenced and compared with that of the low lipid-producing strain, CBS 277.49 (15% w/w lipid, CDW), which had been sequenced by Joint Genome Institute. The WJ11 genome assembly size was 35.4 Mb with a G+C content of 39.7%. The general features of WJ11 and CBS 277.49 indicated that they have close similarity at the level of gene order and gene identity. Whole genome alignments with MAUVE revealed the presence of numerous blocks of homologous regions and MUMmer analysis showed that the genomes of these two strains were mostly co-linear. The central carbon and lipid metabolism pathways of these two strains were reconstructed and the numbers of genes encoding the enzymes related to lipid accumulation were compared. Many unique genes coding for proteins involved in cell growth, carbohydrate metabolism and lipid metabolism were identified for each strain. In conclusion, our study on the genome sequence of WJ11 and the comparative genomic analysis between WJ11 and CBS 277.49 elucidated the general features of the genome and the potential mechanism of high lipid accumulation in strain WJ11 at the genomic level. The different numbers of genes and unique genes involved in lipid accumulation may play a role in the high oleaginicity of strain WJ11.

Comparison of Biochemical Activities between High and Low Lipid-Producing Strains of Mucor circinelloides: An Explanation for the High Oleaginicity of Strain WJ11.

The oleaginous fungus, Mucor circinelloides, is one of few fungi that produce high amounts of γ-linolenic acid (GLA); however, it usually only produces <25% lipid. Nevertheless, a new strain (WJ11) isolated in this laboratory can produce lipid up to 36% (w/w) cell dry weight (CDW). We have investigated the potential mechanism of high lipid accumulation in M. circinelloides WJ11 by comparative biochemical analysis with a low lipid-producing strain, M. circinelloides CBS 277.49, which accumulates less than 15% (w/w) lipid. M. circinelloides WJ11 produced more cell mass than that of strain CBS 277.49, although with slower glucose consumption. In the lipid accumulation phase, activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in strain WJ11 were greater than in CBS 277.49 by 46% and 17%, respectively, and therefore may provide more NADPH for fatty acid biosynthesis. The activities of NAD+:isocitrate dehydrogenase and NADP+:isocitrate dehydrogenase, however, were 43% and 54%, respectively, lower in WJ11 than in CBS 277.49 and may retard the tricarboxylic acid cycle and thereby provide more substrate for ATP:citrate lyase (ACL) to produce acetyl-CoA. Also, the activities of ACL and fatty acid synthase in the high lipid-producing strain, WJ11, were 25% and 56%, respectively, greater than in strain CBS 277.49. These enzymes may therefore cooperatively regulate the fatty acid biosynthesis in these two strains.

Enhanced lipid accumulation in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica by over-expression of ATP:citrate lyase from Mus musculus.

Yarrowia lipolytica can accumulate large amounts of storage lipids and has considerable potential for the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids and other lipids for biofuels. When the nitrogen source is exhausted in the medium, the key intermediate, citrate, is converted to acetyl-CoA by ATP:citrate lyase (ACL) for lipid accumulation. However, in this yeast most of the citrate is also secreted into the culture medium. To increase the endogenous substrate (acetyl-CoA) level for lipid biosynthesis, the acl gene from Mus musculus was over-expressed in Y. lipolytica with mono-copy integration vector pINA1312sp and multi-copy integration vector pINA1292sp. This increased the lipid content from 7.3% to between 11% and 23% (w/w) of the cell dry weight. Cell growth was only slightly affected. Multi-copy integration transformants had higher lipid contents than mono-copy integration transformants; the lipid content of the transformants was consistent with the copy number of acl gene integrated. Over-expression of ACL had no significant effect on fatty acid profile of the yeast. These results suggested that ACL is an important acetyl-CoA producer and plays a vital role in lipid accumulation in oleaginous yeast Y. lipolytica.

The role of malic enzyme as the provider of NADPH in oleaginous microorganisms: a reappraisal and unsolved problems.

Malic enzyme (ME; NADP(+)-dependent; EC 1.1.40) provides NADPH for lipid biosynthesis in oleaginous microorganisms. Its role in vivo depends on there being an adequate supply of NADH to drive malate dehydrogenase to convert oxaloacetate to malate as a component of a cycle of three reactions: pyruvate → oxaloacetate → malate and, by the action of ME, back to pyruvate. However, the availability of cytosolic NADH is limited and, consequently, ancillary means of producing NADPH are necessary. Stoichiometries are given for the conversion of glucose to triacylglycerols involving ME with and without the reactions of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) as an additional source of NADPH. Some oleaginous microorganisms (such as Yarrowia lipolytica), however, lack a cytosolic ME and, if the PPP is the sole provider of NADPH, the theoretical yield of triacylglycerol from glucose falls to 27.6 % (w/w) from 31.6 % when ME is present. An alternative route for NADPH generation via a cytosolic isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)-dependent) is then discussed.

Self-poisoning of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by interrupting siderophore recycling.

Siderophores are small iron-binding molecules secreted by bacteria to scavenge iron. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the etiologic agent of tuberculosis, produces the siderophores mycobactin and carboxymycobactin. Complexes of the mycobacterial membrane proteins MmpS4 and MmpS5 with the transporters MmpL4 and MmpL5 are required for siderophore export and virulence in Mtb. Here we show that, surprisingly, mycobactin or carboxymycobactin did not rescue the low-iron growth defect of the export mutant but severely impaired growth. Exogenous siderophores were taken up by the export mutant, and siderophore-delivered iron was used, but the deferrated siderophores accumulated intracellularly, indicating a blockade of siderophore recycling. This hypothesis was confirmed by the observation that radiolabeled carboxymycobactin was taken up and secreted again by Mtb. Addition of iron salts to an Mtb siderophore biosynthesis mutant stimulated more growth in the presence of a limiting amount of siderophores than iron-loaded siderophores alone. Thus, recycling enables Mtb to acquire iron at lower metabolic cost because Mtb cannot use iron salts without siderophores. Exogenous siderophores were bactericidal for the export mutant in submicromolar quantities. High-resolution mass spectrometry revealed that endogenous carboxymycobactin also accumulated in the export mutant. Toxic siderophore accumulation is prevented by a drug that inhibits siderophore biosynthesis. Intracellular accumulation of siderophores was toxic despite the use of an alternative iron source such as hemin, suggesting an additional inhibitory mechanism independent of iron availability. This study indicates that targeting siderophore export/recycling would deliver a one-two punch to Mtb: restricting access to iron and causing toxic intracellular siderophore accumulation.

Regulatory properties of malic enzyme in the oleaginous yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica, and its non-involvement in lipid accumulation.

Malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40) converts L-malate to pyruvate and CO2 providing NADPH for metabolism especially for lipid biosynthesis in oleaginous microorganisms. However, its role in the oleaginous yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica, is unclear. We have cloned the malic enzyme gene (YALI0E18634g) from Y. lipolytica into pET28a, expressed it in Escherichia coli and purified the recombinant protein (YlME). YlME used NAD(+) as the primary cofactor. Km values for NAD(+) and NADP(+) were 0.63 and 3.9 mM, respectively. Citrate, isocitrate and α-ketoglutaric acid (>5 mM) were inhibitory while succinate (5-15 mM) increased NADP(+)- but not NAD(+)-dependent activity. To determine if fatty acid biosynthesis could be increased in Y. lipolytica by providing additional NADPH from an NADP(+)-dependent malic enzyme, the malic enzyme gene (mce2) from an oleaginous fungus, Mortierella alpina, was expressed in Y. lipolytica. No significant changes occurred in lipid content or fatty acid profiles suggesting that malic enzyme is not the main source of NADPH for lipid accumulation in Y. lipolytica.

Genetic engineering of Yarrowia lipolytica for enhanced production of trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid.

BACKGROUND: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been extensively studied for decades because of its health benefits including cancer prevention, anti-atherogenic and anti-obesity effects, and modulation of the immune system. We previously described the production of trans-10, cis-12 CLA in Yarrowia lipolytica by expressing the gene coding for linoleic acid isomerase from Propionibacterium acnes (pai). However the stable strain produced CLA at about 0.08% of dry cell weight (DCW), a level of production which was not high enough for practical applications. The goal of the present study was to enhance production of CLA by genetic engineering of Y. lipolytica strains. RESULTS: We have now co-expressed the delta 12-desaturase gene (FADS12, d12) from Mortierella alpina together with the codon-optimized linoleic acid isomerase (opai) gene in Y. lipolytica, expressed under the control of promoter hp16d modified by fusing 12 copies of UAS1B to the original promoter hp4d. A multi-copy integration plasmid was used to further enhance the expression of both genes. Using glucose as the sole carbon source, the genetically-modified Y. lipolytica produced trans-10, cis-12-CLA at a level of up to 10% of total fatty acids and 0.4% of DCW. Furthermore, when the recombinant yeast was grown with soybean oil, trans-10, cis-12-CLA now accumulated at a level of up to 44% of total fatty acids, which represented 30% of DCW after 38.5 h of cultivation. In addition, trans-10, cis-12-CLA was also detected in the growth medium up to 0.9 g/l. CONCLUSIONS: We have successfully produced trans-10, cis-12-CLA with a titre of 4 g/l of culture (3.1 g/l in cells and 0.9 g/l in culture medium). Our results demonstrate the potential use of Y. lipolytica as a promising microbial cell factory for trans-10, cis-12-CLA production.

Annotation and analysis of malic enzyme genes encoding for multiple isoforms in the fungus Mucor circinelloides CBS 277.49.

Based on the newly-released genomic data of Mucor circinelloides CBS 277.49, we have annotated five genes encoding for malic enzyme: all code for proteins that contain conserved domains/motifs for malic acid binding, NAD(+) binding and NAD(P)(+) binding. Phylogenetic analysis for malic enzyme genes showed that genes ID 78524 and 11639 share ~80% amino acid identity and are grouped in cluster 1; genes ID 182779, 186772 and 116127 share ~66% amino acid identity are grouped in cluster 2. Genes ID 78524, 11639 and 166127 produce proteins that are localized in the mitochondrion, while the products from genes 182779 and 186772 are localized in the cytosol. Based on the comparative analysis published previously by Song et al. (Microbiology 147:1507-1515, 2001), we propose that malic enzyme genes ID 78524, 166127, 182779, 186772, 11639, respectively, represent protein isoforms I, II, III/IV, V, and VI.

Genome characterization of the oleaginous fungus Mortierella alpina.

Mortierella alpina is an oleaginous fungus which can produce lipids accounting for up to 50% of its dry weight in the form of triacylglycerols. It is used commercially for the production of arachidonic acid. Using a combination of high throughput sequencing and lipid profiling, we have assembled the M. alpina genome, mapped its lipogenesis pathway and determined its major lipid species. The 38.38 Mb M. alpina genome shows a high degree of gene duplications. Approximately 50% of its 12,796 gene models, and 60% of genes in the predicted lipogenesis pathway, belong to multigene families. Notably, M. alpina has 18 lipase genes, of which 11 contain the class 2 lipase domain and may share a similar function. M. alpina's fatty acid synthase is a single polypeptide containing all of the catalytic domains required for fatty acid synthesis from acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA, whereas in many fungi this enzyme is comprised of two polypeptides. Major lipids were profiled to confirm the products predicted in the lipogenesis pathway. M. alpina produces a complex mixture of glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. In contrast, only two major sterol lipids, desmosterol and 24(28)-methylene-cholesterol, were detected. Phylogenetic analysis based on genes involved in lipid metabolism suggests that oleaginous fungi may have acquired their lipogenic capacity during evolution after the divergence of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota and Mucoromycota. Our study provides the first draft genome and comprehensive lipid profile for M. alpina, and lays the foundation for possible genetic engineering of M. alpina to produce higher levels and diverse contents of dietary lipids.

Knocking out salicylate biosynthesis genes in Mycobacterium smegmatis induces hypersensitivity to p-aminosalicylate (PAS).

Because of the emergence of strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to first-line antituberculosis agents, one of the second-line drugs, p-aminosalicylate (PAS), has regained importance in the treatment of tuberculosis. The mode of action of PAS, however, remains controversial as to whether it inhibits mycobactin or folate biosynthesis. To unravel this, we have studied the effect of PAS on wild-type Mycobacterium smegmatis and its mutants (gene knockouts of the salicylate pathway -trpE2, entC and entD). The wild type had no sensitivity to PAS (MIC>400 µg mL(-1) ), whereas the mutants were hypersensitive, with 1 µg mL(-1) inhibiting growth. The sulphonamides, trimethoprim and dapsone, had little effect on the growth of either the mutants or the wild type. In addition, PAS at 0.5 µg mL(-1) increased the accumulation of salicylate with the wild type and mutants. These results support our hypothesis that PAS targets the conversion of salicylate to mycobactin, thus preventing iron acquisition from the host.

Roles of trpE2, entC and entD in salicylic acid biosynthesis in Mycobacterium smegmatis.

Mycobacterium smegmatis acquires extracellular iron using exochelin, mycobactin and carboxymycobactin. The latter two siderophores are synthesized from salicylic acid, which, in turn, is derived from chorismic acid in the shikimic acid pathway. To understand the conversion mechanism of chorismic acid to salicylic acid in M. smegmatis, knockout mutants of the putative key genes, trpE2, entC and entD, were created by targeted mutagenesis. By enzymatic assays with the cell-free extracts of the various knockout mutants, we have shown that TrpE2 converts chorismic acid into isochorismic acid and is thus an isochorismate synthase. The gene products of both entC and entD are involved in the conversion of isochorismic acid into salicylic acid, and hence correspond to salicylate synthase.

Multiple isoforms of malic enzyme in the oleaginous fungus, Mortierella alpina.

Malic enzyme (ME; E.C. 1.1.1.40) is the only enzyme that can provide NADPH for fatty acid biosynthesis in oleaginous micro-organisms. However, it can simultaneously fulfil other roles and may thus exist in different forms, possibly coded for by different genes. At least seven isoforms (A-G) of ME were identified in the oleaginous fungus, Mortierella alpina, using a specific activity stain following non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of extracts of cells grown under different conditions. Only isoform E, which arises from isoform D, was associated with lipid accumulation, becoming evident after nitrogen depletion from the medium and, under which conditions, lipid accumulation occurs. Isoforms A, B, C, F, and G were associated with oxygen-limited growth. Isoforms D and E occurred under both anaerobic and aerobic growth conditions. During the storage of the whole cells at -20 degrees C, isoform E was gradually converted to isoform G suggesting that a further post-transcriptional modification of the protein was occurring.