scholarly journals Brettanomyces bruxellensis SSU1 Haplotypes Confer Different Levels of Sulfite Tolerance When Expressed in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae SSU1 Null Mutant

2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Varela ◽  
C. Bartel ◽  
M. Roach ◽  
A. Borneman ◽  
C. Curtin

ABSTRACT The addition of SO2 is practiced in the wine industry to mitigate the risk of microbial spoilage and to extend wine shelf-life. Generally, this strategy does not interfere with primary alcoholic fermentation, as wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibit significant SO2 tolerance, largely driven by the efflux pump Ssu1p. One of the key yeast species responsible for wine spoilage is Brettanomyces bruxellensis, which also exhibits strain-dependent SO2 tolerance, although this occurs via unknown mechanisms. To evaluate the factors responsible for the differential sulfite tolerance observed in B. bruxellensis strains, we employed a multifaceted approach to examine both expression and allelic differences in the BbSSU1 gene. Transcriptomic analysis following exposure to SO2 highlighted different inducible responses in two B. bruxellensis strains. It also revealed disproportionate transcription of one putative BbSSU1 haplotype in both genetic backgrounds. Here, we confirm the functionality of BbSSU1 by complementation of a null mutant in a S. cerevisiae wine strain. The expression of four distinct BbSSU1 haplotypes in the S. cerevisiae ΔSSU1 mutant revealed up to a 3-fold difference in conferred SO2 tolerance. Substitution of key amino acids distinguishing the encoded proteins was performed to evaluate their relative contribution to SO2 tolerance. Protein modeling of two haplotypes which differed in two amino acid residues suggested that these substitutions affect the binding of Ssu1p ligands near the channel opening. Taken together, preferential transcription of a BbSSU1 allele that encodes a more efficient Ssu1p transporter may represent one mechanism that contributes to differences in sulfite tolerances between B. bruxellensis strains. IMPORTANCE Brettanomyces bruxellensis is one of the most important wine spoilage microorganisms, with the use of sulfite being the major method to control spoilage. However, this species displays a wide intraspecies distribution in sulfite tolerance, with some strains capable of tolerating high concentrations of SO2, with relatively high concentrations of this antimicrobial needed for their control. Although SO2 tolerance has been studied in several organisms and particularly in S. cerevisiae, little is known about the mechanisms that confer SO2 tolerance in B. bruxellensis. Here, we confirmed the functionality of the sulfite efflux pump encoded by BbSSU1 and determined the efficiencies of four different BbSSU1 haplotypes. Gene expression analysis showed greater expression of the haplotype conferring greater SO2 tolerance. Our results suggest that a combination of BbSSU1 haplotype efficiency, copy number, and haplotype expression levels likely contributes to the diverse SO2 tolerances observed for different B. bruxellensis strains.

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (20) ◽  
pp. 6264-6270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan B. Rodriguez ◽  
Mark A. Thornton ◽  
Roy J. Thornton

ABSTRACTThe yeastsZygosaccharomyces bailii,Dekkera bruxellensis(anamorph,Brettanomyces bruxellensis), andSaccharomyces cerevisiaeare the major spoilage agents of finished wine. A novel method using Raman spectroscopy in combination with a chemometric classification tool has been developed for the identification of these yeast species and for strain discrimination of these yeasts. Raman spectra were collected for six strains of each of the yeastsZ. bailii,B. bruxellensis, andS. cerevisiae. The yeasts were classified with high sensitivity at the species level: 93.8% forZ. bailii, 92.3% forB. bruxellensis, and 98.6% forS. cerevisiae. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that it is possible to discriminate between strains of these species. These yeasts were classified at the strain level with an overall accuracy of 81.8%.


mSphere ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Walters Aji Tebung ◽  
Raha Parvizi Omran ◽  
Debra L. Fulton ◽  
Joachim Morschhäuser ◽  
Malcolm Whiteway

ABSTRACT Candida albicans poses a significant threat to the lives of immunocompromised people. Historically, knowledge has been drawn from studies on Saccharomyces cerevisiae to understand the pathogen, and many Candida albicans genes are named after their S. cerevisiae orthologs. Direct studies on the pathogen have, however, revealed differences in the roles of some orthologous proteins in the two yeasts. We show that the Put3 transcription factor allows the pathogen to completely degrade proline to usable nitrogen and carbon by evading regulatory restrictions imposed on its S. cerevisiae ortholog, which mandates conditional use of proline only as a nitrogen source in the baker’s yeast. The ability of Candida albicans to freely obtain nutrients from multiple sources may help it thrive as a commensal and opportunistic pathogen. The zinc cluster transcription factor Put3 was initially characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the transcriptional activator of PUT1 and PUT2, two genes acting early in the proline assimilation pathway. We have used phenotypic studies, transcription profiling, and chromatin immunoprecipitation with microarray technology (ChIP-chip) to establish that unlike S. cerevisiae, which only uses proline as a nitrogen source, Candida albicans can use proline as a nitrogen source, a carbon source, or a source of both nitrogen and carbon. However, a C. albicans put3 null mutant cannot grow on proline, suggesting that as in S. cerevisiae, C. albicans Put3 (CaPut3) is required for proline catabolism, and because the C. albicans put3 null mutant grew efficiently on glutamate as the sole carbon or nitrogen source, it appears that CaPut3 also regulates the early genes of the pathway. CaPut3 showed direct binding to the CaPUT1 promoter, and both PUT1 and PUT2 were upregulated in response to proline addition in a Put3-dependent manner, as well as in a C. albicans strain expressing a hyperactive Put3. CaPut3 directs proline degradation even in the presence of a good nitrogen source such as ammonia, which contrasts with S. cerevisiae Put3 (ScPut3)-regulated proline catabolism, which only occurs in the absence of a rich nitrogen source. Thus, while overall proline regulatory circuitry differs between S. cerevisiae and C. albicans, the specific role of Put3 appears fundamentally conserved. IMPORTANCE Candida albicans poses a significant threat to the lives of immunocompromised people. Historically, knowledge has been drawn from studies on Saccharomyces cerevisiae to understand the pathogen, and many Candida albicans genes are named after their S. cerevisiae orthologs. Direct studies on the pathogen have, however, revealed differences in the roles of some orthologous proteins in the two yeasts. We show that the Put3 transcription factor allows the pathogen to completely degrade proline to usable nitrogen and carbon by evading regulatory restrictions imposed on its S. cerevisiae ortholog, which mandates conditional use of proline only as a nitrogen source in the baker’s yeast. The ability of Candida albicans to freely obtain nutrients from multiple sources may help it thrive as a commensal and opportunistic pathogen.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 4026-4037 ◽  
Author(s):  
L C Mattheakis ◽  
W H Shen ◽  
R J Collier

A mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective in the S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent methyltransferase step of diphthamide biosynthesis was selected by intracellular expression of the F2 fragment of diphtheria toxin (DT) and shown to belong to complementation group DPH5. The DPH5 gene was cloned, sequenced, and found to encode a 300-residue protein with sequence similarity to bacterial AdoMet:uroporphyrinogen III methyltransferases, enzymes involved in cobalamin (vitamin B12) biosynthesis. Both DPH5 and AdoMet:uroporphyrinogen III methyltransferases lack sequence motifs commonly found in other methyltransferases and may represent a new family of AdoMet:methyltransferases. The DPH5 protein was produced in Escherichia coli and shown to be active in methylation of elongation factor 2 partially purified from the dph5 mutant. A null mutation of the chromosomal DPH5 gene did not affect cell viability, in agreement with other studies indicating that diphthamide is not required for cell survival. The dph5 null mutant survived expression of three enzymically attenuated DT fragments but was killed by expression of fully active DT fragment A. Consistent with these results, elongation factor 2 from the dph5 null mutant was found to have weak ADP-ribosyl acceptor activity, which was detectable only in the presence of high concentrations of fragment A.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 4026-4037
Author(s):  
L C Mattheakis ◽  
W H Shen ◽  
R J Collier

A mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective in the S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent methyltransferase step of diphthamide biosynthesis was selected by intracellular expression of the F2 fragment of diphtheria toxin (DT) and shown to belong to complementation group DPH5. The DPH5 gene was cloned, sequenced, and found to encode a 300-residue protein with sequence similarity to bacterial AdoMet:uroporphyrinogen III methyltransferases, enzymes involved in cobalamin (vitamin B12) biosynthesis. Both DPH5 and AdoMet:uroporphyrinogen III methyltransferases lack sequence motifs commonly found in other methyltransferases and may represent a new family of AdoMet:methyltransferases. The DPH5 protein was produced in Escherichia coli and shown to be active in methylation of elongation factor 2 partially purified from the dph5 mutant. A null mutation of the chromosomal DPH5 gene did not affect cell viability, in agreement with other studies indicating that diphthamide is not required for cell survival. The dph5 null mutant survived expression of three enzymically attenuated DT fragments but was killed by expression of fully active DT fragment A. Consistent with these results, elongation factor 2 from the dph5 null mutant was found to have weak ADP-ribosyl acceptor activity, which was detectable only in the presence of high concentrations of fragment A.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Dimopoulou ◽  
Margareth Renault ◽  
Marguerite Dols-Lafargue ◽  
Warren Albertin-Leguay ◽  
Jean-Marie Herry ◽  
...  

AbstractBrettanomyces bruxellensis is a serious source of concern for winemakers. The production of volatile phenols by the yeast species confers to wine unpleasant sensory characteristics which are unacceptable by the consumers and inevitably provoke economic loss for the wine industry. This ubiquitous yeast is able to adapt to all winemaking steps and to withstand various environmental conditions. Moreover, the ability of B. bruxellensis to adhere and colonize inert materials can be the cause of the yeast persistence in the cellars and thus recurrent wine spoilage. We therefore investigated the surface properties, biofilm formation capacity and the factors which may affect the attachment of the yeast cells to surfaces with eight strains representative of the genetic diversity of the species. Our results show that the biofilm formation ability is strain-dependent and suggest a possible link between the physicochemical properties of the studied strains and their corresponding genetic group.


2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (12) ◽  
pp. e00197-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minjae Kim ◽  
Janet K. Hatt ◽  
Michael R. Weigand ◽  
Raj Krishnan ◽  
Spyros G. Pavlostathis ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBenzalkonium chlorides (BAC) are commonly used biocides in broad-spectrum disinfectant solutions. How microorganisms cope with BAC exposure remains poorly understood, despite its importance for disinfection and disinfectant-induced antibiotic resistance. To provide insights into these issues, we exposed two isolates of an opportunistic pathogen,Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to increasing concentrations of BAC. One isolate was preadapted to BAC, as it originated from a bioreactor fed with subinhibitory concentrations of BAC for 3 years, while the other originated from a bioreactor that received no BAC. Replicated populations of both isolates were able to survive high concentrations of BAC, up to 1,200 and 1,600 mg/liter for the non- and preadapted strains, respectively, exceeding typical application doses. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed upregulation of efflux pump genes and decreased expression of porins related to BAC transport as well as reduced growth rate. Increased expression of spermidine (a polycation) synthase genes and mutations in thepmrB(polymyxin resistance) gene, which cause a reduction in membrane negative charge, suggested that a major adaptation to exposure to the cationic surfactant BAC was to actively stabilize cell surface charge. Collectively, these results revealed thatP. aeruginosaadapts to BAC exposure by a combination of mechanisms and provided genetic markers to monitor BAC-resistant organisms that may have applications in the practice of disinfection.IMPORTANCEBAC are widely used as biocides in disinfectant solutions, food-processing lines, domestic households, and health care facilities. Due to their wide use and mode of action, there has been rising concern that BAC may promote antibiotic resistance. Consistent with this idea, at least 40 outbreaks have been attributed to infection by disinfectant- and antibiotic-resistant pathogens such asP. aeruginosa. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that bacteria use to deal with BAC exposure remain poorly elucidated. Elucidating these mechanisms may be important for monitoring and limiting the spread of disinfectant-resistant pathogens. Using an integrated approach that combined genomics and transcriptomics with physiological characterization of BAC-adapted isolates, this study provided a comprehensive understanding of the BAC resistance mechanisms inP. aeruginosa. Our findings also revealed potential genetic markers to detect and monitor the abundance of BAC-resistant pathogens across clinical or environmental settings. This work contributes new knowledge about high concentrations of benzalkonium chlorides disinfectants-resistance mechanisms at the whole-cell genomic and transcriptomic level.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2528
Author(s):  
Patrícia Branco ◽  
Rute Coutinho ◽  
Manuel Malfeito-Ferreira ◽  
Catarina Prista ◽  
Helena Albergaria

The yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis is one of the most dangerous wine contaminants due to the production of phenolic off-flavors such as 4-ethylphenol. This microbial hazard is regularly tackled by addition of sulfur dioxide (SO2). Nevertheless, B. bruxellensis is frequently found at low levels (ca 103 cells/mL) in finished wines. Besides, consumers health concerns regarding the use of sulfur dioxide encouraged the search for alternative biocontrol measures. Recently, we found that Saccharomyces cerevisiae secretes a natural biocide (saccharomycin) that inhibits the growth of different B. bruxellensis strains during alcoholic fermentation. Here we investigated the ability of S. cerevisiae CCMI 885 to prevent B. bruxellensis ISA 2211 growth and 4-ethylphenol production in synthetic and true grape must fermentations. Results showed that B. bruxellensis growth and 4-ethylphenol production was significantly inhibited in both media, although the effect was more pronounced in synthetic grape must. The natural biocide was added to a simulated wine inoculated with 5 × 102 cells/mL of B. bruxellensis, which led to loss of culturability and viability (100% dead cells at day-12). The conjugated effect of saccharomycin with SO2 was evaluated in simulated wines at 10, 12, 13 and 14% (v/v) ethanol. Results showed that B. bruxellensis proliferation in wines at 13 and 14% (v/v) ethanol was completely prevented by addition of 1.0 mg/mL of saccharomycin with 25 mg/L of SO2, thus allowing to significantly reduce the SO2 levels commonly used in wines (150–200 mg/L).


2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (10) ◽  
pp. 6165-6171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaishali Humnabadkar ◽  
K. R. Prabhakar ◽  
Ashwini Narayan ◽  
Sreevalli Sharma ◽  
Supreeth Guptha ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe Mur ligases play an essential role in the biosynthesis of bacterial peptidoglycan and hence are attractive antibacterial targets. A screen of the AstraZeneca compound library led to the identification of compound A, a pyrazolopyrimidine, as a potent inhibitor ofEscherichia coliandPseudomonas aeruginosaMurC. However, cellular activity againstE. coliorP. aeruginosawas not observed. Compound A was active against efflux pump mutants of both strains. Experiments using anE. colitolCmutant revealed accumulation of the MurC substrate and a decrease in the level of product upon treatment with compound A,indicating inhibition of MurC enzyme in these cells. Such a modulation was not observed in theE. coliwild-type cells. Further, overexpression of MurC in theE. colitolCmutant led to an increase in the compound A MIC by ≥16-fold, establishing a correlation between MurC inhibition and cellular activity. In addition, estimation of the intracellular compound A level showed an accumulation of the compound over time in thetolCmutant strain. A significant compound A level was not detected in the wild-typeE. colistrain even upon treatment with high concentrations of the compound. Therefore, the lack of MIC and absence of MurC inhibition in wild-typeE. coliwere possibly due to suboptimal compound concentration as a consequence of a high efflux level and/or poor permeativity of compound A.


1999 ◽  
Vol 339 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur L. KRUCKEBERG ◽  
Ling YE ◽  
Jan A. BERDEN ◽  
Karel van DAM

The Hxt2 glucose transport protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was genetically fused at its C-terminus with the green fluorescent protein (GFP). The Hxt2-GFP fusion protein is a functional hexose transporter: it restored growth on glucose to a strain bearing null mutations in the hexose transporter genes GAL2 and HXT1 to HXT7. Furthermore, its glucose transport activity in this null strain was not markedly different from that of the wild-type Hxt2 protein. We calculated from the fluorescence level and transport kinetics that induced cells had 1.4×105 Hxt2-GFP molecules per cell, and that the catalytic-centre activity of the Hxt2-GFP molecule in vivo is 53 s-1 at 30 °C. Expression of Hxt2-GFP was induced by growth at low concentrations of glucose. Under inducing conditions the Hxt2-GFP fluorescence was localized to the plasma membrane. In a strain impaired in the fusion of secretory vesicles with the plasma membrane, the fluorescence accumulated in the cytoplasm. When induced cells were treated with high concentrations of glucose, the fluorescence was redistributed to the vacuole within 4 h. When endocytosis was genetically blocked, the fluorescence remained in the plasma membrane after treatment with high concentrations of glucose.


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