scholarly journals Genes, Enzymes, and Regulation of para-Cresol Metabolism in Geobacter metallireducens

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (13) ◽  
pp. 4729-4738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Peters ◽  
Dimitri Heintz ◽  
Jörg Johannes ◽  
Alain van Dorsselaer ◽  
Matthias Boll
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Oxidation ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Denitrifying Bacteria ◽  
Regulation Of Transcription ◽  
Strictly Anaerobic ◽  
Geobacter Metallireducens ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Proteomic Approach ◽  
Activity Measurements ◽  
Hydroxybenzyl Alcohol

ABSTRACT In aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria, the degradation of para-cresol (p-cresol) involves the initial hydroxylation to p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol by water catalyzed by the soluble, periplasmatic flavocytochrome p-cresol methylhydroxylase (PCMH; α2β2 composition). In denitrifying bacteria the further metabolism proceeds via oxidation to p-hydroxybenzoate, the formation of p-hydroxybenzoyl-coenzyme A (CoA), and the subsequent dehydroxylation of the latter to benzoyl-CoA by reduction. In contrast, the strictly anaerobic Desulfobacterium cetonicum degrades p-cresol by addition to fumarate, yielding p-hydroxybenzylsuccinate. In this work, in vitro enzyme activity measurements revealed that the obligately anaerobic Geobacter metallireducens uses the p-cresol degradation pathway of denitrifying bacteria. Surprisingly, PCMH, which is supposed to catalyze both p-cresol hydroxylation and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol oxidation to the corresponding aldehyde, was located in the membrane fraction. The α subunit of the enzyme was present in two isoforms, suggesting an αα′β2 composition. We propose that the unusual asymmetric architecture and the membrane association of PCMH might be important for alternative electron transfer routes to either cytochrome c (in the case of p-cresol oxidation) or to menaquinone (in the case of p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol oxidation). Unusual properties of further enzymes of p-cresol metabolism, p-hydroxybenzoate-CoA ligase, and p-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA reductase were identified and are discussed. A proteomic approach identified a gene cluster comprising most of the putative structural genes for enzymes involved in p-cresol metabolism (pcm genes). Reverse transcription-PCR studies revealed a different regulation of transcription of pcm genes and the corresponding enzyme activities, suggesting the presence of posttranscriptional regulatory elements.

scholarly journals Purification and Characterization of Active-Site Components of the Putative p-Cresol Methylhydroxylase Membrane Complex from Geobacter metallireducens

2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (19) ◽  
pp. 6493-6500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Johannes ◽  
Alexander Bluschke ◽  
Nico Jehmlich ◽  
Martin von Bergen ◽  
Matthias Boll
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Inhibition ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Functional Model ◽  
Visible Spectrum ◽  
Spectrometric Analysis ◽  
Strictly Anaerobic ◽  
Geobacter Metallireducens ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Hydroxybenzyl Alcohol

ABSTRACT p-Cresol methylhydroxylases (PCMH) from aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria are soluble, periplasmic flavocytochromes that catalyze the first step in biological p-cresol degradation, the hydroxylation of the substrate with water. Recent results suggested that p-cresol degradation in the strictly anaerobic Geobacter metallireducens involves a tightly membrane-bound PCMH complex. In this work, the soluble components of this complex were purified and characterized. The data obtained suggest a molecular mass of 124 ± 15 kDa and a unique αα′β2 subunit composition, with α and α′ representing isoforms of the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-containing subunit and β representing a c-type cytochrome. Fluorescence and mass spectrometric analysis suggested that one FAD was covalently linked to Tyr394 of the α subunit. In contrast, the α′ subunit did not contain any FAD cofactor and is therefore considered to be catalytically inactive. The UV/visible spectrum was typical for a flavocytochrome with two heme c cofactors and one FAD cofactor. p-Cresol reduced the FAD but only one of the two heme cofactors. PCMH catalyzed both the hydroxylation of p-cresol to p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and the subsequent oxidation of the latter to p-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of artificial electron acceptors. The very low Km values (1.7 and 2.7 μM, respectively) suggest that the in vivo function of PCMH is to oxidize both p-cresol and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol. The latter was a mixed inhibitor of p-cresol oxidation, with inhibition constants of a K ic (competitive inhibition) value of 18 ± 9 μM and a K iu (uncompetitive inhibition) value of 235 ± 20 μM. A putative functional model for an unusual PCMH enzyme is presented.

Activation by TyrR in Escherichia coli K-12 by Interaction between TyrR and the α-subunit of RNA polymerase

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Camakaris ◽  
Ji Yang ◽  
Tadashi Fujii ◽  
James Pittard
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Aromatic Amino Acids ◽  
Regulation Of Transcription ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Partial Suppression ◽  
K 12

A novel selection was developed for RpoA α-CTD mutants altered in activation by the TyrR regulatory protein of E. coli K-12. This allowed the identification of an aspartate to asparagine substitution in residue 250 (DN250) as an Act - mutation. Amino acid residues known to be close to D250 were altered by in vitro mutagenesis, and substitutions DR250, RE310 and RD310 were all shown to be defective in activation. None of these mutations caused defects in UP regulation. The rpoA mutation DN250 was transferred onto the chromosome to facilitate the isolation of suppressor mutations. TyrR Mutations EK139 and RG119 caused partial suppression of rpoA DN250, and TyrR RC119, RL119, RP119, RA77 and SG100 caused partial suppression of rpoA RE310. Additional activation-defective rpoA mutants (DT250, RS310, EG288) were also isolated, using the chromosomal rpoA DN250 strain. Several new Act - tyrR mutants were isolated in an rpoA + strain, adding positions R77, D97, K101, D118, R119, R121 and E141 to known residues, S95 and D103, and defining the ‘activation patch’ on the NTD of TyrR. These results support a model for activation of TyrR-regulated genes where the ‘activation patch’ on the TyrR NTD interacts with the ‘TyrR-specific patch’ on the αCTD of RNA polymerase. Given known structures, both these sites appear to be surface exposed, and suggest a model for activation by TyrR. They also help resolve confusing results in the literature that implicated residues within the 261 and 265 determinants, as Activator contact sites. IMPORTANCE Regulation of transcription by RNA polymerases is fundamental for adaptation to a changing environment and for cellular differentiation, across all kingdoms of life. The gene TyrR in Escherichia coli is a particularly useful model because it is involved in both activation and repression of a large number of operons by a range of mechanisms, and it interacts with all three aromatic amino acids and probably other effectors. Furthermore TyrR has homologues in many other genera, regulating many different genes, utilizing different effector molecules, and in some cases affecting virulence, and important plant interactions.

scholarly journals Elucidating the Regulatory Elements for Transcription Termination and Posttranscriptional Processing in the Streptomyces clavuligerus Genome

mSystems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Soonkyu Hwang ◽  
Namil Lee ◽  
Donghui Choe ◽  
Yongjae Lee ◽  
Woori Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolite ◽  
Transcription Termination ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Streptomyces Clavuligerus ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Regulation Of Transcription ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transcriptional Regulatory Elements ◽  
Transcriptional Regulatory ◽  
Posttranscriptional Processing

ABSTRACT Identification of transcriptional regulatory elements in the GC-rich Streptomyces genome is essential for the production of novel biochemicals from secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs). Despite many efforts to understand the regulation of transcription initiation in smBGCs, information on the regulation of transcription termination and posttranscriptional processing remains scarce. In this study, we identified the transcriptional regulatory elements in β-lactam antibiotic-producing Streptomyces clavuligerus ATCC 27064 by determining a total of 1,427 transcript 3′-end positions (TEPs) using the term-seq method. Termination of transcription was governed by three classes of TEPs, of which each displayed unique sequence features. The data integration with transcription start sites and transcriptome data generated 1,648 transcription units (TUs) and 610 transcription unit clusters (TUCs). TU architecture showed that the transcript abundance in TU isoforms of a TUC was potentially affected by the sequence context of their TEPs, suggesting that the regulatory elements of TEPs could control the transcription level in additional layers. We also identified TU features of a xenobiotic response element (XRE) family regulator and DUF397 domain-containing protein, particularly showing the abundance of bidirectional TEPs. Finally, we found that 189 noncoding TUs contained potential cis- and trans-regulatory elements that played a major role in regulating the 5′ and 3′ UTR. These findings highlight the role of transcriptional regulatory elements in transcription termination and posttranscriptional processing in Streptomyces sp. IMPORTANCE Streptomyces sp. is a great source of bioactive secondary metabolites, including antibiotics, antifungal agents, antiparasitic agents, immunosuppressant compounds, and other drugs. Secondary metabolites are synthesized via multistep conversions of the precursor molecules from primary metabolism, governed by multicomplex enzymes from secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. As their production is closely related with the growth phase and dynamic cellular status in response to various intra- and extracellular signals, complex regulatory systems tightly control the gene expressions related to secondary metabolism. In this study, we determined genome-wide transcript 3′-end positions and transcription units in the β-lactam antibiotic producer Streptomyces clavuligerus ATCC 27064 to elucidate the transcriptional regulatory elements in transcription termination and posttranscriptional processing by integration of multiomics data. These unique features, such as transcript 3′-end sequence, potential riboregulators, and potential 3′-untranslated region (UTR) cis-regulatory elements, can be potentially used to design engineering tools that can regulate the transcript abundance of genes for enhancing secondary metabolite production.

scholarly journals Decarboxylating and Nondecarboxylating Glutaryl-Coenzyme A Dehydrogenases in the Aromatic Metabolism of Obligately Anaerobic Bacteria

2009 ◽  
Vol 191 (13) ◽  
pp. 4401-4409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Wischgoll ◽  
Martin Taubert ◽  
Franziska Peters ◽  
Nico Jehmlich ◽  
Martin von Bergen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coenzyme A ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Oxidative Decarboxylation ◽  
Kinetic Properties ◽  
Strictly Anaerobic ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Geobacter Metallireducens ◽  
Sulfate Reducing ◽  
Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽  
Gene Coding

ABSTRACT In anaerobic bacteria using aromatic growth substrates, glutaryl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenases (GDHs) are involved in the catabolism of the central intermediate benzoyl-CoA to three acetyl-CoAs and CO2. In this work, we studied GDHs from the strictly anaerobic, aromatic compound-degrading organisms Geobacter metallireducens (GDHGeo) (Fe[III] reducing) and Desulfococcus multivorans (GDHDes) (sulfate reducing). GDHGeo was purified from cells grown on benzoate and after the heterologous expression of the benzoate-induced bamM gene. The gene coding for GDHDes was identified after screening of a cosmid gene library. Reverse transcription-PCR revealed that its expression was induced by benzoate; the product was heterologously expressed and isolated. Both wild-type and recombinant GDHGeo catalyzed the oxidative decarboxylation of glutaryl-CoA to crotonyl-CoA at similar rates. In contrast, recombinant GDHDes catalyzed only the dehydrogenation to glutaconyl-CoA. The latter compound was decarboxylated subsequently to crotonyl-CoA by the addition of membrane extracts from cells grown on benzoate in the presence of 20 mM NaCl. All GDH enzymes were purified as homotetramers of a 43- to 44-kDa subunit and contained 0.6 to 0.7 flavin adenine dinucleotides (FADs)/monomer. The kinetic properties for glutaryl-CoA conversion were as follows: for GDHGeo, the Km was 30 ± 2 μM and the V max was 3.2 ± 0.2 μmol min−1 mg−1, and for GDHDes, the Km was 52 ± 5 μM and the V max was 11 ± 1 μmol min−1 mg−1. GDHDes but not GDHGeo was inhibited by glutaconyl-CoA. Highly conserved amino acid residues that were proposed to be specifically involved in the decarboxylation of the intermediate glutaconyl-CoA were identified in GDHGeo but are missing in GDHDes. The differential use of energy-yielding/energy-demanding enzymatic processes in anaerobic bacteria that degrade aromatic compounds is discussed in view of phylogenetic relationships and constraints of overall energy metabolism.

scholarly journals Cyclohexa-1,5-Diene-1-Carbonyl-Coenzyme A (CoA) Hydratases of Geobacter metallireducens and Syntrophus aciditrophicus: Evidence for a Common Benzoyl-CoA Degradation Pathway in Facultative and Strict Anaerobes

2006 ◽  
Vol 189 (3) ◽  
pp. 1055-1060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Peters ◽  
Yoshifumi Shinoda ◽  
Michael J. McInerney ◽  
Matthias Boll
Keyword(s):  
Coenzyme A ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Degradation Pathway ◽  
Ring Cleavage ◽  
Strictly Anaerobic ◽  
Significant Activity ◽  
Geobacter Metallireducens ◽  
Sulfate Reducing ◽  
Coa Reductase ◽  
Syntrophus Aciditrophicus

ABSTRACT In the denitrifying bacterium Thauera aromatica, the central intermediate of anaerobic aromatic metabolism, benzoyl-coenzyme A (CoA), is dearomatized by the ATP-dependent benzoyl-CoA reductase to cyclohexa-1,5-diene-1-carbonyl-CoA (dienoyl-CoA). The dienoyl-CoA is further metabolized by a series of β-oxidation-like reactions of the so-called benzoyl-CoA degradation pathway resulting in ring cleavage. Recently, evidence was obtained that obligately anaerobic bacteria that use aromatic growth substrates do not contain an ATP-dependent benzoyl-CoA reductase. In these bacteria, the reactions involved in dearomatization and cleavage of the aromatic ring have not been shown, so far. In this work, a characteristic enzymatic step of the benzoyl-CoA pathway in obligate anaerobes was demonstrated and characterized. Dienoyl-CoA hydratase activities were determined in extracts of Geobacter metallireducens (iron reducing), Syntrophus aciditrophicus (fermenting), and Desulfococcus multivorans (sulfate reducing) cells grown with benzoate. The benzoate-induced genes putatively coding for the dienoyl-CoA hydratases in the benzoate degraders G. metallireducens and S. aciditrophicus were heterologously expressed and characterized. Both gene products specifically catalyzed the reversible hydration of dienoyl-CoA to 6-hydroxycyclohexenoyl-CoA (Km , 80 and 35 μM; V max, 350 and 550 μmol min−1 mg−1, respectively). Neither enzyme had significant activity with cyclohex-1-ene-1-carbonyl-CoA or crotonyl-CoA. The results suggest that benzoyl-CoA degradation proceeds via dienoyl-CoA and 6-hydroxycyclohexanoyl-CoA in strictly anaerobic bacteria. The steps involved in dienoyl-CoA metabolism appear identical in all nonphotosynthetic anaerobic bacteria, although totally different benzene ring-dearomatizing enzymes are present in facultative and obligate anaerobes.

Molecular Evolution and Nucleotide Sequences of the Maize Plastid Genes for the α Subunit of CF1 (atpA) and the Proteolipid Subunit of CF0 (atpH)

Genetics ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-139
Author(s):  
Steven R Rodermel ◽  
Lawrence Bogorad
Keyword(s):  
Plastid Genome ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Evolutionary Process ◽  
Nonsynonymous Substitution ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Nucleotide Sequences ◽  
Sequence Evolution ◽  
Α Subunit

ABSTRACT The nucleotide sequences of the maize plastid genes for the α subunit of CF1 (atpA) and the proteolipid subunit of CF 0 (atpH) are presented. The evolution of these genes among higher plants is characterized by a transition mutation bias of about 2:1 and by rates of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution which are much lower than similar rates for genes from other sources. This is consistent with the notion that the plastid genome is evolving conservatively in primary sequence. Yet, the mode and tempo of sequence evolution of these and other plastid-encoded coupling factor genes are not the same. In particular, higher rates of nonsynonymous substitution in atpE (the gene for the ∊ subunit of CF1) and higher rates of synonymous substitution in atpH in the dicot vs. monocot lineages of higher plants indicate that these sequences are likely subject to different evolutionary constraints in these two lineages. The 5′- and 3′ transcribed flanking regions of atpA and atpH from maize, wheat and tobacco are conserved in size, but contain few putative regulatory elements which are conserved either in their spatial arrangement or sequence complexity. However, these regions likely contain variable numbers of "species-specific" regulatory elements. The present studies thus suggest that the plastid genome is not a passive participant in an evolutionary process governed by a more rapidly changing, readily adaptive, nuclear compartment, but that novel strategies for the coordinate expression of genes in the plastid genome may arise through rapid evolution of the flanking sequences of these genes.

Characterization of Tissue-Specific HIF-1 and HIF-2 Regulatory Elements of the Erythropoietin Gene

Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 4763-4763
Author(s):  
Donghoon Yoon ◽  
Hyojin Kim ◽  
Minyoung Jang ◽  
Jihyun Song ◽  
Gregory E Arnold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Specific Element ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Tissue Specific

Abstract Hypoxia regulates erythropoiesis and other essential processes via hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs). HIFs are heterodimers that consist of an α subunit (3 isotypes with significant homology; HIF-1α, HIF-2α, HIF-3α), and a common b-subunit; HIF-1 and HIF-2, in some instances exhibiting tissue- and gene-specific gene regulation. Erythropoietin (EPO) was the first identified HIF-1 target gene with the defined HIF-1 binding sequence. However, subsequent works suggested that HIF-2 also regulates EPO transcription and that there are other regulatory elements of EPO gene (i.e. Kidney Inducible Element KIE, Negative Regulatory Element NRE, and Negative Regulatory Liver specific Element NRLE). In silico analysis of the human EPO genome found two additional potential HIF-binding elements in the KIE and NRE regions. The comparative analysis of phylogenically conserved sequences of human, mouse, dog, and rat Epo genes further refined these mouse Epo gene HIF-binding elements as mKIE, mNRE1, mNRE2, and mNRLE2. We treated mice in hypoxia chamber (8% O2) and monitored changes of Epo mRNA levels in liver, kidney, brain, spleen, and bone marrow. All tested tissues increased Epo transcription during hypoxia. Bone marrow, spleen, kidney, and brain showed a peak of induction of Epo transcript at 3 hours of hypoxia treatment, while liver reached the highest level at 6 hours. Mice were sacrificed and organs were harvested, and in vivo chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIPs) was performed with antibodies against HIF-1α and HIF- 2α and tissue-specific binding regions were defined. The results from these studies are summarized below. HIF-1 mKIE rnNRE mNRE2 mNRLE2 Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Liver − + − − + − ? ? Kidney − + − − + − + − Brain − + − − − + − + BM − + − − − − − + Splsen − + − − − − − + HIF-2 mKIE mNRE mNRE2 mNRLE2 Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Norm Hyp “+” denotes presence and “-” absence of binding of HIF-1 and HIF-2, “?” – indicates inconclusive results. “Norm” - normoxia, “Hyp” - hypoxia. Liver − + − − − + − + Kidney + − − − + − ? ? Brain − − − − − − − + BM − − − − − − + − Spleen − + − − − − − + In conclusion, we demonstrate the differential hypoxia-induced binding of HIF-1 and HIF-2 at different HIF binding elements in the tissues known to express Epo. Further studies will be required to define the function of these HIF-1 and HIF-2 binding elements in tissue specific Epo expression and their role in health and disease.

scholarly journals Different Combinations of Regulatory Elements May Account For Expression of the Glycoprotein Hormone α-Subunit Gene in Primate and Horse Placenta

1990 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 1480-1487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Fenstermaker ◽  
Todd A. Farmerie ◽  
Colin M. Clay ◽  
Debora L. Hamernik ◽  
John H. Nilson
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Subunit Gene ◽  
Glycoprotein Hormone ◽  
Α Subunit

scholarly journals The negative charge of glutamic acid-820 in the gastric H+,K+-ATPase α-subunit is essential for K+ activation of the enzyme activity

1998 ◽  
Vol 331 (2) ◽  
pp. 465-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harm P. H. HERMSEN ◽  
Herman G. P. SWARTS ◽  
Jan B. KOENDERINK ◽  
Jan Joep H. H. M. De PONT
Keyword(s):  
Atpase Activity ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
The Other ◽  
Lower Sensitivity ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Wild Type Enzyme ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Activity Maximum ◽  
Activity Measurements ◽  
Atpase Subunits

To investigate the role of Glu820, located in transmembrane domain M6 of the α-subunit of gastric H+,K+-ATPase, a number of mutants was prepared and expressed in Sf9 cells using a baculovirus encoding for both H+,K+-ATPase subunits. The wild-type enzyme and the E820D (Glu820 → Asp) mutant showed a similar biphasic activation by K+ on the ATPase activity (maximum at 1 mM). The mutant E820A had a markedly decreased K+ affinity (maximum at 40–100 mM). The other mutants, E820Q, E820N, E820L and E820K, showed no K+-activated ATPase activity at all, whereas all mutants formed a phosphorylated intermediate. After preincubation with K+ before phosphorylation mutant E820D showed a similar K+-sensitivity as the wild-type enzyme. The mutants E820N and E820Q had a 10–20 times lower sensitivity, whereas the other three mutants were hardly sensitive towards K+. Upon preincubation with 3-(cyanomethyl)-2-methyl-8-(phenylmethoxy)imidazo[1,2a] pyridine (SCH 28080), all mutants showed similar sensitivity for this drug as the wild-type enzyme, except mutant E820Q, which could only partly be inhibited, and mutant E820K, which was completely insensitive towards SCH 28080. These experiments suggest that, with a relatively large residue at position 820, the binding of SCH 28080 is obstructed. The various mutants showed a behaviour in K+-stimulated-dephosphorylation experiments similar to that for K+-activated-ATPase-activity measurements. These results indicate that K+ binding, and indirectly the transition to the E2 form, is only fully possible when a negatively charged residue is present at position 820 in the α-subunit.

scholarly journals Post-translational thioamidation of methyl-coenzyme M reductase, a key enzyme in methanogenic and methanotrophic Archaea

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dipti D. Nayak ◽  
Nilkamal Mahanta ◽  
Douglas A. Mitchell ◽  
William W. Metcalf
Keyword(s):  
Strictly Anaerobic ◽  
Methanosarcina Acetivorans ◽  
Coenzyme M ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Post Translational Modifications ◽  
Physiological Characterization ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
Catalytic Role ◽  
Methyl Coenzyme M Reductase

AbstractThe enzyme methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR), found in strictly anaerobic methanogenic and methanotrophic archaea, catalyzes a reversible reaction involved in the production and consumption of the potent greenhouse gas methane. The α subunit of this enzyme (McrA) contains several unusual post-translational modifications, including an exceptionally rare thioamidation of glycine. Based on the presumed function of homologous genes involved in the biosynthesis of thioamide-containing natural products, we hypothesized that the archaealtfuAandycaOgenes would be responsible for post-translational installation of thioglycine into McrA. Mass spectrometric characterization of McrA in a ΔycaO-tfuAmutant of the methanogenic archaeonMethanosarcina acetivoransrevealed the presence of glycine, rather than thioglycine, supporting this hypothesis. Physiological characterization of this mutant suggested a new role for the thioglycine modification in enhancing protein stability, as opposed to playing a direct catalytic role. The universal conservation of this modification suggests that MCR arose in a thermophilic ancestor.

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