Project description:Efficient microbial conversion of lignocellulosic hydrolysates to biofuels is a key barrier to the economically viable deployment of lignocellulosic biofuels. A chief contributor to this barrier is the impact on microbial processes and energy metabolism of lignocellulose-derived inhibitors, including phenolic carboxylates, phenolic amides (for ammonia-pretreated biomass), phenolic aldehydes, and furfurals. To understand the bacterial pathways induced by inhibitors present in ammonia-pretreated biomass hydrolysates, which are less well studied than acid-pretreated biomass hydrolysates, we developed and exploited synthetic mimics of ammonia-pretreated corn stover hydrolysate (ACSH). To determine regulatory responses to the inhibitors normally present in ACSH, we measured transcript and protein levels in an Escherichia coli ethanologen using RNA-seq and quantitative proteomics during fermentation to ethanol of synthetic hydrolysates containing or lacking the inhibitors. Our study identified four major regulators mediating these responses, the MarA/SoxS/Rob network, AaeR, FrmR, and YqhC. Induction of these regulons was correlated with a reduced rate of ethanol production, buildup of pyruvate, depletion of ATP and NAD(P)H, and an inhibition of xylose conversion. The aromatic aldehyde inhibitor 5M-bM-^@M-^Qhydroxymethylfurfural appeared to be reduced to its alcohol form by the ethanologen during fermentation, whereas phenolic acid and amide inhibitors were not metabolized. Together, our findings establish that the major regulatory responses to lignocellulose-derived inhibitors are mediated by transcriptional rather than translational regulators, suggest that energy consumed for inhibitor efflux and detoxification may limit biofuel production, and identify a network of regulators for future synthetic biology efforts. Fermentations were carried out in 0.5L bioreactors (Sartorius) containing 0.3L of SynH, SynH lacking osmoprotectants, SynH+LT, or SynH lacking osmoprotectants but containing lignotoxins and cultures were diluted into SynH with initial OD at 0.2, grown anaerobically overnight, and then inoculated into bioreactors to a starting OD600 of 0.2. Two biological replicates (independent cultures) were grown in each medium. RNA samples were obtained at 4 time points, corresponding to exponential (Exp), transitional (Trans), early stationary (Stat1), and late stationary (Stat2) growth phases.
Project description:Meta-proteomics analysis approach in the application of biogas production from anaerobic digestion has many advantages that has not been fully uncovered yet. This study aims to investigate biogas production from a stable 2-stage chicken manure fermentation system in chemical and biological perspective. The diversity and functional protein changes from the 1st stage to 2nd stage is a good indication to expose the differential metabolic processes in anaerobic digestion. The highlight of identified functional proteins explain the causation of accumulated ammonia and carbon sources for methane production. Due to the ammonia stress and nutrient limitation, the hydrogenotrophic methanogenic pathway is adopted as indicative of meta-proteomics data involving the key methanogenic substrates (formate and acetate). Unlike traditional meta-genomic analysis, this study could provide both species names of microorganism and enzymes to directly point the generation pathway of methane and carbon dioxide in investigating biogas production of chicken manure.
Project description:Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence is rising globally and anticipated to become the leading cause of cancer death in younger individuals. Potential risk factors are diet induced obesity and altered microbiomes that lead to accumulation of toxic metabolite accumulation. However, how ammonia and other microbial metabolites impact key signaling pathways, such as TGF-β signaling, to promote CRC remains unclear. Our study investigates a critical link between gut microbiome alterations, ammonia, and their toxic effects on the TGF-β signaling pathway, to drive CRC progression. We found that in an obesity induced mouse model of cancer, altered microbial populations and ammonia promote Caspase-3-mediated cleavage of SMAD3 adaptor βII-spectrin (SPTBN1). Cleaved SPTBN1 fragments form adducts with ammonia to induce pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and alter TGF-β signaling driving CRC. Extending on Alphafold docking simulations, we identified that ammonia interacts with six polar residues at SPTBN1 (S553, Y556, S663, Y666, N986, and T1178) of cleaved SPTBN1 fragments to form hydrogen bonds that disrupt downstream SMAD3 signaling, altering TGF-β signaling to a protumorigenic phenotype. Blocking SPTBN1, through an SPTBN1 specific siRNA blocks ammonia toxicity and restore TGF-β signaling by reducing the abundance of SPTBN1 cleaved fragments. Importantly, SPTBN1 siRNA blocks ammonia toxicity and restore normal TGF-β signaling in CRC cells. Moreover, our research establishes crosstalk between TGF-β signaling and a microbial sensor, carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1), which is significantly overexpressed in CRC patients. We identified CEACAM1-SPTBN1 interactions at specific residues (E517 and Y520) within the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM) of CEACAM1 cytoplasmic domain, with both molecules playing pivotal roles in CRC progression. Our study identifies mechanistic insights into how microbial metabolites target TGF-β a major signaling pathways to promote CRC.
Project description:Ammonia is a ubiquitous, toxic by-product of cell metabolism. Its high membrane permeability and proton affinity causes ammonia to accumulate inside acidic lysosomes in its poorly membrane-permeant form: ammonium (NH4+). Ammonium buildup compromises lysosomal function, suggesting the existence of mechanisms that protect cells from ammonium toxicity. Here, we identified SLC12A9 as a lysosomal regulator of ammonium export that preserves lysosomal homeostasis. SLC12A9 knockout cells showed grossly enlarged lysosomes and elevated ammonium content. These phenotypes were reversed upon removal of the metabolic source of ammonium or dissipation of the lysosomal pH gradient. Lysosomal chloride increased in SLC12A9 knockout cells and chloride binding by SLC12A9 was required for ammonium transport. Our data indicate that SLC12A9 function is central for the handling of lysosomal ammonium and chloride, an unappreciated, fundamental mechanism of lysosomal physiology that may have special relevance in tissues with elevated ammonia, such as tumors.
Project description:Ammonia production via glutamate dehydrogenase is inhibited by SIRT4, a sirtuin that displays both amidase and non-amidase activities. The processes underlying the regulation of ammonia removal by amino acids remain unclear. Here, we report that SIRT4 acts as a decarbamylase that responds to amino acid sufficiency and regulates ammonia removal. Amino acids promote lysine 307 carbamylation (OTCCP-K307) of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), which activates OTC and the urea cycle. Proteomic and interactome screening identified OTC as a substrate of SIRT4. SIRT4 decarbamylates OTCCP-K307 and inactivates OTC in a NAD+-dependent manner. SIRT4 expression was transcriptionally upregulated by the amino acid insufficiency-activated GCN2–eIF2a–ATF4 axis. SIRT4 knockout in cultured cells caused higher OTCCP-K307 levels, activated OTC, elevated urea cycle intermediates, and urea production via amino acid catabolism. Sirt4 ablation decreased mouse blood ammonia levels and ameliorated CCl4-induced hepatic encephalopathy phenotypes. We reveal that SIRT4 safeguards cellular ammonia toxicity during amino acid catabolism.
2023-03-29 | PXD037101 | Pride
Project description:Osmoprotectants provide long-term ammonia tolerance for biomethanation process
Project description:We randomly selected 60 patients who completed paclitaxel treatment for high-throughput sequencing. Grade 2 or higher (grade 2+) neuropathy has been defined as high-PIPN and Grade 1 as low-PIPN according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE version 4.0) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer CIPN specific self-report questionnaire (EORTC QOL-CIPN20). We compared gut microbiome signatures in high-PIPN, low-PIPN, and healthy controls.
Project description:Background: Biological conversion of the surplus of renewable electricity to CH4 could support energy storage and strengthen the power grid. Biological methanation (BM) is closely linked to the activity of biogas-producing bacterial community and methanogenic Archaea in particular. During reactor operations, the microbiome is often subject to various changes whereby the microorganisms are challenged to adapt to the new conditions. In this study, a hydrogenotrophic-adapted microbial community in a laboratory-scale BM fermenter was monitored for its pH, gas production, conversion yields and composition. To investigate the robustness of BM regarding power oscillations, the biogas microbiome was exposed to five H2 starvations patterns for several hours.