Identification of Shemin pathway genes for tetrapyrrole biosynthesis in bacteriophage sequences from aquatic environments.

ABSTRACT: Tetrapyrroles such as heme, chlorophyll, and vitamin B₁₂ are essential for various metabolic pathways. They derive from 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), which can be synthesized by a single enzyme (5-ALA synthase or AlaS, Shemin pathway) or by a two-enzyme pathway. The genomes of some bacteriophages from aquatic environments carry various tetrapyrrole biosynthesis genes. Here, we analyze available metagenomic datasets and identify alaS homologs (viral alaS, or valaS) in sequences corresponding to marine and freshwater phages. The genes are found individually or as part of complete or truncated three-gene loci encoding heme-catabolizing enzymes. Amino-acid sequence alignments and three-dimensional structure prediction support that the valaS sequences likely encode functional enzyme

SUBMITTER: Wegner H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11480375 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature