Project description:Zymomonas mobilis is an excellent ethanologenic bacterium. Biomass pretreatment and saccharification provides access to simple sugars, but also produces inhibitors such as acetate and furfural. Our previous work has identified and confirmed the genetic change of a 1.5-kb deletion in the sodium acetate tolerant Z. mobilis mutant (AcR) leading to constitutively elevated expression of a sodium proton antiporter encoding gene nhaA, which contributes to the sodium acetate tolerance of AcR mutant. In this study, we further investigated the responses of AcR and wild-type ZM4 to sodium acetate stress in minimum media using both transcriptomics and a metabolic labeling approach for quantitative proteomics the first time. Proteomic measurements at two time points identified about eight hundreds proteins, or about half of the predicted proteome. Extracellular metabolite analysis indicated AcR overcame the acetate stress quicker than ZM4 with a concomitant earlier ethanol production in AcR mutant, although the final ethanol yields and cell densities were similar between two strains. Transcriptomic samples were analyzed for four time points and revealed that the response of Z. mobilis to sodium acetate stress is dynamic, complex and involved about one-fifth of the total predicted genes from all different functional categories. The modest correlations between proteomic and transcriptomic data may suggest the involvement of posttranscriptional control. In addition, the transcriptomic data of forty-four microarrays from four experiments for ZM4 and AcR under different conditions were combined to identify strain-specific, media-responsive, growth phase-dependent, and treatment-responsive gene expression profiles. Together this study indicates that minimal medium has the most dramatic effect on gene expression compared to rich medium followed by growth phase, inhibitor, and strain background. Genes involved in protein biosynthesis, glycolysis and fermentation as well as ATP synthesis and stress response play key roles in Z. mobilis metabolism with consistently strong expression levels under different conditions. A sixteen array study using total RNA recovered from wild-type cultures of Zymomonas mobilis subsp mobilis ZM4 and acetate-tolerant mutant AcR at different time points of 130, 148, 166, and 190h post-inoculation with 10g/L sodium acetate (NaAc) treatment were carried out to investigate the expression differences between ZM4 and AcR. Two biological replicates for treatment or control condition.

Project description:Zymomonas mobilis is an excellent ethanologenic bacterium. Biomass pretreatment and saccharification provides access to simple sugars, but also produces inhibitors such as acetate and furfural. Our previous work has identified and confirmed the genetic change of a 1.5-kb deletion in the sodium acetate tolerant Z. mobilis mutant (AcR) leading to constitutively elevated expression of a sodium proton antiporter encoding gene nhaA, which contributes to the sodium acetate tolerance of AcR mutant. In this study, we further investigated the responses of AcR and wild-type ZM4 to sodium acetate stress in minimum media using both transcriptomics and a metabolic labeling approach for quantitative proteomics the first time. Proteomic measurements at two time points identified about eight hundreds proteins, or about half of the predicted proteome. Extracellular metabolite analysis indicated AcR overcame the acetate stress quicker than ZM4 with a concomitant earlier ethanol production in AcR mutant, although the final ethanol yields and cell densities were similar between two strains. Transcriptomic samples were analyzed for four time points and revealed that the response of Z. mobilis to sodium acetate stress is dynamic, complex and involved about one-fifth of the total predicted genes from all different functional categories. The modest correlations between proteomic and transcriptomic data may suggest the involvement of posttranscriptional control. In addition, the transcriptomic data of forty-four microarrays from four experiments for ZM4 and AcR under different conditions were combined to identify strain-specific, media-responsive, growth phase-dependent, and treatment-responsive gene expression profiles. Together this study indicates that minimal medium has the most dramatic effect on gene expression compared to rich medium followed by growth phase, inhibitor, and strain background. Genes involved in protein biosynthesis, glycolysis and fermentation as well as ATP synthesis and stress response play key roles in Z. mobilis metabolism with consistently strong expression levels under different conditions.

Project description:Background: Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising renewable feedstock for the microbial production of fuels. To release the major fermentable sugars such as glucose and xylose, pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass feedstock are needed. During this process, many toxic compounds are produced or introduced which subsequently inhibit microbial growth and eventually the production rate and yield. Acetate is one of the major inhibitors liberated from hemicelluloses during dilute acid pretreatment. An understanding of the toxic effects of acetate on the fermentation microorganism is critical to improving biofuel yields in the process. In addition, the efficient utilization of mixed sugars of glucose and xylose in the presence of hydrolysate inhibitors is crucial for economic biofuel production. Results: We have observed previously that some pretreatment inhibitors affect growth and performance in Zymomonas mobilis 8b differently when different sugars (e.g. glucose or xylose) are used as substrate. To investigate this phenomenon at the cellular level, microarray technology was used to investigate the acetate stress responses of Z. mobilis 8b when using single carbon sources of glucose or xylose, and mixed sugars of glucose and xylose. We designed a microarray based on the most up-to-date genome annotation for both coding sequences and intergenic regions. In the presence of acetate, 8b still can utilize all the glucose (though xylose utilization was inhibited) with similar ethanol yield although the growth, final biomass, and ethanol production rate were reduced. The presence of acetate caused genes related to biosynthesis, flagellar system, and glycolysis to be downregulated, and genes related to stress responses and energy metabolism to be upregulated. Our result indicates that Z. mobilis utilized different mechanism for xylose utilization compared to that of glucose, with even more dramatic results than those caused by treatment of the culture with the inhibitor acetate. Our study also suggests that redox imbalance caused by stressful conditions may trigger a metabolic reaction that leads to the accumulation of toxic intermediates such as xylitol, but Z. mobilis appears to be capable of managing its carbon and energy metabolism through the control of individual reactions to overcome the inhibition caused by stressful conditions. Several target gene candidates based on transcriptomic result have been selected for genetic manipulation and a TonB-dependent receptor knockout mutant was confirmed to have advantage on acetate tolerance. Conclusions: We have gained insights into the molecular responses of the model ethanologenic bacterium Z. mobilis to the inhibitor acetate when grown in different sugar sources. These insights will facilitate future metabolic modeling studies and help further strain metabolic engineering efforts for better xylose utilization and acetate tolerance. Two series of microarray studies using total RNA extracted from Zymomonas mobilis subsp mobilis 8b (an xylose-utilizing recombinant) were carried out to investigate the effect of carbon source and acetate on Z. mobilis. One study compared the acetate effect in either glucose or xylose at exponential phase and another study investigated the acetate effect in mixed sugar of glucose and xylose at three growth phases of exponential, transition, and stationary. Tthree biological replicates were used for each condition.

Project description:Background Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising renewable feedstock for biofuel production. Acetate is one of the major inhibitors liberated from hemicelluloses during hydrolysis. An understanding of the toxic effects of acetate on the fermentation microorganism and the efficient utilization of mixed sugars of glucose and xylose in the presence of hydrolysate inhibitors is crucial for economic biofuel production. Results A new microarray was designed including both coding sequences and intergenic regions to investigate the acetate stress responses of Zymomonas mobilis 8b when using single carbon sources of glucose or xylose, or mixed sugars of both glucose and xylose. With the supplementation of exogenous acetate, 8b can utilize all the glucose with a similar ethanol yield, although the growth, final biomass, and ethanol production rate were reduced. However, xylose utilization was inhibited in both media containing xylose or a mixed sugar of glucose and xylose, although the performance of 8b was better in mixed sugar than xylose-only media. The presence of acetate caused genes related to biosynthesis, the flagellar system, and glycolysis to be downregulated, and genes related to stress responses and energy metabolism to be upregulated. Unexpectedly, xylose seems to pose more stress on 8b, recruiting more genes for xylose utilization, than does acetate. Several gene candidates based on transcriptome results were selected for genetic manipulation, and a TonB-dependent receptor knockout mutant was confirmed to have a slight advantage regarding acetate tolerance. Conclusions Our results indicate Z. mobilis utilized a different mechanism for xylose utilization, with an even more severe impact on Z. mobilis than that caused by acetate treatment. Our study also suggests redox imbalance caused by stressful conditions may trigger a metabolic reaction leading to the accumulation of toxic intermediates such as xylitol, but Z. mobilis manages its carbon and energy metabolism through the control of individual reactions to mitigate the stressful conditions. We have thus provided extensive transcriptomic datasets and gained insights into the molecular responses of Z. mobilis to the inhibitor acetate when grown in different sugar sources, which will facilitate future metabolic modeling studies and strain improvement efforts for better xylose utilization and acetate tolerance.

Project description:Widiastuti2010 - Genome-scale metabolic network Zymomonas mobilis (iZM363) This model is described in the article: Genome-scale modeling and in silico analysis of ethanologenic bacteria Zymomonas mobilis. Widiastuti H, Kim JY, Selvarasu S, Karimi IA, Kim H, Seo JS, Lee DY. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011 Mar; 108(3): 655-665 Abstract: Bioethanol has been recognized as a potential alternative energy source. Among various ethanol-producing microbes, Zymomonas mobilis has acquired special attention due to its higher ethanol yield and tolerance. However, cellular metabolism in Z. mobilis remains unclear, hindering its practical application for bioethanol production. To elucidate such physiological characteristics, we reconstructed and validated a genome-scale metabolic network (iZM363) of Z. mobilis ATCC31821 (ZM4) based on its annotated genome and biochemical information. The phenotypic behaviors and metabolic states predicted by our genome-scale model were highly consistent with the experimental observations of Z. mobilis ZM4 strain growing on glucose as well as NMR-measured intracellular fluxes of an engineered strain utilizing glucose, fructose, and xylose. Subsequent comparative analysis with Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as well as gene essentiality and flux coupling analyses have also confirmed the functional role of pdc and adh genes in the ethanologenic activity of Z. mobilis, thus leading to better understanding of this natural ethanol producer. In future, the current model could be employed to identify potential cell engineering targets, thereby enhancing the productivity of ethanol in Z. mobilis. This model is hosted on BioModels Database and identified by: MODEL1507180057. To cite BioModels Database, please use: BioModels Database: An enhanced, curated and annotated resource for published quantitative kinetic models. To the extent possible under law, all copyright and related or neighbouring rights to this encoded model have been dedicated to the public domain worldwide. Please refer to CC0 Public Domain Dedication for more information.

Project description:Background: Growth in the global population and industrial activities has increased world energy consumption. Bioethanol is considered as an alternative renewable energy source. Among various ethanol-producing microbes, Zymomonas mobilis ZM4 has received special attention due to its higher ethanol yield and tolerance. Advances in genetic engineering are particularly important for developing microorganisms with improved ethanol production. However, the variety of factors involved in the response to high concentrations of ethanol makes it difficult to devise genetic engineering strategies to generate alcohol tolerant strains. For a better understanding of the ethanol tolerance phenomenon, we obtained and characterized two Z. mobilis ZM4 mutants (ER79ap and ER79ag) with increased ethanol tolerance. Results: Mutants were obtained using a strain adaptive evolution method in mini-fermentors and sequential transfers to higher ethanol concentrations. Mutations were identified by Illumina genomic sequencing. Strain ER79ap possesses three point mutations in the following genes: SpoT/RelA, which synthesizes and degrades the alarmone ppGpp; clpB, encoding a disgregase; and clpP, a component of the Clp protease. In contrast, strain ER79ag has four mutations in the subsequent genes: spoT/relA; rimO; clpP; and in a gene encoding a hypothetical protein with a CBS domain. Transcript profiles of ZM4 and ER79ap were obtained with microarray analysis and identified 126 genes in ZM4 and 148 genes in ER79ap that were differentially expressed in response to ethanol. Conclusions: Both mutants carry mutations in clpP and relA/spoT genes, suggesting that these genes are responsible of their enhanced ethanol tolerance. Transcript profile analysis of the ZM4 and ER79ap showed that they share a set of forty genes that are differentially expressed under ethanol stress and this set may correspond to those that are crucial for the ethanol response. The expression profiles indicate that ethanol induces a major reprograming of transcription that involves changes in the cell membrane, protein synthesis, and in some metabolic pathways, especially those involved in the amino acid metabolism. Our data suggest that clpP and in particular the relA/spoT gene can be targets for bioengineering ethanol tolerance.

Project description:A screening process was used to determine the aciduric capacities of a diverse set of Listeria monocytogenes strains and was based on the capacity to grow at pH 5.0 in the presence 4 different organic acids. Food and clinical isolates tended to be more resistant but strain genetic groupings were found to be only weakly linked to sodium diacetate (SDA)-resistance. Representative and comparatively aciduric food isolates FW04/0023 and FW04/0025 were found to accumulate reduced levels of acetate anion and K+ ion during growth in the presence of SDA, compared to more acid sensitive reference strains EGD (ATCC BAA-739) and ATCC 19111. The aciduric nature of FW04/0023 and FW04/0025 was also reflected by their comparatively high tolerance to pH 2.4 acid challenge; a property boosted by the presence of SDA, and growth-phase dependent acid tolerance. Transcriptomic analyses revealed increased levels of SDA did not activate or promulgate the response of any of the known acid protective mechanisms, except for acetoin biosynthesis. Elevated levels of unprotonated SDA (20 mM SDA at pH 5.0) was found to have broad effects on gene expression that could be differentiated from effects caused by mildly acidic conditions (pH 5.0) and substantial strain variation was also found. Collated SDA mainly effect genes associated with virulence, cell wall processes, DNA repair, and cofactor and lipid biosynthesis. Strain FW04/0025 was more responsive to elevated unprotonated SDA increasing the expression of 222 genes (>2-fold change, p<0.05), compared to 112 genes for strain EGD. Key differences between the strains in relation to SDA-enhanced transcript abundance in FW04/0023 were primarily associated with the cell wall, oxidative stress management, intermediary metabolism, and several hypothetical proteins. This complement of different responses could potentially alter phenotypes resulting in different cell envelope properties and metabolic properties that effect accumulation of acetate anion. The data demonstrates that amongst different L. monocytogenes strains acetate has differing effects that may ultimately influence growth efficiency under stressful conditions relevant to acidic foods and the gastrointestinal environment. The microarray component of the experiments had the aim of determining: i) To examine the affect of elevated levels of unprotonated sodium diacetate (21 mM sodium diacetate added to cultures at pH 5.0, resulting in ~7.7 mM unprotonated acetate) compared to mild acid stress at pH 5.0 in which lower levels of acetate accumulates through natural end-product formation. ii) To examine the gene expression responses of two L. monocytogenes strains that had different intrinsic acid resistances, including an organic acid resistant strain FW04/0025 and a more sensitive reference strain EGD on which genome the microarray oligonucleotide set is based.

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Genome changes associated with a Zymomonas mobilis sodium acetate-tolerant mutant (AcR)

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