Edward Schwartz

Genome sequence of the bioplastic-producing “Knallgas” bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16

The H2-oxidizing lithoautotrophic bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16 is a metabolically versatile organism capable of subsisting, in the absence of organic growth substrates, on H2 and CO2 as its sole sources of energy and carbon. R. eutropha H16 first attracted biotechnological interest nearly 50 years ago with the realization that the organisms ability to produce and store large amounts of poly[R-(–)-3-hydroxybutyrate] and other polyesters could be harnessed to make biodegradable plastics. Here we report the complete genome sequence of the two chromosomes of R. eutropha H16. Together, chromosome 1 (4,052,032 base pairs (bp)) and chromosome 2 (2,912,490 bp) encode 6,116 putative genes. Analysis of the genome sequence offers the genetic basis for exploiting the biotechnological potential of this organism and provides insights into its remarkable metabolic versatility.

A proteomic view of the facultatively chemolithoautotrophic lifestyle of Ralstonia eutropha H16.

Ralstonia eutropha H16 is an H2‐oxidizing, facultative chemolithoautotroph. Using 2‐DE in conjunction with peptide mass spectrometry we have cataloged the soluble proteins of this bacterium during growth on different substrates: (i) H2 and CO2, (ii) succinate and (iii) glycerol. The first and second conditions represent purely lithoautotrophic and purely organoheterotrophic nutrition, respectively. The third growth regime permits formation of the H2‐oxidizing and CO2‐fixing systems concomitant to utilization of an organic substrate, thus enabling mixotrophic growth. The latter type of nutrition is probably the relevant one with respect to the situation faced by the organism in its natural habitats, i.e. soil and mud. Aside from the hydrogenase and Calvin‐cycle enzymes, the protein inventories of the H2‐CO2‐ and succinate‐grown cells did not reveal major qualitative differences. The protein complement of the glycerol‐grown cells resembled that of the lithoautotrophic cells. Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase was present under all three growth conditions, whereas PEP carboxylase was not detectable, supporting earlier findings that PEP carboxykinase is alone responsible for the anaplerotic production of oxaloacetate from PEP. The elevated levels of oxidative stress proteins in the glycerol‐grown cells point to a significant challenge by ROS under these conditions. The results reported here are in agreement with earlier physiological and enzymological studies indicating that R. eutropha H16 has a heterotrophic core metabolism onto which the functions of lithoautotrophy have been grafted.

Nucleotide sequence of the rpoN (hno) gene region of Alcaligenes eutrophus: evidence for a conserved gene cluster

The nucleotide sequence of the rpoN gene, formerly designated hno, and flanking DNA regions of the aerobic hydrogen bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus has been determined; rpoN codes for the RNA polymerase sigma factor σ54 involved in nitrogen regulation and diverse physiological functions of gram-negative bacteria. In A. eutrophus hydrogen metabolism is under control of rpoN. The Tn5-Mob insertion in a previously isolated pleiotropic mutant was mapped within the rpoN gene. The derived amino acid sequence of the A. eutrophus RpoN protein shows extensive homology to the RpoN proteins of other organisms. Sequencing revealed four other open reading frames: one upstream (ORF280) and three downstream (ORF130, ORF99 and ORF > 54) of the rpoN gene. A similar arrangement of homologous ORFs is found in the rpoN regions of other bacteria and is indicative of a conserved gene cluster.

Autotrophic Production of Stable-Isotope-Labeled Arginine in Ralstonia eutropha Strain H16

ABSTRACT With the aim of improving industrial-scale production of stable-isotope (SI)-labeled arginine, we have developed a system for the heterologous production of the arginine-containing polymer cyanophycin in recombinant strains of Ralstonia eutropha under lithoautotrophic growth conditions. We constructed an expression plasmid based on the cyanophycin synthetase gene (cphA) of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6308 under the control of the strong P cbbL promoter of the R. eutropha H16 cbbc operon (coding for autotrophic CO2 fixation). In batch cultures growing on H2 and CO2 as sole sources of energy and carbon, respectively, the cyanophycin content of cells reached 5.5% of cell dry weight (CDW). However, in the absence of selection (i.e., in antibiotic-free medium), plasmid loss led to a substantial reduction in yield. We therefore designed a novel addiction system suitable for use under lithoautotrophic conditions. Based on the hydrogenase transcription factor HoxA, this system mediated stabilized expression of cphA during lithoautotrophic cultivation without the need for antibiotics. The maximum yield of cyanophycin was 7.1% of CDW. To test the labeling efficiency of our expression system under actual production conditions, cells were grown in 10-liter-scale fermentations fed with 13CO2 and 15NH4Cl, and the 13C/15N-labeled cyanophycin was subsequently extracted by treatment with 0.1 M HCl; 2.5 to 5 g of [13C/15N]arginine was obtained per fed-batch fermentation, corresponding to isotope enrichments of 98.8% to 99.4%.

Analyses of soluble and membrane proteomes of Ralstonia eutropha H16 reveal major changes in the protein complement in adaptation to lithoautotrophy.

The soil-dwelling lithoautotrophic bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16 utilizes hydrogen as the key source of energy during aerobic growth on hydrogen and carbon dioxide. We examined the soluble and membrane protein complements of lithoautotrophically grown cells and compared them to the protein complements of cells grown organoheterotrophically on succinate. (14)N/(15)N-based inverse metabolic labeling in combination with GeLC-MS led to the identification of 1452 proteins, 1174 of which could be quantitated. Far more proteins were found to be more abundant in the lithoautotrophically than in the organoheterotrophically grown cells. In addition to the induction of the key enzymes of hydrogen oxidation and carbon dioxide fixation, we observed several characteristic alterations in the proteome correlated with lithoautotrophic growth. (I) Genes for three terminal oxidases were upregulated. (II) NAD(P) transhydrogenase and enzymes for the accumulation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) showed increased protein abundance. (III) Lithoautotrophically grown cells were equipped with an enhanced inventory of transport systems. (IV) The expression of cell surface appendages involved in cell movement was markedly increased, while proteins involved in cell adhesion were decreased. Our data show that the hydrogen-based lifestyle of R. eutropha H16 relies on an extensive protein repertoire adapting the organism to the alternative energy and carbon sources.

Hydrogen Oxidation by Alcaligenes

Detailed molecular studies of hydrogen metabolism have progressed rapidly thanks to the development of genetic systems, which are now available for selected proteobacteria, including species of lithoautotrophs, nitrogen-fixing and photosynthetic microorganisms (reviewed by Friedrich, Schwartz 1993 and Vignais, Toussaint 1994). These facultative hydrogen-oxidizers are abundant in soil and water. Adaptation to shortage of nutrients may explain the great metabolic versatility of these organisms. The ability to utilize a wide range of organic and inorganic substrates and to adjust rapidly to changing environmental conditions demands a rather flexible, balanced metabolic regulation. This article focuses on the hydrogen-oxidizing enzyme system of Alcaligenes eutrophus, the prototype of the so-called hydrogen (knallgas) bacteria, presenting our current knowledge of the arrangement, structure and function of genes involved in the biosynthesis of two nickel-iron-containing hydrogenases and summarizing the mechanisms that regulate hydrogenase expression.

Coping with anoxia: a comprehensive proteomic and transcriptomic survey of denitrification.

Ralstonia eutropha H16 is a denitrifying microorganism able to use nitrate and nitrite as terminal electron acceptors under oxygen deprivation. To identify proteins showing an altered expression pattern in response to oxygen supply, R. eutropha cells grown aerobically and anaerobically were compared in a comprehensive proteome and transcriptome approach. Nearly 700 proteins involved in several processes including respiration, formation of cell appendages, and DNA and cofactor biosynthesis were found to be differentially expressed. A combination of 1D gel-LC and conventional 2D gel analysis of six consecutive sample points covering the entire denitrification sequence revealed a detailed view on the shifting abundance of the key proteins of denitrification. Denitrification- or anaerobiosis-induced alterations of the respiratory chain included a distinct expression pattern for multiple terminal oxidases. Alterations in the central carbon metabolism were restricted to a few key functions including the isoenzymes for aconitase and isocitrate dehydrogenase. Although R. eutropha is a strictly respiratory bacterium, the abundance of certain fermentation enzymes was increased. This work represents a comprehensive survey of denitrification on the proteomic and transcriptomic levels and provides unique insight into how R. eutropha adapts its metabolism to low oxygen conditions.

Megaplasmids of Aerobic Hydrogenotrophic and Carboxidotrophic Bacteria

The hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16 and the carbon monoxide-oxidizing bacterium Oligotropha carboxidovorans OM5 carry key genetic determinants for their respective forms of lithoautotrophic metabolism on megaplasmids. In R. eutropha H16 genetic information for the H2-oxidizing system and for CO2 fixation via the Calvin—Benson—Bassham cycle is located on the 452-kb megaplasmid pHG1. In addition, pHG1 harbors clusters of genes for denitrification and for degradation of aromatic compounds. The 133-kb megaplasmid pHCG3 is the genetic basis for CO oxidation in O. carboxidovorans OM5. Aside from the aerobic CO dehydrogenase, pHCG3 also encodes Calvin cycle enzymes and a dimeric hydrogenase. In both cases there is an interdigitation of megaplasmid-based and chromosomally encoded functions, indicating that these megaplasmids are, although not strictly essential for viability, an integral part of the genome.