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Coordinated use of three homocysteine methyltransferases supports l-methionine biosynthesis and environmental adaptation among plant-associated bacteria.

Plant pathogens colonize multiple plant-associated habitats throughout their life cycle, encountering distinct nutrient conditions and microbial communities. l-methionine is required for bacterial growth and environmental adaptation. However, how plant pathogens coordinate l-methionine biosynthetic pathways to adapt to different plant-associated environments remains poorly understood. Here, using the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris strain XC1 as a model, we show that three homocysteine methyltransferase pathways allow XC1 to catalyze the final step of l-methionine biosynthesis using different methyl donors and cofactors under different environmental conditions. Bioinformatic and transcriptional analyses identified three homocysteine methyltransferase-associated operons in XC1, mesMXD, mmuPM, and metHRHaHb, corresponding to the MesD-, MmuM-, and MetHaHb-dependent pathways, respectively. MesD uses an endogenously synthesized methyl donor and functions as the dominant homocysteine methyltransferase under l-methionine-limiting conditions, supporting bacterial growth, intracellular l-methionine accumulation, and full virulence. Furthermore, MmuM enables XC1 to use plant-derived S-methylmethionine for l-methionine biosynthesis, whereas MetHaHb enables XC1 to use vitamin B12 supplied by a neighboring bacterium for l-methionine biosynthesis in co-culture. Expression analyses showed that mesMXD was the only homocysteine methyltransferase-associated operon that responded to l-methionine availability, and its expression also decreased when S-methylmethionine- or vitamin B12-dependent pathways supported l-methionine biosynthesis. Comparative genomic analysis further showed that the three-homocysteine methyltransferase configuration is conserved in Xanthomonas and is also present in other plant-associated bacteria. Together, these findings show that a plant pathogen can coordinate endogenous, plant-derived, and microbially supported homocysteine methyltransferase pathways to maintain l-methionine biosynthesis, providing a metabolic strategy for adaptation to plant-associated environments.

Methionine

Microbial production of vitamin B12 antimetabolites. III Compound 102804 from Bacillus cereus.

A basic compound with empirical formula C12H16N2O5 was isolated from Bacillus cereus 102804 fermentations of a soybean meal-glucose medium. The inhibitory activity of compound 102804 on growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria growing in a chemically defined medium was reversed by vitamin B12, by L-methionine, and by D-methionine. It has no inhibitory activity for Escherichia coli (Davis 113-3) when grown in media containing L-methionine. The biosynthesis of 102804 coincides with the sporulation of the B. cereus, and the compound is not produced in the absence of sporulation.

Antimetabolites

[Role of the components in the methylation system in the cobalamin-dependent gentamycin biosynthesis by a Micromonospora purpurea culture].

It was found that under conditions of a short-term cultivation of the Co-deficient mycelium of M. purpurea var. violaces 1935 in the synthetic medium the level of gentamicin biosynthesis increased on the average by 2--2.5 times when cyancobalamine, methylcobalamine, L-methionine or L-serine were added to the medium. Glycine and H2-pholate increased the gentamicin yield on the average by 1.5--1.8 times. When the concentration of L-methionine in the medium was optimal, production of gentamicin by the Co-deficient mycelium markedly increased on addition of extra amounts of cyancobalamine into the medium. An analogous high level of gentamicin biosynthesis was observed in the absence of L-methionine, when combinations of H2-pholate and L-serine or cyancobalamine, H2-pholate and glycine were added to the medium. The data of the study indicate that the pholate-dependent neogenesis of -CH3 group and the methyl-B12-dependent resynthesis of L-methionine play an important functional role in biosynthesis of gentamicin.

Cobalt

Mechanism of inhibition of Chromatium D growth by L-methionine. Regulation of L-threonine biosynthesis by the intracellular level of S-adenosylmethionine.

(1) An unusual accumulation of S-adenosyl-L-methionine in Chromatium D was associated with a marked growth inhibition by L-methionine. The inhibition was overcome by L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-phyenylalanine, L-threonine, L-valine and putrescien. Based on their effects, these compounds are classified into 3 types. (2) L-Isoleucine, L-leucine, L-phyenylalanine and L-valine (Type I) inhibited the L-methionine uptake and consequently prevented the bacterium from the unusual accumulation of S-adenosyl-L-methionine even in the presence of L-methionine in the medium. Putrescine (Type II) stimulated the consumption of S-adenosyl-L-methionine, but did not influence the L-methionine uptake. Hence, the effect of putrescine would be explained by the action to diminish the intracellular level of S-adenosyl-L-methionine. L-Threonine (Type III) neither inhibited the L-methionine uptake nor affected the content of S-adenoxyl-L-methionine due to the addition of L-methionine. (3) The specific activity of homoserine kinase (EC 2.7.1.39) was greatly lowered by the addition of L-methionine under conditions in which Chromatium D unusually accumulates S-adenoxyl-L-methionine. Homoserine dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.3) activity was inhbitied by S-adenosyl-L-methionine (50% inhibition index, 3.5 mM). These facts strongly suggest that the growth inhibition by L-methionine is associated with the L-threonine deficiency caused by the unusual accumulation of S-adenosyl-L-methionine.

Amino Acids

Cell-free translation of RNA synthesized in vitro by a transcribing nucleoprotein complex prepared from purified vesicular stomatitis virus.

The RNA species synthesized in vitro by a transcribing nucleoprotein (TNP) complex of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) were translated with high efficiency in a fractionated cell-free system derived from reticulocytes. The use of TNP complexes isolated from VSV Indiana, VSV New Jersey, and Chandipura viruses showed that in each case the predominant polypeptides synthesized had electrophoretic mobilities identical to their virion N, NS, and M polypeptides in proportions reflecting those found in infected cells rather than purified virions. A minor polypeptide corresponding to unglycosylated polypeptide G was also observed, but the in vitro synthesis of polypeptide L was not detected. The addition of RNase inhibitor to transcription mixtures markedly increased the rate of RNA synthesis. Furthermore, the messenger activity of the RNA was significantly enhanced. The inclusion of S-adenosyl L-methionine during transcription substantially increased the messenger activity of the product RNA, suggesting a requirement for methylation. Fractionation by oligodeoxythymidylic acid-cellulose chromatography revealed that the RNA required a polyadnylic acid tract for messenger activity.

Cell-Free System

Actinomycin biosynthesis by protoplasts derived from Streptomyces parvulus.

Conditions are described for the formation of protoplasts from Streptomyces parvulus that are able to synthesize actinomycin D de novo. Antibiotic synthesis by protoplasts, in contrast to that by mycelium, was sensitive to inhibition by actinomycin D and to a decrease in sucrose concentration. On the other hand, synthesis by mycelium was much more sensitive to inhibition by amino acid analogs (d-valine, cis-3-methylproline, and alpha-methyl-dl-tryptophan). In addition, the uptake of amino acids (l-methionine, sarcosine, and l- and d-valine) by protoplasts was significantly lower than that by mycelium. The advantages and limitations of using protoplasts for studying in vivo actinomycin synthesis are discussed.

Dactinomycin

Studies of ethylene-forming system in rat liver extract.

Evidence of enzymatic formation of ethylene from methionine by rat liver extracts is presented. The ethylene production is closely associated with growth of the animal. The conversion of L-methionine to ehtylene is oxygen dependent. Substrate analogue studies show that the ethylene-forming system is structurally specific and requires in the center of the molecule alpha-CH2-CH2- with one end attached to an unencumbered sulfur atom from a thioether moiety and the other end attached to a carboxyl group. Sylfhydryl agents are found to be very effective inhibitors of the ethylene-forming system. The finding of alpha-keto-4-methylthiobutyric acid to be a more efficient precursor of ethylene production suggests the possibility that alpha-keto-4-methylthiobutyric acid may be an intermediate in the biosynthesis of ethylene from methionine in mammalian tissues.

Aging

Transport and utilization of D-methionine and other methionine sources in Escherichia coli.

The transport and utilization of D-methionine was investigated in several strains of Escherichia coli K-12. Wild-type cells exhibit a single transport system with a Km of 1.16 muM. This activity exhibits a specificity similar to that of the uptake of L-methionine. The activity toward the D-isomer and the high-affinity uptake of L-methionine are lost in strains mutant in metD, along with the ability to utilize D-methionine as methionine source. Both activities respond identically to gene dosage of metD and are both restored in revertants or transductants. However, although L-methionine is a potent inhibitor of D-methionine uptake, D-methionine has little or no effect on the uptake of the L-isomer. No mutants altered in the uptake of only one of the two isomers were found in a screening. Regulation of both activities was similar in their response to the internal methionine pool, and some evidence was suggestive of partial repressive control of these activities. The evidence is most consistent with the role of the metD product as a common step for two methionine-specific uptake systems, but other gene products may represent the initial substrate binding sites. This system also appears to be involved in the uptake of N-acetyl methionine and methionine sulfoxide and methionine sulfoximine. The uptake of the keto analogue of methionine, alpha-keto-gamma-methiol butyrate, appears to be mediated by a separate system specific for alpha-keto straight-chain acids 5- to 6-carbon units in length.

Binding, Competitive

Influence of methionine biosynthesis on serine transhydroxymethylase regulation in Salmonella typhimurium LT2.

The enzyme serine transhydroxymethylase (EC 2.1.2.1; L-serine:tetrahydrofolate-5,10-hydroxymethyltransferase) is responsible both for the synthesis of glycine from serine and production of the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate necessary as a methyl donor for methionine synthesis. Two mutants selected for alteration in serine transhydroxymethylase regulation also have phenotypes characteristic of metK (methionine regulatory) mutants, including ethionine, norleucine, and alpha-methylmethionine resistance and reduced levels of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase (EC 2.5.1.6; adenosine 5'-triphosphate:L-methionine S-adenosyltransferase) activity. Because this suggested the existence of a common regulatory component, the regulation of serine transhydroxymethylase was examined in other methionine regulatory mutants (metK and metJ mutants). Normally, serine transhydroxymethylase levels are repressed three- to sixfold in cells grown in the presence of serine, glycine, methionine, adenine, guanine, and thymine. This does not occur in metK and metJ mutants; thus, these mutations do affect the regulation of both serine transhydroxymethylase and the methionine biosynthetic enzymes. Lesions in the metK gene have been reported to reduce S-adenosylmethionine synthetase levels. To determine whether the metK gene actually encodes for S-adenosylmethionine synthetase, a mutant was characterized in which this enzyme has a 26-fold increased apparent Km for methionine. This mutation causes a phenotype associated with metK mutants and is cotransducible with the serA locus at the same frequency as metK lesions. Thus, the affect of metK mutations on the regulation of glycine and methionine synthesis in Salmonella typhimurium appears to be due to either an altered S-adenosylmethionine synthetase or altered S-adenosylmethionine pools.

Enzyme Repression

Controlled biosynthesis of neoviridogriseins, new homologues of viridogrisein. III. Production, structures and biological properties of neoviridogriseins I and III.

The high response of our isolate of Streptomyces griseoviridus was exploited to provoke the synthesis of new viridogrisein homologues by adding various amino acids to the culture medium in an attempt to replace the alanine, sarcosine, leucine and phenylsarcosine moieties of virdogrisein. Among the amino acids added, L- and DL-alpha-amino-n-butyric acid and L-methionine gave new TLC spots which we named neoviridogriseins I and III and neoviridogrisein VII, respectively. The structures of neoviridogriseins I and III were elucidated: In both compounds, the alanine moiety of viridogrisein is replaced by a L-alpha-amino-n-butyric acid residue; furthermore, in neoviridogrisein I, the allo-hydroxy-D-proline is replaced by D-proline.

Amino Acids

In vitro system for detection of antimetabolites of specific amino acids.

An in vitro system was developed to detect antimetabolites in fermentation liquors of soil microorganisms. This system effectively uncovers antimetabolites of purines and pyrimidines and of selected amino acids with established differences in their biosynthesis by normal cells versus certain malignant cells. Currently these amino acids include: L-asparagine, L-aspartic acid, L-glutamine, L-cysteine (cystine), L-methionine, L-arginine, L-histidine, L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, L-tryptophan, L-threonine, and L-serine. It is expected that these antimetabolites could be useful either alone or in combination with specific depleting enzymes in the treatment of malignancies where such an imbalance was established.

Amino Acids