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At least 163 records · Page 9

Investigating drivers of microbial activity and respiration in a forested bog

Northern peatlands store nearly one-third of terrestrial carbon (C) stocks while covering only 3% of the global landmass; nevertheless, the drivers of C cycling in these often-waterlogged ecosystems are different from those that control C dynamics in upland forested soils. To explore how multiple abiotic and biotic characteristics of bogs interact to shape microbial activity in a northern, forested bog, we added a labile C tracer ( 13 C-labeled starch) to in situ peat mesocosms and correlated heterotrophic respiration with natural variation in several microbial predictor variables, such as enzyme activity and microbial biomass, as well as with a suite of abiotic variables and proximity to vascular plants aboveground. We found that peat moisture content was positively correlated with respiration and microbial activity, even when moisture levels exceeded total saturation, suggesting that access to organic matter substrates in drier environments may be limiting for microbial activity. Proximity to black spruce trees decreased total and labile heterotrophic respiration. This negative relationship may reflect the influence of tree evapotranspiration and peat shading effects; i.e., microbial activity may decline as peat dries and cools near trees. Here, we isolated the response of heterotrophic respiration to explore the variation in, and interactions among, multiple abiotic and biotic drivers that influence microbial activity. This approach allowed us to reveal the relative influence of individual drivers on C respiration in these globally important C sinks.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Depth dependence of climatic controls on soil microbial community activity and composition

Abstract Subsoil microbiomes play important roles in soil carbon and nutrient cycling, yet our understanding of the controls on subsoil microbial communities is limited. Here, we investigated the direct (mean annual temperature and precipitation) and indirect (soil chemistry) effects of climate on microbiome composition and extracellular enzyme activity throughout the soil profile across two elevation-bioclimatic gradients in central California, USA. We found that microbiome composition changes and activity decreases with depth. Across these sites, the direct influence of climate on microbiome composition and activity was relatively lower at depth. Furthermore, we found that certain microbial taxa change in relative abundance over large temperature and precipitation gradients only in specific soil horizons, highlighting the depth dependence of the climatic controls on microbiome composition. Our finding that the direct impacts of climate are muted at depth suggests that deep soil microbiomes may lag in their acclimation to new temperatures with a changing climate.

16S rRNA↗

Phylogenetics-based identification and characterization of a superior 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase for Zymomonas mobilis expression

Abstract Background Zymomonas mobilis has recently been shown to be capable of producing the valuable platform biochemical, 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO). Despite this capability, the production of high titers of 2,3-BDO is restricted by several physiological parameters. One such bottleneck involves the conversion of acetoin to 2,3-BDO, a step catalyzed by 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase (Bdh). Several Bdh enzymes have been successfully expressed in Z. mobilis, although a highly active enzyme is yet to be identified for expression in this host. Here, we report the application of a phylogenetic approach to identify and characterize a superior Bdh, followed by validation of its structural attributes using a mutagenesis approach. Results Of the 11 distinct bdh genes that were expressed in Z. mobilis, crude extracts expressing Serratia marcescens Bdh ( Sm Bdh) were found to have the highest activity (8.89 µmol/min/mg), when compared to other Bdh enzymes (0.34–2.87 µmol/min/mg). The Sm Bdh crystal structure was determined through crystallization with cofactor (NAD + ) and substrate (acetoin) molecules bound in the active site. Active Sm Bdh was shown to be a tetramer with the active site populated by a Gln247 residue contributed by the diagonally opposite subunit. Sm Bdh showed a more extensive supporting hydrogen-bond network in comparison to the other well-studied Bdh enzymes, which enables improved substrate positioning and substrate specificity. This protein also contains a short α6 helix, which provides more efficient entry and exit of molecules from the active site, thereby contributing to enhanced substrate turnover. Extending the α6 helix to mimic the lower activity Enterobacter cloacae ( Ec Bdh) enzyme resulted in reduction of Sm Bdh function to nearly 3% of the total activity. In great contrast, reduction of the corresponding α6 helix of the Ec Bdh to mimic the Sm Bdh structure resulted in ~ 70% increase in its activity. Conclusions This study has demonstrated that Sm Bdh is superior to other Bdhs for expression in Z. mobilis for 2,3-BDO production. Sm Bdh possesses unique structural features that confer biochemical advantage to this protein. While coordinated active site formation is a unique structural characteristic of this tetrameric complex, the smaller α6 helix and extended hydrogen network contribute towards improved activity and substrate promiscuity of the enzyme.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Conservation of endo -glucanase 16 (EG16) activity across highly divergent plant lineages

Plant cell walls are highly dynamic structures that are composed predominately of polysaccharides. As such, endogenous carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) are central to the synthesis and subsequent modification of plant cells during morphogenesis. The endo-glucanase 16 (EG16) members constitute a distinct group of plant CAZymes, angiosperm orthologs of which were recently shown to have dual β-glucan/xyloglucan hydrolase activity. Molecular phylogeny indicates that EG16 members comprise a sister clade with a deep evolutionary relationship to the widely studied apoplastic xyloglucan endo-transglycosylases/hydrolases (XTH). A cross-genome survey indicated that EG16 members occur as a single ortholog across species and are widespread in early diverging plants, including the non-vascular bryophytes, for which functional data were previously lacking. Remarkably, enzymological characterization of an EG16 ortholog from the model moss Physcomitrella patens (PpEG16) revealed that EG16 activity and sequence/structure are highly conserved across 500 million years of plant evolution, vis-à-vis orthologs from grapevine and poplar. Ex vivo biomechanical assays demonstrated that the application of EG16 gene products caused abrupt breakage of etiolated hypocotyls rather than slow extension, thereby indicating a mode-of-action distinct from endogenous expansins and microbial endo-glucanases. As a result, the biochemical data presented here will inform future genomic, genetic, and physiological studies of EG16 enzymes.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Some characteristics of fructose 1,6-diphosphatase activity in rat liver

A reliable assay for hepatic fructose 1,6-diphosphatase in the rat was developed. It was found that the greatest enzymic activity and highest protein levels were eluted from the colored portion of the homogenate. When the substrate concentration was 0.01M, the enzyme had optimal activity when incubated with 0.01M MgSO4 for 10 min. at 37 C in 0.05M Tris-HC1 buffer, pH 7.5. Specificity for the substrate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate, was obtained at substrate concentration of 0.01M.

Ashman, P. U.↗

Engineering and Application of a Thermostable MHETase for PET Depolymerization

Enzymatic hydrolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) releases mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (MHET) as a major product, the accumulation of which can prolong reactor residence times and complicate downstream monomer separations. The use of a MHETase enzyme can enable MHET hydrolysis to the monomers, terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, but industrial PETases typically operate at thermophilic temperatures and the well-known MHETase from Ideonella sakaiensis is a mesophilic enzyme, thus warranting the development of thermophilic MHETases. Here, we characterize thermostable MHET-active enzymes from a natural diversity screen by applying a hidden Markov model based on the previously reported, archaeal ferulic acid esterase, PET46. We identified enzymes with higher thermostability than PET46 and quantified their MHETase activity in reactions at 70 °C. The crystal structure of MHT077, the homologue with the highest MHETase activity and an apparent melting temperature (T m,app ) of 94.6 °C, informed site saturation mutagenesis in the active site and lid-domain interface. MHT077 exhibited a ∼100-fold slower unfolding rate at 65 °C than PET46, indicating substantially greater kinetic stability. In parallel, we applied evolution-informed design, a probabilistic model that leverages coevolutionary patterns in large multiple sequence alignments, to improve the activity and thermostability of five ferulic acid esterases. One design, EV-MHT043–5 was identified with a comparable thermostability (T m,app = 96.1 °C) and a 3-fold improvement in its MHETase activity relative to the wildtype enzyme, MHT043. Combination variants of beneficial mutations were screened and afforded a variant, MHT077 LFK , which reduced MHET accumulation in bioreactor experiments with postconsumer PET waste. Overall, this study expands the known MHET-hydrolyzing protein scaffolds available for enzymatic PET recycling.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Towards an Understanding of Oxidative Damage in an a-L-Arabinofuranosidase of Trichoderma reesei : a Molecular Dynamics Approach

Trichoderma reesei is a ‘workhorse’ fungus that produces glycosyl hydrolases (e.g., cellulases) at high titers for use in industrial bioprocessing. In this study, we focused on two side-chain hemicellulases, a-L-arabinofuranosidases and a-D-galactosidases, which are important for the treatment of lignocellulosic biomass, but susceptible to oxidative damage that can occur during industrial processing. The molecular details that render these enzymes inactive have not yet been identified. To approach this issue, we used proteomics to identify amino acid residues that were oxidized after a relevant oxidative treatment (Fenton reaction). These oxidative modifications were included in the 3D-protein structures, and using molecular dynamics simulations, we then studied the behaviors of non-modified and oxidized enzymes. These simulations showed significant alterations of the conformational stability of proteins when oxidized, as evidenced by changes in root mean square deviation (RMSD) and principal component analyses (PCA) trajectories. Likewise, enzyme-ligand interactions such as hydrogen bonds were greatly reduced in quantity and quality in the oxidized proteins. Finally, free energy landscape plots showed that there was a more rugged energy surface in the oxidized proteins, implying a less favorable reaction pathway. These results reveal the basis for loss of function in these carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZYs) in T. reesei.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Soil management legacy interacts with wheat genotype to determine access to organic N in a dryland system

Organic nutrient management through the application of compost and/or cover crops provides mineralizable sources of nutrients for plants while often building soil organic matter (SOM) and various aspects of soil health. Variability in nutrient acquisition strategies between crop genotypes may confer advantages under different soil health contexts and could be important for crop selection and breeding, but crop response under field conditions remains unexplored. We investigated the ability of different genotypes of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to access nitrogen (N) from newly added cover crop residues in two soils with contrasting levels of SOM and biological activity. We planted three previously characterized wheat genotypes in a long-term dryland compost amendment field trial: 1) Byrd (modern, deep roots, low exudation), 2) Cheyenne (historic, drought susceptible, intermediate exudation), and 3) Snowmass (modern, drought-susceptible, high exudation). 15 N-labelled cover crop residue was added to each plot and traced into wheat tissue. In the low SOM soil, the high exudate genotype Snowmass and historic genotype Cheyenne took up the most residue-derived N (6.4–8.1 kg N ha −1 ) compared to the low-exudate genotype Byrd (4.4 kg N ha −1 ), suggesting a strong exudate effect in the more carbon-limited soil. However, in the high SOM soil, the low-exudate, deep rooted genotype, Byrd, took up the most residue N (4.6 kg N ha −1 vs. 2.8 and 3.3 hg N ha −1 for Cheyenne and Snowmass, respectively), which indicated higher native N cycling activities and greater importance of drought resistance. Enzyme activity, inorganic N, and microbial communities were not influenced by genotype, though did show strong effects of compost application legacy. Furthermore, our results show that belowground allocation strategies that favor microbial stimulation may be less successful under water limitation, especially when high native SOM and biological activity can support mineralization of residue N without added investment in root inputs. Increased soil health through SOM-building management likely enhances nutrient cycling, and may better support root strategies that invest less in microbial stimulation in favor of other limiting resources.

Compost↗

Grazing-Activated Production of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) by two clones of Emiliania huxleyi

Emiliania huxleyi clones CCMP 370 and CCMP 373 produced similar amounts of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) during axenic exponential growth, averaging 109 mM internal DMSP. Both clones had detectable DMSP lyase activity, as measured by production of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) during in vitro assays of crude cell preparations, but activities and conditions differed considerably between clones. Clone 373 had high activity; clone 370 had low activity and required chloride. For both strains, enzyme activity per cell was constant during exponential growth, but little DMS was produced by healthy cells. Rather, DMS production was activated when cells were subjected to physical or chemical stresses that caused cell lysis. We propose that DMSP lyase and DMSP are segregated within these cells and re-action only under conditions that result in cell stress or damage. Such activation occurs during microzooplankton grazing. When these clones were grazed by the dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina, DMS was produced; ungrazed cells, as well as those exposed to grazer exudates and associated bacteria, generated no DMS. Grazing of clone 373 produced much more DMS than grazing of clone 370, consistent with their relative in vitro DMSP lyase activities. DMS was only generated when cells were actually being grazed, indicating that ingested cells were responsible for the DMS formation. We suggest that even low levels of grazing can greatly accelerate DMS production.

Wolfe, Gordon V.↗

THF co-solvent pretreatment prevents lignin redeposition from interfering with enzymes yielding prolonged cellulase activity

Background: Conventional aqueous dilute sulfuric acid (DSA) pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass facilitates hemicellulose solubilization and can improve subsequent enzymatic digestibility of cellulose to fermentable glucose. However, much of the lignin after DSA pretreatment either remains intact within the cell wall or readily redeposits back onto the biomass surface. This redeposited lignin has been shown to reduce enzyme activity and contribute to rapid enzyme deactivation, thus, necessitating significantly higher enzyme loadings than deemed economical for biofuel production from biomass. Results: In this study, we demonstrate how detrimental lignin redeposition on biomass surface after pretreatment can be prevented by employing Co-solvent Enhanced Lignocellulosic Fractionation (CELF) pretreatment that uses THF–water co-solvents with dilute sulfuric acid to solubilize lignin and overcome limitations of DSA pretreatment. We first find that enzymatic hydrolysis of CELF-pretreated switchgrass can sustain a high enzyme activity over incubation periods as long as 5 weeks with enzyme doses as low as 2 mg protein/g glucan to achieve 90% yield to glucose. A modified Ninhydrin-based protein assay revealed that the free-enzyme concentration in the hydrolysate liquor, related to enzyme activity, remained unchanged over long hydrolysis times. DSA-pretreated switchgrass, by contrast, had a 40% drop in free enzymes in solution during incubation, providing evidence of enzyme deactivation. Furthermore, measurements of enzyme adsorption per gram of lignin suggested that CELF prevented lignin redeposition onto the biomass surface, and the little lignin left in the solids was mostly integral to the original lignin–carbohydrate complex (LCC). Scanning electron micrographs and NMR characterization of lignin supported this observation. Conclusions: Enzymatic hydrolysis of solids from CELF pretreatment of switchgrass at low enzyme loadings was sustained for considerably longer times and reached higher conversions than for DSA solids. Analysis of solids following pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis showed that prolonged cellulase activity could be attributed to the limited lignin redeposition on the biomass surface making more enzymes available for hydrolysis of more accessible glucan.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

BiomeProbe [Abstract]

We propose the development and application of a microtiter plate-based chemical probe assay that can facilitate the rapid quantification of fecal microbiome-associated enzyme functional activities (“gut pharmacomicrobiomics”). Our initial proof-of-concept project with FedImpact is to show that one or more glucuronidase probes can be used for sensitive and reproducible characterization of fecal microbe glucuronidase activities. Glucuronidase enzymes are important for contributing to enterohepatic recycling of therapeutic drug compounds, resulting in impaired or prolonged drug activity. Importantly, the assay to be developed will permit facile ‘swapping’ of chemical probes to characterize different and multiple enzyme activities. Similarly, the assay is naïve to the biological sample to be analyzed.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

[3H]Indole-3-acetyl-myo-inositol hydrolysis by extracts of Zea mays L. vegetative tissue

[3H]Indole-3-acetyl-myo-inositol was hydrolyzed by buffered extracts of acetone powders prepared from 4 day shoots of dark grown Zea mays L. seedlings. The hydrolytic activity was proportional to the amount of extract added and was linear for up to 6 hours at 37 degrees C. Boiled or alcohol denatured extracts were inactive. Analysis of reaction mixtures by high performance liquid chromatography demonstrated that not all isomers of indole-3-acetyl-myo-inositol were hydrolyzed at the same rate. Buffered extracts of acetone powders were prepared from coleoptiles and mesocotyls. The rates of hydrolysis observed with coleoptile extracts were greater than those observed with mesocotyl extracts. Active extracts also catalyzed the hydrolysis of esterase substrates such as alpha-naphthyl acetate and the methyl esters of indoleacetic acid and naphthyleneacetic acid. Attempts to purify the indole-3-acetyl-myo-inositol hydrolyzing activity by chromatographic procedures resulted in only slight purification with large losses of activity. Chromatography over hydroxylapatite allowed separation of two enzymically active fractions, one of which catalyzed the hydrolysis of both indole-3-acetyl-myo-inositol and esterase substrates. With the other enzymic hydrolysis of esterase substrates was readily demonstrated, but no hydrolysis of indole-3-acetyl-myo-inositol was ever detected.

NASA Program Space Biology↗

Understanding the Influence of Water-Soluble Compounds from Unpretreated Corn Stover Pellets on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulose

Aqueous extractives are minor and non-structural compounds in biomass that can be extracted using solvents, while contributing significantly to lignocellulose characteristics. Yet their roles in enzyme-mediated processing of lignocellulosic biomass remain elusive. Here, we examine the composition and features of extractives derived from untreated pelleted corn stover as well as their effects on enzymatic hydrolysis. Unlike the observations described in previous reports, we find that water extractable material improves the enzymatic hydrolysis of extractive-free stover by 67% with a glucose yield increase from 12% to 20% with 6 FPU cellulase per g glucan, whereas the enzyme activities are diminished when using microcrystalline cellulose as a substrate. The different behavior of corn stover and microcrystalline cellulose is likely attributed to the presence of lignin, which may interact with inhibitory compounds such as phenolics, mitigating the detrimental impacts of soluble inhibitors or insoluble lignin or both. These findings advance our fundamental understanding of the intrinsic behavior of extractives and help to optimize the schemes for efficient and cost-competitive enzymatic conversion of lignocellulose.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Evidence that elevated CO2 levels can indirectly increase rhizosphere denitrifier activity

We examined the influence of elevated CO2 concentration on denitrifier enzyme activity in wheat rhizoplanes by using controlled environments and solution culture techniques. Potential denitrification activity was from 3 to 24 times higher on roots that were grown under an elevated CO2 concentration of 1,000 micromoles of CO2 mol-1 than on roots grown under ambient levels of CO2. Nitrogen loss, as determined by a nitrogen mass balance, increased with elevated CO2 levels in the shoot environment and with a high NO3- concentration in the rooting zone. These results indicated that aerial CO2 concentration can play a role in rhizosphere denitrifier activity.

NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗

Comparing the Recovery of Arbuscular and Ectomycorrhizal Stands from Long-Term Nitrogen Fertilization at the Fernow Experimental Forest, WV (2021 and 2022)

This data was generated to answer the research question: After the end of a 30-year nitrogen (N) fertilization experiment in an Eastern temperate forest, to what extent do plant microbial interactions and carbon cycling in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) dominated stands follow different recovery trajectories?The soil and the roots used in this dataset were sampled from two watersheds (N-fertilized watershed 3 and Reference watershed 7) with 6 AM and 6 ECM dominated stands each, over the course of three months (June, July, August) in 2021 and 2022. The "All_Roots.csv" data includes fine root biomass (in g) scaled to sampled soil (m2) (Scaled_Rt_Bm_gm2), and AM and ECM root colonization (%) in two soil fractions: the organic horizon (O) and the mineral horizon (B). The "All_Enzymes.csv" data includes extracellular soil enzyme activity (N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG), acid phosphatase (AP), β-glucosidase (BG), phenol oxidase and peroxidase), and the ratios of BG to AP (BG:AP) and BG to NAG (BG:NAG) in three soil fractions: the organic horizon (O), the bulk soil (B), and the rhizosphere (R).The "All_Nmin" data includes inorganic N (NO3- and NH4+) pools (unit: μg of N per g of dry soil) measured pre- (I_Nitrate_ugNgsoil and I_Ammonia_ugNgsoil) and post-incubation (F_Nitrate_ugNgsoil and F_Ammonia_ugNgsoil), as well as calculated nitrification (Nitrification_day) and nitrogen mineralization (Mineralization_day) rates per day, in three soil fractions: the organic horizon (O), the bulk soil (B), and the rhizosphere (R).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

NIST: Soil Respiration, Moisture, Temperature, Chemistry; and Fine Root Measurements from a Transect Through a Forest Edge, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 2017-2021

This dataset contains soil respiration, moisture, temperature, and chemistry, as well as fine root measurements from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Forested Optical Reference for Evaluating Sensor Technology (FOREST) research facility at Gaithersburg, Maryland. Measurements were taken at an existing transect array that begins in a grassy meadow, crosses a sharp forest edge, then a small stream, and finally extends upwards in the interior of the forest at the top of a ridge. There are 6 different landscape positions replicated across three transects in the array. Soil respiration was measured during growing seasons in 2017-2019 (2017-06-02 to 2020-02-27). Pedons (1 m3) were isolated from surrounding tree roots using trenching and a fabric to inhibit root ingrowth. Flux measurements inside the pedons were thus assumed to represent heterotrophic only respiration in 2019, and these fluxes were paired with nearby fluxes assumed to represent total respiration. Deep vertical probes measured volumetric moisture content and temperature at the same points in the array every 10 cm in depth to either 90 cm or 120 cm total depth, at 15 minute intervals, from 2019-2021 (2019-07-09 to 2021-09-10). Soil core samples were collected from each of the array points for three different months in early- to mid-2019 (2019-03-19 to 2019-07-10), at three depths each. Soils were analyzed for gravimetric moisture content; pH; total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus; texture; microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus; extractable dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus; extractable nitrate and ammonia; and extracellular hydrolytic enzyme activities. The fine roots were separated from the cores and segregated by plant functional type (grass or tree species) and if they were dead or alive. Fine roots were then measured for length, surface area, diameter, and dry mass. This dataset contains four data files in comma separated (*.csv) format. These data serve to deepen our understanding of root and soil processes at forest edges and in transitional zones.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Characterization of lignin-degrading enzyme PmdC, which catalyzes a key step in the synthesis of polymer precursor 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid

Pyrone-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (PDC) is a valuable polymer precursor that can be derived from the microbial degradation of lignin. The key enzyme in the microbial production of PDC is 4-carboxy-2-hydroxymuconate-6-semialdehyde (CHMS) dehydrogenase, which acts on the substrate CHMS. We present the crystal structure of CHMS dehydrogenase (PmdC from Comamonas testosteroni) bound to the cofactor NADP, shedding light on its three-dimensional architecture, and revealing residues responsible for binding NADP. Using a combination of structural homology, molecular docking, and quantum chemistry calculations, we have predicted the binding site of CHMS. Key histidine residues in a conserved sequence are identified as crucial for binding the hydroxyl group of CHMS and facilitating dehydrogenation with NADP. Mutating these histidine residues results in a loss of enzyme activity, leading to a proposed model for the enzyme's mechanism. These findings are expected to help guide efforts in protein and metabolic engineering to enhance PDC yields in biological routes to polymer feedstock synthesis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗