Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ralf R. Mendel, Guenter Schwarz
Summary: This review summarizes the research history and importance of sulfite oxidase, a molybdenum-containing enzyme that plays a crucial role in redox regulation, signaling, and metabolism in both plants and animals.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Anna-Theresa Mellis, Juliane Roeper, Albert L. Misko, Joshua Kohl, Guenter Schwarz
Summary: Molybdenum cofactor deficiency (MoCD) is a metabolic genetic disorder characterized by the loss of sulfite oxidase (SO) function, leading to the accumulation of sulfurous compounds. Mitochondria are severely affected in MoCD, showing altered function and morphology which contribute to the disease phenotype.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Kurt Warnhoff, Thomas W. Hercher, Ralf R. Mendel, Gary Ruvkun
Summary: Protein-bound Moco is a stable and bioavailable form of Moco taken up by C. elegans from its diet, serving as a successful dietary supplement in rescuing a C. elegans model of Moco deficiency. This finding suggests a potential new strategy for producing and delivering therapeutically active Moco to treat human Moco deficiency.
GENES & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Aileen K. Sewell, Min Han
Summary: Molybdenum cofactor is essential for human development and supplementation of Moco has been explored as a therapy for Moco-deficient patients. Research using C. elegans suggests that protein-bound Moco supplementation could have significant clinical implications for treating molybdenum cofactor deficiency.
GENES & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Phuong Minh Nguyen, Phuc Thi Do, Yen Bao Pham, Thi Oanh Doan, Xuan Cuong Nguyen, Woo Kul Lee, D. Duc Nguyen, Ashiwin Vadiveloo, Myoung-Jin Um, Huu Hao Ngo
Summary: This study provides an overview and critical discussion on the roles, mechanisms, and environmental applications of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB). The findings reveal the involvement of key enzymes in the oxidation of various sulfur compounds. Environmental applications of SOB include detoxifying hydrogen sulfide, soil bioremediation, and wastewater treatment. Future prospects in SOB development include S0 recovery, SOB enrichment, field measurement and identification of sulfur compounds, and the development of mathematical simulation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martin L. Kirk, Jesse Lepluart, Jing Yang
Summary: Resonance Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool for studying the geometric and electronic structure of metalloproteins. This review focuses on the enzymes sulfite oxidase, dimethyl sulfoxide reductase, xanthine oxidase, and carbon monoxide dehydrogenase, and highlights how resonance Raman studies have provided detailed insight into the nature of these metalloenzyme active sites.
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Liang Zhang, Yan-Ying Qiu, Yan Zhou, Guang-Hao Chen, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Feng Jiang
Summary: Biochemical oxidation and reduction processes using elemental sulfur have emerged as cost-effective and attractive alternatives for water and wastewater treatment, offering benefits such as reduced operational costs, avoidance of secondary pollution, and efficient mineralization of organic matter.
Article
Biology
Can Baysal, Stefan Buren, Wenshu He, Xi Jiang, Teresa Capell, Luis M. Rubio, Paul Christou
Summary: The long-term goal of genetically engineering cereals to express functional nitrogenase is to replace synthetic N fertilizers by metabolizing atmospheric N-2. However, the genetic and biochemical complexity of nitrogenase biosynthesis hinders the development of this technology. In this study, transgenic rice plants expressing the nitrogenase Fe protein (NifH) were generated, and NifH functionality was observed, although limited by low [4Fe-4S] cluster occupancy.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Reza Peighami, Behnam Rasekh, Ehsan Motamedian, Fatemeh Yazdian, Hanif Khodaverdi
Summary: Biological methods using Sulfur Oxidizing Bacteria (SOB) were developed to remove sulfide from streams. Among seven well-known SOBs investigated, T. versutus and T. aerophilum were selected for their capability. While T. aerophilum only produced sulfate, T. versutus showed potential for elemental sulfur production under oxygen restriction conditions. Optimization experiments determined that a sulfide concentration of 10000 mg/L and a stirrer speed of 130 rpm resulted in the production of 1600 mg/L of elemental sulfur, converting 40% of the incoming sulfide.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xin Yuan, Yiquan Sun, Dong Ni, Zhenwen Xie, Yanyan Zhang, Sun Miao, Linjun Wu, Xin Xing, Jiane Zuo
Summary: This study developed an environmentally friendly strategy for gaseous sulfide control by enriching indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and achieved efficient sulfide removal in lab-scale sewer reactors.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Lea Nosalova, Maria Piknova, Mariana Kolesarova, Peter Pristas
Summary: Since the beginning of unicellular life, dissimilation reactions of autotrophic sulfur bacteria have played a crucial role in the biogeochemical sulfur cycle on Earth. The diversity of metabolic pathways used by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria reflects a wide range of sulfur oxidation states. However, the meso- and psychrophilic chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing microbiota inhabiting cold sulfur waters have been less studied compared to hot spring microbiota.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chun Zhang, Man Yang, Yanjie Qiu, Meijun Song, Hongyan Wang, Min Yang, Wenlin Xie, Jie Wu, Shengqing Ye
Summary: This paper presents a new method for the synthesis of alkoxysulfonyl radical species through electrochemical anodic oxidation of inorganic sulfites with alcohols. These radicals can be utilized in alkene difunctionalization reaction to provide various sulfonate esters.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Lea Nosalova, Chahrazed Mekadim, Jakub Mrazek, Peter Pristas
Summary: This study examined the microbiota of five terrestrial sulfur springs in Slovakia using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed that the microbiota of cold sulfur springs was dominated by the Proteobacteria and Campylobacterota phyla, while the microbiota of the hot sulfur spring was dominated by the Aquificota and Firmicutes phylum.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Damien Caubriere, Anna Moseler, Nicolas Rouhier, Jeremy Couturier
Summary: This review focuses on the biochemical, structural, and physiological roles of cysteine desulfurases in sulfur-dependent biosynthetic pathways in photosynthetic organisms, with particular emphasis on Arabidopsis isoforms. Cysteine desulfurases are highly conserved enzymes that catalyze the extraction of sulfur from cysteine, leading to the formation of persulfide groups on catalytic cysteine residues. The sulfur is then transferred to various targets, including iron-sulfur clusters and molybdenum cofactors. While there is extensive knowledge about cysteine desulfurases in some pathways, such as iron-sulfur cluster synthesis, our understanding of their involvement in other pathways, especially in photosynthetic organisms, is limited. This review summarizes the current knowledge of cysteine desulfurases and highlights gaps in understanding, emphasizing the need for future research in this area.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Hui Rong, Shuqing Zhang, Guowei Ma, Xinguo Zheng, Chunxiang Qian, Lei Zhang, Ying Zhang, Rui Xu
Summary: In this study, a protocol was developed to evaluate the corrosion of mortar by sulfur oxidizing bacteria through the formation of biofilm on the mortar surface. The biofilm formation and growth had significant impacts on the mortar's mass, compressive strength, mineral composition, and microstructure. Furthermore, the biofilm was found to reduce gypsum formation by limiting the transportation of sulfate into the mortar.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Nahikari Lopez-Lopez, Begona Euba, Julian Hill, Rabeb Dhouib, Lucia Caballero, Jose Leiva, Jennifer Hosmer, Sergio Cuesta, Jose Ramos-Vivas, Roberto Diez-Martinez, Horst Joachim Schirra, Lars M. Blank, Ulrike Kappler, Junkal Garmendia
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Marufa Nasreen, Rabeb Dhouib, Jennifer Hosmer, Hewa Godage Sithija Wijesinghe, Aidan Fletcher, Manish Mahawar, Ama-Tawiah Essilfie, Patrick J. Blackall, Alastair G. McEwan, Ulrike Kappler
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2020)
Review
Microbiology
Qifeng Zhong, Bostjan Kobe, Ulrike Kappler
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jan Borlinghaus, Jana Foerster (nee Reiter), Ulrike Kappler, Haike Antelmann, Ulrike Noll, Martin C. H. Gruhlke, Alan J. Slusarenko
Summary: Allicin is a volatile organic sulfur compound produced as a defense substance in garlic when tissues are damaged, exhibiting membrane permeability and antimicrobial activity. It can induce apoptosis or necrosis at high doses in eukaryotes, while lower amounts can modulate protein activity and affect cellular signaling. This review summarizes the specific effects of allicin on bacterial and eukaryotic cells.
Article
Microbiology
Marufa Nasreen, Aidan Fletcher, Jennifer Hosmer, Qifeng Zhong, Ama-Tawiah Essilfie, Alastair G. McEwan, Ulrike Kappler
Summary: This study characterized the role of the RpoE2 ECF sigma factor in hypochlorite-induced stress in the human respiratory pathogen Haemophilus influenzae. RpoE2 was found to regulate the expression of the periplasmic MsrAB peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase, linking it to HOCl stress and demonstrating its relevance for H. influenzae pathogenesis. The system has similarities with ECF sigma factors in Streptomyces and Neisseria sp., and it controls the expression of genes encoding periplasmic damage repair proteins and OxyR-controlled genes.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michel A. Struwe, Palraj Kalimuthu, Zhenyao Luo, Qifeng Zhong, Daniel Ellis, Jing Yang, K. C. Khadanand, Jeffrey R. Harmer, Martin L. Kirk, Alastair G. McEwan, Bernd Clement, Paul Bernhardt, Bostjan Kobe, Ulrike Kappler
Summary: MtsZ is a molybdenum-containing methionine sulfoxide reductase that supports virulence in the human respiratory pathogen Haemophilus influenzae. The crystal structure of HiMtsZ revealed a previously unrecognized substrate-binding region that explains diverse substrate specificity. Flexibility in the electronic structure of the Mo centers is apparent in two of the three HiMtsZ EPR-active Mo(V) species being catalytically incompetent off-pathway forms.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sheena M. H. Chua, Maha S. Wizrah, Zhenyao Luo, Bryan Y. J. Lim, Ulrike Kappler, Bostjan Kobe, James A. Fraser
Summary: Cryptococcus neoformans produces purines using multifunctional enzymes, which shows differences in structure and function compared to human enzymes. These differences could be potentially exploited for antifungal drug development.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Book Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ulrike Kappler
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Rabeb Dhouib, Marufa Nasreen, Dk Seti Maimonah Pg Othman, Daniel Ellis, Simon Lee, Ama-Tawiah Essilfie, Philip M. Hansbro, Alastair G. McEwan, Ulrike Kappler
Summary: Molybdenum-containing enzyme DmsABC plays a crucial role in infection by H. influenzae, affecting intracellular survival and interactions with the host.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jennifer Hosmer, Marufa Nasreen, Rabeb Dhouib, Ama-Tawiah Essilfie, Horst Joachim Schirra, Anna Henningham, Emmanuelle Fantino, Peter Sly, Alastair G. McEwan, Ulrike Kappler
Summary: This study reveals the close relationship between the metabolic characteristics of Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) in the human body and its long-term persistence and recurrence, and demonstrates the influence of metabolic endproducts on the host immune response.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marufa Nasreen, Remya Purushothaman Nair, Alastair G. McEwan, Ulrike Kappler
Summary: Sulfoxide-damage repair mechanisms are crucial for the virulence of bacterial pathogens. The periplasmic protein MsrAB in the human respiratory pathogen Haemophilus influenzae plays a key role in resisting reactive chlorine species. It also modulates the host immune response. Our study reveals the enzymatic properties of MsrAB, its catalytic activity, and potential substrates. This research sheds light on the maintenance of adhesins and essential metabolic processes in H. influenzae.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maha S. I. Wizrah, Sheena M. H. Chua, Zhenyao Luo, Mohammad K. Manik, Mengqi Pan, Jessica M. L. Whyte, Avril A. B. Robertson, Ulrike Kappler, Bostjan Kobe, James A. Fraser
Summary: The text discusses the identification and characterization of C. neoformans 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) transformylase/50-inosine monophosphate cyclohydrolase (ATIC) as a promising antifungal drug target.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Biswarup Mukhopadhyay, Ulrike Kappler, Katarzyna Potrykus, Xinqing Zhao, Cornelia Welte
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Young C. Song, Sophie I. Holland, Matthew Lee, Gao Chen, Frank E. Loffler, Michael J. Manefield, Philip Hugenholtz, Ulrike Kappler
Summary: In this study, a comparative analysis of 10 members of the Dehalobacteriia revealed that Dehalobacterium formicoaceticum is the only species capable of anaerobic fermentation of dichloromethane (DCM). Other species in this class do not possess this ability. Common traits of the Dehalobacteriia include the use of amino acids as carbon and energy sources, energy generation through electron-bifurcating protein complexes, and the presence of S-layer proteins. It was also found that D. formicoaceticum can use serine as a growth substrate in the absence of DCM, and the abundance of electron-bifurcating protein complexes and S-layer proteins is high during growth on DCM. Overall, the Dehalobacteriia are low-abundance fermentative scavengers in anoxic habitats.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jennifer Hosmer, Alastair G. McEwan, Ulrike Kappler
Summary: Acetate, as an important anti-inflammatory modulator, can affect host-microbe interactions, human health, inflammation, and outcomes of microbial infections. This mini-review provides a summary of the metabolic pathways of acetate in bacteria and human cells, the functions of acetate in bacterial cells, and the impact of microbially derived acetate on human immune function.
EMERGING TOPICS IN LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brandon P. Russell, David J. Vinyard
Summary: The Mn4CaO5 oxygen-evolving complex in Photosystem II is crucial for water oxidation. D1 residue R334 participates in proton release and interacts with PsbO. A D1-R334G mutant destabilizes the OEC but stabilizes the S2 intermediate.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander A. Bulychev, Tatiana S. Strelets
Summary: Excitable cells of higher plants and characean algae respond to stressful stimuli by generating action potentials that influence chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthesis for an extended period of time. While plant leaves exhibit a reversible depression in the efficiency of photosystem II reaction after an individual action potential, characean algae show long-lasting oscillations of photosystem II reaction efficiency after firing an action potential. This study investigates the possible mechanisms behind these oscillations and suggests that they are a result of metabolic rearrangements in chloroplasts and the cyclosis cessation-recovery cycle induced by calcium influx during action potentials. The findings also indicate that fluidic communications between different cell regions play a role in these oscillations, and the inhibition of oscillations occurs when these communications are restricted or eliminated.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dmitry Zlenko, Elena A. Protasova, Georgy Tsoraev, Nikolai N. Sluchanko, Dmitry A. Cherepanov, Thomas Friedrich, Baosheng Ge, Song Qin, Eugene G. Maksimov, Andrew B. Rubin
Summary: The conformation of chromophores in isolated phycobiliproteins is heterogeneous, but not in the entire phycobilisome (PBS). Under low-energy excitation, there is no significant uphill energy transfer from the core to the peripheral rods of the PBS, while transfer from the terminal emitters to bulk allophycocyanin chromophores is highly probable.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Makio Yokono, Chiyo Noda, Jun Minagawa
Summary: This paper investigates the energy transfer between Photosystem II and Photosystem I in Arabidopsis thaliana, and finds that the fast spillover is reversibly regulated depending on pH.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2024)