A systems biology approach reveals major metabolic changes in the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus in response to the carbon source L-fucose versus D-glucose.
Archaea are characterised by a complex metabolism with many unique enzymes that differ from their bacterial and eukaryotic counterparts. The thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus is known for its metabolic versatility and is able to utilize a great variety of different carbon sources. However, the underlying degradation pathways and their regulation are often unknown. In this work, the growth on different carbon sources was analysed, using an integrated systems biology approach. The comparison of growth on L-fucose and D-glucose allows first insights into the genome-wide changes in response to the two carbon sources and revealed a new pathway for L-fucose degradation in S. solfataricus. During growth on L-fucose major changes in the central carbon metabolic network, as well as an increased activity of the glyoxylate bypass and the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle were observed. Within the newly discovered pathway for L-fucose degradation the following key reactions were identified: (i) L-fucose oxidation to L-fuconate via a dehydrogenase, (ii) dehydration to 2-keto-3-deoxy-L-fuconate via dehydratase, (iii) 2-keto-3-deoxy-L-fuconate cleavage to pyruvate and L-lactaldehyde via aldolase and (iv) L-lactaldehyde conversion to L-lactate via aldehyde dehydrogenase. This pathway as well as L-fucose transport shows interesting overlaps to the D-arabinose pathway, representing another example for pathway promiscuity in Sulfolobus species.
Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany.
Jacqueline
J
Wolf
Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany.
Helge
H
Stark
Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry, Biofilm Centre, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45141, Germany.
Katharina
K
Fafenrot
Center for Biotechnology - CeBiTec, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany.
Andreas
A
Albersmeier
Departement of Chemical and Biological Engineering, ChELSI Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK.
Trong K
TK
Pham
Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany.
Katrin B
KB
Müller
Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute for Biology II - Microbiology, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany.
Benjamin H
BH
Meyer
Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute for Biology II - Microbiology, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany.
Lena
L
Hoffmann
Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry, Biofilm Centre, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45141, Germany.
Lu
L
Shen
Center for Biotechnology - CeBiTec, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany.
Stefan P
SP
Albaum
Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry, Biofilm Centre, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45141, Germany.
Theresa
T
Kouril
Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany.
Kerstin
K
Schmidt-Hohagen
Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany.
Meina
M
Neumann-Schaal
Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry, Biofilm Centre, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45141, Germany.
Christopher
C
Bräsen
Center for Biotechnology - CeBiTec, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany.
Jörn
J
Kalinowski
Departement of Chemical and Biological Engineering, ChELSI Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK.
Phillip C
PC
Wright
Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute for Biology II - Microbiology, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany.
Sonja-Verena
SV
Albers
Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany.
Dietmar
D
Schomburg
Molecular Enzyme Technology and Biochemistry, Biofilm Centre, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45141, Germany.
Bettina
B
Siebers
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D005643:Fucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006836:Hydro-Lyases / Q000378:metabolism; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods; D020543:Proteome; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D048229:Sulfolobus solfataricus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049490:Systems Biology / Q000379:methods; D059467:Transcriptome
D020543:Proteome; D005643:Fucose; D002244:Carbon; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D006836:Hydro-Lyases; D005947:Glucose