OPUS 4 | Universitätspublikationen

The C-terminal domain of Fcj1 is required for formation of crista junctions and interacts with the TOB/SAM complex in mitochondria (2012)

Christian Körner Miguel Barrera Jovana Dukanovic Katharina Eydt Max Harner Regina Rabl Frank Vogel Doron Rapaport Walter Neupert Andreas S. Reichert

Crista junctions (CJs) are tubular invaginations of the inner membrane of mitochondria that connect the inner boundary with the cristae membrane. These architectural elements are critical for mitochondrial function. The yeast inner membrane protein Fcj1, called mitofilin in mammals, was reported to be preferentially located at CJs and crucial for their formation. Here we investigate the functional roles of individual domains of Fcj1. The most conserved part of Fcj1, the C-terminal domain, is essential for Fcj1 function. In its absence, formation of CJ is strongly impaired and irregular, and stacked cristae are present. This domain interacts with full-length Fcj1, suggesting a role in oligomer formation. It also interacts with Tob55 of the translocase of outer membrane β-barrel proteins (TOB)/sorting and assembly machinery (SAM) complex, which is required for the insertion of β-barrel proteins into the outer membrane. The association of the TOB/SAM complex with contact sites depends on the presence of Fcj1. The biogenesis of β-barrel proteins is not significantly affected in the absence of Fcj1. However, down-regulation of the TOB/SAM complex leads to altered cristae morphology and a moderate reduction in the number of CJs. We propose that the C-terminal domain of Fcj1 is critical for the interaction of Fcj1 with the TOB/SAM complex and thereby for stabilizing CJs in close proximity to the outer membrane. These results assign novel functions to both the C-terminal domain of Fcj1 and the TOB/SAM complex.

Synthesis of szentiamide, a depsipeptide from entomopathogenic Xenorhabdus szentirmaii with activity against Plasmodium falciparum (2012)

Friederike I. Nollmann Andrea Dowling Marcel Kaiser Klaus Deckmann Sabine Grösch Richard ffrench-Constant Helge Björn Bode

The synthesis of the recently characterized depsipeptide szentiamide (1), which is produced by the entomopathogenic bacterium Xenorhabdus szentirmaii, is described. Whereas no biological activity was previously identified for 1, the material derived from the efficient synthesis enabled additional bioactivity tests leading to the identification of a notable activity against insect cells and Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria.

Molekulargenetische Optimierung der Sphingoidbasen-Produktion der nicht-konventionellen Hefe Pichia ciferrii (2012)

Christoph Schorsch

Die nicht-konventionelle Hefe P. ciferrii produziert große Mengen der tetra-acetylierten Sphingoidbase Phytosphingosin (TAPS). Sphingoidbasen sind essentielle Komponenten des stratum corneums, der multilamellaren Barriere der menschlichen Haut, und daher in der Kosmetik-Industrie von großem Interesse. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit sollte die biotechnologische Produktion der Sphingoidbasen Phytosphingosin, Sphinganin und Sphingosin auf molekularbiologischer Ebene in P. ciferrii charakterisiert und optimiert werden. Die Hefe P. ciferrii konnte durch Etablierung einer einfachen und hoch-effizienten Transformations-Methode auf genetischer Ebene leicht zugänglich gemacht werden. Durch Inaktivierung des für NHEJ essentiellen PcLIG4 Gens konnte die Effizienz zielgerichteter genomischer Integrationen von transformierten DNA-Konstrukten von 1 % auf 87 % erhöht werden. Die Etablierung des Cre-loxP Systems erlaubte das mehrfache Verwenden eines Selektions-Markers wodurch sukzessiv mehrere genomische Integrationen in einem Stamm ermöglicht wurden. Durch diese Errungenschaften konnte das Ziel „Optimierung der Sphingoidbasen-Produktion der nicht-konventionellen Hefe P. ciferrii“ im Folgenden erfolgreich verfolgt werden. Der initiale Schritt der Sphingoidbasen-Biosynthese ist die von der Serin-Palmitoyl-Transferase katalysierte Kondensation von L-Serin und Palmitoyl-CoA. Durch die Deletion von Genen, die am L-Serin-Katabolismus von P. ciferrii beteiligt sind (PcSHM1, PcSHM2und PcCHA1), konnte die de novo Sphingoidbasen-Biosynthese optimiert werden und führte in einem lig4? Stamm zu einer etwa dreifachen Erhöhung der TAPS-Produktion. Weitere Ansätze den (vermutlich durch L-Serin feed back regulierten) L-Serin-Biosyntheseweg bzw. die in vivo L-Serin-Verfügbarkeit zu optimieren, führten nicht zu einer gesteigerten TAPS-Produktion. Durch weitere Deletion und Überexpression von Genen des Sphingolipid-Stoffwechsels konnte die TAPS-Produktion jedoch um ein Vielfaches verbessert werden. So konnte ein Stamm konstruiert werden, der die Gene PcLCB1, PcLCB2 und PcSYR2 überexprimiert und Deletionen der Gene PcSHM1, PcSHM2, PcCHA1, PcLCB4 und PcORM12 trägt. Dieser Stamm (CSS.L4.O.L2.L1.S2) wies eine mehr als fünffach erhöhte maximale spezifische TAPS-Produktbildungsrate (q Pmax ) auf und produzierte mit 2 g * L rund siebenmal mehr TAPS als der lig4? Ausgangsstamm, weshalb ein Einsatz dieses Stammes für die industrielle TAPS-Produktion denkbar wäre. Ausgehend von einem für die TAPS- (und somit Sphingoidbasen-) Produktion optimierten Stamm sollten Stämme mit optimierter TriASa- oder TriASo-Produktion für industrielle Zwecke generiert werden. Es stellte sich allerding heraus, dass erhöhte Mengen dieser Sphingoidbasen wahrscheinlich wachstumshemmend für P. ciferrii sind, weshalb eine weitere Produktions-Optimierung nicht ohne Weiteres möglich ist. In einem Laborstamm gelang es jedoch, durch Konstruktion und anschließende Transformation eines optimierten integrativen Plasmids (trägt die Gene, die für die Produktion von Sphingosin bzw. TriASo nötig sind) eine TriASo-Produktion von bis zu 30 mg * g (BTM) zu erzielen, wobei gleichzeitig die Bildung des Nebenprodukts TriASa auf weniger als 4 mg * g (BTM)reduziert wurde. Weiterhin konnte durch Deletion von PcSCS7 in einem TriASo-Produktionsstamm die TriASa-Produktion mehr als vierfach reduziert werden. Die Bildung eines weiteren von P. ciferrii gebildeten Nebenproduktes [Tri-Acetyl-Sphingadienin (TriASd)] konnte durch Deletion des PcSLD1 Gens unterbunden werden. Nach Inaktivierung von PcSCH9 konnte eine fast 20 %ige Verbesserung der TriASo-Produktion erreicht werden. Es konnten zwei putative Acetyl-Transferasen identifiziert werden (PcAft2 und PcSli1), die an der Acetylierung von Phytosphingosin (zu TAPS), Sphinganin (zu TriASa) und Sphingosin (zu TriASo) beteiligt sind. Die Aufklärung und Optimierung dieser von PcAtf2 und PcSli1 katalysierten Schritte sind vielversprechende Ansatzpunkte die Sphingoidbasen-Produktion in P. ciferrii weiter zu optimieren.

Deceleration of fusion–fission cycles improves mitochondrial quality control during aging (2012)

Marc Thilo Figge Andreas S. Reichert Michael Meyer-Hermann Heinz D. Osiewacz

Mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy play a key role in ensuring mitochondrial quality control. Impairment thereof was proposed to be causative to neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Accumulation of mitochondrial dysfunction was further linked to aging. Here we applied a probabilistic modeling approach integrating our current knowledge on mitochondrial biology allowing us to simulate mitochondrial function and quality control during aging in silico. We demonstrate that cycles of fusion and fission and mitophagy indeed are essential for ensuring a high average quality of mitochondria, even under conditions in which random molecular damage is present. Prompted by earlier observations that mitochondrial fission itself can cause a partial drop in mitochondrial membrane potential, we tested the consequences of mitochondrial dynamics being harmful on its own. Next to directly impairing mitochondrial function, pre-existing molecular damage may be propagated and enhanced across the mitochondrial population by content mixing. In this situation, such an infection-like phenomenon impairs mitochondrial quality control progressively. However, when imposing an age-dependent deceleration of cycles of fusion and fission, we observe a delay in the loss of average quality of mitochondria. This provides a rational why fusion and fission rates are reduced during aging and why loss of a mitochondrial fission factor can extend life span in fungi. We propose the ‘mitochondrial infectious damage adaptation’ (MIDA) model according to which a deceleration of fusion–fission cycles reflects a systemic adaptation increasing life span.

Crowd Sourcing a New Paradigm for Interactome Driven Drug Target Identification in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (2012)

Rohit Vashisht Anupam Kumar Mondal Akanksha Jain Anup Shah Priti Vishnoi Priyanka Priyadarshini Kausik Bhattacharyya Harsha Rohira Ashwini G. Bhat Anurag Passi Keya Mukherjee Kumari Sonal Choudhary Vikas Kumar Anshula Arora Prabhakaran Munusamy Ahalyaa Subramanian Aparna Venkatachalam Gayathri S Sweety Raja Vijaya Chitra Kaveri Verma Salman Zaheer Balaganesh J Malarvizhi Gurusamy Mohammed Razeeth Ilamathi Raja Madhumohan Thandapani Vishal Mevada Raviraj Soni Shruti Rana Girish Muthagadhalli Ramanna Swetha Raghavan Sunil N. Subramanya Trupti Kholia Rajesh Patel Varsha Bhavnani Lakavath Chiranjeevi Soumi Sengupta Pankaj Kumar Singh Naresh Atray Swati Gandhi Tiruvayipati Suma Avasthi Shefin Nisthar Meenakshi Anurag Pratibha Sharma Yasha Hasija Debasis Dash Arun Sharma Vinod Scaria Zakir Thomas Nagasuma Chandra Samir K. Brahmachari Anshu Bhardwaj

A decade since the availability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) genome sequence, no promising drug has seen the light of the day. This not only indicates the challenges in discovering new drugs but also suggests a gap in our current understanding of Mtb biology. We attempt to bridge this gap by carrying out extensive re-annotation and constructing a systems level protein interaction map of Mtb with an objective of finding novel drug target candidates. Towards this, we synergized crowd sourcing and social networking methods through an initiative ‘Connect to Decode’ (C2D) to generate the first and largest manually curated interactome of Mtb termed ‘interactome pathway’ (IPW), encompassing a total of 1434 proteins connected through 2575 functional relationships. Interactions leading to gene regulation, signal transduction, metabolism, structural complex formation have been catalogued. In the process, we have functionally annotated 87% of the Mtb genome in context of gene products. We further combine IPW with STRING based network to report central proteins, which may be assessed as potential drug targets for development of drugs with least possible side effects. The fact that five of the 17 predicted drug targets are already experimentally validated either genetically or biochemically lends credence to our unique approach.

Exosome mediated intercellular signaling from blood to brain (2012)

Kirsten Oesterwind

The brain is characterized by its immune privileged state. However, recent studies suggest an extended contribution of hematopoietic cells to the brain. After transplantation of genetically labeled bone marrow into bone marrow depleted mice, not only labeled blood cells but also labeled neurons and other non-hematopoietic cells can be observed. Initially interpreted as transdifferentiated hematopoietic stem cells, this contribution later was identified as cell fusion of hematopoietic cells and neurons. Our lab previously addressed the question whether these fusion events also occur under non-invasive conditions. A Cre-LoxP based transgenic mouse line was used to irreversibly label all hematopoietic cells. In these mice, Cre expression is controlled by a hematopoietic promoter, thus causing recombination and subsequent marker gene expression restricted to blood cells. Interestingly, contribution of these hematopoietic cells to non-hematopoietic tissues was observed, but fusion could be excluded as the underlying mechanism. The Cre mRNA or protein seems to reach the non-hematopoietic cells from an external source. Extracellular vesicles, specifically exosomes, are increasingly recognized as a vehicle for the intercellular transfer of cellular components such as proteins or mRNAs. However, if they contribute to signaling between tissues in vivo is completely unknown and would represent a major paradigm shift for intercellular communication. Therefore, the aim of this PhD study is to investigate whether an exosomal transfer between the hematopoietic system and the brain exists. To confirm the previous results, a second Cre-LoxP mouse line that expresses the Cre recombinase under a different hematopoietic promoter is used additionally. Both mouse lines are screened for recombination and show comparable numbers and types of different non-hematopoietic cells. Besides hepatocytes and cells in lung and intestine, recombined Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum are detectable. Summary 10 To assess the influence of inflammation on these recombination events, different lesions such as peripheral tumors or peritonitis are applied to the mice. Inflammatory stimuli strongly increase the numbers of recombined Purkinje neurons. These neurons remain mononuclear, indicating that fusion does not occur. Also in human cerebellar material, no evidence for inflammation induced cell fusion is detectable. To screen for Cre recombinase containing exosomes, exosome purification protocols such as differential ultracentrifugation and sucrose gradient fractioning, are applied. The exosomal content is analyzed with nested PCR and western blot. Hematopoietically expressed Cre mRNA is detectable in blood plasma and hematopoietic cell culture conditioned medium. Further analysis reveals that this Cre mRNA but no Cre protein is contained in exosomes. The exosomal ability to induce recombination is investigated by injections into Cre reporter mice. After direct cerebellar injection, exosomes are sufficient to induce recombination of Purkinje neurons. Brain tissue of mice that received an inflammation is analyzed further to reveal other recombined cell types. The main immune cells of the brain, microglia, are not recombined. Mainly neuronal cell types are recombined in different areas of the brain. The observations made in this study are consistent with the hypothesis that a previously unrecognized way to communicate RNA based signals between the immune system and the brain exists. Specifically neurons are target cells for the uptake of hematopoietic exosomes and seem able to translate exosomal mRNA into functional protein. Microglial cells are neither involved as target cells, nor do they release Cre containing exosomes. By using the Cre-LoxP system, in vivo tracing of exosomes could be achieved for the first time. With this knowledge, other exosomal routes can be uncovered in future. The discovery of the exosomal transfer between the blood and the brain enables further research about the relevance of this signaling pathway. It will be important to investigate its role especially in the context of neural malfunctions and further studies might help to find new therapeutical approaches.

Biosynthesis of fucoxanthin and diadinoxanthin and function of initial pathway genes in Phaeodactylum tricornutum (2012)

Michael Dambek Ulrike Eilers Jürgen Breitenbach Sabine Steiger Claudia Büchel Gerhard Sandmann

The biosynthesis pathway to diadinoxanthin and fucoxanthin was elucidated in Phaeodactylum tricornutum by a combined approach involving metabolite analysis identification of gene function. For the initial steps leading to β-carotene, putative genes were selected from the genomic database and the function of several of them identified by genetic pathway complementation in Escherichia coli. They included genes encoding a phytoene synthase, a phytoene desaturase, a ζ-carotene desaturase, and a lycopene β-cyclase. Intermediates of the pathway beyond β-carotene, present in trace amounts, were separated by TLC and identified as violaxanthin and neoxanthin in the enriched fraction. Neoxanthin is a branching point for the synthesis of both diadinoxanthin and fucoxanthin and the mechanisms for their formation were proposed. A single isomerization of one of the allenic double bounds in neoxanthin yields diadinoxanhin. Two reactions, hydroxylation at C8 in combination with a keto-enol tautomerization and acetylation of the 3′-HO group results in the formation of fucoxanthin.

Ecotoxicological assessment of small surface waters with emphasis on sediments : a case study in Hesse, Germany (2012)

Simone Galluba

Chemical contamination of the environment and thus of aquatic ecosystems is steadily increasing. Whenever environmental pollutants enter a water body, they affect not only the water, but also the sediment. Substances that bind to sediment particles can be stored for a long time, whereby sediments act as sinks for some contaminants. Therefore, sediment assessments often more accurately describe the contamination of a water body than investigations of the water itself. Among environmental chemicals, endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) have gained more and more attention in recent years. Since they interfere with endocrine systems and may disturb reproduction, they endanger the survival of populations or even species. Hazardous substances enter the aquatic environment by different pathways, with sewage treatment plants (STPs) belonging to the most important contamination sources. The main objective of this work is a comprehensive sediment assessment of predominantly small surface waters in the German federal state of Hesse. The 50 study sites, located in 44 different creeks and small rivers, are situated in the densely populated and economically important Frankfurt/Rhine-Main area, as well as in rural and less urbanized regions. Chemical analytical data, provided by the Hessian Agency for the Environment and Geology (HLUG), indicated different contamination levels of the study sites. In order to investigate the general toxicity of the sediment samples, the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus and the midge Chironomus riparius were exposed to whole sediments and apical endpoints regarding biomass, survival, and reproduction were determined. In further experiments, special attention was paid to the contamination with endocrine active compounds. For this purpose, the reproductive success of the New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum was analyzed after exposure to whole sediments. Additionally, a yeast-based reporter gene assay was applied with sediment eluates to assess the estrogenic and androgenic activity of the samples. Biotest results were compared with chemical analysis data to investigate whether the test organisms reflect the measured pollution of the study sites and if the observed effects can be explained by chemical contamination. Five study sites, all located less than 1 km downstream of a STP discharger, were selected for further investigations based on the results of the sediment monitoring. The sediments from these sites were conspicuous due to their general toxic and/or estrogenic activity. In order to investigate whether the observed effects can be ascribed to the effluents, an active biomonitoring study was conducted with the mudsnail P. antipodarum and the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha, exposed at study sites located up- and downstream of the discharger. In addition to endocrine activity, genotoxic effects were investigated using the XVIII Summary comet assay and the micronucleus assay. Endocrine activity was examined based on the reproductive output of P. antipodarum and the content of vitellogenin-like proteins in D. polymorpha. Yeast-based reporter gene assays were used to estimate the endocrine potential (estrogen, anti-estrogen, anti-androgen, dioxin-like) of sediment and water samples. 22% of the 50 sediments showed ecologically relevant effects in the biotests with L. variegatus and C. riparius. Only one sediment caused a relevant effect on both test organisms, while the other ten positively tested sediments affected either L. variegatus or C. riparius, probably due to differences in inter-species sensitivities. This suggests that a combination of different biotests is necessary for a comprehensive evaluation of sediment toxicity. 78% of the sediments caused a significantly increased number of embryos in P. antipodarum, which could be ascribed to estrogenic contamination of the sediment samples. An increase in the number of embryos by 60%, as observed in this study, and an associated increase in population size may result in the displacement of other, less competitive species. In the in vitro tests, 66% of the sediments showed estrogenic activity and 68% showed androgenic activity. Maximum observed values were 40.9 ng EEQ/kg sediment (EEQ = estradiol equivalent) for estrogenic and 93.4 ng TEQ/kg sediment (TEQ = testosterone equivalent) for androgenic activity. Natural and synthetic hormones as well as alkylphenols were the major contributors to the total estrogenicity of environmental samples in several other studies, and are likely responsible for a large part of the estrogenic activity in this case as well. Similarly, androgenic activity is mainly due to natural steroids and their metabolites. Bioassay results reflect the analytically measured contamination levels at the study sites only very infrequently. This can be ascribed to the occurrence of integrated effects of chemical mixtures present in the sediments. Additionally, effects of substances not included in the analytical program or of substances present in concentrations below the detection limit of the chemical analytical investigations as well as varying bioavailabilities might be relevant. The fact that a large part of the observed effects cannot be explained by the chemical contamination demonstrates the need for effect studies in ecotoxicological sediment assessments. In order to identify possible causes for the effects observed in the sediment monitoring, e.g. contamination sources, the area types (urban fabrics, arable lands, pasturages, etc.) of the catchment areas belonging to the study sites were analyzed. No significant differences were found between the area profiles of the sampling sites with and without effects in the biotests. The results indicate that the contamination responsible for the observed effects can be ascribed to different sources. Furthermore, study sites whose sediments exerted significant effects in biotests were located in anthropogenic as well as in predominantly natural areas. The active biomonitoring study at STPs revealed genotoxic and endocrine effects only sporadically. However, in the in vitro tests considerable endocrine activities of sediment and water samples were determined. No conclusive picture emerges as to whether the observed effects occur more frequently downstream of the dischargers, and thus could be attributed Summary XIX to a contamination by sewage. This indicates that contamination sources other than STP dischargers, for example agricultural runoff, may contribute to the observed effects. Weaker effects and biological activities downstream of a discharger compared to an upstream site might be ascribed to a dilution effect by the effluents. A comparison of the measured in vitro estrogenicity with exposure studies described in the literature shows that adverse effects in aquatic organisms can be expected at the EEQ concentrations determined in the present study. The results of the sediment monitoring and the STP study revealed a widespread endocrine pollution of small surface waters in Hesse. The fact that the bioassay results only rarely reflect study site contamination as determined by chemical analysis demonstrates the need for effect studies in comprehensive sediment assessments. In some cases STP dischargers increased, in other cases they decreased the observed in vivo effects and in vitro activity of environmental samples. Transferring the results obtained in laboratory studies to the field, adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems can be expected. The study illustrates the need for restrictive measures that contribute to the removal or reduction of environmental pollutants. For the identification of substances that have so far not been linked to adverse effects on the environment, methods such as effect-directed analyses (EDA) or toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) should be increasingly applied in future studies. Furthermore, bioassays for the assessment of endocrine activity should be implemented in standardized monitoring programs.

Amino Acid Transporter Genes Are Essential for FLO11-Dependent and FLO11-Independent Biofilm Formation and Invasive Growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (2012)

Rasmus Torbensen Henrik Devitt Møller David Gresham Sefa Alizadeh Doreen Ochmann Eckhard Boles Birgitte Regenberg

Amino acids can induce yeast cell adhesion but how amino acids are sensed and signal the modulation of the FLO adhesion genes is not clear. We discovered that the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae CEN.PK evolved invasive growth ability under prolonged nitrogen limitation. Such invasive mutants were used to identify amino acid transporters as regulators of FLO11 and invasive growth. One invasive mutant had elevated levels of FLO11 mRNA and a Q320STOP mutation in the SFL1 gene that encodes a protein kinase A pathway regulated repressor of FLO11. Glutamine-transporter genes DIP5 and GNP1 were essential for FLO11 expression, invasive growth and biofilm formation in this mutant. Invasive growth relied on known regulators of FLO11 and the Ssy1-Ptr3-Ssy5 complex that controls DIP5 and GNP1, suggesting that Dip5 and Gnp1 operates downstream of the Ssy1-Ptr3-Ssy5 complex for regulation of FLO11 expression in a protein kinase A dependent manner. The role of Dip5 and Gnp1 appears to be conserved in the S. cerevisiae strain ∑1278b since the dip5 gnp1 ∑1278b mutant showed no invasive phenotype. Secondly, the amino acid transporter gene GAP1 was found to influence invasive growth through FLO11 as well as other FLO genes. Cells carrying a dominant loss-of-function PTR3647::CWNKNPLSSIN allele had increased transcription of the adhesion genes FLO1, 5, 9, 10, 11 and the amino acid transporter gene GAP1. Deletion of GAP1 caused loss of FLO11 expression and invasive growth. However, deletions of FLO11 and genes encoding components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway or the protein kinase A pathway were not sufficient to abolish invasive growth, suggesting involvement of other FLO genes and alternative pathways. Increased intracellular amino acid pools in the PTR3647::CWNKNPLSSIN-containing strain opens the possibility that Gap1 regulates the FLO genes through alteration of the amino acid pool sizes.

Biocatalytic synthesis of flavones and hydroxyl-small molecules by recombinant Escherichia coli cells expressing the cyanobacterial CYP110E1 gene (2012)

Takuya Makino Toshihiko Otomatsu Kazutoshi Shindo Emi Kitamura Gerhard Sandmann Hisashi Harada Norihiko Misawa

Background: Cyanobacteria possess several cytochrome P450s, but very little is known about their catalytic functions. CYP110 genes unique to cyanaobacteria are widely distributed in heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria including nitrogen-fixing genera Nostoc and Anabaena. We screened the biocatalytic functions of all P450s from three cyanobacterial strains of genus Nostoc or Anabaena using a series of small molecules that contain flavonoids, sesquiterpenes, low-molecular-weight drugs, and other aromatic compounds. Results: Escherichia coli cells carrying each P450 gene that was inserted into the pRED vector, containing the RhFRed reductase domain sequence from Rhodococcus sp. NCIMB 9784 P450RhF (CYP116B2), were co-cultured with substrates and products were identified when bioconversion reactions proceeded. Consequently, CYP110E1 of Nostoc sp. strain PCC 7120, located in close proximity to the first branch point in the phylogenetic tree of the CYP110 family, was found to be promiscuous for the substrate range mediating the biotransformation of various small molecules. Naringenin and (hydroxyl) flavanones were respectively converted to apigenin and (hydroxyl) flavones, by functioning as a flavone synthase. Such an activity is reported for the first time in prokaryotic P450s. Additionally, CYP110E1 biotransformed the notable sesquiterpene zerumbone, anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen and flurbiprofen (methylester forms), and some aryl compounds such as 1-methoxy and 1-ethoxy naphthalene to produce hydroxylated compounds that are difficult to synthesize chemically, including novel compounds. Conclusion: We elucidated that the CYP110E1 gene, C-terminally fused to the P450RhF RhFRed reductase domain sequence, is functionally expressed in E. coli to synthesize a robust monooxygenase, which shows promiscuous substrate specificity (affinity) for various small molecules, allowing the biosynthesis of not only flavones (from flavanones) but also a variety of hydroxyl-small molecules that may span pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

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