Total Biosynthesis and Diverse Applications of the Nonribosomal Peptide-Polyketide Siderophore Yersiniabactin.

Abstract

Yersiniabactin (Ybt) is a mixed nonribosomal peptide-polyketide natural product natively produced by the pathogen Yersinia pestis. The compound enables iron scavenging capabilities upon host infection and is biosynthesized by a nonribosomal peptide synthetase featuring a polyketide synthase module. This pathway has been engineered for expression and biosynthesis using Escherichia coli as a heterologous host. In the current work, the biosynthetic process for Ybt formation was improved through the incorporation of a dedicated step to eliminate the need for exogenous salicylate provision. When this improvement was made, the compound was tested in parallel applications that highlight the metal-chelating nature of the compound. In the first application, Ybt was assessed as a rust remover, demonstrating a capacity of ∼40% compared to a commercial removal agent and ∼20% relative to total removal capacity. The second application tested Ybt in removing copper from a variety of nonbiological and biological solution mixtures. Success across a variety of media indicates potential utility in diverse scenarios that include environmental and biomedical settings.

• Authors: Mahmoud Kamal Ahmadi, Samar Fawaz, Charles H Jones, Guojian Zhang, Blaine A Pfeifer
• Journal: Applied and environmental microbiology (Appl Environ Microbiol) Vol. 81 Issue 16 Pg. 5290-8 (Aug 15 2015) ISSN: 1098-5336 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26025901 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Chemical References

• Phenols
• Thiazoles
• yersiniabactin
• Copper
• Iron

Topics

• Biosynthetic Pathways
• Biotechnology (methods)
• Copper (metabolism)
• Escherichia coli (genetics, metabolism)
• Iron (metabolism)
• Metabolic Engineering
• Phenols (metabolism)
• Thiazoles (metabolism)