Insights into the Metabolism of Elemental Sulfur by the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus. Pyrococcus furiosus

Insights into the Metabolism of Elemental Sulfur by the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus: Characterization of a Coenzyme A-Dependent NAD(P)H Sulfur Oxidoreductase The hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, uses carbohydrates as a carbon source and produces acetate, CO2 and H2 as end products. When S° is added to a growing culture, within 10 min the rate of H2 production rapidly decreases and H2S is detected. After one hour cells contain high NADPH- and coenzyme A-dependent S° reduction activity (0.7 units/mg, 85°C) located in the cytoplasm. The enzyme responsible for this activity was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity (specific activity, 100 units/mg) and is termed NAD(P)H elemental sulfur oxidoreductase (NSR). NSR is a homodimeric flavoprotein (Mr 100 kDa) and is encoded by PF1186. This was previously assigned to an enzyme that reduces coenzyme A disulfide, which is a side-reaction of NSR. Whole genome DNA microarray and quantitative PCR analyses showed that the expression of NSR is up-regulated up to 7-fold within 10 min of S° addition. This primary response to S° also involves the up-regulation (> 16-fold) of a 13 gene cluster encoding a membrane-bound oxidoreductase (MBX). MBX is proposed replace the homologous 14 gene cluster that encodes the ferredoxin-oxidizing, H2-evolving membrane-bound hydrogenase (MBH), which is down-regulated >12-fold within 10 min of S° addition. Although an activity for MBX could not be demonstrated, it is proposed to conserve energy by oxidizing ferredoxin and reducing NADP, which is used by NSR to reduce S°. A secondary response to S° is observed 30 min after S° addition and includes the up-regulation of genes encoding proteins involved in amino acid biosynthesis and iron metabolism, as well as two so-called sulfur-induced proteins, termed SipA and SipB. This novel S°-reducing system involving NSR and MBX is so far unique to the heterotrophic Thermococcales, and is in contrast to the cytochrome- and quinone-based S°-reducing system in autotrophic archaea and bacteria. Keywords: time course, kinetic, sulfur metabolism, archaea, Pyrococcus furiosus, hyperthermophile Overall design: Each kinetic experiment (growth date) containing 5 timepoints (0, 10, 20, 30 and 60 minutes) was performed twice. Each hybridization was performed twice and in case of 30 min 3 times.