A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Two soluble pyrophosphatases in Vibrio cholerae: Transient redundancy or enduring cooperation?




AuthorsSalminen A, Ilias M, Belogurov GA, Baykov AA, Lahti R, Young T

PublisherMAIK NAUKA/INTERPERIODICA/SPRINGER

Publication year2006

JournalБиохимия / Biochemistry

Journal name in sourceBIOCHEMISTRY-MOSCOW

Journal acronymBIOCHEMISTRY-MOSCOW+

Volume71

Issue9

First page 978

Last pageU1

Number of pages6

ISSN0006-2979

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1134/S0006297906090057


Abstract
Soluble pyrophosphatases (PPases), which are essential for cell life, comprise two evolutionarily unrelated families (I and II). Prokaryotic genomes generally contain a single PPase gene encoding either family I or family II enzyme. Surprisingly, four Vibrionales species, including the human pathogen Vibrio cholerae, contain PPase genes of both families. Here we show that both genes are transcriptionally active in V. cholerae, and encode functional PPases when expressed in Escherichia coli. In contrast, only the family I PPase protein is detected in V. cholerae under our experimental conditions. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that family II enzymes are not native to gamma-proteobacteria, but are of benefit to the marine species of this bacterial class. In this context, we favor the hypothesis that in the course of evolution, family II PPase was laterally transferred to the Vibrionales ancestor and partially degenerated due to functional redundancy, but nevertheless remained fixed as an adjunct to the family I enzyme.



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