1999-06-12
A hydrogenosome with pyruvate formate-lyase: Anaerobic chytrid fungi use an alternative route for pyruvate catabolism
Publication
Publication
Molecular Microbiology , Volume 32 - Issue 5 p. 1103- 1114
The chytrid fungi Piromyces sp. E2 and Neocallimastix sp. L2 are obligatory amitochondriate anaerobes that possess hydrogenosomes. Hydrogenosomes are highly specialized organelles engaged in anaerobic carbon metabolism; they generate molecular hydrogen and ATP. Here, we show for the first time that chytrid hydrogenosomes use pyruvate formate-lyase (PFL) and not pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFO) for pyruvate catabolism, unlike all other hydrogenosomes studied to date. Chytrid PFLs are encoded by a multigene family and are abundantly expressed in Piromyces sp. E2 and Neocallimastix sp. L2. Western blotting after cellular fractionation, proteinase K protection assays and determinations of enzyme activities reveal that PFL is present in the hydrogenosomes of Piromyces sp. E2. The main route of the hydrogenosomal carbon metabolism involves PFL; the formation of equimolar amounts of formate and acetate by isolated hydrogenosomes excludes a significant contribution by PFO. Our data support the assumption that chytrid hydrogenosomes are unique and argue for a polyphyletic origin of these organelles.
| Additional Metadata | |
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| doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2958.1999.01434.x, hdl.handle.net/1765/54701 | |
| Molecular Microbiology | |
| Organisation | Biophysical Genomics, Department Cell Biology & Genetics |
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Akhmanova, A., Voncken, J. W., Hosea, K., Harhangi, B., Keltjens, J., Op Den Camp, H., … Hackstein, J. (1999). A hydrogenosome with pyruvate formate-lyase: Anaerobic chytrid fungi use an alternative route for pyruvate catabolism. Molecular Microbiology, 32(5), 1103–1114. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2958.1999.01434.x |
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