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Engineering E. coli to Have a Hybrid Archaeal/Bacterial Membrane
1NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1797AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands.
Trends in Microbiology
|May 24, 2018
Summary
Bacteria and Archaea possess distinct membrane lipid stereochemistry. Engineering Escherichia coli with archaeal lipids demonstrated increased robustness, challenging the heterochirality hypothesis for this difference.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Bacteria and Archaea exhibit fundamental differences in membrane lipid stereochemistry.
- The prevailing hypothesis suggested an unstable heterochiral membrane as the evolutionary driver for this divergence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of membrane lipid stereochemistry in cellular robustness.
- To challenge the heterochirality hypothesis by engineering a bacterium with archaeal lipids.
Main Methods:
- Genetic engineering of Escherichia coli to express archaeal lipid biosynthesis pathways.
- Analysis of membrane properties and cellular robustness in engineered strains.
Main Results:
- Engineered Escherichia coli achieved a significant abundance of archaeal-like lipids.
- The modified bacteria exhibited enhanced membrane robustness and stability.
- These findings indicate that heterochirality is not essential for membrane stability.
Conclusions:
- The evolutionary divergence in membrane lipid stereochemistry between Bacteria and Archaea may not be driven by membrane instability.
- Cellular robustness can be achieved with archaeal lipid compositions in a bacterial host.
- This study provides new insights into the evolution of membrane structures.
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