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Structural basis of terephthalate recognition by solute binding protein TphC
Trishnamoni Gautom1,2,3, Dharmendra Dheeman1, Colin Levy1
1Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) and Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Nature Communications
|October 30, 2021
Summary
Researchers characterized the TphC protein, crucial for bacterial uptake of terephthalate (TPA) from Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. This work advances plastic biorecycling and bioremediation strategies.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Environmental Microbiology
Background:
- Biological degradation of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) offers a sustainable route for plastic recycling and bioremediation.
- Cellular uptake of terephthalate (TPA), a PET monomer, is essential for its assimilation into metabolic pathways.
- The tphC gene encodes a key protein involved in TPA transport, but its biochemical and structural properties remain largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To biochemically and structurally characterize the TphC protein.
- To elucidate the ligand-binding specificity of TphC.
- To explore the potential of tph genes for biotechnological applications in plastic bio-economy.
Main Methods:
- Protein expression and purification of TphC.
- Biochemical assays to determine ligand binding.
- X-ray crystallography to determine TphC structures in open and closed conformations.
- Phylogenetic and genomic analysis of tph gene clusters.
Main Results:
- Biochemical and structural characterization of TphC in both open and TPA-bound closed states.
- Demonstrated narrow ligand specificity of TphC for aromatic para-substituted dicarboxylates, including TPA.
- Identified homologous tph operons across various bacterial species.
Conclusions:
- TphC acts as a specific transporter for terephthalate (TPA).
- Structural insights into TphC provide a basis for protein engineering.
- Genomic analysis highlights the potential of tph genes for developing circular plastic bio-economy solutions.
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