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HMG-CoA reductase is regulated by salinity at the level of transcription in Haloferax volcanii

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Abstract

The moderately halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii was surveyed for protein profile changes correlated with growth at high and low salinity. A single polypeptide with an approximate mass of 46 kDa was conspicuously more abundant during growth at high salinity. This protein was identified as HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR), encoded by the hmgR gene. HMGR is a key enzyme in the mevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis, the sole route in haloarchaea for lipid and carotenoid production. Enzymatic assays confirmed that HMGR activity is more abundant in cells grown at high salinity. Low salt cultures of H. volcanii contained lower amounts of hmgR transcript compared to cells grown in high salt suggesting that the observed regulation occurs at the level of transcription. Paradoxically, both lipid and carotenoid content decreased in H. volcanii grown at high salinity despite the increased levels of HMGR specific activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that the expression of HMGR is regulated in response to non-optimal salinity in a halophilic archaeon.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grant MCB02-34137 to K. B. from the National Science Foundation. Saw Kyin at the Princeton University Synthesis/Sequencing Core Facility is thanked for performing protein sequence analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Rider University, 2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville, NJ, 08648, USA

    Kelly A. Bidle, Koko Howell & Jennifer Nannen

  2. Delaware Biotechnology Institute and Graduate College of Marine Studies, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19711, USA

    Thomas E. Hanson

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  1. Kelly A. Bidle
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  2. Thomas E. Hanson
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  3. Koko Howell
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  4. Jennifer Nannen
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Correspondence to Kelly A. Bidle.

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Communicated by F. Robb

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Bidle, K.A., Hanson, T.E., Howell, K. et al. HMG-CoA reductase is regulated by salinity at the level of transcription in Haloferax volcanii . Extremophiles 11, 49–55 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-006-0008-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-006-0008-3

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