Conservation of functional domain structure in bicarbonate-regulated "soluble" adenylyl cyclases in bacteria and eukaryotes

Dev Genes Evol. 2004 Oct;214(10):503-9. doi: 10.1007/s00427-004-0432-2. Epub 2004 Aug 20.

Abstract

Soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is an evolutionarily conserved bicarbonate sensor. In mammals, it is responsible for bicarbonate-induced, cAMP-dependent processes in sperm required for fertilization and postulated to be involved in other bicarbonate- and carbon dioxide-dependent functions throughout the body. Among eukaryotes, sAC-like cyclases have been detected in mammals and in the fungi Dictyostelium; these enzymes display extensive similarity extending through two cyclase catalytic domains and a long carboxy terminal extension. sAC-like cyclases are also found in a number of bacterial phyla (Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria), but these enzymes generally possess only a single catalytic domain and little, if any, homology with the remainder of the mammalian protein. Database mining through a number of recently sequenced genomes identified sAC orthologues in additional metazoan phyla (Arthropoda and Chordata) and additional bacterial phyla (Chloroflexi). Interestingly, the Chloroflexi sAC-like cyclases, a family of three enzymes from the thermophilic eubacterium, Chloroflexus aurantiacus, are more similar to eukaryotic sAC-like cyclases (i.e., mammalian sAC and Dictyostelium SgcA) than they are to other bacterial adenylyl cyclases (ACs) (i.e., from Cyanobacteria). The Chloroflexus sAC-like cyclases each possess two cyclase catalytic domains and extensive similarity with mammalian enzymes through their carboxy termini. We cloned one of the Chloroflexus sAC-like cyclases and confirmed it to be stimulated by bicarbonate. These data extend the family of organisms possessing bicarbonate-responsive ACs to numerous phyla within the bacterial and eukaryotic kingdoms.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenylyl Cyclases / chemistry*
  • Adenylyl Cyclases / genetics
  • Adenylyl Cyclases / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Bacteria / enzymology*
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Bicarbonates / metabolism
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Computational Biology
  • DNA Primers
  • Databases, Genetic
  • Dictyostelium / metabolism
  • Eukaryotic Cells / enzymology*
  • Gene Expression*
  • Humans
  • Mammals / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Bicarbonates
  • DNA Primers
  • Adenylyl Cyclases