Elucidation of a key mechanism regulating organosulfur cycling in ubiquitous marine bacteria

Fu, Hui Hui, Wang, Ming-Chen, Wang, Zhi-Qing, Sang, Yu-Han, Li, Zhen-Kun, Li, Fei-Fei, Liu, Jia-Rong, Qin, Qi-Long, Zhu, Xiao-Yu, Wang, Na, Wan, Jin-Jian, Teng, Zhao-Jie, Zhang, Wei-Peng, Gates, Andrew J., Li, Chun-Yang, Todd, Jonathan and Zhang, Yu-Zhong (2026) Elucidation of a key mechanism regulating organosulfur cycling in ubiquitous marine bacteria. The EMBO Journal. ISSN 0261-4189 (In Press)

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Abstract

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) catabolism by marine Roseobacters is important for global biogeochemical cycling and the climate. Many Roseobacters contain competing DMSP demethylation and cleavage pathways, but only cleavage produces the climate-cooling gas dimethylsulfide. We identify the “switch” regulator in Roseobacters, DmdR, that represses the transcription of DMSP demethylation (dmdA, encoding DMSP demethylase), cleavage (acuI, encoding acryloyl-CoA reductase) and often novel oxidative stress protection (dmdEF, dinB) genes under low intracellular DMSP levels. Increased DMSP levels induce DMSP cleavage and accumulation of cytotoxic acryloyl-CoA. DmdR binds acryloyl-CoA as its effector and derepresses dmdA-acuI transcription to stimulate acryloyl-CoA catabolism and DMSP demethylation. Co-upregulation of the novel peroxidase DmdF and likely DmdE and DinB counteract oxidative stress associated with DMSP demethylation. Thus, DmdR, with DmdR-independent regulation of DMSP cleavage, likely balances cellular DMSP levels to allow its antistress functions, but accelerated demethylation and catabolism of toxic intermediates at higher DMSP levels. In abundant marine bacteria lacking dmdA, DmdR still likely controls acryloyl-CoA catabolism/detoxification. DmdR and DmdEF are widespread in Earth’s oceans and important in biogeochemical cycling and climate-active gas production.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	dmsp catabolism,coordinated regulation,transcriptional regulator,marine bacteria,sdg 13 - climate action,sdg 14 - life below water ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Molecular and Structural Biochemistry Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Molecular Microbiology Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Wolfson Centre for Advanced Environmental Microbiology
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	12 Jan 2026 09:30
Last Modified:	12 Jan 2026 09:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/101580
DOI:	issn:0261-4189

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