Definition of propionate catabolism
As rules and steps, or see full text
Rules
Overview: Propionate degradation in GapMind is based on MetaCyc pathways for the 2-methylcitrate cycle (link, link) and for propanoyl-CoA degradation (link, link).
- all: propionate-transport and propionate-degradation
- propionate-degradation: prpE and propionyl-CoA-degradation
- Comment: In all of the pathways, propionate is first activated to propionyl-CoA by prpE
- propionyl-CoA-degradation:
- prpC, prpD, acn and prpB
- or prpC, acnD, prpF, acn and prpB
- or propionyl-CoA-carboxylase, epi and methylmalonyl-CoA-mutase
- or pco, hpcD, dddA and iolA
- Comment: In 2-methylcitrate cycle I, propionyl-CoA is combined with oxalacetate (by prpC) to give methylcitrate, dehydrated to cis-2-methylaconitate by prpD, hydrated to (2R,3S)-2-methylisocitrate, and a lyase produces pyruvate and succinate. (We consider succinate as a central intermediate, as most organisms can activate it to succinyl-CoA or can oxidize it to fumarate and convert that to oxaloacetate.) In 2-methylcitrate cycle II, a different dehydratase (acnD) and an isomerase (prpF) replace the dehydratase prpD; acnD dehydrates (2S,3S)-2-methylcitrate to 2-methyl-trans-aconitate, and prpF isomerizes it to cis-2-methylaconitate. In propanoyl CoA degradation I, propionyl-CoA carboxylase forms (S)-methylmalonyl-CoA, methylmalonyl-CoA epimerase forms (R)-methylmalonyl-CoA, and methylmalonyl-CoA mutase forms succinyl-CoA, which is a central metabolite. (Note that methylmalonyl-CoA mutase requires adenosylcobamide, a form of vitamin B12, for activity.) In propanoyl-CoA degradation II: propionyl-CoA is oxidized to acrylyl-CoA by pco, hydrated to 3-hydroxypropionyl-CoA, hydrolzed to 3-hydroxypropionate, oxidized to 3-oxopropionate (malonate semialdehyde), and oxidized to acetyl-CoA and CO2.
- methylmalonyl-CoA-mutase:
- mcmA
- or mcm-large and mcm-small
- Comment: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase has a catalytic domain and a B12-binding domain. These are usually found in the same protein, which we call mcmA. In Metallosphaera and Pyrococcus, the B12-binding domain is a separate subunit. In Propionibacterium and Methylorubrum, there is an additional subunit with a catalytic domain only; this may have a protective role (PMID:14734568) and is not described here. There's also a mcm-interacting GTPase (known as MeaB or YgfD) that loads B12 onto mcm and protects it from inactivation (see PMC4631608); this is not described here. Some fused mcm proteins include a MeaB domain as well (i.e., Q8F222, Q8Y2U5).
- propionyl-CoA-carboxylase:
- pccA and pccB
- or pccA1, pccA2 and pccB
- Comment: propionyl-CoA carboxylase is a heteromer, usually with alpha and beta subunits pccAB. Haloferax mediterranei has a third subunit as well (pccX), which is not described here. Acidianus brierleyi has a diverged pccA split into two pieces.
- propionate-transport:
- putP
- or SLC5A8
- or lctP
- or mctC
- or mctP
- Comment: Transporters were identified using: query: transporter:propionate:propanoate
Steps
putP: propionate transporter; proline:Na+ symporter
- Curated sequence P07117: Sodium/proline symporter; Proline permease; Propionate transporter. Proline:Na+ symporter, PutP. proline:Na+ symporter. proline:Na+ symporter
- Total: 1 characterized proteins
SLC5A8: sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporter
- Curated sequence Q8N695: Sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporter 1; Apical iodide transporter; Electrogenic sodium monocarboxylate cotransporter; Sodium iodide-related cotransporter; Solute carrier family 5 member 8. Na+-dependent short chain fatty acid transporter SLC5A8 (tumor suppressor gene product, down-regulated in colon cancer) (substrates: lactate, pyruvate, acetate, propionate, butyrate (Km ≈1 mM)) [propionate:Na+ = 1:3] (Miyauchi et al., 2004). Pyroglutamate (5-oxoproline) is also transported in a Na+- coupled mechanism (Miyauchi et al., 2010). SMCT1 and SMCT2 may transport monocarboxylate drugs (e.g. nicotinate and its derivatives) across the intestinal brush boarder membrane
- Total: 1 characterized proteins
lctP: propionate permease
- UniProt sequence A0KZB2: RecName: Full=L-lactate permease {ECO:0000256|RuleBase:RU365092};
- UniProt sequence Q8EIL2: RecName: Full=L-lactate permease {ECO:0000256|RuleBase:RU365092};
- Comment: Shewana3_2904 (A0KZB2) from Shewanella sp. ANA-3 is important for propionate utilization; it is also a lactate permease. Similarly, the distantly related SO0827 from Shewanella oneidensis (Q8EIL2) is important for propionate utilization.
- Total: 2 characterized proteins
mctC: propionate:H+ symporter
- Curated sequence Q8NS49: Monocarboxylic acid transporter. Pyruvate/acetate/propionate: H+ symporter, MctC (DhlC; cg0953)
- Total: 1 characterized proteins
mctP: propionate permease
- Curated sequence Q8VM88: The monocarboxylate uptake (H+ symport?) permease, MctP (transports lactate (Km = 4.4 μM), pyruvate (Km = 3.8), propionate, butyrate (butanoic acid), α-hydroxybutyrate, L- and D-alanine (Km = 0.5 mM), and possibly cysteine and histidine)
- Curated sequence Q1M7A2: Monocarboxylate transport permease protein
- Total: 2 characterized proteins
pccA: propionyl-CoA carboxylase, alpha subunit
- Curated sequence P05165: propionyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 1/2) (EC 6.4.1.3). Propionyl-CoA carboxylase alpha chain, mitochondrial; PCCase subunit alpha; Propanoyl-CoA:carbon dioxide ligase subunit alpha; EC 6.4.1.3. propionyl-CoA carboxylase α chain, mitochondrial (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence Q19842: propionyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 2/2) (EC 6.4.1.3). Propionyl-CoA carboxylase alpha chain, mitochondrial; PCCase subunit alpha; Propanoyl-CoA:carbon dioxide ligase subunit alpha; EC 6.4.1.3
- Curated sequence I3R7G3: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase, biotin carboxylase and biotin-carboxyl carrier subunit; PCC; EC 6.4.1.3; EC 6.3.4.14. propionyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 3/3) (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence P0DTA4: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase alpha chain, mitochondrial; PCCase subunit alpha; Propanoyl-CoA:carbon dioxide ligase subunit alpha; EC 6.4.1.3
- Curated sequence Q5LUF3: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase alpha chain; EC 6.4.1.3. propionyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence Q91ZA3: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase alpha chain, mitochondrial; PCCase subunit alpha; Propanoyl-CoA:carbon dioxide ligase subunit alpha; EC 6.4.1.3
- Curated sequence MONOMER-13589: propionyl-CoA carboxylase α subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence MONOMER-8606: propionyl-CoA carboxylase α subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence 3607308: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase biotin-containing subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence Dsui_0516: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase biotin-containing subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Ignore hits to items matching 6.4.1.3 when looking for 'other' hits
- Total: 10 characterized proteins
pccB: propionyl-CoA carboxylase, beta subunit
- Curated sequence P05166: propionyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 2/2) (EC 6.4.1.3). Propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta chain, mitochondrial; PCCase subunit beta; Propanoyl-CoA:carbon dioxide ligase subunit beta; EC 6.4.1.3. propionyl-CoA carboxylase β chain, mitochondrial (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence Q20676: propionyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 1/2) (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence Q9X4K7: propionyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence I3R7F1: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase, carboxyltransferase subunit; PCC; EC 6.4.1.3. propionyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 2/3) (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence P53003: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta chain; PCCase; Propanoyl-CoA:carbon dioxide ligase; EC 6.4.1.3
- Curated sequence P79384: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta chain, mitochondrial; PCCase subunit beta; Propanoyl-CoA:carbon dioxide ligase subunit beta; EC 6.4.1.3
- Curated sequence Q168G2: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta chain; EC 6.4.1.3
- Curated sequence Q3J4E3: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta chain; PCCase; Propanoyl-CoA:carbon dioxide ligase; EC 6.4.1.3. propionyl-CoA carboxylase β subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence Q99MN9: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta chain, mitochondrial; PCCase subunit beta; Propanoyl-CoA:carbon dioxide ligase subunit beta; EC 6.4.1.3. propionyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence MONOMER-13598: acyl CoA carboxylase carboxyltransferase subunit (EC 2.1.3.15; EC 6.4.1.3; EC 6.3.4.14). acetyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 1/3) (EC 6.4.1.2); propionyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 2/3) (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence MONOMER-16260: propionyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence MONOMER-17283: propionyl-CoA carboxylase α subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence MONOMER-17284: propionyl-CoA carboxylase β subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence MONOMER-8607: propionyl-CoA carboxylase β subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence 3607303: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase carboxyl transferase subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Curated sequence Dsui_0517: Propionyl-CoA carboxylase carboxyl transferase subunit (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Ignore hits to items matching 6.4.1.3 when looking for 'other' hits
- Total: 16 characterized proteins
pccA1: propionyl-CoA carboxylase, biotin carboxyl carrier subunit
- Curated sequence MONOMER-13597: acyl CoA carboxylase biotin carboxylase subunit (EC 2.1.3.15; EC 6.4.1.3; EC 6.3.4.14). biotin carboxylase (EC 6.3.4.14); acetyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 2/3) (EC 6.4.1.2); propionyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 1/3) (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Ignore hits to items matching 6.4.1.3 when looking for 'other' hits
- Total: 1 characterized proteins
pccA2: propionyl-CoA carboxylase, biotin carboxylase subunit
- Curated sequence MONOMER-13596: acyl CoA carboxylase biotin carboxyl carrier protein subunit (EC 2.1.3.15; EC 6.4.1.3; EC 6.3.4.14). acetyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 3/3) (EC 6.4.1.2); propionyl-CoA carboxylase (subunit 3/3) (EC 6.4.1.3)
- Ignore hits to items matching 6.4.1.3 when looking for 'other' hits
- Total: 1 characterized proteins
prpE: propionyl-CoA synthetase
prpC: 2-methylcitrate synthase
- Curated proteins or TIGRFams with EC 2.3.3.5
- Curated sequence P45858: citrate synthase (unknown stereospecificity) (EC 2.3.3.16). Citrate/2-methylcitrate synthase; 2-methylcitrate synthase; 2-MCS; MCS; Citrate synthase; EC 2.3.3.-; EC 2.3.3.16
- Comment: P45858 is annotated by SwissProt as 2-methylcitrate synthase, but without this EC number
- Total: 19 characterized proteins
prpD: 2-methylcitrate dehydratase
acn: (2R,3S)-2-methylcitrate dehydratase
prpB: 2-methylisocitrate lyase
acnD: 2-methylcitrate dehydratase (2-methyl-trans-aconitate forming)
- Curated proteins or TIGRFams with EC 4.2.1.117
- Ignore hits to Q937N8 when looking for 'other' hits (Aconitate hydratase A; Aconitase; (2R,3S)-2-methylisocitrate dehydratase; (2S,3R)-3-hydroxybutane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate dehydratase; Iron-responsive protein-like; IRP-like; Probable 2-methyl-cis-aconitate hydratase; RNA-binding protein; EC 4.2.1.3; EC 4.2.1.99)
- Comment: acnM from Ralstonia eutropha (Q937N8) is proposed to have this activity as well (PMID:11495997), but is annotated in SwissProt as aconitase or (2R,3S)-2-methylisocitrate dehydratase instead
- Total: 1 characterized proteins
prpF: methylaconitate isomerase
- Curated proteins or TIGRFams with EC 5.3.3.7
- Curated sequence Q937N7: 2-methyl-aconitate isomerase; Cis-trans isomerase; EC 5.3.3.-
- Ignore hits to A0A0A1H8I4 when looking for 'other' hits (Aconitate isomerase; AI; EC 5.3.3.7. aconitate DELTA-isomerase (EC 5.3.3.7))
- Comment: SwissProt annotates Q937N7 with this activity, but with a vague EC number. The periplasmic substrate-binding protein A0A0A1H8I4 has aconitate isomerase activity but has a high Km (PMID:26293748), and its periplasmic location would prevent it from participating in the methylcitrate cycle, so it is ignored.
- Total: 3 characterized proteins
epi: methylmalonyl-CoA epimerase
- Curated proteins or TIGRFams with EC 5.1.99.1
- Ignore hits to 3607309 when looking for 'other' hits (Methylmalonyl-CoA epimerase (EC 5.1.99.1))
- Comment: In the fitness browser reannotations, Dshi_0724 from Dinoroseobacter shibae (Dino:3607309) was annotated as the epimerase because it was annotated as such by SEED and it has a specific phenotype on propionate, which seemed to confirm its annotation. But Dshi_0724 belongs to the uncharacterized family DUF4174 / PF13778 and has a signal peptide. Also, D. shibae contains another, apparently essential, epi (Dshi_2630).
- Total: 1 HMMs and 9 characterized proteins
mcmA: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, fused catalytic and adenosylcobamide-binding components
- Curated sequence O86028: Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase; MCM; EC 5.4.99.2
- Curated sequence P22033: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2). Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, mitochondrial; MCM; Methylmalonyl-CoA isomerase; EC 5.4.99.2. Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, mitochondrial (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence Q23381: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence Q84FZ1: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence Q8MI68: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence P27253: Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase; MCM; EC 5.4.99.2. methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2). methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence Q3J4D7: Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase; MCM; EC 5.4.99.2. methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence MONOMER-18293: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase subunit (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence Dsui_0519: Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence Q8F222: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence Q8Y2U5: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Ignore hits to items matching 5.4.99.2 when looking for 'other' hits
- Total: 11 characterized proteins
mcm-large: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, large (catalytic) subunit
- Curated sequence A4YEG1: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (subunit 2/2) (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence O74009: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (subunit 2/2) (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence P11653: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2). Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase large subunit; MCM-alpha; EC 5.4.99.2. methylmalonyl-CoA mutase large subunit (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Ignore hits to items matching 5.4.99.2 when looking for 'other' hits
- Total: 3 characterized proteins
mcm-small: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, small (adenosylcobamide-binding) subunit
- Curated sequence A4YIE3: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (subunit 1/2) (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Curated sequence O58013: methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (subunit 1/2) (EC 5.4.99.2)
- Ignore hits to items matching 5.4.99.2 when looking for 'other' hits
- Total: 2 characterized proteins
pco: propanyl-CoA oxidase
hpcD: 3-hydroxypropionyl-CoA dehydratase
dddA: 3-hydroxypropionate dehydrogenase
iolA: malonate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (CoA-acylating)
- Curated proteins or TIGRFams with EC 1.2.1.18
- Ignore hits to items matching 1.2.1.27 when looking for 'other' hits
- Ignore hits to Q9I702 when looking for 'other' hits (Putative 3-oxopropanoate dehydrogenase; EC 1.2.1.-)
- Comment: Ignore similarity to methylmalonate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.27), which often has this activity as well
- Total: 11 characterized proteins
Links
Downloads
Related tools
About GapMind
Each pathway is defined by a set of rules based on individual steps or genes. Candidates for each step are identified by using
ublast (a fast alternative to protein BLAST)
against a database of manually-curated proteins (most of which are experimentally characterized) or by using
HMMer with enzyme models (usually from
TIGRFam). Ublast hits may be split across two different proteins.
A candidate for a step is "high confidence" if either:
- ublast finds a hit to a characterized protein at above 40% identity and 80% coverage, and bits >= other bits+10.
- (Hits to curated proteins without experimental data as to their function are never considered high confidence.)
- HMMer finds a hit with 80% coverage of the model, and either other identity < 40 or other coverage < 0.75.
where "other" refers to the best ublast hit to a sequence that is not annotated as performing this step (and is not "ignored").
Otherwise, a candidate is "medium confidence" if either:
- ublast finds a hit at above 40% identity and 70% coverage (ignoring otherBits).
- ublast finds a hit at above 30% identity and 80% coverage, and bits >= other bits.
- HMMer finds a hit (regardless of coverage or other bits).
Other blast hits with at least 50% coverage are "low confidence."
Steps with no high- or medium-confidence candidates may be considered "gaps."
For the typical bacterium that can make all 20 amino acids, there are 1-2 gaps in amino acid biosynthesis pathways.
For diverse bacteria and archaea that can utilize a carbon source, there is a complete
high-confidence catabolic pathway (including a transporter) just 38% of the time, and
there is a complete medium-confidence pathway 63% of the time.
Gaps may be due to:
- our ignorance of proteins' functions,
- omissions in the gene models,
- frame-shift errors in the genome sequence, or
- the organism lacks the pathway.
GapMind relies on the predicted proteins in the genome and does not search the six-frame translation. In most cases, you can search the six-frame translation by clicking on links to Curated BLAST for each step definition (in the per-step page).
For more information, see the paper from 2019 on GapMind for amino acid biosynthesis, the paper from 2022 on GapMind for carbon sources, or view the source code.
If you notice any errors or omissions in the step descriptions, or any questionable results, please let us know
by Morgan Price, Arkin group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory