Characterization of oxidative stress-induced cgahp, a gene coding for alkyl hydroperoxide reductase, from industrial importance Corynebacterium glutamicum

Alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (Ahp), comprised of four different subunits AhpC, AhpD, AhpE, and AhpF, is a thiol-based antioxidative enzyme with the ability to protect bacteria against oxidative stress. Functionally, AhpC and AhpE considered as peroxidases directly detoxify peroxides, while AhpD and AhpF as oxidoreductases restore oxidized peroxidases to their reduced form. Corynebacterium glutamicum ncgl0877 encodes a putative Ahp with a unique Cys-Pro-Phe-Cys (C-P-G-C) active-site motif, similar with those of the thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases such as thioredoxin (Trx), mycoredoxin-1 (Mrx1) and AhpD. However, its physiological and biochemical functions remain unknown in C. glutamicum. Here, we report that NCgl0877, designated CgAhp, is involved in the protection against organic peroxide (OP) stress. The cgahp-deleted strain is notably more sensitive to OP stress. The cgahp expression is controlled by a MarR-type transcriptional repressor OasR (organic peroxide- and antibiotic-sensing regulator). The physiological role of CgAhp in resistance to OP stresses is corroborated by its induced expression under stresses. Although CgAhp has a weak peroxidase activity toward OP, it mainly supports the OP-scavenging activity of the thiol-dependent peroxidase preferentially linked to the dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (Lpd)/dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase (SucB)/NADH system. The C-P-G-C motif of CgAhp is essential to maintain the reductase activity. In conclusion, our study identifies CgAhp, behaving like AhpD, as a key disulfide oxidoreductase involved in the oxidative stress tolerance and the functional electron donor for peroxidase. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10529-023-03421-8.