3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid (TDP), a possible precursor for the synthesis of polythioesters: identification of TDP transport proteins in Variovorax paradoxus TBEA6

3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid (TDP) is an antioxidant, which can be used as precursor carbon source to synthesize polythioesters. The bacterium Variovorax paradoxus TBEA6 strain can use TDP as a single source of carbon and energy. In the present study, experiments were carried out to identify proteins involved in the transport of TDP into the cells of strain TBEA6. Hence, eight putative tctC genes, which encode for the TctC proteins, were amplified from genomic DNA of TBEA6 strain using polymerase chain reaction and expressed in E. coli BL21 cells. Cells were grown in auto-induction medium, and protein purification was done using His Spin Trap affinity columns. Purity and molecular weight of each protein were confirmed by SDS-PAGE analysis. Protein-ligand interactions were monitored in thermoshift assays using the real-time PCR system. Two TctC proteins (locus tags VPARA-44430 and VPARA-01760) out of eight proteins showed a significant shift in their melting temperatures when they interact with the ligand (TDP or gluconate). The responsible genes were deleted in the genome of TBEA6 using suicide plasmid pJQ200mp18Tc, and single deletion mutants of the two candidate genes were subsequently generated. Finally, growth of the wild-type strain (TBEA6) and the two mutant strains (ΔVPARA-44430 and ΔVPARA-01760) were monitored and compared using TDP or gluconate as carbon sources. Wild type strains were successfully grown with TDP or gluconate. From the two mutant strains, one (ΔVPARA-44430) was unable to grow with TDP indicating that the tctC gene with locus tag VPARA-44430 is involved in the uptake of TDP. Key Points • Putative tctC genes from V. paradoxus TBEA6 were heterologously expressed in E. coli. • Protein-ligand interactions monitored in thermoshift assays using the real-time PCR. • tctC gene with locus tag VPARA-44430 is involved in the uptake of TDP. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00253-021-11294-y.