ARS | Publication request: Comparative genomic and phylogenetic investigation of the xenobiotic metabolizing arylamine N-acetyltransferase enzyme family

Submitted to: FEBS Letters
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 31, 2010
Publication Date: June 2, 2010
Repository URL: http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/55006/PDF
Citation: Glenn, A.E., Karagianni, E.P., Ulndreaj, A., Boukouvala, S. 2010. Comparative genomic and phylogenetic investigation of the xenobiotic metabolizing arylamine N-acetyltransferase enzyme family. FEBS Letters. 584:3158-3164.

Interpretive Summary: Living organisms, from bacteria to humans, encounter many toxic chemicals in their respective environments. A universal mechanism for coping with these toxins, called xenobiotics, is to detoxify or inactivate them. One class of enzymes capable of detoxifying a large collection of aromatic xenobiotics is the arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs). These NATS have been well-characterized in several bacteria and eukaryotic organisms. To extend our knowledge of these NATs and their distribution across a wide range of organisms, we report a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis employing an exhaustive dataset of NAT-homologous sequences recovered through inspection of 2445 genomes. We describe the first NAT homologues in viruses, archaea, protists, many fungi and invertebrates, providing complete annotations. Contrary to the NAT genes of vertebrates, introns are commonly found within the homologous coding regions of lower eukaryotes. Interestingly, NATs appear to be absent in plants. The NATs of fungi and higher animals are distinctly monophyletic, but evidence supports a mixed phylogeny of NATs among bacteria, protists and possibly some invertebrates. This detailed evolutionary analysis of NATs establishes a framework for further details studies of these enzymes in various organisms, with practical importance on understanding the potential importance of these enzymes as ecological fitness factors and virulence factors.

Technical Abstract: Arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs) are xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes characterized in several bacteria and eukaryotic organisms. We report a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis employing an exhaustive dataset of NAT-homologous sequences recovered through inspection of 2445 genomes. We describe the first NAT homologues in viruses, archaea, protists, many fungi and invertebrates, providing complete annotations in line with the consensus nomenclature. Contrary to the NAT genes of vertebrates, introns are commonly found within the homologous coding regions of lower eukaryotes. The NATs of fungi and higher animals are distinctly monophyletic, but evidence supports a mixed phylogeny of NATs among bacteria, protists and possibly some invertebrates.