Vitamin K2 production by Staphylococcus shinii IMDO-S216 is affected by high oxygen exposure
By: Francesco Bonaldo, Inés Pradal, Victoria Debrus, Christine Duverger, Debby Mangelings, Stefan Weckx & Frederic Leroy
Why did we do this study?
Vitamin K2 (MK-n), particularly MK-7, has attracted increasing attention in recent years due to its health-promoting effects, which extend beyond its well-established role in blood coagulation to include potential protective effects against non-communicable diseases. Given the involvement of MK-n in bacterial energy metabolism, its microbial production represents a promising biotechnological approach. Several bacterial groups, including Bacillus and lactic acid bacteria, have consequently been extensively investigated for their ability to produce MK-n, with various environmental parameters being evaluated to identify optimal production conditions. Among these parameters, aeration has been reported to positively influence MK-n production. In contrast, coagulase-negative staphylococci, which are commonly used in the production of fermented foods and have demonstrated the capacity to produce MK-7, have received comparatively little attention regarding the influence of environmental conditions on their MK-n production.
What did we do?
Staphylococcus shinii IMDO-S216, which was previously isolated from fermented meat, was grown under high aeration (6 L/min) in bioreactors for 48 h under controlled growth conditions and its intracellular and extracellular MK-7 concentrations were monitored over time along with its transcriptome.
Key findings
High aeration disfavors MK-7 production by Staphylococcus shinii IMDO-S216.
qorA expression suggests a role in initiating menaquinone degradation via redox-mediated mechanisms.
MK-6/MK-7 ratios increase over time, potentially reflecting an adaptive survival strategy.
High aeration disfavors MK-7 production by Staphylococcus shinii IMDO-S216.
The relevance
Differently from what was previously reported for other bacteria, high aeration in Staphylococcus shinii IMDO-S216 was associated with oxidative degradation of MK-7, potentially involving the qorA gene, implicated in the formation of semiquinone radicals and superoxide anions which may therefore contribute to the initial stages of vitamin degradation.
How did VSC contribute?
VSC helped us by providing part of the computational resources which were necessary to perform in-depth transcriptomic analysis.
Publication
Vitamin K2 production by Staphylococcus shinii IMDO-S216 is affected by high oxygen exposure
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology — Springer Nature
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