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Nitrogen (N2) gas in the atmosphere is partially replenished by microbial denitrification of ammonia. Recent study has shown that Alcaligenes ammonioxydans oxidizes ammonia to dinitrogen via a process featuring the intermediate hydroxylamine, termed "Dirammox" (direct ammonia oxidation). However, the unique biochemistry of this process remains unknown. Here, we report an enzyme involved in Dirammox that catalyzes the conversion of hydroxylamine to N2. We tested previously annotated proteins involved in redox reactions, DnfA, DnfB, and DnfC, to determine their ability to catalyze the oxidation of ammonia or hydroxylamine. Our results showed that none of these proteins bound to ammonia or catalyzed its oxidation; however, we did find DnfA bound to hydroxylamine. Further experiments demonstrated that, in the presence of NADH and FAD, DnfA catalyzed the conversion of 15N-labeled hydroxylamine to 15N2. This conversion did not happen under oxygen (O2)-free conditions. Thus, we concluded that DnfA encodes a hydroxylamine oxidase. We demonstrate that DnfA is not homologous to any known hydroxylamine oxidoreductases and contains a diiron center, which was shown to be involved in catalysis via electron paramagnetic resonance experiments. Furthermore, enzyme kinetics of DnfA were assayed, revealing a Km of 92.9 ± 3.0 μM for hydroxylamine and a kcat of 0.028 ± 0.001 s-1. Finally, we show that DnfA was localized in the cytoplasm and periplasm as well as in tubular membrane invaginations in HO-1 cells. To the best of our knowledge, we conclude that DnfA is the first enzyme discovered that catalyzes oxidation of hydroxylamine to N2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies suggest the potential role of a sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ leak in cardiac contractile dysfunction in sepsis. However, direct supporting evidence is lacking, and the mechanisms underlying this SR leak are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the changes in cardiac Ca2+ handling and contraction in LPS-treated rat cardiomyocytes and a mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis produced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). LPS decreased the systolic Ca2+ transient and myocyte contraction as well as SR Ca2+ content. Meanwhile, LPS increased Ca2+ spark-mediated SR Ca2+leak. Preventing the SR leak with ryanodine receptor (RyR) blocker tetracaine restored SR load and increased myocyte contraction. Similar alterations in Ca2+ handling were observed in cardiomyocytes from CLP mice. Treatment with JTV-519, an anti-SR leak drug, restored Ca2+ handling and improved cardiac function. In the LPS-treated cardiomyocytes, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress in RyR2 were increased, whereas the levels of the RyR2-associated FK506-binding protein 1B (FKBP12.6) were decreased. The Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-specific inhibitor TAK-242 reduced the oxidative stress in LPS-treated cells, decreased the SR leak, and normalized Ca2+ handling and myocyte contraction. Consistently, TLR4 deletion significantly improved cardiac function and corrected abnormal Ca2+ handling in the CLP mice. This study provides evidence for the critical role of the SR Ca2+ leak in the development of septic cardiomyopathy and highlights the therapeutic potential of JTV-519 by preventing SR leak. Furthermore, it reveals that TLR4 activation-induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production and the resulting oxidative stress in RyR2 contribute to the SR Ca2+ leak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]