CTP synthase forms cytoophidia in archaea

CTP synthase (CTPS) is an important metabolic enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting reaction of nucleotide CTP de novo synthesis. Since 2010, a series of studies have demonstrated that CTPS can form filamentous structures in bacteria and eukaryotes, which are termed cytoophidia. However, it is unknown whether cytoophidia exist in the third domain of life, archaea. Using Haloarcula hispanica as a model system, here we demonstrate that CTPS forms distinct intracellular compartments in archaea. Under stimulated emission depletion microscopy, we find that the structures of H. hispanica CTPS are elongated, similar to cytoophidia in bacteria and eukaryotes. When Haloarcula cells are cultured in low-salt medium, the occurrence of cytoophidia increases dramatically. In addition, treatment of H. hispanica with a glutamine analog or overexpression of CTPS can promote cytoophidium assembly. Our study reveals that CTPS can form cytoophidia in all three domains of life, suggesting that forming cytoophidia is an ancient property of CTPS.