Two cellulases, CelA and CelC, from the polycentric anaerobic fungus Orpinomyces strain PC-2 contain N-terminal docking domains for a cellulase-hemicellulase complex.

Two cDNAs encoding two cellulases, CelA and CelC, were isolated from a cDNA library of the polycentric anaerobic fungus Orpinomyces sp. strain PC-2 constructed in Escherichia coli. Nucleotide sequencing revealed that the celA cDNA (1,558 bp) and celC cDNA (1,628 bp) had open reading frames encoding polypeptides of 459 (CelA) and 449 (CelC) amino acids, respectively. The two cDNAs were 76.9 and 67.7% identical at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences showed that starting from the N termini, both CelA and CelC had signal peptides, which were followed by noncatalytic repeated peptide domains (NCRPD) containing two repeated sequences of 33 to 40 amino acid residues functioning as docking domains. The NCRPDs and the catalytic domains were separated by linker sequences. The NCRPDs were homologous to those found in several hydrolases of anaerobic fungi, whereas the catalytic domains were homologous to the catalytic domains of fungal cellobiohydrolases and bacterial endoglucanases. The linker sequence of CelA contained predominantly glutamine and proline residues, while that of CelC contained mainly threonine residues. CelA and CelC did not have a typical cellulose binding domain (CBD). CelA and CelC expressed in E. coli rapidly decreased the viscosity of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), indicating that there was endoglucanase activity. In addition, they produced cellobiose from CMC, acid-swollen cellulose, and cellotetraose, suggesting that they had cellobiohydrolase activity. The optimal activity conditions with CMC as the substrate were pH 4.3 to 6.8 and 50 degrees C for CelA and pH 4.6 to 7.0 and 40 degrees C for CelC. Despite the lack of a CBD, CelC displayed a high affinity for microcrystalline cellulose, whereas CelA did not.     

In vitro determined kinetic properties of mutant phosphoglucomutases and their effects on sugar catabolism in Escherichia coli

Based on primary amino acid sequence comparisons with other phosphoglucomutases, 12 conserved residues in the Acetobacter xylinum phosphoglucomutase (CelB) were substituted by site-directed mutagenesis, resulting in mutant enzymes with Kcat values [glucose-1-phosphate (G-1-P) to glucose-6-phosphate] ranging from 0 to 46% relative to that of the wild-type enzyme. In combination with a versatile set of plasmid expression vectors these proteins were used in a metabolic engineering study on sugar catabolism in Escherichia coli. Mutants of E. coli deficient in phosphoglucomutase synthesize intracellular amylose when grown on galactose, due to accumulation of G-1-P. Wild-type celB can complement this lesion, and we show here that the ability of the mutant enzymes to complement is sensitive to variations in their respective in vitro determined Kcat and Km G-1-P values. Reduced catalytic efficiencies could be compensated by increasing the CelB expression level, and in this way a mutant protein (substitution of Thr-45 to Ala) displaying a 7600-fold reduced catalytic efficiency could be used to eliminate the amylose accumulation. Complementation experiments with the homologous phosphoglucomutase indicated that a Km G-1-P value significantly below that of CelB is not critical for the in vivo conversion of the substrate.     

Molecular cloning,purification and characterization of two endo-1,4-β-glucanases from Aspergillus oryzae KBN616

Two endo-1,4-β-glucanase genes, designated celA and celB, from a shoyu koji mold Aspergillus oryzae KBN616, were cloned and characterized. The celA gene comprised 877 bp with two introns. The CelA protein consisted of 239 amino acids and was assigned to the cellulase family H. The celB gene comprised 1248 bp with no introns. The CelB protein consisted of 416 amino acids and was assigned to the cellulase family C. Both genes were overexpressed under the promoter of the A. oryzae taka-amylase A gene for purification and enzymatic characterization of CelA and CelB. CelA had a molecular mass of 31 kDa, a pH optimum of 5.0 and temperature optimum of 55 °C, whereas CelB had a molecular mass of 53 kDa, a pH optimum of 4.0 and temperature optimum of 45 °C. Received: 3 July 1996 / Accepted: 15 July 1996     

Noncatalytic docking domains of cellulosomes of anaerobic fungi

A method is presented for the specific isolation of genes encoding cellulosome components from anaerobic fungi. The catalytic components of the cellulosome of anaerobic fungi typically contain, besides the catalytic domain, mostly two copies of a 40-amino-acid cysteine-rich, noncatalytic docking domain (NCDD) interspaced by short linkers. Degenerate primers were designed to anneal to the highly conserved region within the NCDDs of the monocentric fungus Piromyces sp. strain E2 and the polycentric fungus Orpinomyces sp. strain PC-2. Through PCR using cDNA from Orpinomyces sp. and genomic DNA from Piromyces sp. as templates, respectively, 9 and 19 PCR products were isolated encoding novel NCDD linker sequences. Screening of an Orpinomyces sp. cDNA library with four of these PCR products resulted in the isolation of new genes encoding cellulosome components. An alignment of the partial NCDD sequence information obtained and an alignment of database-accessible NCDD sequences, focusing on the number and position of cysteine residues, indicated the presence of three structural subfamilies within fungal NCDDs. Furthermore, evidence is presented that the NCDDs in CelC from the polycentric fungus Orpinomyces sp. strain PC-2 specifically recognize four proteins in a cellulosome preparation, indicating the presence of multiple scaffoldins.     

Isolation and characterization of two Brassica napus embryo acyl-ACP thioesterase cDNA clones

Acyl-ACP thioesterases are involved in regulating chain termination of fatty acid biosynthesis in plant systems. Previously, acyl-ACP thioesterase purified from Brassica napus seed tissue has been shown to have a high preference for hydrolysing oleoyl-ACP. Here, oligonucleotides derived from B. napus oleoyl-ACP thioesterase protein sequence data have been used to isolate two acyl-ACP thioesterase clones from a B. napus embryo cDNA library. The two clones, pNL2 and pNL3, contain 1642 bp and 1523 bp respectively and differ in the length of their 3 non-coding regions. Both cDNAs contain open reading frames of 366 amino acids which encode for 42 kDa polypeptides. Mature rape thioesterase has an apparent molecular weight of 38 kDa on SDS-PAGE and these cDNAs therefore encode for precursor forms of the enzyme. This latter finding is consistent with the expected plastidial location of fatty acid synthase enzymes. Northern blot analysis shows thioesterase mRNA size to be ca. 1.6 kb and for the thioesterase genes to be highly expressed in seed tissue coincident with the most active phase of storage lipid synthesis. There is some sequence heterogeneity between the two cDNA clones, but overall they are highly homologous sharing 95.7% identity at the DNA level and 98.4% identity at the amino acid level. Some sequence heterogeneity was also observed between the deduced and directly determined thioesterase protein sequences. Consistent with the observed sequence heterogeneity was Southern blot data showing B. napus thioesterase to be encoded by a small multi-gene family.     

A thermoacidophilic endoglucanase (CelB) from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius displays high sequence similarity to arabinofuranosidases belonging to family 51 of glycoside hydrolases.

A 100-kDa protein with endoglucanase activity was purified from Triton X-100 extract of cells of the thermoacidophilic Gram-positive bacterium Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius. The enzyme exhibited activity towards carboxy methyl cellulose and oat spelt xylan with pH and temperature optima of 4 and 80 degrees C, respectively. Cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of the corresponding gene (celB) revealed an ORF encoding a preprotein of 959 amino acids which is consistent with an extracellular localization. Purified recombinant CelB and a variant lacking the C-terminal 203 amino acid residues (CelBtrunc) displayed similar enzymatic properties as the wild-type protein. Analysis of product formation suggested an endo mode of action. Remarkable stability was observed at pH values between 1 and 7 and 60% of activity were retained after incubation for 1 h at 80 degrees C. CelB displayed homology to members of glycoside hydrolase family 51, being only the second entry with activity typical of an endoglucanase but lacking activity on p-nitrophenyl-alpha-l-arabinofuranoside (pNPAraf). Highest sequence similarity was found towards the other endoglucanase F from Fibrobacter succinogenes (EGF), forming a distinct group in the phylogenetic tree of this family. Analysis of the amino acid composition of the catalytic domains demonstrated that CelB contains fewer charged amino acids than its neutrophilic counterparts, which is in line with adaptation to low pH. Wild-type and full-length recombinant CelB were soluble only in Triton X-100. In contrast, CelBtrunc was completely water soluble, suggesting a role of the C-terminal region in cell association. This C-terminal hydrophobic region displayed local sequence similarities to an alpha-amylase from the same organism.     

Primary structure of mouse tyrosine hydroxylase deduced from its cDNA.

The cDNAs for tyrosine hydroxylase were cloned from a mouse brain cDNA library by plaque hybridization. Since the longest cDNA clone lacked approximately 150 bp sequence of its N-terminal region, additional 5' region was obtained using polymerase chain reaction. Nucleotide sequence determination of cDNAs revealed that mouse tyrosine hydroxylase m-RNA encodes 498 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 55,990. The amino acid sequence of mouse tyrosine hydroxylase is highly homologous to rat (97%) and human (92%) enzymes.     

Molecular cloning of a human co-beta-glucosidase cDNA: evidence that four sphingolipid hydrolase activator proteins are encoded by single genes in humans and rats

Authentic cDNAs encoding the activator protein for acid beta-glucosidase (EC3.2.1.45), co-beta-glucosidase, were cloned from the pCD and lambda gt11 human cDNA libraries. Initial screening with oligonucleotide mixtures encoding amino acid sequences of co-beta-glucosidase identified partial cDNAs which were used to obtain a potentially full-length cDNA from the lambda gt11 library. This clone (2767 bp), EGTISI, contained 5' (38 bp) and 3' (1157 bp) noncoding sequences, a translation initiation site, and an open reading frame encoding 524 amino acids which included a typical hydrophobic signal sequence (16 amino acids). Computer analyses identified three regions of high similarity to co-beta-glucosidase encoded by tandem sequences in EGTISI. Searches revealed that two of these regions encoded peptides of known function; SAP1 (sphingolipid activator protein 1) and protein C (a new sphingolipid activator protein) were encoded by EGTISI sequences 5' and 3', respectively, to those for co-beta-glucosidase. The third region of similarity, encoding a theoretical peptide (undefined function), was located most 5' in the cDNA. EGTISI and its encoded polypeptide had high similarity (77% nucleotide identity and about 80% amino acid similarity) to a rat Sertoli cell cDNA and its encoded sulfated glycoprotein-1. These results indicate that a single highly conserved gene encodes the precursor for four potential sphingolipid activator proteins in rat and man.     

A cloned bovine cDNA encodes an alternate form of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase

While attempting to isolate a cDNA clone for the catalytic subunit of the bovine cAMP-dependent protein kinase, we have isolated cDNAs which code for a protein slightly different than the known amino acid sequence. The alternate cDNA was identified by screening a bovine pituitary cDNA library using synthetic oligonucleotides predicted from the known amino acid sequence of the catalytic subunit. The cDNA which we identified, encodes a protein which is 93% identical to the known amino acid sequence of the bovine catalytic subunit. It seems likely that this cDNA represents a previously undiscovered catalytic subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The mRNA for the alternate catalytic subunit is different in size from the mRNA coding for the previously known catalytic subunit and also has a different tissue distribution. These findings suggest that there are at least two different genes for the catalytic subunit. The differences in amino acid sequence and tissue distribution suggest the possibility of important functional differences in the two enzymes.     

Complementary DNA sequence of rabbit CAP18--a unique lipopolysaccharide binding protein

CAP18 is a novel 18 kDa cationic protein [pI approximately 10] originally purified from rabbit granulocytes using as an assay the agglutination of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) coated erythrocytes. cDNA clones encoding CAP18 were isolated from a rabbit bone marrow cDNA library using a PCR generated oligonucleotide probe derived from the N-terminal amino acid sequence. The deduced amino acid sequence reveals a putative signal sequence of 29 amino acids and a mature protein of 142 amino acid residues. The predicted size of the encoded protein is 16.6 kDa with a pI of 10. There are no N-linked glycosylation sites. The CAP18 sequence bears no homology with other known LPS-binding proteins including human bacterial permeability increasing protein (BPI)(1) and rabbit LPS binding protein (LBP)(2).     

Formation of conjugated Delta11Delta13-double bonds by Delta12-linoleic acid (1,4)-acyl-lipid-desaturase in pomegranate seeds.

For the biosynthesis of punicic acid (18:3Delta9Z,11E,13Z) a (11,14)-linoleoyl desaturase activity has been proposed. To isolate this acyl-lipid-desaturase, PCR-based cloning was used. This approach resulted in the isolation of two complete cDNAs. The first isolated full-length cDNA harbors a sequence of 1350 bp encoding a protein of 395 amino acids. The second cDNA was 1415 bp long encoding a protein of 387 amino acids. For functional identification proteins encoded by the cDNAs were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and formation of newly formed fatty acids was analyzed by gas chromatography-free induction decay (GC-FID) and GC/MS. The expression of the heterologous enzymes resulted in the first case in a significant amount of linoleic acid and in the second case, after linoleic acid supplementation, in formation of punicic acid. The results presented here identify one cDNA coding for a classical Delta12-acyl-lipid-desaturase. The other one codes for a new type of (1,4)-acyl-lipid-desaturase that converts a cis double bond located in the Delta12-position of linoleic acid or gamma-linolenic acid, but not in alpha-linolenic acid, into a conjugated cis-trans double bond system.     

Molecular cloning and expression of prohormone convertases PC1 and PC2 in the pituitary gland of the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana

We cloned cDNAs encoding PC1 and PC2 from a cDNA library constructed for the anterior pituitary gland of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) and sequenced them. The bullfrog PC1 cDNA consisted of 2972 base pairs (bp) with an open reading frame of 2208 bp and encoded a protein of 736 amino acids, including a putative signal peptide of 26 amino acids. The protein showed a high homology to R. ridibunda PC1 (95.1%) and mammalian PC1 (72.6%). The bullfrog PC2 cDNA consisted of 2242 bp with an open reading frame of 1914 bp and encoded a protein of 638 amino acids, including a putative signal peptide of 23 amino acids. This protein showed a high homology to R. ridibunda PC2 (95.5%) and mammalian PC2 (84.8%). The catalytic triad of serine proteinases of the subtilisin family was found at Asp-168, His-209, and Ser-383 in the PC1 protein and at Asp-167, His-208, and Ser-384 in the PC2 protein. In situ hybridization staining revealed that PC2 mRNA was detected in corticotrope cells of the tadpoles, but not in those of the adults. In the adult, only PC1 mRNA was detected in the pars distalis but both PC1 and PC2 mRNAs were detected in the pars intermedia. The data also showed that PC1 mRNA was expressed in gonadotrope cells.     

Isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone encoding human aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase

The nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone that includes the entire coding region of human aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase gene is presented. A human pheochromocytoma cDNA library was screened using an oligonucleotide probe which corresponded to a partial amino acid sequence of the enzyme purified from the human pheochromocytoma. The isolated cDNA clone encoded a protein of 480 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 53.9 kDa. The amino acid sequence Asn-Phe-Asn-Pro-His-Lys-Trp around a possible cofactor (pyridoxal phosphate) binding site is identical in human, Drosophila, and pig enzymes.     

Molecular cloning and functional expression of a fibrinolytic protease gene from the polychaeta, Periserrula leucophryna

Full-length cDNA encoding a fibrinolytic protease (PLFP) from the cDNA library of the polychaete, Periserrula leucophryna was cloned, sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli. The entire cDNA of the PLFP clone was 921 bp (CDS: 41-837), including a coding nucleotide sequence of 798 bp, a 5′-untranslaed region of 40 bp, and a 3′-noncoding region of 83 bp. The ORF encoded a 265-amino acid polypeptide precursor consisting of a 36-residue signal sequence and a 229-residue mature polypeptide. The sequence alignment results of PLFP revealed sequence similarity with several fibrinolytic enzymes. Sequence analysis revealed a conserved catalytic triad of His78, Asp126 and Ser219 residues, suggesting that PLFP is a serine protease. Mature PLFP had an apparent molecular weight of approximately 25 kDa and was produced in inclusion bodies when expressed in E. coli. Substrate specificity results that recombinant PLFP was active towards Arg-X or Lys-X and did not hydrolyze substrates with nonpolar amino acids at the P1 site. Recombinant PLFP was strongly inhibited by typical serine protease inhibitors, further indicating that PLFP is a member of the serine protease family. PLFP was able to dissolve artificial plasminogenfree fibrin, and its fibrinolytic behavior was similar to that of plasmin. Taken these results together, PLFP is a new member of the fibrinolytic enzyme family with selective specificity on fibrin, and the availability of PLFP offers an attractive alternative approach for thrombolysis therapy because rPLFP is believed to have advantages over currently used plasminogen activators, that is, lower price and lower side effect.     

Characterization of an acetyl xylan esterase from the anaerobic fungus Orpinomyces sp. strain PC-2.

A 1,067-bp cDNA, designated axeA, coding for an acetyl xylan esterase (AxeA) was cloned from the anaerobic rumen fungus Orpinomyces sp. strain PC-2. The gene had an open reading frame of 939 bp encoding a polypeptide of 313 amino acid residues with a calculated mass of 34,845 Da. An active esterase using the original start codon of the cDNA was synthesized in Escherichia coli. Two active forms of the esterase were purified from recombinant E. coli cultures. The size difference of 8 amino acids was a result of cleavages at two different sites within the signal peptide. The enzyme released acetate from several acetylated substrates, including acetylated xylan. The activity toward acetylated xylan was tripled in the presence of recombinant xylanase A from the same fungus. Using p-nitrophenyl acetate as a substrate, the enzyme had a K(m) of 0.9 mM and a V(max) of 785 micromol min(-1) mg(-1). It had temperature and pH optima of 30 degrees C and 9.0, respectively. AxeA had 56% amino acid identity with BnaA, an acetyl xylan esterase of Neocallimastix patriciarum, but the Orpinomyces AxeA was devoid of a noncatalytic repeated peptide domain (NCRPD) found at the carboxy terminus of the Neocallimastix BnaA. The NCRPD found in many glycosyl hydrolases and esterases of anaerobic fungi has been postulated to function as a docking domain for cellulase-hemicellulase complexes, similar to the dockerin of the cellulosome of Clostridium thermocellum. The difference in domain structures indicated that the two highly similar esterases of Orpinomyces and Neocallimastix may be differently located, the former being a free enzyme and the latter being a component of a cellulase-hemicellulase complex. Sequence data indicate that AxeA and BnaA might represent a new family of hydrolases.     

Isolation and expression of cDNA clones encoding mammalian poly(A) polymerase.

cDNA clones encoding mammalian poly(A) polymerase were isolated with probes generated by the polymerase chain reaction based on amino acid sequences derived from the purified enzyme. A bovine cDNA clone was obtained encoding a protein of 82 kDa. Expression in Escherichia coli resulted in the appearance of a poly(A) polymerase activity that was dependent on the addition of the purified specificity factor CPF and the presence of the polyadenylation signal AAUAAA in the RNA substrate. The activity copurified with a polypeptide of the expected size. A second class of cDNAs encoded a polypeptide of 43 kDa which was closely related to the N-terminal half of the 82 kDa protein. Northern blots showed two mRNAs of 4.2 and 2.4 kb that probably correspond to the two classes of cDNAs, as well as a third band of 1.3 kb. The sequence of the N-terminal half of bovine poly(A) polymerase is 47% identical with the amino acid sequence of the corresponding part of yeast poly(A) polymerase. Homologies to other proteins are of uncertain significance.     

Sequencing of a 1,3-1,4-beta-D-glucanase (lichenase) from the anaerobic fungus Orpinomyces strain PC-2: properties of the enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli and evidence that the gene has a bacterial origin.

A 971-bp cDNA, designated licA, was obtained from a library of Orpinomyces sp. strain PC-2 constructed in Escherichia coli. It had an open reading frame of 738 nucleotides encoding LicA (1,3-1,4-beta-D-glucanase; lichenase) (EC 3.2.1.73) of 245 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 27,929 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence had high homology with bacterial beta-glucanases, particularly in the central regions and toward the C-terminal halves of bacterial enzymes. LicA had no homology with plant beta-glucanases. The genomic DNA region coding for LicA was devoid of introns. More than 95% of the recombinant beta-glucanase produced in E. coli cells was found in the culture medium and periplasmic space. A N-terminal signal peptide of 29 amino residues was cleaved from the enzyme secreted from Orpinomyces, whereas 21 amino acid residues of the signal peptide were removed when the enzyme was produced by E. coli. The beta-glucanase produced by E. coli was purified from the culture medium. It had a molecular mass of 27 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. The Km and Vmax values with lichenin as the substrate at pH 6.0 and 40 degrees C were 0.75 mg/ml and 3,790 micromol/min/mg, respectively. With barley beta-glucan as the substrate, the corresponding values were 0.91 mg/ml and 5,320 micromol/min/mg. This enzyme did not hydrolyze laminarin, carboxymethylcellulose, pustulan, or xylan. The main products of lichenin and barley beta-glucan hydrolysis were triose and tetraose. LicA represented the first 1,3-1,4-beta-D-glucanase reported from fungi. The results presented suggest that licA of Orpinomyces had a bacterial origin.