The esterase activity of bovine carbonic anhydrase B above pH 9. Reversible and cooalent inhibition by acetozolamide.

The reversible complex between the metalloenzyme bovine carbonic anhydrase B and the sulfonamide inhibitor acetazolamide can be "frozen" irreversibly by the addition of a covalent bond between the methyl group of the inhibitor and the tau-nitrogen of histidine-64. In both cases the inhibited enzyme is inactive as an esterase toward p-nitrophenyl propionate at physiological pH but retains activity controlled by an ionization in the protein exhibiting a pK-a greater than 10. Similarly, both the covalently and reversibly inhibited enzymes in which the catalytically essential Zn(II) ion has been replaced with Co(II) display the same visible absorption spectrum which is invariant over the pH range from 5 to 12. The evidence therefore indicates that the position of the acetazolamide moiety in the active site is independent of both pH and the presence of the covalent bond to histidine-64. Moreover, when reversibly bound, this inhibitor has been shown to replace the water molecule (or hydroxide ion) known to occupy the fourth coordination position of the metal ion and frequently implicated in the catalytic mechanism of carbonic anhydrases. Thus, the activity exhibited by the inhibited enzymes and consequently the second rise observed in the pH rate profile of the native enzyme above pH 0 cannot reflect the ionization of such a water molecule in contrast to what has been postulated previously (Pocker, Y., and Storm, D. R. (1968) Biochemistry 7, 1202-1214). Displacement of the zinc-bound solvent molecule rather than the alkylation of histidine-64 is suggested, however, as the cause of the inactivation of the alkylated enzyme round neutrality. Taken together, the biphasic pH rate profile of native bovine carbonic anhydrase B as well as the activity retained by the alkylated enzyme above pH 9 are best described by a model in which two groups in the enzyme ionize independently, thereby raising the possibility that the high pH activity is controlled by an ionization outside the active site region of the enzyme. Above pH 9.5 the pK; for the reversible interaction between native carbonic anhydrase and acetazolamide falls off linearly with increasing pH. The slope of --1.56 suggests that, among other factors, more than one ionization is responsible for the descending limb of the pH-i-pH profile.     

The structure and function of ribonuclease T1. XXI. Modification of histidine residues in ribonuclease T1 with iodoacetamide.

1. When ribonuclease T1 [EC 3.1.4.8] (0.125% solution) was treated with a 760-fold molar excess of iodoacetamide at pH 8.0 and 37 degrees, about 90% of the original activity was lost in 24 hr. The half-life of the activity was about 8 hr. The binding ability for 3'-GMP was lost simultaneously. Changes were detected only in histidine and the amino-terminal alanine residues upon amino acid analyses of the inactivated protein and its chymotryptic peptides. The inactivation occurred almost in parallel with the loss of two histidine residues in the enzyme. The pH dependences of the rate of inactivation and that of loss of histidine residues were similar and indicated the implication of a histidine residue or residues with pKa 7.5 to 8 in this reaction. 3'-GMP and guanosine showed some protective effect against loss of activity and of histidine residues. The reactivity of histidine residues was also reduced by prior modification of glutamic acid-58 with iodoacetate, of lysine-41 with maleic or cis-aconitic anhydride or 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonate or of arginine-77 with ninhydrin. 2. Analyses of the chymotryptic peptides from oxidized samples of the iodoacetamide-inactivated enzyme showed that histidine-92 and histidine-40 reacted with iodoacetamide most rapidly and at similar rates, whereas histidine-27 was least reactive. Alkylation of histidine-92 was markedly slowed down when the Glu58-carboxymethylated enzyme was treated with iodoacetamide. On the other hand, alkylation of histidine-40 was slowed down most in the presence of 3'-GMP. These results suggest that histidine-92 and histidine-40 are involved in the catalytic action, probably forming part of the catalytic site and part of the binding site, respectively, and that histidine-27 is partially buried in the enzyme molecule or interacts strongly with some other residue, thus becoming relatively unreactive.     

Neutral imidazole is the electrophile in the reaction catalyzed by triosephosphate isomerase: structural origins and catalytic implications

To illuminate the role of histidine-95 in the catalytic reaction mediated by triosephosphate isomerase, 13C and 15N NMR titration studies have been carried out both on the wild-type enzyme and on a mutant isomerase in which the single remaining histidine (that at the active site) has been isotopically enriched in the imidazole ring. 15N NMR has proved especially useful in the unambiguous demonstration that the imidazole ring of histidine-95 is uncharged over the entire pH range of isomerase activity, between pH 5 and pH 9.9. The results require that the first pKa of histidine-95 is below 4.5. This abnormally low pKa rules out the traditional view that the positively charged imidazolium cation of histidine-95 donates a proton to the developing charge on the substrate's carbonyl oxygen. 15N NMR experiments on the enzyme in the presence of the reaction intermediate analogue phosphoglycolohydroxamate show the presence of a strong hydrogen bond between N epsilon 2 of histidine-95 and the bound inhibitor. These findings indicate that, in the catalyzed reaction, proton abstraction from C-1 of dihydroxyacetone phosphate first yields an enediolate intermediate that is strongly hydrogen bonded to the neutral imidazole side chain of histidine-95. The imidazole proton involved in this hydrogen bond then protonates the enediolate, with the transient formation of the enediol-imidazolate ion pair. Abstraction of the hydroxyl proton on O-1 now produces the other enediolate intermediate, which collapses to give the product glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The structure and function of ribonuclease T1 XXIV. Preparation and properties of a stable water-insoluble polyacrylamide derivative of ribonuclease T1.

Ribonuclease T1 [EC 3.1.4.8] was coupled to a water-insoluble cross-linked polyacrylamide (Enzacryl AH) by the acid azide method. The immobilized enzyme exhibited about 45% and 77% of the original activity toward yeast RNA and 2', 3-cyclic GMP, respectively, as substrates. Although the specific activity was lowered by the coupling, the immobilized enzyme was found to be far more stable to heat and extremes of PH than the native enzyme. The immobilized enzyme was active toward RNA even above pH 9 (at 37 degree C) or above 60 degree C (at pH 7.5), where the native enzyme was inactive. The immobilized enzyme retained much of its activity as assayed at 37 degree C after incubation in the range of pH 1 to 10 at 37 degree C, or after heating at 100 degree C (at pH 7.5) under conditions where the native enzyme was inactivated to a considerable extent. The enzyme derivative could be repeatedly recovered and reused without much loss of activity. The active site glutamic acid-58 in the immobilized enzyme appeared to be nearly as reactive with iodoacetate as that in the native enzyme.     

Trypsin treatment may impair the interfacial activation action of lipoprotein lipase.

Lipoprotein lipase was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with human lipoprotein lipase cDNA. The lipoprotein lipase retained tributyrin, water-soluble substrate, hydrolyzing activity (esterase activity). The catalytic action of this enzyme was studied by monitoring the esterase activity. The esterase activity was enhanced 4.5-fold by the addition of triolein emulsified with Triton X-100. This process was named interfacial activation. Treatment of LPL with trypsin (100 micrograms/ml, 37 degrees C for 10 min) caused the loss of the triolein hydrolyzing activity without that of the esterase activity. The esterase activity of trypsin-treated LPL was not enhanced by the addition of the triolein emulsion. The trypsin-treated LPL retained the ability to bind to very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). These results are consistent with the idea that LPL has a catalytic site and a lipid interface recognition site, and that the enzyme undergoes interfacial activation, in which the concealed catalytic site is revealed after the enzyme binds to the surface. Based on this hypothesis, the results obtained suggest that trypsin nicking may impair the interfacial activation process and cause the loss of the lipase activity.     

Some Properties of Extracellular Acetylxylan Esterase Produced by the Yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa

The red yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa produced an esterase that accumulated in the culture supernatant on induction with triacetin. The enzyme was specific for substrates bearing an O-acetyl group, but was relatively nonspecific for the rest of the molecule, which could consist of a phenol, a monosaccharide, a polysaccharide, or an aliphatic alcohol. The esterase was more active against acetylxylan and glucose beta-d-pentaacetate than were a number of esterases from plant and animal sources, when activities on 4-nitrophenyl acetate were compared. The enzyme exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics and was active over a broad pH range (5.5 to 9.2), with an optimum between pH 8 and 10. In addition, the enzyme retained its activity for 2 h at 55 degrees C. The yeast that produced the enzyme did not produce xylanase and, hence, is of interest for the production of acetylxylan esterase that is free of xylanolytic activity.     

双胸蚓纤溶酶的纯化及性质

 用硫酸铵分段盐析、超滤膜分级分离及DEAE-纤维素、Sephadex A-25和Sephadex G-50三种柱层析方法从双胸蚓组织的粗提取液中分离纯化出一种纤溶酶,分子量为29kD,由一条肽链组成。此晦具有强烈的溶解纤维蛋白的作用,对家兎实验性血凝块也具有明显的溶解作用。此酶的最适pH为8.0,在pH7.6～8.4之间活力相差不到2％;酶在PH4.7—11.0范围内稳定;酶作用的最适温度为57℃;此酶热稳定性较好,于25～50℃保温3小时,酶活力基本不变,60℃时,活力保留65％。金属离子Na~(+)、K~(+)、Mg~(2+)等可提高此酶的活力,而Hg~(2+)、Ca~(2+)等金属离子对此酶有不同程度的抑制作用。     

The mipafox-inhibited catalytic domain of human neuropathy target esterase ages by reversible proton loss

Aging of organophosphorus (OP)-compound-inhibited neuropathy target esterase (NTE) is the critical event that initiates OP-compound-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). Aging has classically been considered to involve side-group loss from phosphylated NTE, rendering the enzyme refractory to reactivation. N,N'-Diisopropylphosphorodiamidofluoridate (mipafox, MIP)-inhibited NTE has been thought to age quickly; however, it can be reactivated under acidic conditions. The present study was undertaken to determine whether MIP-inhibited human recombinant NTE esterase domain (NEST) ages classically by isopropylamine loss. Diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP), the oxygen analogue of MIP, was used for comparison. Kinetic values for DFP against NEST were as follows: k(i) = 17 200 +/- 180 M(-1) min(-1); reactivation t(1/2) approximately 90 min at pH 8.0 and approximately 60 min at pH 5.2; k(4) = 0.108 +/- 0.041 min(-1) at pH 8.0 and 0.181 +/- 0.034 min(-1) at pH 5.2. Kinetic values for MIP against NEST were as follows: k(i) = 1880 +/- 61 M(-1) min(-1); reactivation t(1/2) = 0 min at pH 8.0 and approximately 60 min at pH 5.2; aging was complete at all time points tested at pH 8.0, but no aging occurred at pH 5.2. Mass spectrometry revealed a mass shift of 123.0 +/- 0.6 Da for the active site peptide peak of aged DFP-inhibited NEST, corresponding to a monoisopropyl phosphate adduct. In contrast, the analogous mass shift for aged MIP-inhibited NEST was 162.8 +/- 0.6 Da, corresponding to the intact N,N'-diisopropylphosphorodiamido adduct. Thus, MIP-inhibited NEST does not age by isopropylamine loss. However, because kinetically aged MIP-inhibited NEST yields an intact adduct capable of reversible deprotonation, aging could occur by proton loss. Indeed, MIP-inhibited NEST does not age at pH 5.2 but ages immediately and completely at pH 8.0. Therefore, we conclude that the MIP-NEST conjugate ages by deprotonation rather than classical side-group loss.     

Post-heparin plasma hepatic triacylglycerol lipase-catalyzed tributyrin hydrolysis. Effect of trypsin treatment

Hepatic triacylglycerol lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) hydrolyzes water-insoluble fatty acid esters, e.g., trioleoylglycerol (lipase activity) and water-soluble fatty acid esters, e.g., tributyrin (esterase activity). Esterase activity of hepatic triacylglycerol lipase is enhanced by triolein emulsion and phospholipid vesicles [1]. The catalytic mechanism and structure of human hepatic triacylglycerol lipase isolated from human post-heparin plasma and the effect of trypsin treatment on the lipase and esterase activities of the enzyme were examined. Treatment of hepatic triacylglycerol lipase with trypsin resulted in loss of its lipase activity, but had no effect on its esterase activity. Chromatography of hepatic triacylglycerol lipase on Bio-Gel A5m showed that hepatic triacylglycerol lipase binds to dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles. However, on chromatography of the trypsin-treated enzyme after incubation with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles, a part of hepatic triacylglycerol lipase that retained esterase activity was eluted separately from the dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles. Addition of vesicles of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine to the trypsin-treated enzyme did not enhance its esterase activity. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that hepatic triacylglycerol lipase has a catalytic site that hydrolyzes tributyrin and a lipid interface recognition site, and that these sites are different: trypsin modified the lipid interface recognition site of the hepatic triacylglycerol lipase but not the catalytic site.     

Site-directed mutagenesis of the calcium-binding site of α-amylase of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus licheniformis</Emphasis>

Amylases that are active under acidic conditions (pH <6), at higher temperatures (>70 degrees C) and have less reliance on Ca(2+) are required for starch hydrolysis. The alpha-amylase gene of Bacillus licheniformis MTCC 6598 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. The calcium-binding site spanning amino acid residues from 104 to 200 in the loop regions of domain B and D430 in domain C of amylase were changed by site-directed mutagenesis and the resultant mutant amylases were analyzed. Calcium-binding residues, N104, D161, D183, D200 and D430, were replaced with D104 and N161, N183, N200 and N430, respectively. Mutant amylase with N104D had a slightly decreased activity at 30 degrees C but a significantly improved specific activity at pH 5 and 70 degrees C, which is desirable character for a food enzyme. The amylase mutants with D183N or D200N lost all activity while the mutant amylase with D161N retained its activity at 30 degrees C but had significantly less activity at 70 degrees C. On the other hand, the activity of the mutant amylase with D430N was not changed at 30 degrees C but had an improved activity at 70 degrees C.     

Zymogen activation in serine proteinases. Proton magnetic resonance pH titration studies of the two histidines of bovine chymotrypsinogen A and chymotrypsin Aalpha.

Reversible unfolding of bovine chymotrypsinogen A in 2H2O either by heating at low pH or by exposure to 6 M guanidinium chloride results in the exchange of virtually all the nitrogen-bound hydrogens that give rise to low-field 1H NMR peaks, without significant exchange of the histidyl ring Cepsilon1 hydrogens. These preexchange procedures have enabled the resolution of two peaks, using 250-MHz correlation 1H NMR spectroscopy, that are attributed to the two histidyl residues of chymotrypsinogen A. Assignments of the Cepsilon1 hydrogen peaks to histidine-40 and -57 were based on comparison of the NMR titration curves of the native zymogen with those of the diisopropylphosphoryl derivative. Two histidyl Cepsilon1 H peaks were also resolved with solutions of preexchanged chymotrypsin Aalpha. The histidyl peaks of chymotrypsin Aalpha were assigned by comparison of NMR titration curves of the free enzyme with those of its complex with bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz). The NMR titration curves of histidine-57 in the zymogen and enzyme and histidine-40 in the zymogen exhibit two inflections; the additional inflections were assigned to interactions with neighboring carboxyl groups: aspartate-102 in the case of histidine-57 and aspartate-194 in the case of histidine-40 of the zymogen. In bovine chymotrypsinogen A in 2H2O at 31 degrees C, histidine-57 has a pK' of 7.3 and aspartate-102 a pK' of 1.4, and the histidine-40-aspartate-194 system exhibits inflections at pH 4.6 and 2.3. In bovine chymotrypsin Aalpha under the same conditions, the histidine-57-aspartate-102 system has pK' values of 6.1 and 2.8, and histidine-40 has a pK' of 7.2. The results suggest that the pK' of histidine-57 is higher than the pK' of aspartate-102 in both zymogen and enzyme. A significant difference exists in the structure and properties of the catalytic center between the zymogen and activated enzyme. In addition to the difference in pK' values, the chemical shift of histidine-57, which is highly abnormal in the zymogen (deshielded by 0.6 ppm), becomes normalized upon activation. These changes may explain part of the increase in the catalytic activity upon activation. The 1H NMR chemical shift of the Cepsilon1 H of histidine-57 in the chymotrypsin Aalpha-pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) complex is constant between pH 3 and 9 at a value similar to that of histidine-57 in the porcine trypsin-pancreatic trypsin inhibitor complex [Markley, J.L., and Porubcan, M. A. (1976), J. Mol. Biol. 102, 487--509], suggesting that the mechanisms of interaction are similar in the two complexes.     

Purification and characterization of recombinant endoglucanase of Trichoderma reesei expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with higher glycosylation and stability

Cel5A (endoglucanase II) of Trichoderma reesei was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae then purified. Two components (C1 and C2) of recombinant Cel5A with different glycosylation were obtained. Purified C1 had a larger molecular mass (57 kDa) than that of the native Cel5A produced by T. reesei (48 kDa) due to the different extents of asparagines-linked glycosylation. There was no significant difference in enzymatic activity between the C1 and the native Cel5A from T. reesei. C1 treated with Endoglycosidase H had a molecular mass of 54 kDa and retained about 88% of its original activity. Unpurified C2 was larger form of hyperglycosylation proteins. Its molecular mass was larger than 85 kDa till up to 200 kDa. It still retained activity regardless of its magnitude molecular mass. With increased glycosylation extent of the enzyme components (C2 >C1 >native Cel5A), the pH range of activity become wider, and thermal stability become higher.     

Identification of an essential cysteine in the reaction catalyzed by aspartate-beta-semialdehyde dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli.

The enzyme L-aspartate-beta-semialdehyde dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli has been studied by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The focus of this investigation was to examine the role of a cysteine residue that had been previously identified by chemical modification with an active site directed reagent (Biellmann et al. (1980) Eur. J. Biochem. 104, 59-64). Substitution of this cysteine at position 135 with an alanine results in complete loss of enzyme activity. However, changing this cysteine to a serine yields a mutant enzyme with a maximum velocity that is 0.3% that of the native enzyme. This C135S mutant has retained essentially the same affinity for substrates as the native enzyme, and the same overall conformation as reflected in identical behavior on gel electrophoresis and in identical fluorescence spectra. The pH profile of the native enzyme shows a loss in catalytic activity upon protonation of a group with a pKa value of 7.7. The same activity loss is observed at this pH with the serine-135 mutant, despite the differences in the pKa values for a cysteine sulfhydryl and a serine hydroxyl group that have been measured in model compounds. This observed pKa value may reflect the protonation of an auxiliary catalyst that enhances the reactivity of the active site cysteine nucleophile in the native aspartate-beta-semialdehyde dehydrogenase.     

Structural specificity of the allosteric inhibitor of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase of Escherichia coli.

The structural specificity of the allosteric inhibitor of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylas [EC 4.1.1.31] of Escherichia coli W was investigated using native enzyme and photooxidized enzyme which was desensitized to L-aspartate. Inhibitory activity was expressed in terms of the concentration of the compound required for 50% inhibition (I0.5). For the native enzyme, L-aspartate and L-malate were the strongest inhibitors with I0.5 values of about 0.10-0.15 mM among about 20 componds tested. For the photooxidized enzyme, oxaloacetate and L-malate were relatively strong inhibitors wiht I0.5 values of about 11-16 mM. The results obtained suggest that the inhibition of the native enzyme mainly reflects allosteric inhibition.     

Isolation and characterization of an intracellular esterase from Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei IFPL731

An intracellular esterase from Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei IFPL731 was purified 1000-fold by ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. The relative molecular mass of the native enzyme was 105 kDa, while the subunit molecular mass was estimated to be 38 kDa. The esterase hydrolysed tributyrin and had a preference for esters of short-chain fatty acids (butyrate, caproate and caprylate), while it did not hydrolyse palmitate and sterate esters. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant of the enzyme on p -nitrophenyl butyrate was 0·3 mmol l⁻¹ while on p -nitrophenyl caprylate, it was 0·04 mmol l⁻¹. The esterase was active over a broad range of pH and temperature values, and retained about 50% of maximal activity at pH 5·0 and 12 °C. Activity was strongly inhibited by 5 mmol l⁻¹ phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride, β-mercaptoethanol and N -ethylmaleimide, and was stimulated by Zn²⁺ at 1 mmol l⁻¹.     

Genome-wide cloning and characterization of microbial esterases

We have isolated putative esterase genes from various bacterial chromosomes. Thirty open reading frames predicted to encode esterases were randomly selected from 13 sequenced bacterial chromosomes and were cloned into an expression vector. The esterase activity of the resulting clones was tested on a tributyrin plate at different pH values and temperatures. Nine out of thirty tested clones exhibited significant tributyrin hydrolyzing activity. The enzyme S5 from the gene b0494 of Escherichia coli, the enzyme S12 from the gene STM0506 of Salmonella typhimurium, and the enzyme S28 from the gene AF1716 of Archaeoglobus fulgidus exhibited high activity at an alkaline pH range. The esterase S11 encoded by the gene PA3859 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and the esterase S21 from the gene SMc01033 of Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021, both showed a sharp increase in enzyme activity above pH 8.0. Furthermore, the enzymes S5, S12, S21, and S28 retained the esterase activity when they were incubated at 50 degrees C, suggesting that these enzymes are thermostable. Subsequent pH vs. activity and temperature vs. activity experiments with selected enzymes in a solution assay system confirmed the validity of the above data. The genome-wide exploration strategy of proteins provided valuable information on the esterases by revealing subtle biochemical differences between the esterases of different sources.     

Photooxidation of histidine and tryptophan residues of papain in the presence of methylene blue.

Papain [EC 3.4.22.2] was photooxidized using methylene blue as a sensitizer. The photooxidzed enzyme lost its caseinolytic activity and had significantly decreased histidine and tryptophan contents. The tyrosine content was the same before and after the photooxidation. The SH content of the photooxidized enzyme, as determined after reduction with dithiothreitol, was also unchanged. The loss of histidine was always slower than the loss of enzymatic activity, being less than one residue per molecule even when the enzymatic activity was completely lost. However, the inactivation and the oxidation of a histidine residue were pH-dependent in a similar fashion in the pH range of 5.0-8.0, the pH profiles conforming to theoretical titration curves with apparent pKa values of 6.6 and 6.7, respectively. The fact that the ionization of a histidine residue in papain has a normal imidazole pKa value is entirely in accord with the finding for stem bromelain [EC 3.4.22.4] (Murachi, T., Tsudzuki, T., & Okumura, K. (1975) Biochemistry 14, 249-255), and is of great significance in relation to the mechanism of catalysis by these enzymes.     

Purification and characterization of chalcone isomerase from soybeans

Chalcone isomerase from soybean has been purified 11,000-fold over the crude extract. The purification procedure features pseudo-affinity chromatography on an Amicon Matrex Orange A column with selective elution by a product of the enzymatic reaction. The purified enzyme is greater than 99.5% pure and possesses a specificity activity of 340 IU/mg, which is 520-fold greater than previously reported. The apparent molecular weight of the chalcone isomerase is 24,000 as determined from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels and from size exclusion chromatography under native conditions on Sephacryl S-200. The enzyme exists as a monomer that migrates on isoelectric focusing gels with a pI of 5.7. Amino acid analysis indicates that almost 50% of the residues are hydrophobic and yields a partial specific volume of 0.750 ml/g. Chalcone isomerase contains no carbohydrate moieties and has a blocked N terminus. The purified enzyme catalyzes the conversion of 2', 4',4-trihydroxychalcone (I) to (2S)-4',7-dihydroxyflavanone (II) at pH 7.6 with a second order rate constant, kcat/Km, of 1.1 X 10(9) M-1 min-1 and an apparent equilibrium constant, [II]/[I], of 7.6. The rate constant for the conversion of enzyme-bound substrate to the (2S)-flavanone, kcat = 11,000 min-1, exceeds the spontaneous conversion by 36 million-fold. The enzyme catalyzes the formation of (2S)-flavanone over 100,000-fold faster than to the (2R)-flavanone, indicating that the enzyme is highly stereoselective, yielding over 99.999% of the (2S)-flavanone.     

Neisseria gonorrheae O-acetylpeptidoglycan esterase, a serine esterase with a Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad

O-Acetylpeptidoglycan esterase from Neisseria gonorrheae FA1090 is similar in sequence to family CE-3 carbohydrate esterases of the CAZy classification system, and it functions to release O-linked acetyl groups from the C-6 position of muramoyl residues in O-acetylated peptidoglycan. Here, we characterize the peptidoglycan of N. gonorrheae FA1090 as being O-acetylated and find that it serves as a substrate for the esterase. The influence of pH on the activity of O-acetylpeptidoglycan esterase was determined, and pKa values of 6.38 and 6.78 for the enzyme-substrate complex (VEt-1) and free enzyme (VEt-1KM-1), respectively, were calculated. The enzyme was inactivated by sulfonyl fluorides but not by EDTA. Multiple-sequence alignment of the O-acetylpeptidoglycan esterase family 1 enzymes with members of the CE-3 enzymes and protein modeling studies identified Ser80, Asp366, and His369 as three invariant amino acid residues that could potentially serve as a catalytic triad. Replacement of each with alanine was accomplished by site-directed mutagenesis, and the resulting mutant proteins were purified to apparent homogeneity. The specific activity of each of the three esterase derivatives was greatly reduced on O-acetylpeptidoglycan. Using the artificial substrate p-nitrophenyl acetate, a kinetic analysis revealed that the turnover number (VEt-1) but not KM was affected by the replacements. These data thus indicate that N. gonorrheae O-acetylpeptidoglycan esterase, and by analogy the CE-3 family of enzymes, function as serine esterases involving a Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad.