A single step purification, immobilization, and hyperactivation of lipases via interfacial adsorption on strongly hydrophobic supports

A number of bacterial lipases can be immobilized in a rapid and strong fashion on octyl-agarose gels (e.g., lipases from Candida antarctica, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Rhizomucor miehei, Humicola lanuginosa, Mucor javanicus, and Rhizopus niveus). Adsorption rates in absence of ammonium sulfate are higher than in its presence, opposite to the observation for typical hydrophobic adsorption of proteins. At 10 mM phosphate, adsorption of lipases is fairly selective allowing enzyme purification associated with their reversible immobilization. Interestingly, these immobilized lipase molecules show a dramatic hyperactivation. For example, lipases from R. niveus, M. miehei, and H. lanuginosa were 6-, 7-, and 20-fold more active than the corresponding soluble enzymes when catalyzing the hydrolysis of a fully soluble substrate (0.4 mM p-nitrophenyl propionate). Even higher hyperactivations and interesting changes in stereospecificity were also observed for the hydrolysis of larger soluble chiral esters (e.g. (R,S)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoic ethyl ester). These results suggest that lipases recognize these "well-defined" hydrophobic supports as solid interfaces and they become adsorbed through the external areas of the large hydrophobic active centers of their "open and hyperactivated structure". This selective interfacial adsorption of lipases becomes a very promising immobilization method with general application for most lipases. Through this method, we are able to combine, via a single and easily performed adsorption step, the purification, the strong immobilization, and a dramatic hyperactivation of lipases acting in the absence of additional interfaces, (e.g., in aqueous medium with soluble substrate). Copyright 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Solid-phase handling of hydrophobins: immobilized hydrophobins as a new tool to study lipases

Hydrophobins are fungal proteins that self-assemble spontaneously at hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces and change the polar nature of the surfaces to which they attach. This attribute can be used to introduce hydrophobic foci on the surface of hydrophilic supports where hydrophobins are attached by covalent binding. In this paper, we report the binding of Pleurotus ostreatus hydrophobins to a hydrophilic matrix (agarose) to construct a support for noncovalent immobilization and activation of lipases from Candida antarctica, Humicola lanuginosa, and Pseudomonas flourescens. Lipase immobilization on agarose-bound hydrophobins proceeded at very low ionic strength and resulted in increased lipase activity and stability. The enzyme could be desorbed from the support using moderate concentrations of Triton X-100, and its enantioselectivity was similar to that of lipases interfacially immobilized on conventional hydrophobic supports. These results suggest that lipase adsorption on hydrophobins follows an "interfacial activation" mechanism; immobilization on hydrophobins offers new possibilities for lipase study and modulation and reveals a new application for fungal hydrophobins.     

Lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of Crambe oil in AOT-isooctane reversed micelles

Summary The hydrolysis by 1,3-specific lipases (Humicola lanuginosa, Mucor miehei, Rhizopus delemar andRhizopus javanicus) of the highly symmetric, high molecular weight triglycerides fromCrambe abyssinica (Crambe) seed oil is studied in an AOT-stabilized microemulsion system. Enzyme kinetic data shows that, of the lipases studied,Rhizopus javanicus lipases exerts the highest hydrolytic activity towards this new seed oil.     

Lipase-catalysed hydrolysis of short-chain substrates in solution and in emulsion: a kinetic study.

We have studied the enzymatic hydrolysis of solutions and emulsions of vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate and tripropionin by lipases of various origin and specificity. Kinetic studies of the hydrolysis of short-chain substrates by microbial triacylglycerol lipases from Rhizopus oryzae, Mucor miehei, Candida rugosa, Candida antarctica A and by (phospho)lipase from guinea-pig pancreas show that these lipolytic enzymes follow the Michaelis-Menten model. Surprisingly, the activity against solutions of tripropionin and vinyl esters ranges from 70% to 90% of that determined against emulsions. In contrast, a non-hyperbolic (sigmoidal) dependence of enzyme activity on ester concentration is found with human pancreatic lipase, triacylglycerol lipase from Humicola lanuginosa (Thermomyces lanuginosa) and partial acylglycerol lipase from Penicillium camembertii and the same substrates. In all cases, no abrupt jump in activity (interfacial activation) is observed at substrate concentration corresponding to the solubility limit of the esters. Maximal lipolytic activity is always obtained in the presence of emulsified ester. Despite progress in the understanding of structure-function of lipases, interpretation of the mode of action of lipases active against solutions of short-chain substrates remains difficult. Actually, it is not known whether these enzymes, which possess a lid structure, are in open or/and closed conformation in the bulk phase and whether the opening of the lid that gives access to the catalytic triad is triggered by interaction of the enzyme molecule with monomeric substrates or/and multimolecular aggregates (micelles) both present in the bulk phase. From the comparison of the behaviour of lipases used in this study which, in some cases, follow the Michaelis-Menten model and, in others, deviate from classical kinetics, it appears that the activity of classical lipases against soluble short-chain vinyl esters and tripropionin depends not only on specific interaction with single substrate molecules at the catalytic site of the enzyme but also on physico-chemical parameters related to the state of association of the substrate dispersed in the aqueous phase. It is assumed that the interaction of lipase with soluble multimolecular aggregates of tripropionin or short-chain vinyl esters or the formation of enzyme-substrate mixed micelles with ester bound to lipase, might represent a crucial step that triggers the structural transition to the open enzyme conformation by displacement of the lid.     

General trend of lipase to self-assemble giving bimolecular aggregates greatly modifies the enzyme functionality

Three microbial lipases (those from Candida rugosa, Humicola lanuginosa, and Mucor miehei) have been found to exhibit a tendency to form bimolecular aggregates in solution even at very low enzyme concentrations (44 microg/mL) in the absence of a detergent, as detected by gel filtration. The monomolecular form of the enzymes was found as unique only at low enzyme concentration and in the presence of detergents. However, in the case of the lipase B from Candida antarctica, no bimolecular form could be identified even at enzyme concentrations as high as 1.2 mg/mL in the absence of detergent. It has been stated that bimolecular and monomolecular structures display very different functional properties: (i) the enzyme specific activity decreased when the lipase concentration increased; (ii) the bimolecular form was much more stable than the monomeric one yielding a higher optimal T (increasing between 5 and 10 degrees C) and higher stability in inactivation experiments (the dimer half-life became several orders of magnitude higher than that of the monomer); (iii) the enantioselectivity depended on the enzyme concentration even after immobilization. For example, with use of the lipase from H. lanuginosa, the enantiomeric excess of the remaining ester in the hydrolysis of fully soluble ethyl ester of (R,S)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoic acid varied from 4 to 57 when the concentrated or diluted enzyme immobilized on PEI support, respectively, was used. It seems that the bimolecular structure of lipases might be formed by two open lipase molecules (interfacially activating each other) in very close contact and hence with a very altered active center.     

Quantization of pH: evidence for acidic activity of triglyceride lipases

Here we present a study of lipolytic activity of lipases from Fusarium solani pisi (cutinase), Rhizomucor miehei, Pseudomonas cepacia, and Humicola lanuginosa. Their activities toward triolein provide clear evidence for considerable enzymatic activity under acidic conditions. The activity was followed using Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Using these approaches, all the lipases that were studied exhibited lipolytic activity down to pH 4. The common model for the catalytic activity of the F. solani pisi cutinase, and lipases in general, requires the deprotonation of the active site histidine. Measurements using (13)C NMR spectroscopy showed a pK(a) value in the absence of substrate that is not consistent with the detected acid activity. We propose a novel model for the electrostatics in the active site of cutinase that could explain the observed acidic activity. The active site is essentially covered with the lipid surface during catalysis, thus preventing chemical communication between the active site and the bulk solvent. We propose that the classical definition of pH in bulk solution is not applicable to the active site environment of a lipase when the active site is inaccessible to solvent. In small restricted volumes, the pH must be quantized, and since much of the biological world is dependent on compartmentalization of processes in small volumes, it becomes relevant to investigate when this mechanism comes into play. We have made a quantitative assessment of how large the restricted volume can be and still lead to quantization of pH.     

Enzymatic synthesis of alpha-butylglucoside linoleate in a packed bed reactor for future pilot scale-up

The enzymatic synthesis of a mixture of unsaturated fatty acid alpha-butylglucoside esters, containing more than 60% alpha-butylglucoside linoleate, was achieved through lipase-catalyzed esterification. The continuous evaporation under reduced pressure of the water produced enabled substrate conversions greater than 95% to be reached. Two immobilized lipases from Candida antarctica (Chirazyme L2, c.-f., C2) and Rhizomucor miehei (Chirazyme L9, c.-f.) were compared in stirred batch and packed bed configurations. When the synthesis was carried out in stirred batch mode, C. antarctica lipase appeared to be of greater interest than the R. miehei enzyme in terms of stability and regioselectivity. Surprisingly, a change in the process design to a packed bed configuration enabled the stability of R. miehei lipase to be significantly improved, while the C. antarctica lipase efficiency to synthesize unsaturated fatty acid alpha-butylglucoside esters was slightly decreased. Water content in the microenvironment of the biocatalyst was assumed to be responsible for such changes. When the process is run in stirred batch mode, the conditions used promote the evaporation of the essential water surrounding the enzyme, which probably leads to R. miehei lipase dehydration. In contrast, the packed bed design enabled such water evaporation in the microenvironment of the biocatalyt to be avoided, which resulted in a tremendous improvement of R. miehei lipase stability. However, C. antarctica lipase led to the formation of 3% diesters, whereas the final percentage of diesters reached 21% when R. miehei enzyme was used as biocatalyst. A low content of diesters is of greater interest in terms of alpha-butylglucoside linoleate application as linoleic acid carrier, and therefore the enzyme choice will have to be made depending on the properties expected for the final product.     

Production of biodiesel by lipase-catalyzed transesterification of vegetable oils: a kinetics study

Kinetics of production of biodiesel by enzymatic methanolysis of vegetable oils using lipase has been investigated. A mathematical model taking into account the mechanism of the methanolysis reaction starting from the vegetable oil as substrate, rather than the free fatty acids, has been developed. The kinetic parameters were estimated by fitting the experimental data of the enzymatic reaction of sunflower oil by two types of lipases, namely, Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RM) immobilized on ion-exchange resins and Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TL) immobilized on silica gel. There was a good agreement between the experimental results of the initial rate of reaction and those predicted by the proposed model equations, for both enzymes. From the proposed model equations, the regions where the effect of alcohol inhibition fades, at different substrate concentrations, were identified. The proposed model equation can be used to predict the rate of methanolysis of vegetable oils in a batch or a continuous reactor and to determine the optimal conditions for biodiesel production.     

The lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of lutein diesters in non-aqueous media is favored at extremely low water activities

The enzymatic hydrolysis of a mixture of lutein diesters from Marigold flower (Tagetes erecta) was performed both in organic solvents and supercritical CO(2) (SC-CO(2)) using two commercial lipases: lipase B from Candida antarctica (Novozym 435) and the lipase from Mucor miehei (Lipozyme RM IM). Both lipases showed an unexpected dependence of initial reaction rate with the initial water activity (a(wi)) in hexane, with the highest rates of hydrolysis taking place at the lowest a(wi) of the biocatalyst particles. The same result was observed using isooctane, toluene, or SC-CO(2). It is proposed that an increase in a(wi) generates a hydrophilic microenvironment that prevents efficient partitioning of the highly hydrophobic lutein diesters to the enzyme. The critical role of water in this system has not been reported for other hydrolytic reactions in low water media. Calculations of water available for hydrolysis from isotherm analysis, Karl-Fischer titration, and substrate conversion at a(wi) = 0.13, indicate that the extent of reaction is not limited by the amount of available water. Accordingly, the enzyme that holds the largest amount of water after prehydration at the same a(wi) (0.13) will yield the greatest substrate conversion and concentration of the free lutein product. The highest conversion occurred in SC-CO(2), which opens up new opportunities to develop a combined extraction-reaction process for the environmentally benign synthesis of lutein, an important nutraceutical compound.     

Fluorescent inhibitors for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of lipolytic enzymes

We report on the determination of active enzyme components in pure and crude lipases, using fluorescent inhibitors for covalent modification and visualization of the enzymatically active proteins. Lipase-specific compounds are triacylglycerol analogs, namely 1,2(2, 3)-di-O-alkylglyceroalkylphosphonic acid-p-nitrophenyl esters, containing a fluorescent substituent bound to the omega-end of an alkyl chain. Inhibitors derived from single-chain alcohols, such as p-nitrophenyl esters of fluorescent alkyl phosphonates, react with lipases and esterases. The p-nitrophenyl ester bond is susceptible toward nucleophilic attack by the active serine of the lipolytic enzyme. This reaction is stoichiometric, specific, and irreversible. Stable lipid-protein complexes are formed which can be analyzed on the basis of their fluorescent signal. From fluorescence intensity the moles of active serine (enzyme) were accurately determined. A lipase-specific inhibitor was used for the analysis of a commercial lipase preparation from Rhizomucor miehei. After incubation of the enzyme with the fluorescent lipid, a single fluorescence band was observed after SDS-gel electrophoresis, indicating the presence of a single lipase in the crude enzyme material. A linear correlation was obtained between fluorescence intensity and the amount of enzyme. Using a combination of different inhibitors, we were able to discriminate between lipases and esterases.     

Microwave-assisted rapid characterization of lipase selectivities

A rapid screening procedure for characterization of lipase selectivities using microwaves was developed. The rate of reaction of various commercial lipases (porcine pancreas, Mucor miehei, Candida rugosa, Pseudomonas cepacia) as well as lipases from laboratory isolates-Bacillus stearothermophilus and Burkholderia cepacia RGP-10 for triolein hydrolysis was 7- to 12-fold higher in a microwave oven as compared to that by pH stat. The esterification of sucrose/methanol and ascorbic acid with different fatty acids was also achieved within 30 s in a microwave using porcine pancreas, B. stearothermophilus SB-1 and B. cepacia RGP-10 lipases. The relative rates and selectivity of the lipases both for hydrolytic and synthesis reactions remains unaltered. However, the rate of reaction was dynamically enhanced when exposed to microwaves. Microwave-assisted enzyme catalysis can become an attractive procedure for rapid characterization of large number of enzyme samples and substrates, which otherwise is a cumbersome and time-consuming exercise.     

Cloning and sequence analysis of cDNA encoding Rhizopus niveus lipase.

Complementary DNA encoding Rhizopus niveus lipase (RNL) was isolated from the R. niveus IF04759 cDNA library using a synthetic oligonucleotide corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the enzyme. A clone, which had an insert of 1.0 kilobase pairs, was found to contain the coding region of the enzyme. The lipase gene was expressed in Escherichia coli as a lacZ fusion protein. The mature RNL consisted of 297 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 32 kDa. The RNL sequence showed significant overall homology to Rhizomucor miehei lipase and the putative active site residues were strictly conserved.     

Enantioselectivity of recombinant Rhizomucor miehei lipase in the ring opening of oxazolin-5(4H)-ones

Enantioselectivity of enzyme catalysis is often rationalized via active site models. These models are constructed on the basis of comparing the enantiomeric excess of product observed in a series of reactions which are conducted with a range of homologous substrates, typically carrying various side chain substitutions. Surprisingly the practical application of these simple but informative 'pocket size' models has been rarely tested in genetic engineering experiments. In this paper we report the construction, purification and enantioselectivity of two recombinant Rhizomucor miehei lipases which were designed to check the validity of such a model in reactions of ring opening of oxazolin-5(4H)-ones.     

Acetylcholinesterases from Musca domestica and Drosophila melanogaster Brain Are Linked to Membranes by a Glycophospholipid Anchor Sensitive to an Endogenous Phospholipase

The sensitivity of acetylcholinesterases (AChEs) from Musca domestica and from Drosophila melanogaster to the phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Bacillus cereus and to the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Trypanosoma brucei was investigated. B. cereus phospholipase C solubilizes membrane-bound AChE, and both phospholipases convert amphiphilic AChEs into hydrophilic forms of the enzyme. The lipases uncover an immunological determinant that is found on other glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane proteins after the same treatment. This immunological determinant is also present on the native hydrophilic form of AChE. The polypeptide bearing the active site of the membrane-bound enzyme migrates faster during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis than the same polypeptide from the soluble enzyme. We conclude that AChE from insect brain is attached to membranes via a glycophospholipid anchor. This anchor is covalently linked to the polypeptide bearing the active esterase site of the enzyme and can be cleaved by an endogenous lipase.     

Production of extracellular lipases by Penicillium cyclopium purification and characterization of a partial acylglycerol lipase

Penicillium cyclopium, grown in stationary culture, produces a type I lipase specific for triacylglycerols while, in shaken culture, it produces a type II lipase only active on partial acylglycerols. Lipase II has been purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatographies on Sephadex G-75 and DEAE-Sephadex. The enzyme exists in several glycosylated forms of 40-43 kDa, which can be converted to a single protein of 37 kDa by enzymatic deglycosylation. Activity of lipase II is maximal at pH 7.0 and 40 degrees C. The enzyme is stable from pH 4.5 to 7.0. Activity is rapidly lost at temperatures above 50 degrees C. The enzyme specifically hydrolyzes monoacylglycerols and diacylglycerols, especially of medium chain fatty acids. The sequence of the 20 first amino acid residues is similar to the N-terminal region of P. camembertii lipase and partially similar to lipases from Humicola lanuginosa and Aspergillus oryzae, but is different from Penicillium cyclopium lipase I. However, it can be observed that residues of valine and serine at positions 2 and 5 in Penicillium cyclopium lipase II are conserved in Penicillium expansum lipase, of which 16 out of the 20 first amino acid residues are similar to Penicillium cyclopium lipase I.     

Lid domain plasticity and lipid flexibility modulate enzyme specificity in human monoacylglycerol lipase

Human monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a membrane-interacting enzyme that generates pro-inflammatory signaling molecules. For this reason, MAGL inhibition is a promising strategy to treat pain, cancer, and neuroinflammatory diseases. MAGL can hydrolyze monoacylglycerols bearing an acyl chain of different lengths and degrees of unsaturation, cleaving primarily the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Importantly, the enzymatic binding site of MAGL is confined by a 75-amino-acid-long, flexible cap domain, named ‘lid domain’, which is structurally similar to that found in several other lipases. However, it is unclear how lid domain plasticity affects catalysis in MAGL. By integrating extensive molecular dynamics simulations and free-energy calculations with mutagenesis and kinetic experiments, we here define a lid-domain-mediated mechanism for substrate selection and binding in MAGL catalysis. In particular, we clarify the key role of Phe159 and Ile179, two conserved residues within the lid domain, in regulating substrate specificity in MAGL. We conclude by proposing that other structurally related lipases may share this lid-domain-mediated mechanism for substrate specificity.     

Discrimination between closed and open forms of lipases using electrophoretic techniques

The enhanced catalytic activity of lipases is often associated with structural changes. The three-dimensional (3D) structures showed that the covalently inhibited lipases exist under their open conformations, in contrast to their native closed forms. We studied the inhibition of various lipases--human and dog gastric lipases, human pancreatic lipase, and Humicola lanuginosa lipase--by the octyl-undecyl phosphonate inhibitor, and we measured the subsequent modifications of their respective electrophoretic mobility. Furthermore, the experimental values of the isoelectric points found for the native (closed) and inhibited (open) lipases are in agreement with theoretical calculations based on the electrostatic potential. We concluded that there is a significant difference in the isoelectric points between the closed (native) and open (inhibited) conformations of the four lipases investigated. Thus, analysis of the electrophoretic pattern is proposed as an easy experimental tool to differentiate between a closed and an open form of a given lipase.