(E160A)和(E160D)天花粉蛋白两种突变体晶体结构研究

培养了（Ｅ１６０Ａ）ＴＣＳ和（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ的单晶。在ＭＡＲＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈ面探测器系统上分别收集了０．１９３ｎｍ和０．２０ｎｍ分辨率的Ｘ射线衍射数据。数据处理用ＭＡＲＳＣＡＬＥ程序系统完成。用同晶差值Ｆｏｕｒｉｅｒ法解析了突变体的晶体结构,结构修正利用Ｘ－ＰＬＯＲ程序。修正结果,晶体学Ｒ因子分别为０．１７５,０．１７９,键长和键角的ＲＭＳ偏差分别为０．００１１ｎｍ和２．４５７°,０．００１３ｎｍ和２．６７５°。在这两个突变体的结构中均未见到Ｇｌｕ１８９侧链方向的改变。通过对（Ｅ１６０Ａ）ＴＣＳ和（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ的结构比较,说明（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ活性低于（Ｅ１６０Ａ）ＴＣＳ的原因：这可能是由于在（Ｅ１６０Ｄ）ＴＣＳ中Ｔｙｒ１１１和Ｔｙｒ７０的侧链都具有较大的运动性,使它们与腺嘌呤碱基的芳香堆垛作用减弱,从而导致活性的降低     

人主动脉硫酸乙酰肝素蛋白聚糖对培养的人血管壁细胞生长的作用

通过培养的人主动脉平滑肌细胞（ｈＡＳＭＣ）及脐静脉内皮细胞（ｈＵＶＥＣ）,应用３Ｈ－ＴｄＲ参入、Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ分析、逆转录多聚酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）、放射免疫分析（ＲＩＡ）、和紫外比色法等技术观察了人主动脉中硫酸乙酰肝素蛋白聚糖（ＨＳＰＧ）对ｈＡＳＭＣ和ｈＵＶＥＣＤＮＡ合成的作用及对血小板源生长因子（ＰＤＧＦ）、ＰＤＧＦ受体、转化生长因子β（ＴＧＦ－β）、内皮素－１（ＥＴ－１）或碱性成纤维细胞生长因子（ｂＦＧＦ）基因表达和肾素－血管紧张系统（ＲＡＳ）的影响,结果显示,ＨＳＰＧ明显抑制培养的ｈＡＳＭＣ基础的ＤＮＡ合成（ｃｐｍ值为：１０３８５±３２６３ｖｓ,２５５４１±６４２１,Ｐ＜０．０１）及外源性ＰＤＧＦ诱导的ＤＮＡ合成（ｃｐｍ值为：９８７８±１９４７ｖｓ．１３４８１±４４ｌ０,Ｐ＜０．０５）;抑制ＰＤＧＦＡ链、ＴＧＦ－Ｂｐ和ＥＴ－１ｍＲＮＡ表达,提高ＰＤＧＦａ和β受体ｍＲＮＡ的表达;显著降低ｈＡＳＭＣ培养液中血管紧张素Ⅱ（ＡｎｇⅡ）的浓度和血管紧张素转换酶（ＡＣＥ）的活性,推测ＨＳＰＧ抑制ＰＤＧＦＡ链、ＴＧＦ－β及ＥＴ－１ｍＲＮＡ表达,降低ＡＣＥ活性及ＡｎｇⅡ浓度是其抑制ｈＡＳＭＣ增殖的重要机     

天花粉蛋白Y14F/R22L定点突变及其活性研究

利用多聚酶链式反应（ＰＣＲ）技术,对天然天花粉蛋白（ｎＴＣＳ）基因在Ｔｙｒ１４和Ａｒｇ２２两个保守残基处同时进行定点突变,即Ｔｙｒ１４变成Ｐｈｅ,Ａｒｇ２２变成Ｌｅｕ,然后克隆到ｐＥＴ－８ｃ高效表达载体上,构建成重组质粒ｐＥＴＹ１４Ｆ／Ｒ２２Ｌ．经序列分析,定点突变的结果与预先设计的完全一致,突变后的天花粉蛋白命名为Ｙ１４Ｆ／Ｒ２２ＬＴＣＳ．将ｐＥＴＹ１４Ｆ／Ｒ２２Ｌ转化到Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉＢＬ２１（ＤＥ３,ｐＬｙｓＳ）中,进行表达．经ＣＭ－ＳｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅＣＬ－６Ｂ柱纯化,ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ鉴定,纯度可达９０％．ＲＩＰ活性测定显示,Ｙ１４Ｆ／Ｒ２２ＬＴＣＳ的活性比ｎＴＣＳ降低了７．５倍,活性变化不显著,因此,ＴＣＳ的Ｔｒｙ１４和Ａｒｇ２２对维持其活性部位构象并不是必需的．但由于Ｙ１４Ｆ／Ｒ２２ＬＴＣＳ在Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ中的表达量与ｎＴＣＳ相比明显下降,因此,Ｔｙｒ１４和Ａｒｇ２２可能与ＴＣＳ翻译后的折叠有关．     

太平洋大海洋生态系国际学术讨论会在青岛召开

太平洋大海洋生态系国际学术讨论会在青岛召开Ｉｎｔｅｒｎａｔｉｏｎａｌｓｙｍｐｏｓｉｕｍｏｎ“ＴＨＥＬＡＲＧＥＭＡＲＩＮＥＥＣＯＳＹＳ－ＴＥＭＳ（ＬＭＥｓ）ＯＦＴＨＥＰＡＣＩＦＩＣＯＣＥＡＮ”ｈｅｌｄａｔＱｉｎｇｄａｏ,Ｐ￥Ｒ．Ｃｈｉｎａ太平洋大海洋生...     

SELF-TRAINING NEURAL NETWORK MODEL FOR REAL TIME TOMOGRAPHY DATA PROCESSING

ＳＥＬＦ—ＴＲＡＩＮＩＮＧＮＥＵＲＡＬＮＥＴＷＯＲＫＭＯＤＥＬＦＯＲＲＥＡＬＴＩＭＥＴＯＭＯＧＲＡＰＨＹＤＡＴＡＰＲＯＣＥＳＳＩＮＧＹｕ．Ｋｕｌｃｈｉｎ;Ｏ．Ｋａｍｅｎｅｙ（Ｄｅｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｏｆｐｈｙｓｉｃｓ,ＦａｒＥａｓｔｅｒｎＳｔａｔｅＴｅｃ...     

PAF对肺内小动脉平滑肌细胞TXA_2，PGI_2乃Ca~（2＋）－ATPase的影响

本工作采用分离培养家兔肺内小动脉平滑肌细胞（ＰＡＳＭＣｓ），观察了外源性血小板活化因子（ｐｌａｔｅｌｅｔａｃｔｉｖａｔｉｎｇｆａｃｔｏｒ，ＰＡＦ）、ＢＮ５２０２１（ＰＡＦ受体拮抗剂）、吲哚美辛、维拉帕米对ＰＡＳＭＣｓ产生血栓素Ａ_２（ＴｘＡ_２）、前列环素（ＰＧＩ_２）及对细胞膜Ｃａ~（２＋）－ＡＴＰａｓｅ活力的影响。结果表明：（１）基础状态下ＰＡＳＭＣｓ存在花生四烯酸（ＡＡ）代谢。（２）外源性ＰＡＦ通过受体后途径激活环加氧酶促进ＡＡ代谢致ＴＸＡ_２及ＰＧＩ－２增加，ＴＸＡ_２／ＰＧＩ_２比值无明显变化。（３）外源性ＰＡＦ能直接抑制Ｃａ~（２＋）－ＡＴＰａｓｅ活力。（４）维拉帕米可逆转ＰＡＦ抑制ＰＡＳＭＣｓ膜Ｃａ~（２＋）－ＡＴＰａｓｅ活力的效应。     

第二信使介导模拟低氧下丘脑CRF分泌

用模拟高原低氧的方法研究急性低氧条件下促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子（ｃｏｒｔｉｃｏｔｒｏｐｉｎ－ｒｅｌｅａｓｉｎｇｆａｃｔｏｒ,ＣＲＦ）分泌的变化及第二信使参与ＣＲＦ分泌的作用。低氧（海拔７ｋｍ）１ｈ后,正中隆起（ｍｅｄｉａｎｅｍｉｎｅｎｃｅ,ＭＥ）处ＣＲＦ含量明显下降（Ｐ＜０．０５）,下丘脑（ｈｙｐｏｔｈａｌａｍｕｓ,Ｈｙ）ＣＲＦ（不含ＭＥ）含量无明显变化,而Ｈｙ内ｃＡＭＰ含量明显增加（Ｐ＜０．０１）。脑室注射Ｆｏｒｓｋｌｉｎ、ＴＰＡ后低氧暴露（海拔５ｋｍ）１ｈ,ＭＥＣＲＦ含量下降（Ｐ＜０．０５;Ｐ＜０．０５）,ＨｙＣＲＦ无明显变化。脑室注射Ｆｏｒｓｋｌｉｎ后ＨｙｃＡＭＰ含量升高（Ｐ＜０．０５）。脑室注射Ｈ７和ＰＫＡ抑制剂,ＭＥＣＲＦ升高（Ｐ＜０．０５;Ｐ＜０．０１）,ＨｙＣＲＦ和ＨｙｃＡＭＰ均无显著变化。上述结果表明急性低氧应激中ＣＲＦ分泌显著增加,第二信使通路ＰＫＡ和ＰＫＣ通路均参与ＣＲＦ分泌     

GENUS ANTROPHYUM KAULF.FROM CHINA AND NEIGHBORING REGIONS

ＧＥＮＵＳＡＮＴＲＯＰＨＹＵＭＫＡＵＬＦ．ＦＲＯＭＣＨＩＮＡＡＮＤＮＥＩＧＨＢＯＲＩＮＧＲＥＧＩＯＮＳＸ．Ｃ．ＺＨＡＮＧ（Ｔｈｅｈｅｒｂａｒｉｕｍ（ＰＥ）,ＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＢｏｔａｎｙ,ＣｈｉｎｅｓｅＡｃａｄｅｍｙｏｆＳｃｉｅｎｃｅｓ,Ｂｅｉ...     

农业系统生产力（ASP）的量化及其现状分析

农业系统生产力（ＡＳＰ）的量化及其现状分析卢进登,韩纯儒（北京农业大学农学系,１０００９４）ＱｕａｎｔｉｆｉｃａｔｉｏｎｏｆＡｇｒｏｓｙｓｔｅｍＰｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｖｉｔｙ（ＡＳＰ）ａｎｄＡｎａｌｙｓｉｓｏｎｉｔｓＣｕｒｒｅｎｔＳｉｔｕａｔｉｏｎｉｎＣｂｉｎａ￥．ＬｕＪｉｎ－ｄｅｎｇ;ＨａｎＣｈｕｎｒｕ（ＢｅｉｊｉｎｇＡｇｒｉｃｕｌｔｕｒａｌＵｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙｆＢｅｉｊｉｎｇ１０００９４）．ＣｈｉｎｅｓｅＪｏｕｒｎａｌｏｆＥｃｏｌｏｇｙ,１９９３,１２（２）：２１－２２．ＢａｓｅｄｏｎａｂｒｉｅｆａｎａｌｙｓｉｓｏｎｔｈｅｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎｐｒｏｃｅｓｓｏｆＡＳＰ,ｉｔｓｃｏｎｃｅｐｔｉｓｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｅｄａｎｄａｎｉｎｔｅｇｒａｔｅｄｉｎｄｉ－ｃａｔｏｒｆｏｒｉｔｓｑｕａｎｔｉｆｉｃａｔｉｏｎ—ＡＳＰ２ｉｓｐｕｔｆｏｒｗａｒｄｓ．Ｆｒｏｍｔｈｏｓｅ,ｔｈｅＡＳＰｌｅｖｅｌｓｉｎｖａｒｉｏｕｓｒｅｇｉｏｎｓｏｆＣｈｉｎａａｒｅａｎａｌｙｚｅｄａｎｄ８ｌｅｖｅｌｓａｒｅｄｉｖｉｄｅｄｂｙｕｓｉｎｇ．Ｈｉｅｒａｒｃｈｉｃｃｌｕｓｔｅｒｉｎｇｍｅｔｈｏｄ．Ｉｔ’ｓ：ｃｌａｒｉｆｉｅｄｔｈａｔＡＳ－ＰＩｉｓａｍｏｒｅ     

褪黑素对大鼠海马神经元谷氨酸所致毒性的拮抗作用

在大鼠海马脑片上电刺激Ｓｃｈａｆｆｅｒ 侧支纤维, 胞外记录ＣＡ１ 区锥体细胞层诱发群体锋电位（ｐｏｐｕｌａｔｉｏｎ ｓｐｉｋｅ,ＰＳ） , 观察灌流谷氨酸（Ｇｌｕ） 和褪黑素（ＭＥＬ） 对ＰＳ的影响。结果显示：５－０ ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ浓度的Ｇｌｕ 可使ＰＳ值下降至对照值的４－１ ％ ; ＭＥＬ（０－４ 、０－５ 和０－６ μｍｏｌ／Ｌ） 与５－０ ｍｍｏｌ／ＬＧｌｕ 混合给药,ＰＳ值分别变化为对照值的１４－７ ％ 、１０５－２％ 、２４－３ ％ ; ＭＥＬ（０－５ μｍｏｌ／Ｌ） 、Ｇｌｕ （５－０ ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ） , 与赛庚啶（ＣＤＰ,０－５ μｍｏｌ／Ｌ） 混合给药,ＰＳ值下降至０ 。上述结果提示,５－０ ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ浓度的Ｇｌｕ 有神经毒性作用, 但可为ＭＥＬ拮抗, 这可能由５ＨＴ受体所介导。     

天花粉蛋白Glu189在N-糖苷酶活性中的作用

培养了(E160A,E189A)TCS(天花粉蛋白)的单晶。用浸泡法得到了(E160A,E189A)TCS与Ade复合物的晶体。在MarResearch面探测器系统上分别收集了均为0.20nm分辨率的X射线衍射数据,数据处理用MarScale程序系统完成。用同晶差值Fourier法解析了(E160A,E189A)TCS和(E160A,E189A)TCS-Ade的晶体结构,结构修正利用X-PLOR程序.修正结果,晶体学R因子分别为0.180、0.184,键长和键角的RMS偏差分别为0.0012nm和2.566°、0.0012nm和2.622°。在(E160A,E189A)TCS-Ade中,Ade仍结合在N-糖苷酶活性口袋之中,它夹在Tyr70和Tyr111两个侧链环之间,与Tyr70环近乎平行。这一结果表明:TCS中的Glu160和Glu189同时突变成Ala,仍能与AMP发生N-糖苷酶反应.前文已经证明在(E160A)TCS中Glu189没有援救作用。目前,没有发现Glu189对TCS与AMP的直接作用,但Glu189与其它残基的协同作用及其在TCS与rRNA作用中扮演什么角色,尚待进一步研究。     

neo Trichosanthin及其突变体Y70A neo Trichosanthin的晶体结构研究

天花粉蛋白（Ｔｒｉｃｈｏｓａｎｔｈｉｎ,ＴＣＳ）的一个亚型,ｎｅｏＴｒｉｃｈｏｓａｎｔｈｉｎ（ｎ－ＴＣＳ）,及其突变体Ｙ７０Ａｎ－ＴＣＳ被克隆和表达为重组蛋白。用悬滴汽相扩散法得到ｎ－ＴＣＳ和Ｙ７０Ａｎ－ＴＣＳ的晶体。在ＭａｒＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈ面探测器系统上分别收集了０．２０ｎｍ和０．２０５ｎｍ分辨率的Ｘ射线衍射数据。用同晶差值傅立叶法解析了结构。最后晶体学Ｒ因子分别为０．１８３和０．１８４。键长的     

Substrate binding and catalysis in trichosanthin occur in different sites as revealed by the complex structures of several E85 mutants

Trichosanthin (TCS) is a type I ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) which possesses rRNA N-glycosidase activity. In recent years, its immunomodulatory, anti-tumor and anti-HIV properties have been revealed. Here we report the crystal structures of several E85 mutant TCS complexes with adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP) and adenine. In E85Q TCS/AMP and E85A TCS/AMP, near the active site of the molecule and parallel to the aromatic ring of Tyr70, an AMP molecule is bound to the mutant without being hydrolyzed. In the E85R TCS/adenine complex, the hydrolyzed product adenine is located in the active pocket where it occupies a position similar to that in the TCS/NADPH complex. Significantly, AMP is bound in a position different to that of adenine. In comparison with these structures, we suggest that there are at least two subsites in the active site of TCS, one for initial substrate recognition as revealed by the AMP site and another for catalysis as represented by the NADPH site. Based on these complex structures, the function of residue 85 and the mechanism of catalysis are proposed.     

天花粉蛋白与FMP复合物的晶体结构

用浸泡法得到了天花粉蛋白（ＴＣＳ）与ＦＭＰ复合物的晶体,在ＳＩＭＥＮＮＳＸ－２００Ｂ面探测器系统上收集了一套２．０分辨率的Ｘ射线衍射数据。用同晶差值傅立叶法解析了复合物的结构,经Ｘ—ＰＬＯＲ程序修正得到了ＴＣＳ—ＦＭＰ复合物的分子结构并找出了１９７个水分子,最后的Ｒ因子为０．１７２,键长和键角的ＲＭＳ偏差分别为０．０１５和２．９２２度。ＴＣＳ—ＦＭＰ复合物中,ＦＭＰ与天花粉蛋白分子有较好的结合,其结合位置正处于根据三维结构和突变体信息推测的Ｎ一糖苷酶活性口袋之中。它的类嘌呤环夹在Ｙ７０和Ｙ１１１两个侧链环之间,与Ｙ７０环近乎平行,其Ｎ７和Ｎ６分别与ＴＣＳ分子的Ｇ１０９４羰基氧和Ｉ７１的Ｎ成氢键,Ｎ３靠近Ｒ１６３的侧链,其磷酸根则伸向活性口袋的底部,与Ｅ１８９、Ｅ１６０和Ｒ１６３等残基作用。     

Crystal structure of R22L trichosanthin

Ｔｒｉｃｈｏｓａｎｔｈｉｎ(ＴＣＳ)ｉｓａｎｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔｍｅｍｂｅｒｏｆｒｉｂｏｓｏｍｅｉｎａｃｔｉｖａｔｉｎｇｐｒｏｔｅｉｎｓ[1].ＩｔｐｏｓｓｅｓｓｅｓＮｇｌｙｃｏｓｉｄａｓｅａｃｔｉｖｉｔｙｒｅｍｏｖｉｎｇａｄｅｎｉｎｅ(ＡＤＥ)ａｔｐｏｓｉｔｉｏｎＡ4324ｏｆ28ＳｒＲＮＡ[2].ＴｈｅａｃｔｉｖｅｐｏｃｋｅｔｏｆＮｇｌｙｃｏｓｉｄａｓｅｈａｓｂｅｅｎｅｓｔａｂｌｉｓｈｅｄｔｈｒｏｕｇｈｔｈｅｃｒｙｓｔａｌｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅｓｏｆＴＣＳ,αＭＭＣａｎｄｒｉｃｉｎａｎｄａｓｓａｙｏｆｍｕｔａｎｔｓ…     

Novel inhibitor for prolyl aminopeptidase from Serratia marcescens and studies on the mechanism of substrate recognition of the enzyme using the inhibitor

Prolyl aminopeptidase from Serratia marcescens hydrolyzed x-beta-naphthylamides (x=prolyl, alanyl, sarcosinyl, L-alpha-aminobutylyl, and norvalyl), which suggested that the enzyme has a pocket for a five-member ring. Based on the substrate specificity, novel inhibitors of Pro, Ala, and Sar having 2-tert-butyl-[1,3,4]oxadiazole (TBODA) were synthesized. The K(i) value of Pro-TBODA, Ala-TBODA, and Sar-TBODA was 0.5 microM, 1.6 microM, and 12mM, respectively. The crystal structure of enzyme-Pro-TBODA complex was determined. Pro-TBODA was located at the active site. Four electrostatic interactions were located between the enzyme and the amino group of Pro inhibitors (Glu204:0E1-N:Inh, Glu204:0E2-N:Inh, Glu232:0E1-N:Inh, and Gly46:O-N:Inh), and the residue of the inhibitors was inserted into the hydrophobic pocket composed of Phe139, Leu141, Leu146, Tyr149, Tyr150, and Phe236. The roles of Phe139, Tyr149, and Phe236 in the hydrophobic pocket and Glu204 and Glu232 in the electrostatic interactions were confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis, which indicated that the molecular recognition of proline is achieved through four electrostatic interactions and an insertion in the hydrophobic pocket of the enzyme.     

Mutational and crystallographic analyses of the active site residues of the Bacillus circulans xylanase.

Using site-directed mutagenesis we have investigated the catalytic residues in a xylanase from Bacillus circulans. Analysis of the mutants E78D and E172D indicated that mutations in these conserved residues do not grossly alter the structure of the enzyme and that these residues participate in the catalytic mechanism. We have now determined the crystal structure of an enzyme-substrate complex to 108 A resolution using a catalytically incompetent mutant (E172C). In addition to the catalytic residues, Glu 78 and Glu 172, we have identified 2 tyrosine residues, Tyr 69 and Tyr 80, which likely function in substrate binding, and an arginine residue, Arg 112, which plays an important role in the active site of this enzyme. On the basis of our work we would propose that Glu 78 is the nucleophile and that Glu 172 is the acid-base catalyst in the reaction.     

Significance of local electrostatic interactions in staphylococcal nuclease studied by site-directed mutagenesis

In this paper, we show that amino acids Glu(73) and Asp(77) of staphylococcal nuclease cooperate unequally with Glu(75) to stabilize its structure located between the C-terminal helix and beta-barrel of the protein. Amino acid substitutions E73G and D77G cause losses of the catalytic efficiency of 24 and 16% and cause thermal stability losses of 22 and 26%, respectively, in comparison with the wild type (WT) protein. However, these changes do not significantly change global and local secondary structures, based on measurements of fluorescence and CD(222 nm). Furthermore, x-ray diffraction analysis of the E75G protein shows that the overall structure of mutant and WT proteins is similar. However, this mutation does cause a loss of essential hydrogen bonding and charge interactions between Glu(75) and Lys(9), Tyr(93), and His(121). In experiments using double point mutations, E73G/D77G, E73G/E75G, and E75G/D77G, significant changes are seen in all mutants in comparison with WT protein as measured by fluorescence and CD spectroscopy. The losses of thermal stability are 47, 59, and 58%, for E73G/D77G, E73G/E75G, and E75G/D77G, respectively. The triple mutant, E73G/E75G/D77G, results in fluorescence intensity and CD(222 nm) close to those of the denatured state and in a thermal stability loss of 65% relative to the WT protein. Based on these results, we propose a model in which significant electrostatic interactions result in the formation of a locally stable structure in staphylococcal nuclease.     

Enhancing RGI lyase thermostability by targeted single point mutations

Rhamnogalacturonan I lyase (RGI lyase) (EC 4.2.2.-) catalyzes the cleavage of rhamnogalacturonan I in pectins by β-elimination. In this study the thermal stability of a RGI lyase (PL 11) originating from Bacillus licheniformis DSM 13/ATCC14580 was increased by a targeted protein engineering approach involving single amino acid substitution. Nine individual amino acids were selected as targets for site-saturated mutagenesis by the use of a predictive consensus approach in combination with prediction of protein mutant stability changes and B-factor iteration testing. After extensive experimental verification of the thermal stability of the designed mutants versus the original wild-type RGI lyase, several promising single point mutations were obtained, particularly in position Glu434 on the surface of the enzyme protein. The best mutant, Glu434Leu, produced a half-life of 31 min at 60 °C, corresponding to a 1.6-fold improvement of the thermal stability compared to the original RGI lyase. Gly55Val was the second best mutation with a thermostability half-life increase of 27 min at 60 °C, and the best mutations following were Glu434Trp, Glu434Phe, and Glu434Tyr, respectively. The data verify the applicability of a combinatorial predictive approach for designing a small site saturation library for improving enzyme thermostability. In addition, new thermostable RGI lyases suitable for enzymatic upgrading of pectinaceous plant biomass materials at elevated temperatures were produced.