Identification, purification, and characterization of iminodiacetate oxidase from the EDTA-degrading bacterium BNC1

Microbial degradation of synthetic chelating agents, such as EDTA and nitrilotriacetate (NTA), may help immobilizing radionuclides and heavy metals in the environment. The EDTA- and NTA-degrading bacterium BNC1 uses EDTA monooxygenase to oxidize NTA to iminodiacetate (IDA) and EDTA to ethylenediaminediacetate (EDDA). IDA- and EDDA-degrading enzymes have not been purified and characterized to date. In this report, an IDA oxidase was purified to apparent homogeneity from strain BNC1 by using a combination of eight purification steps. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a single protein band of 40 kDa, and by using size exclusion chromatography, we estimated the native enzyme to be a homodimer. Flavin adenine dinucleotide was determined as its prosthetic group. The purified enzyme oxidized IDA to glycine and glyoxylate with the consumption of O2. The temperature and pH optima for IDA oxidation were 35 degrees C and 8, respectively. The apparent Km for IDA was 4.0 mM with a kcat of 5.3 s(-1). When the N-terminal amino acid sequence was determined, it matched exactly with that encoded by a previously sequenced hypothetical oxidase gene of BNC1. The gene was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the gene product as a C-terminal fusion with a His tag was purified by a one-step nickel affinity chromatography. The purified fusion protein had essentially the same enzymatic activity and properties as the native IDA oxidase. IDA oxidase also oxidized EDDA to ethylenediamine and glyoxylate. Thus, IDA oxidase is likely the second enzyme in both NTA and EDTA degradation pathways in strain BNC1.     

虎纹捕鸟蛛毒素-I单残基突变体R20A-HWTX-I的化学合成与性质分析

虎纹捕鸟蛛毒素－１（Ｈｕｗｅｔｏｘｉｎ－１,ＨＷＴＸ－１）是从虎纹捕乌蛛（Ｓｅｌｅｎｏｃｏｓｍｉａ ｈｕｗｅｎａ）的粗只同的一种多肽类神经毒素。为了探明该毒素分子中统一的Ａｒｇ残基与其生物学活性的关系,运用固相多肽合成技术和Ｆｍｏｃ化学直接构建了Ａｌａ取代ＨＷＴＸ－１第２０位Ａｒｇ（Ｒ２０）的突变体Ｒ２０Ａ－ＨＷＴＸ－１;将合成的突一置于含谷胱甘肽的缓冲体系中氧化复性后用反相和特殊设计的离子交换Ｈ     

RAPD技术在植物遗传育种上的作用

ＲＡＰＤ技术以其快速、简便、高效等优点,已广泛应用于多个学科、领域。本文综述了ＲＡＰＤ技术在植物遗传育种上的应用,如遗传多样性研究、分子标记辅助育种、品种（杂种）真实性鉴定、基因定位、构建遗传图谱等。     

构建同时携带HWTX—Ⅰ和AAI活性位点的多肽嵌合体

运用固相化学合成的方法,将墨西歌苋属植物（Ａｍａｒａｎｔｈｕｓ ｈｙｐｏｃｈｏｎｄｒｉａｃｕｓ）α－淀粉酶抑制剂（ＡＡＩ）分子中已知的活性位点序列及可能的相关序列嵌入虎纹捕鸟蛛毒素－Ⅰ（ＨＷＴＸ－Ⅰ）的非活性位点区,并替代相应的序列,构建同时携 两种活性位点的多肽嵌合体。合成的嵌合体用Ｅｄｍａｎ降解和ＭＡＬＤＩ－ＴＯＦ质谱鉴定。嵌合体合成后在谷胱甘肽存在的条件下氧化复性,形成３对二硫键和特定的空间     

单宁酶反胶束微反应器生产没食子酸戊酯的研究

研究利用单宁酶微反应器生产没食子酸戊酯(amylgallate,AG)的方法。采用AOT(双(2乙基己基)磺基琥珀酸钠)异辛烷水组成的微反应器首次成功合成了没食子酸戊酯。并对反应体系中的各种主要参数对反应底物没食子酸(gallicacid,GA)的转化率的影响进行了探索。研究表明,反应条件为pH=6,温度45℃,[AOT]=020molL,振荡速度为150rmin时,W0=10或125(W0=[水][表面活性剂])的条件下,没食子酸的转化率在反应96h都可以达到90%。     

Biocompatibility of nano-hydroxyapatite/Mg-Zn-Ca alloy composite scaffolds to human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells from Wharton’s jelly in vitro

Seeding cells and scaffolds play pivotal roles in bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells(WJCs)from human umbilical cord represent attractive and promising seeding cells in tissue regeneration and engineering for treatment applications.This study was carried out to explore the biocompatibility of scaffolds to seeding cells in vitro.Rod-like nano-hydroxyapatite(RN-HA)and flake-like micro-hydroxyapatite(FM-HA)coatings were prepared on Mg-Zn-Ca alloy substrates using micro-arc oxidation and electrochemical deposition.WJCs were utilized to investigate the cellular biocompatibility of Mg-Zn-Ca alloys after different surface modifications by observing the cell adhesion,morphology,proliferation,and osteoblastic differentiation.The in vitro results indicated that the RN-HA coating group was more suitable for cell proliferation and cell osteoblastic differentiation than the FM-HA group,demonstrating better biocompatibility.Our results suggested that the RN-HA coating on Mg-Zn-Ca alloy substrates might be of great potential in bone tissue engineering.     

Reduction of benzoquinones to hydroquinones via spontaneous reaction with glutathione and enzymatic reaction by S-glutathionyl-hydroquinone reductases

S-Glutathionyl-hydroquinone reductases (GS-HQRs) are a new class of glutathione transferases, widely present in bacteria, halobacteria, fungi, and plants. They catalyze glutathione (GSH)-dependent reduction of GS-trichloro-p-hydroquinone to trichloro-p-hydroquinone. Since GS-trichloro-p-hydroquinone is uncommon in nature, the extensive presence of GS-HQRs suggests they use common GS-hydroquinones. Here we demonstrate that several benzoquinones spontaneously reacted with GSH to form GS-hydroquinones via Michael addition, and four GS-HQRs from yeast and bacteria reduced the GS-hydroquinones to the corresponding hydroquinones. The spontaneous and enzymatic reactions led to the reduction of benzoquinones to hydroquinones with the concomitant oxidation of GSH to oxidized glutathione (GS-SG). The enzymes did not use GS-benzoquinones or other thiol-hydroquinones, for example, S-cysteinyl-hydroquinone, as substrates. Apparent kinetic parameters showed the enzymes preferred hydrophobic, bulky substrates, such as GS-menadiol. The broad substrate range and their wide distribution suggest two potential physiological roles: channeling GS-hydroquinones back to hydroquinones and reducing benzoquinones via spontaneous formation of GS-hydroquinones and then enzymatic reduction to hydroquinones. The functions are likely important in metabolic pathways with quinone intermediates.     

Functions of flavin reductase and quinone reductase in 2,4,6-trichlorophenol degradation by Cupriavidus necator JMP134

The tcpRXABCYD operon of Cupriavidus necator JMP134 is involved in the degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), a toxic pollutant. TcpA is a reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide (FADH₂)-dependent monooxygenase that converts 2,4,6-TCP to 6-chlorohydroxyquinone. It has been implied via genetic analysis that TcpX acts as an FAD reductase to supply TcpA with FADH₂, whereas the function of TcpB in 2,4,6-TCP degradation is still unclear. In order to provide direct biochemical evidence for the functions of TcpX and TcpB, the two corresponding genes (tcpX and tcpB) were cloned, overexpressed, and purified in Escherichia coli. TcpX was purified as a C-terminal His tag fusion (TcpX_H) and found to possess NADH:flavin oxidoreductase activity capable of reducing either FAD or flavin mononucleotide (FMN) with NADH as the reductant. TcpX_H had no activity toward NADPH or riboflavin. Coupling of TcpX_H and TcpA demonstrated that TcpX_H provided FADH₂ for TcpA catalysis. Among several substrates tested, TcpB showed the best activity for quinone reduction, with FMN or FAD as the cofactor and NADH as the reductant. TcpB could not replace TcpX_H in a coupled assay with TcpA for 2,4,6-TCP metabolism, but TcpB could enhance TcpA activity. Further, we showed that TcpB was more effective in reducing 6-chlorohydroxyquinone than chemical reduction alone, using a thiol conjugation assay to probe transitory accumulation of the quinone. Thus, TcpB was acting as a quinone reductase for 6-chlorohydroxyquinone reduction during 2,4,6-TCP degradation.