Characterization of a new cell-bound alpha-amylase in Bacillus subtilis 168 Marburg that is only immunologically related to the exocellular alpha-amylase.

Immunoblot analysis of Bacillus subtilis cell extracts with polyclonal antibodies, raised against purified exocellular alpha-amylase, revealed one protein species of 82,000 Da. This protein was found even in cells in which the amyE gene, encoding exocellular alpha-amylase, was disrupted. Isolated from the membrane fraction, the 82,000-M(r) protein displayed an alpha-amylase activity in vitro.     

芝田硫化叶菌新型α-淀粉酶基因在大肠杆菌的克隆和表达

A novel α-amylase gene was amplified from Sulfolobus shibatae by using PCR technique.The amplified 1.7kb DNA fragment was inserted into an expression vector pBV220 to yield the recombinant plasmid pSBAM. The novel α-amylase gene in pSBAM was expressed in E. coli. The production of the novel α-amylase activity reached over 8 units/100mL of the culture. The molecular weight of this enzyme was about 61kD by SDS-PAGE. The expressed novel α-amylase protein in E.coli DHSα accounted for about 20 % of the total protein in the recombinant cell. The cooperative action of the novel α-amylase and the maltooligosyltrehalose synthase from Sulfolobus shibatae was investigated and trehalose was detected by using HPLC analysis when using amylose and partial starch hydrolysates as substrates.     

Application of response surface methodology to the modeling of alpha-amylase purification by aqueous two-phase systems

Mathematical models concerning the purification of alpha-amylase from the cultivation supernatant of Bacillus subtilis in a polyethylene glycol-citrate aqueous two-phase system (ATP) are established with response surface methodology. The PEG3350, citrate and sodium chloride concentrations were selected as variables to evaluate the purification impact factors in aqueous two-phase system, including partition coefficients of alpha-amylase, total protein, purification factor and alpha-amylase yield. An experimental space with two-fold purification and over 90% yield of alpha-amylase is achieved through the optimized condition basing on the model. Two systems with low viscosity within said space were further selected to perform alpha-amylase purification and the experimental results coincide well with the calculation of the models, which indicates that the model provides a promising tool for experimental design of protein purification by aqueous two-phase system.     

Synthesis and secretion of alpha-amylase by rice callus: evidence for differential gene expression

Rice seed callus expressed and secreted alpha-amylase at high levels. Twenty percent of the protein secreted by the callus was alphaamylase. The callus secreted about 840 mug alpha-amylase with 10.9 x 10(3) units of activity per gram dry weight callus per day. The alpha-amylase from callus exhibited a more complex isoform pattern than the germinating seed alpha-amylase. In addition, the level of mRNA expression by the five alpha-amylase gene groups was markedly different between callus and the germinating seed. The rice callus culture has features which it attractive as a potential system for expression proteins in plant cell fermentation systems.     

Complete nucleotide sequence of a thermophilic alpha-amylase gene: homology between prokaryotic and eukaryotic alpha-amylases at the active sites

The nucleotide sequence of a thermophilic, liquefying alpha-amylase gene cloned from B. stearothermophilus was determined. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the B. stearothermophilus alpha-amylase confirmed that the reading frame of the gene consisted of 1,644 base pairs (548 amino acids). The B. stearothermophilus alpha-amylase had a signal sequence of 34 amino acids, which was cleaved at exactly the same site in E. coli. The mature enzyme contained two cysteine residues, which might play an important role in maintenance of a stable protein conformation. Comparison of the amino acid sequence inferred from the B. stearothermophilus alpha-amylase gene with those inferred from other bacterial liquefying alpha-amylase genes and with the amino acid sequences of eukaryotic alpha-amylases showed three homologous sequences in the enzymatically functional regions.     

Structure of yeast pGKL 128-kDa killer-toxin secretion signal sequence. Processing of the 128-kDa killer-toxin-secretion-signal-alpha-amylase fusion protein.

The linear double-stranded DNA plasmid pGKL1 in yeast encodes a killer toxin consisting of 97-kDa, 31-kDa and 28-kDa subunits. A 128-kDa protein precursor of the 97-kDa and 31-kDa subunits, was first synthesized with a 29-amino-acid extension at its NH2-terminus as a secretion signal sequence. In the present study, the property of this signal sequence was studied by the analysis of a fusion protein with mouse alpha-amylase. Using the secretion signal sequence of the killer protein, the mouse alpha-amylase was successfully secreted into the culture medium. An intracellular precursor form of alpha-amylase was identified and purified. Analysis of the NH2-terminal sequence of this precursor molecule indicated that it corresponded to the secretory intermediate (pro form) of alpha-amylase with the removal of the hydrophobic segment (Met1-Gly16) of the secretion signal. Both the secretion of alpha-amylase into the culture medium and the detection of the pro-alpha-amylase species in the cells were prohibited by a sec 11 mutation, or by the conversion of Gly to Val at the 16th position of the secretion signal. These results strongly suggest that the cleavage occurs between Gly16 and Leu17 by a signal peptidase, and that this cleavage is required for the secretion of alpha-amylase into the medium. Based on the data from the NH2-terminal amino acid sequences of secreted alpha-amylases, we conclude that the 29-amino-acid secretion signal present in the 128-kDa killer toxin precursor protein is a prepro structure.     

A study of the nature of the immediate precursor of the extracellular α-amylase of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. A reappraisal

1. A defined medium was devised for use in washed-cell experiments with post-exponential-phase cultures of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The medium allowed alpha-amylase to be secreted, bacterial concentration to increase and l-[U-(14)C]valine to be incorporated into protein at a linear rate, which was the same as in a post-exponential-phase culture, for up to 6h. 2. Determination of the specific radioactivity of l-[U-(14)C]valine in the medium, the intracellular amino acid pool, the cellular protein and the isolated alpha-amylase, after a 3h incubation of washed cells in the defined medium, showed that at least 76% of the alpha-amylase secreted was synthesized de novo. 3. By isolating the alpha-amylase formed during a 6h incubation in the presence of l-[U-(14)C]valine it was shown that the specific radioactivity of the N-terminal valine, within the limits of experimental error, was the same as that of the total valine residues from the complete alpha-amylase molecule. 4. A consideration of these results in relation to the whole literature on the subject strongly supports the idea that there is no reason to suppose that extracellular alpha-amylase is formed from a high-molecular-weight precursor in B. amyloliquefaciens and closely related organisms with identical characteristics of exoenzyme secretion.     

Proteomic identification of alpha-amylase isoforms encoded by RAmy3B/3C from germinating rice seeds

We isolated and identified 10 alpha-amylase isoforms by using beta-cyclodextrin Sepharose affinity column chromatography and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis from germinating rice (Oryza sativa L.) seeds. Immunoblots with anti-alpha-amylase I-1 and II-4 antibodies indicated that 8 isoforms in 10 are distinguishable from alpha-amylase I-1 and II-4. Peptide mass fingerprinting analysis showed that there exist novel isoforms encoded by RAmy3B and RAmy3C genes. The optimum temperature for enzyme reaction of the RAmy3B and RAmy3C coding isoforms resembled that of alpha-amylase isoform II-4 (RAmy3D). Furthermore, complex protein polymorphism resulted from a single alpha-amylase gene was found to occur not only in RAmy3D, but also in RAmy3B.     

Involvement of alpha-amylase I-1 in starch degradation in rice chloroplasts

To determine the role of alpha-amylase isoform I-1 in the degradation of starch in rice leaf chloroplasts, we generated a series of transgenic rice plants with suppressed expression or overexpression of alpha-amylase I-1. In the lines with suppressed expression of alpha-amylase I-1 at both the mRNA and protein levels, seed germination and seedling growth were markedly delayed in comparison with those in the wild-type plants. However, the growth retardation was overcome by supplementation of sugars. Interestingly, a significant increase of starch accumulation in the young leaf tissues was observed under a sugar-supplemented condition. In contrast, the starch content of leaves was reduced in the plants overexpressing alpha-amylase I-1. In immunocytochemical analysis with specific anti-alpha-amylase I-1 antiserum, immuno-gold particles deposited in the chloroplasts and extracellular space in young leaf cells. We further examined the expression and targeting of alpha-amylase I-1 fused with the green fluorescent protein in re-differentiated green cells, and showed that the fluorescence of the expressed fusion protein co-localized with the chlorophyll autofluorescence in the transgenic cells. In addition, mature protein species of alpha-amylase I-1 bearing an oligosaccharide side chain were detected in the isolated chloroplasts. Based on these results, we concluded that alpha-amylase I-1 targets the chloroplasts through the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi system and plays a significant role in the starch degradation in rice leaves.     

A dimeric inhibitor or insect alpha-amylase from barley. Cloning of the cDNA and identification of the protein

A cDNA clone, designated pUP-44, whose longest open reading frame codes for a protein that is homologous to the wheat alpha-amylase inhibitors, has been isolated from a library obtained from developing barley endosperm. The deduced sequence for the mature protein, which is 122 residues long, is preceded by a sequence of 30 residues which has the typical features of a signal peptide. A closely corresponding protein, designated BDAI-1, has been isolated from mature endosperm. BDAI-1 behaves as a dimer and inhibits the alpha-amylase from the insect Tenebrio molitor at concentrations that have no effect on salivary or pancreatic alpha-amylases.     

Structure-based protein engineering for alpha-amylase inhibitory activity of plant defensin

The structure of a novel plant defensin isolated from the seeds of the mung bean, Vigna radiate, has been determined by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The three-dimensional structure of VrD2, the V. radiate plant defensin 2 protein, comprises an alpha-helix and one triple-stranded anti-parallel beta-sheet stabilized by four disulfide bonds. This protein exhibits neither insecticidal activity nor alpha-amylase inhibitory activity in spite of showing a similar global fold to that of VrD1, an insecticidal plant defensin that has been suggested to function by inhibiting insect alpha-amylase. Our previous study proposed that loop L3 of plant defensins is important for this inhibition. Structural analyses and surface charge comparisons of VrD1 and VrD2 revealed that the charged residues of L3 correlate with the observed difference in inhibitory activities of these proteins. A VrD2 chimera that was produced by transferring the proposed functional loop of VrD1 onto the structurally equivalent loop of VrD2 supported this hypothesis. The VrD2 chimera, which differs by only five residues compared with VrD2, showed obvious activity against Tenebrio molitor alpha-amylase. These results clarify the mode of alpha-amylase inhibition of plant defensins and also represent a possible approach for engineering novel alpha-amylase inhibitors. Plant defensins are important constituents of the innate immune system of plants, and thus the application of protein engineering to this protein family may provide an efficient method for protecting against crop losses.     

Extracellular release of recombinant alpha-amylase from Escherichia coli using pulsed electric field

It is difficult for Escherichia coli to secrete products such as recombinant enzymes, because the Gram-negative bacterium has a double membrane structure and so some of the products are accumulated in a periplasmic space. In this study, we demonstrated that recombinant alpha-amylase can be released from recombinant E. coli HB101/pHI301A during cultivation by applying a pulsed electric field (PEF). When a PEF (12 kV, 2 Hz) was applied for 30 min with an interval of 30 min from the point of OD660=0.7, the amount of released alpha-amylase was about 30% of the total amount of alpha-amylase produced in the cells. As a result of SDS-PAGE and activity staining analyses, it was confirmed that the released proteins were not all of the intracellular proteins, and the alpha-amylase, which was identical with intracellular alpha-amylase, was released by applied PEF cultivation. PEF treatment could be useful for easy release of periplasmic protein with selectivity.     

Proteinaceous alpha-amylase inhibitors

Proteins that inhibit alpha-amylases have been isolated from plants and microorganisms. These inhibitors can have natural roles in the control of endogenous alpha-amylase activity or in defence against pathogens and pests; certain inhibitors are reported to be antinutritional factors. The alpha-amylase inhibitors belong to seven different protein structural families, most of which also contain evolutionary related proteins without inhibitory activity. Two families include bifunctional inhibitors acting both on alpha-amylases and proteases. High-resolution structures are available of target alpha-amylases in complex with inhibitors from five families. These structures indicate major diversity but also some similarity in the structural basis of alpha-amylase inhibition. Mutational analysis of the mechanism of inhibition was performed in a few cases and various protein engineering and biotechnological approaches have been outlined for exploitation of the inhibitory function.     

Zeamatin inhibits trypsin and alpha-amylase activities

Zeamatin is a 22-kDa protein isolated from Zea mays that has antifungal activity against human and plant pathogens. Unlike other pathogenesis-related group 5 proteins, zeamatin inhibits insect alpha-amylase and mammalian trypsin activities. It is of clinical significance that zeamatin did not inhibit human alpha-amylase activity and inhibited mammalian trypsin activity only at high molar concentrations.     

A novel yeast secretion signal isolated from 28K killer precursor protein encoded on the linear DNA plasmid pGKL1.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae harboring linear dsDNA plasmids, pGKL1 and pGKL2, secretes a killer toxin consisting of 97, 31 and 28 kilodalton subunits (Nucleic Acids Res., 15, 1031-1046, 1987). We isolated the DNA encoding the N-terminal pre-sequence of the 28K precursor protein and constructed a new secretion vector in S. cerevisiae. Mouse alpha-amylase fused to the 28K signal sequence was secreted into the culture medium with a high efficiency similar to those fused to the mating factor alpha and 97K-31K killer signal sequences. This data clearly indicates that 28K presequence functions as a secretion signal. Glycosylated and nonglycosylated alpha-amylase molecules were detected in the culture medium. The secretion of alpha-amylase was blocked by sec18-1 mutation. The secreted alpha-amylase recovered from the medium was found to migrate faster in SDS-polyacrylamide gel than the precursor form of alpha-amylase synthesized in vitro. These lines of evidence suggest that mouse alpha-amylase fused to 28K killer signal sequence was processed, glycosylated and secreted through the normal secretion pathway of the yeast.     

Knowledge-based model of a glucosyltransferase from the oral bacterial group of mutans streptococci.

Mutans streptococci glucosyltransferases catalyze glucosyl transfer from sucrose to a glucan chain. We previously identified an aspartyl residue that participates in stabilizing the glucosyl transition state. The sequence surrounding the aspartate was found to have substantial sequence similarity with members of alpha-amylase family. Because little is known of the protein structure beyond the amino acid sequence, we used a knowledge-based interactive algorithm, MACAW, which provided significant level of homology with alpha-amylases and glucosyltransferase from Streptococcus downei gtfI (GTF). The significance of GTF similarity is underlined by GTF/alpha-amylase residues conserved in all but one alpha-amylase invariant residues. Site-directed mutagenesis of the three GTF catalytic residues are homologous with the alpha-amylase catalytic triad. The glucosyltransferases are members of the 4/7-superfamily that have a (beta/alpha)8-barrel structure and belong to family 13 of the glycohydralases.