Cloning,expression and evolution of the gene encoding the elongation factor 1alpha from a low thermophilic Sulfolobus solfataricus strain

The gene encoding the elongation factor 1alpha (EF-1alpha) from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus strain MT3 (optimum growth temperature 75 degrees C) was cloned, sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli. The structural and biochemical properties of the purified enzyme were compared to those of EF-1alpha isolated from S. solfataricus strain MT4 (optimum growth temperature 87 degrees C). Only one amino acid change (Val15-->Ile) was found. Interestingly, the difference was in the first guanine nucleotide binding consensus sequence G(13)HIDHGK and was responsible for a reduced efficiency in protein synthesis, which was accompanied by an increased affinity for both guanosine diphosphate (GDP) and guanosine triphosphate (GTP), and an increased efficiency in the intrinsic GTPase activity. Despite the different thermophilicities of the two microorganisms, only very marginal effects on the thermal properties of the enzyme were observed. Molecular evolution among EF-1alpha genes from Sulfolobus species showed that the average rate of nucleotide substitution per site per year (0.0312x10(-9)) is lower than that reported for other functional genes.     

硫矿硫化叶菌P2分子伴侣基因的克隆表达及其性质

[目的]研究重组表达的硫矿硫化叶菌P2分子伴侣β亚基体外同源聚合体的结构和生化功能.[方法]利用PCR技术从硫矿硫化叶菌P2的基因组DNA中克隆得到分子伴侣β亚基的基因,将该基因克隆到表达载体pET-21a( )上并在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中实现了表达.对纯化后的β亚基单体进行体外聚合,利用透射电镜观察β分子伴侣的结构,并对其促蛋白折叠性质进行了研究.[结果]硫矿硫化叶菌P2分子伴侣β亚基基因在大肠杆菌BL21中实现了高效表达,纯化后的分子伴侣β亚基单体在ATP和Mg2 存在的条件下可自组装形成分子伴侣聚合体.透射电镜观察表明:该β分子伴侣具有Ⅱ型分子伴侣典型的双层面包圈结构,每个环由8个亚基构成.该β分子伴侣具有ATPase活性,最适反应温度为80℃;它不仅能够促进变性的绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)重新折叠,而且还能有效的提高木聚糖酶的热稳定性.[结论]本文根据P2基因组序列分析预测的分子伴侣基因设计引物,克隆表达了硫矿硫化叶菌P2分子伴侣的β亚基,纯化后对其进行体外聚合,透射电镜观察表明该聚合体具有Ⅱ型分子伴侣的经典结构,功能分析表明该β分子伴侣能够在体外促进异源蛋白质的折叠、提高其它酶分子的热稳定性.这为进一步深入研究嗜热古菌耐热抗逆的分子机制,奠定了良好的基础.     

Regulatory Properties of Glutamate Dehydrogenase from Sulfolobus solfataricus

The purified glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) from Sulfolobus solfataricus showed remarkable thermostability and retained 90–95% of the initial activity after incubation at –20°C, 4°C, and 25°C for up to 6 months. Unlike mammalian GDHs, the activity of GDH from Sulfolobus solfataricus was not significantly affected by the presence of various allosteric effectors such as ADP, GTP, and leucine. Incubation of GDH with increasing concentration of o-phthalaldehyde resulted in a progressive decrease in enzyme activity, suggesting that the o-phthalaldehyde-modified lysine or cysteine is directly involved in catalysis. The inhibition was competitive with respect to both 2-oxoglutarate (K_i = 30 M) and NADH (K_i = 100 M), further supporting a possibility that the o-phthalaldehyde-modified residues may be directly involved at the catalytic site. The modification of GDH by the arginine-specific dicarbonyl reagent phenylglyoxal was also examined with the view that arginine residues might play a general role in the binding of coenzyme throughout the family of pyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydro-genases. The purified GDH was inactivated in a dose-dependent manner by phenylglyoxal. Either NADH or 2-oxoglutarate did not gave any protection against the inactivation caused by a phenylglyoxal. This result indicates that GDH saturated with NADH or 2-oxoglutarate is still open to attack by phenylglyoxal. Phenylglyoxal was an uncompetitive inhibitor (K_i = 5 M) with respect to 2-oxoglutarate and a noncompetitive inhibitor (K_i = 6 M) with respect to NADH. The above results suggests that the phenylglyoxal-modified arginine residues are not located at the catalytic site and the inactivation of GDH by phenylglyoxal might be due to a steric hindrance or a conformational change affected by the interaction of the enzyme with its inhibitor.     

Oligomeric and functional properties of a debranching enzyme (TreX) from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus P2

A gene, treX, encoding a debranching enzyme previously cloned from the trehalose biosynthesis gene cluster of Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 was expressed in Escherichia coli as a His-tagged protein and the biochemical properties were studied. The specific activity of the S. solfataricus debranching enzyme (TreX) was highest at 75°C and pH 5.5. The enzyme exhibited hydrolysing activity toward α-1,6-glycosidic linkages of amylopectin, glycogen, pullulan, and other branched substrates, and glycogen was the preferred substrate. TreX has a high specificity for hydrolysis of maltohexaosyl α-1,6-β-cyclodextrin, indicating the high preference for side chains consisting of 6 glucose residues or more. The enzyme also exhibited 4-α-sulfoxide-glucan transferase activity, catalysing transfer of α-1,4-glucan oligosaccharides from one chain to another. Dimethyl sulfoxide (10%, v/v) increased the hydrolytic activity of TreX. Gel permeation chromatography and sedimentation equilibrium analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that the enzyme exists mostly as a dimer at pH 7.0, and as a mixture of dimers and tetramers at pH 5.5. Interestingly, TreX existed as a tetramer in the presence of DMSO at pH 5.5–6.5. The tetramer showed a 4-fold higher catalytic efficiency than the dimer. The enzyme catalysed not only intermolecular trans-glycosylation of malto-oligosaccharides (disproportionation) to produce linear α-1,4-glucans, but also intramolecular trans-glycosylation of glycogen. The results presented in this study indicated that TreX may be associated with glycogen metabolism by selective cleavage of the outer side chain.     

Antisense regulation by transposon‐derived RNAs in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

We report the first example of antisense RNA regulation in a hyperthermophilic archaeon. In Sulfolobus solfataricus, the transposon‐derived paralogous RNAs, RNA‐257_1–4, show extended complementarity to the 3′ UTR of the 1183 mRNA, encoding a putative phosphate transporter. Phosphate limitation results in decreased RNA‐257₁ and increased 1183 mRNA levels. Correspondingly, the 1183 mRNA is faster degraded in vitro upon duplex formation with RNA‐257₁. Insertion of the 1183 3′ UTR downstream of the lacS gene results in strongly reduced lacS mRNA levels in transformed cells, indicating that antisense regulation can function in trans.     

Cloning and overexpression in Escherichia coli of the gene encoding citrate synthase from the hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

The citrate synthase (CS) gene from the hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus has been cloned and sequenced. The gene encodes a polypeptide of 378 amino acids with a calculated polypeptide molecular mass of 42 679. High-level expression was achieved in Escherichia coli and the recombinant citrate synthase was purified to homogeneity using a heat step and dye-ligand affinity chromatography. This procedure yielded approximately 26 mg of pure CS per liter of culture, with a specific activity of 41 U/mg. The enzyme exhibited a half-life of 8 min at 95°C. A homology-modelled structure of the S. solfataricus CS has been generated using the crystal structure of the enzyme from the thermoacidophilic Archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum with which it displays 58% sequence identity. The modelled structure is discussed with respect to the thermostability properties of the enzyme. Received: August 10, 1997 / Accepted: October 23, 1997     

A microfiltration bioreactor to achieve high cell density in Sulfolobus solfataricus fermentation

A novel technique is proposed to achieve higher cell yield in extremophile fermentation. Because the accumulation of toxic compounds is thought to be responsible for low biomass yields, a bioreactor has been designed based on a microfiltration hollow-fiber module located inside the traditional fermentation vessel. Using the cul-tivation of the thermoacidophilic archeon Sulfolobus solfataricus Gı as a model, a biomass of 35 g l⁻¹ dry weight was obtained which proved greater than that of 2 g l⁻¹ obtained in batch fermentation. The bioreactor was characterized by running several fermentation experiments to check the high stability of the membrane module to sterilization cycles, high temperatures, and acidic pHs, even for prolonged periods of time. It was shown that the exhaust medium is unable to sustain growth for the presence of toxic compounds, and ultrafiltration and ion-exchange techniques were used in all the attempts to regenerate it. The results demonstrated the ability of the method to lower inhibitor concentrations and prolong the growth phase, thus achieving high cell density. Furthermore, they indicated that the toxic compounds are ionic species of less than 1kDa. Received: December 23, 1998 / Accepted: March 18, 1999     

Metabolism of Pentose Sugars in the Hyperthermophilic Archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

We have previously shown that the hyperthermophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus solfataricus, catabolizes d-glucose and d-galactose to pyruvate and glyceraldehyde via a non-phosphorylative version of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. At each step, one enzyme is active with both C6 epimers, leading to a metabolically promiscuous pathway. On further investigation, the catalytic promiscuity of the first enzyme in this pathway, glucose dehydrogenase, has been shown to extend to the C5 sugars, d-xylose and l-arabinose. In the current paper we establish that this promiscuity for C6 and C5 metabolites is also exhibited by the third enzyme in the pathway, 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate aldolase, but that the second step requires a specific C5-dehydratase, the gluconate dehydratase being active only with C6 metabolites. The products of this pathway for the catabolism of d-xylose and l-arabinose are pyruvate and glycolaldehyde, pyruvate entering the citric acid cycle after oxidative decarboxylation to acetyl-coenzyme A. We have identified and characterized the enzymes, both native and recombinant, that catalyze the conversion of glycolaldehyde to glycolate and then to glyoxylate, which can enter the citric acid cycle via the action of malate synthase. Evidence is also presented that similar enzymes for this pentose sugar pathway are present in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, and metabolic tracer studies in this archaeon demonstrate its in vivo operation in parallel with a route involving no aldol cleavage of the 2-keto-3-deoxy-pentanoates but direct conversion to the citric acid cycle C5-metabolite, 2-oxoglutarate.     

嗜热古菌S.solfataricus小热激蛋白基因的克隆及表达

目的:从嗜热古菌Sulfolobus solfataricus中克隆一种新的小热激蛋白SsHsp14.1的基因,并研究其表达和生物活性。方法:用PCR技术以S.solfataricus基因组为模板扩增得到目的基因序列片段,并将其克隆到pET-28a(+)中,转化到E coli BL21(DE3)中经IPTG诱导表达,纯化后对产物进行生物活性测定。结果:从菌株S.solfataricus中克隆出目的基因,该基因的编码框由375个碱基组成,编码的蛋白质由124个氨基酸组成。含该质粒的大肠杆菌经诱导表达了一个与预期理论值相符的约14kDa的蛋白,利用亲和层析和凝胶柱分离纯化了重组蛋白。试验证明纯化后的重组SsHsp14.1具有分子伴侣活性,重组蛋白在体内表达时能提高E.coli细胞的耐热性。结论:成功克隆SsHsp14.1基因并表达出蛋白,并明确了其分子伴侣活性,为该热激蛋白的研究和应用奠定基础。     

Translation initiation complex formation in the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

The function of initiation factors in and the sequence of events during translation initiation have been intensively studied in Bacteria and Eukaryotes, whereas in Archaea knowledge on these functions/processes is limited. By employing chemical probing, we show that translation initiation factor aIF1 of the model crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus binds to the same area on the ribosome as the bacterial and eukaryal orthologs. Fluorescence energy transfer assays (FRET) showed that aIF1, like its eukaryotic and bacterial orthologs, has a fidelity function in translation initiation complex formation, and that both aIF1 and aIF1A exert a synergistic effect in stimulating ribosomal association of the Met-tRNAi^Met binding factor a/eIF2. However, as in Eukaryotes their effect on a/eIF2 binding appears to be indirect. Moreover, FRET was used to analyze for the first time the sequence of events toward translation initiation complex formation in an archaeal model system. These studies suggested that a/eIF2-GTP binds first to the ribosome and then recruits Met-tRNAi^Met, which appears to comply with the operational mode of bacterial IF2, and deviates from the shuttle function of the eukaryotic counterpart eIF2. Thus, despite the resemblance of eIF2 and a/eIF2, recruitment of initiator tRNA to the ribosome is mechanistically different in Pro- and Eukaryotes.     

A small basic ribosomal protein in Sulfolobus solfataricus equivalent to L46 in yeast: structure of the protein and its gene

The structure of the gene for a small, very basic ribosomal protein in Sulfolobus solfataricus has been determined and the structure of the protein coded by this gene (L46e) has been confirmed by partial amino acid sequencing. The protein shows substantial sequence homology to the eukaryotic ribosomal proteins L39 in rat and L46 in yeast. There is no sequence homology to any of the eubacterial ribosomal proteins suggesting that this protein is absent in the eubacterial ribosome.     

Domain organization and biochemical features of Sulfolobus solfataricus DNA polymerase

DNA polymerase from Sulfolobus solfataricus, strain MT4 (Sso DNA pol), was one of the first archaeal DNA polymerases to be isolated and characterized. Its encoding gene was cloned and sequenced, indicating that Sso DNA pol belongs to family B of DNA polymerases. By limited proteolysis experiments carried out on the recombinant homogeneous protein, we were able to demonstrate that the enzyme has a modular organization of its associated catalytic functions (DNA polymerase and 3′-5′ exonuclease). Indeed, the synthetic function was ascribed to the enzyme C-terminal portion, whereas the N-terminal half was found to be responsible for the exonucleolytic activity. In addition, partial proteolysis studies were utilized to map conformational changes on DNA binding by comparing the cleavage map in the absence or presence of nucleic acid ligands. This analysis allowed us to identify two segments of the Sso DNA pol amino acid chain affected by structural modifications following nucleic acid binding: region 1 and region 2, in the middle and at the C-terminal end of the protein chain, respectively. Site-directed mutagenesis studies will be performed to better investigate the role of these two protein segments in DNA substrate interaction. Received: January 22, 1998 / Accepted: February 16, 1998     

Structure, conformational stability, and enzymatic properties of acylphosphatase from the hyperthermophile Sulfolobus solfataricus

The structure of AcP from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus has been determined by (1)H-NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Solution and crystal structures (1.27 A resolution, R-factor 13.7%) were obtained on the full-length protein and on an N-truncated form lacking the first 12 residues, respectively. The overall Sso AcP fold, starting at residue 13, displays the same betaalphabetabetaalphabeta topology previously described for other members of the AcP family from mesophilic sources. The unstructured N-terminal tail may be crucial for the unusual aggregation mechanism of Sso AcP previously reported. Sso AcP catalytic activity is reduced at room temperature but rises at its working temperature to values comparable to those displayed by its mesophilic counterparts at 25-37 degrees C. Such a reduced activity can result from protein rigidity and from the active site stiffening due the presence of a salt bridge between the C-terminal carboxylate and the active site arginine. Sso AcP is characterized by a melting temperature, Tm, of 100.8 degrees C and an unfolding free energy, DeltaG(U-F)H2O, at 28 degrees C and 81 degrees C of 48.7 and 20.6 kJ mol(-1), respectively. The kinetic and structural data indicate that mesophilic and hyperthermophilic AcP's display similar enzymatic activities and conformational stabilities at their working conditions. Structural analysis of the factor responsible for Sso AcP thermostability with respect to mesophilic AcP's revealed the importance of a ion pair network stabilizing particularly the beta-sheet and the loop connecting the fourth and fifth strands, together with increased density packing, loop shortening and a higher alpha-helical propensity.     

Mutations and rearrangements in the genome of Sulfolobus solfataricus P2

The genome of Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 carries a larger number of transposable elements than any other sequenced genome from an archaeon or bacterium and, as a consequence, may be particularly susceptible to rearrangement and change. In order to gain more insight into the natures and frequencies of different types of mutation and possible rearrangements that can occur in the genome, the pyrEF locus was examined for mutations that were isolated after selection with 5-fluoroorotic acid. About two-thirds of the 130 mutations resulted from insertions of mobile elements, including insertion sequence (IS) elements and a single nonautonomous mobile element, SM2. For each of these, the element was identified and shown to be present at its original genomic position, consistent with a progressive increase in the copy numbers of the mobile elements. In addition, several base pair substitutions, as well as small deletions, insertions, and a duplication, were observed, and about one-fifth of the mutations occurred elsewhere in the genome, possibly in an orotate transporter gene. One mutant exhibited a 5-kb genomic rearrangement at the pyrEF locus involving a two-step IS element-dependent reaction, and its boundaries were defined using a specially developed "in vitro library" strategy. Moreover, while searching for the donor mobile elements, evidence was found for two major changes that had occurred in the genome of strain P2, one constituting a single deletion of about 4% of the total genome (124 kb), while the other involved the inversion of a 25-kb region. Both were bordered by IS elements and were inferred to have arisen through recombination events. The results underline the caution required in working experimentally with an organism such as S. solfataricus with a continually changing genome.     

Hydrolysis of xylan at high temperature by co-action of the xylanase from Anoxybacillus flavithermus BC and the beta-xylosidase/alpha-arabinosidase from Sulfolobus solfataricus Oalpha

AIMS: It is evaluated the effectiveness of the combined action of two highly thermostable enzymes for the hydrolysis of xylans at high temperature in order to produce D-xylose. METHODS AND RESULTS: Xylans from different sources were hydrolyzed at high degree at 70 degrees C by co-action of a xylanase from the thermophilic bacterium Anoxybacillus flavithermus BC and the novel beta-xylosidase/alpha-arabinosidase from the hyperthermophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus Oalpha. Beechwood xylan was the best substrate among the xylans tested giving, by incubation only with xylanase, 32.8 % hydrolysis after 4 h. The addition of the beta-xylosidase/alpha-arabinosidase significantly improved the rate of hydrolysis, yielding 63.6% conversion after 4 h incubation, and the main sugar identified was xylose. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that a significant degree of xylan degradation was reached at high temperature by co-action of the two enzymes. Xylose was obtained as a final product in considerable yield. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Although the xylan represents the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature, it still doesn't have significant utilization for the difficulties encountered in its hydrolysis. Its successful hydrolysis to xylose in only one stage process could make of it a cheap sugar source and could have an enormous economic potential for the conversion of plant biomass into fuels and chemicals.     

Enzymatic Synthesis of Carbohydrate Derivatives Using β-Glycosidase of Sulfolobus Solfataricus

Enzymatic synthesis of different β-D-glycosides was obtained using as biocatalyst immobilized cells, crude homogenate, and homogeneous native and recombinat β-glycosidase activity of the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. In particular our investigation was concerned with the selectivity in the glycosylation of hydroxybenzyl alcohols, salicin, 1,2-propanediol, and more complex polyols as well as the use of immobilized cells for the synthesis of hexyl-β-D-glucoside. The aromatic glucosides obtained by enzyme-catalyzed transglucosylation were used for kinetic studies of purified Sulfolobus solfataricus enzyme in the hydrolysis reaction.