A method for efficient expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa alginate lyase in Pichia pastoris

As an eco-friendly biocatalyst for alginate hydrolysis, bacteria-derived alginate lyase (AlgL) has been widely used in research and industries to produce oligosaccharides. However, the cost of AlgL enzyme production remains high due to the low expression and difficulty in purification from bacterial cells. In this study we report an effective method to overexpress the Pseudomonas aeruginosa AlgL (paAlgL) enzyme in Pichia pastoris. Fused with a secretory peptide, the recombinant paAlgL was expressed extracellularly and purified from the culture supernatant through a simple process. The purified recombinant enzyme is highly specific for alginate sodium with a maximal activity of 2,440 U/mg. The enzymatic activity remained stable below 45°C and at pH between 4 and 10. The recombinant paAlgL was inhibited by Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe²⁺ and promoted by Co²⁺ and Ca²⁺. Interestingly, we also found that the recombinant paAlgL significantly enhanced the antimicrobial activity of antibiotics ampicillin and kanamycin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our results introduce a method for efficient AlgL production, the characterization, and a new feature of the recombinant paAlgL as an enhancer of antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.     

Identification of the aceA gene encoding isocitrate lyase required for the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on acetate, acyclic terpenes and leucine

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 mutants affected in acyclic monoterpenes, n-octanol, and acetate assimilation were isolated using transposon mutagenesis. The isocitrate lyase gene (aceA) corresponding to ORF PA2634 of the PAO1 strain genome was identified in one of these mutants. The aceA gene encodes a protein that is 72% identical to the isocitrate lyase (ICL) characterized from Colwellia maris, but is less than 30% identical to their homologues from pseudomonads. The genetic arrangement of aceA suggests that it is a monocistronic gene, and no adjacent related genes were found. The ICL protein was detected as a 60-kDa band in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis from cultures grown on acetate, but not in glucose-grown PAO1 cultures. Genetic complementation further confirmed that the aceA gene encodes the ICL enzyme. The ICL enzyme activity in crude extracts from cultures of the PAO1 strain was induced by acetate, citronellol and leucine, and repressed by growth on glucose or citrate. These results suggest that ICL is involved in the assimilation of acetate, acyclic monoterpenes of the citronellol family, alkanols, and leucine, in which the final intermediary acetyl-coenzyme A may be channelled to the glyoxylate shunt.     

氨溴索对粘液型铜绿假单胞菌生物膜藻酸盐作用的体外研究

目的探讨氨溴索对铜绿假单胞菌临床分离株形成的生物膜（biofilm,BF）主要成分藻酸盐的干预作用,研究其对藻酸盐合成过程中起重要作用的基因表达和合成过程中限速酶活性的影响,以及其对藻酸盐降解的影响。方法建立铜绿似单胞菌临床分离株BF体外模型,培养7d后得到成熟BF。将BF内的细菌振荡下来后,用疏酸-苯酚法检测氨溴索对藻酸盐含量的影响;RT-PCR检测藻酸盐合成过程中重要基因algD、algU、algR和mucA的mRNA表达;分光光度计检测合成过程中限速酶——GDP-甘露糖脱氢酶（guanosine diphospho-D-mannose dehydrogenase,GMD）的活性,并检测藻酸盐的降解情况。结果在氨溴索3．75mg／ml作用下,藻酸盐含量（mg／g）由86．4024±0．8588下降到59．9199±0．5803（F=66．2,P〈0．01）;其合成重要基因algD、algU、algR和mucA的mRNA的表达分别由1．2994±0．0173、1．0488±0．0457、0．9888±0．0267和0．8731±0．0336变化为1．0253±0．0265、0．9594±0．0106、0．8536±0．0179和1．0770±0．0503（F=91．9,41．1,88．4和56,9,P均〈0．05）;其合成限速酶GMD活性由0．0989±0．0055下降到0．0558±0．0016（F=121．2,P〈0．01）;藻酸盐的降解量（△mg／g）由1．4122±0．0073变化为1．4175±0．0019（F=21．81,P〉0．05）。1．875mg／ml氨溴索作用下,有同样的趋势但效应不如高浓度明显。结论氨溴索可以降低铜绿假单胞菌BF藻酸盐的含量,影响藻酸盐合成过程中重要基因algD、algU、algR和mucA的mRNA的表达,降低藻酸盐合成限速酶GMD活性,但对藻酸盐的降解无影响。     

Apolipophorin III is a substrate for protease IV from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Our results demonstrated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa serine protease IV degraded apolipophorin III from the haemolymph of Galleria mellonella larvae. ApoLp-III protein was degraded in a stepwise manner. Four intermediate forms of 15, 13.3, 11.9 and 9.5 kDa were detected after 30 min digestion while only one of 5.6 kDa was released after 1-h incubation time. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of 5.6 kDa peptide revealed that it was released from apoLp-III after cleavage between lysine 70 and 71. ApoLp-III degradation by protease IV was inhibited by 1 mM TLCK but not 1 mM EDTA, additionally demonstrating that digestion was catalysed by a serine protease. Our data also indicated apoLp-III degradation in vivo during P. aeruginosa infection of G. mellonella larvae.     

Transient exposure to a physiologically-relevant concentration of calcium confers tobramycin resistance upon sessile cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Sessile populations of a mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate generated in M-56 medium of 'low' (0.02 mM) or 'high' (2.5 mM) Ca2+ were treated with tobramycin (250 micrograms.ml-1), as were biofilms exposed transiently to 'high' Ca2+ medium. Viability decreased by over 99.9% within 8 h in the 'low' and 'high' samples, while transient Ca2+ exposure was protective. Dispersed sessile bacteria were as tobramycin sensitive as planktonic bacteria.     

Preparation, purification and characterization of alginate oligosaccharides degraded by alginate lyase from Pseudomonas sp. HZJ 216

Alginate lyase which was purified from the fermentation solution of marine bacteria Pseudomonas sp. HJZ216 was applied to hydrolyze algae alginate. Six oligosaccharides, including di- and trisaccharides, were isolated and purified through anion exchange chromatography. The oligosaccharide structures were elucidated based on electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and 2D NMR spectra analysis.     

Alginate acetylation influences initial surface colonization by mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa overproduce the exopolysaccharide alginate, which is substituted with O-acetyl groups. Under non-growing conditions in phosphate buffer, a mucoid clinical strain formed microcolonies on steel surfaces, while an acetylation-defective mutant was unable to form cell clusters. Enzymatic degradation of alginate by alginate lyase prevented microcolony formation of the mucoid parent strain. In a continuous-culture flow-cell system, using gluconate minimal medium, the mucoid strain with acetylated alginate formed microcolonies and grew into heterogenous biofilms, whereas the acetylation-defective mutant produced a thinner and more homogeneous biofilm. A lowered viscosity of extracellular material from the acetylation-defective mutant indicated a weakening of exopolymer interactions by loss of acetyl groups. These results suggest that acetyl substituents are necessary for the function of high-molecular-mass alginate to mediate cell aggregation into microcolonies in the early stages of biofilm development by mucoid P. aeruginosa, thereby determining the architecture of the mature biofilm.     

铜绿假单胞菌生物膜悬液和藻酸盐对小鼠巨噬细胞吞噬功能的影响

目的探讨铜绿假单胞菌（PA）生物膜和藻酸盐成分对小鼠巨噬细胞吞噬功能的影响。方法用具有生物膜成分的PA悬液分别感染肺部巨噬细胞缺乏小鼠和正常小鼠,比较组织中的细菌数量。提取小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞,藻酸盐作用后加入PA悬液,测定巨噬细胞对细菌的吞噬率。巨噬细胞经不同浓度的藻酸盐作用后,中性红法检测巨噬细胞吞噬能力。结果巨噬细胞缺乏组和对照组肺部组织的细菌数量分别为（4.16±3.36）×10^5/ml和（5.15±1.92）×10^5/ml,t=0.7211,P=0.483。生物膜细菌组的巨噬细胞吞噬率与对照组的吞噬率分别为（13.82±4.71）%和（42.73±11.00）%,Q=12.3231,P〈0.01。表明生物膜细菌组比对照组更能抵抗巨噬细胞的吞噬。加藻酸盐组的巨噬细胞吞噬率与对照组的吞噬率分别为（22.91±6.20）%和（42.73±11.00）%,Q=8.4465,P〈0.01。表明加藻酸盐组比对照组更能抵抗巨噬细胞的吞噬。当藻酸盐浓度为0、25、50、75、100、125、150μg/ml时,以吸光度A（540nm）值表示其巨噬细胞吞噬中性红的能力分别为：0.271±0.044、0.456±0.062、0.445±0.061、0.551±0.065、0.210±0.053、0.186±0.026、0.195±0.025。当藻酸盐≤75μg/ml时巨噬细胞吞噬中性红的能力增强,与0μg/ml组相比P〈0.05;当藻酸盐〉75μg/ml时巨噬细胞吞噬中性红的能力降低,与0μg/ml组相比P〈0.05。结论巨噬细胞有阻止PA入侵的作用。PA生物膜可以抑制巨噬细胞的吞噬。PA生物膜藻酸盐成分在〈75μg/ml时促进巨噬细胞的吞噬,而在较大剂量时抑制巨噬细胞的吞噬功能。     

Carbons from choline present in the phospholipids of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The phospholipid composition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown in a mineral medium with choline as the carbon source was: phosphatidylethanolamine, 71.6±1.4%; phosphatidylglycerol, 11.8±0.4%; diphosphatidylglycerol, 0.8±0.4%; phosphatidic acid, 2.4±0.6%; lysophosphatidylethanolamine, 1.6±0.3%; phosphatidylcholine 7.9±0.3%; lysophosphatidylcholine, 3.9±0.7%. The molar ratio between the acidic and the neutral phospholipids was 0.18. Radiolabeling experiments with [methyl-¹⁴C]choline or [1,2-¹⁴C]choline carried out in cell suspension from bacteria that were grown in the presence of choline as the sole carbon source demonstrated that the carbons of the N-methyl groups of choline contributed to the synthesis of fatty acids while the carbons comprising the backbone of choline were used for the synthesis of glycerol.     

Purification and characterization of an alkaline protease from Pseudomonas aeruginosa MN1

An alkaline protease produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa MN1, isolated from an alkaline tannery waste water, was purified and characterized. The enzyme was purified 25-fold by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography to a specific activity of 82350 U mg⁻¹. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 32000 daltons. The optimum pH and temperature for the proteolytic activity were pH 8.00 and 60°C, respectively. Enzyme activity was inhibited by EDTA suggesting that the preparation contains a metalloprotease. Enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺(5 mM), while Ca²⁺ and Mn²⁺ resulted in partial inhibition. The enzyme is different from other Pseudomonas aeruginosa alkaline proteases in its stability at high temperature; it retained more than 90% and 66% of the initial activity after 15 and 120 min incubation at 60°C. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 24, 291–295. Received 09 June 1999/ Accepted in revised form 24 January 2000     

Overproduction and properties of the mannuronate alginate lyase AlxMB

Abstract In previous studies (Malissard et al., FEMS Microbiol. Lett. (1993) 110, 101–106), the alginate lyase AlxM of the marine bacterium ATCC 433367 was produced in Escherichia coli TC4/pAL-A3 with a yield of 50 μg per litre of culture. The polypeptide chain was cleaved between two cysteine residues, C169 and C183, themselves linked by a disulphide bridge. AlxM has now been overproduced in E. coli BL21(DE3)/pAL-Sur/pLysS. Under conditions in which formation of inclusion bodies can be avoided, the enzyme is synthesized as a catalytically active, water-soluble, unnicked polypeptide with a yield of 32 mg per litre of culture. It has been purified to protein homogeneity using a one-step procedure. The nicked AlxM_A and unnicked AlxM_B alginate lyases have identical alginate-degrading activities at high salt concentrations.     

Purification and characterization of the recombinant alginate lyase from Pseudomonas sp. leaked by Escherichia coli upon addition of glycine

Abstract The plasmid pAL205 encodes an alginate lyase gene of Pseudomonas sp. OS-ALG-9, fused in frame to the β-galactosidase α-peptide gene. The alginate lyase (Aly) expressed in Escherichia coli (pAL205) was significantly secreted into the medium by the addition of glycine. The extracellular enzyme isolated from the culture of E. coli JM109 (pAL205) was purified over 15 000-fold by successive chromatography and subjected to amino acid sequence analysis. The sequence determined was identical to that of the intracellular protein. Since the activity and molecular size of the extracellular Aly is identical to the intracellular protein and to the Aly isolated from Pseudomonas , the glycine does not affect or modify the Aly during its leakage into the medium.     

Constitutive choline transport in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa has a choline uptake system which is expressed in bacteria grown in the presence of succinate and ammonium chloride as the carbon and nitrogen source, respectively. This system obeys Michaelis-Menten kinetics with an apparent K_m value of 53 μM; its activity is not inhibited by high osmolarities in the medium but is partially inhibited by choline metabolites such as betaine and dimethylglycine.     

铜绿假单胞菌XQ17提取物对革兰阳性菌的拮抗作用

从临床分离的1株铜绿假单胞菌能够产生拮抗物质,对其粗提物的初步研究表明,能有效杀灭受试的多数革兰阳性菌。通过比较其基本特征,与已知的铜绿假单胞菌产生的其他抗菌物质如Pyocyanin、Phenazine-1-carboxamide、Pseudomonic acid、pyocin等有明显区别,提示可能是一种具有潜在应用价值的新抗菌物质。     

A Novel Alginate Lyase with High Activity on Acetylated Alginate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa FRD1 from Pseudomonas sp. QD03

Summary To exploit alginate lyase which could degrade bacterial alginates, degenerate PCR and long range-inverse PCR (LR-IPCR) were used to isolate alginate lyase genes from soil bacteria. Gene algL, an alginate lyase-encoding gene from Pseudomonas sp. QD03 was cloned, and it was composed of a 1122 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 373 amino acid residues with the calculated molecular mass of 42.2 kDa. The deduced protein had a potential N-terminal signal peptide of 20 amino acid residues that was consistent with its proposed periplasmic location. Gene algL was expressed in pET24a (+)/E. coli BL21 (DE3) system. The recombinant AlgL was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity using affinity chromatography. The molecular weight of AlgL was estimated to be 42.8 kDa by SDS-PAGE. AlgL exhibited maximal activity at pH 7.5 and 37 °C. Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Ba²⁺ significantly enhanced the activity of AlgL. AlgL could degrade alginate and mannuronate blocks, but hardly degrade guluronate blocks. In particular, AlgL could degrade acetylated alginate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa FRD1 (approximately 0.54 mol of O-acetyl group per mol of alginate). It might be possible to use alginate lyase AlgL as an adjuvant therapeutic medicine for the treatment of disease associated with P. aeruginosa infection.