Purification and Characterization of an Enantioselective Amidase from Pseudomonas chlororaphis B23

An amidase produced by Pseudomonas chlororaphis B23 was purified and characterized. The purification procedure used included ammonium sulfate precipitation and hydrophobic, anion-exchange, gel filtration, and ceramic hydroxyapatite chromatography steps. This amidase has a native molecular mass of about 105 kDa and is a homodimer whose subunits have a molecular mass of 54 kDa. The enzyme exhibited maximal activity at 50(deg)C and at pH values ranging from 7.0 to 8.6. We found no evidence that metal ions were required, and the enzyme was inhibited by several thiol reagents. This amidase exhibited activity against a broad range of aliphatic and aromatic amides and exhibited enantioselectivity for several aromatic amides, including 2-phenylpropionamide (enantiomeric excess [ee] = 100%), phenylalaninamide (ee = 55%), and 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-methylbutyramide (ee = 96%), but not 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionamide (the amide form of naproxen) (ee = 0%). The characteristics of the P. chlororaphis B23 amidase are the same as the characteristics of enantioselective amidases described by Mayaux et al. (J. F. Mayaux, E. Cerbelaud, F. Soubrier, D. Faucher, and D. Petre, J. Bacteriol. 172:6764-6773, 1990; J. F. Mayaux, E. Cerbelaud, F. Soubrier, P. Yeh, F. Blanche, and D. Petre, J. Bacteriol. 173:6694-6704, 1991) and Kobayashi et al. (M. Kobayashi, H. Komeda, T. Nagasawa, M. Nishiyama, S. Horinouchi, T. Beppu, H. Yamada, and S. Shimizu, Eur. J. Biochem. 217:327-336, 1993).     

Purification and Characterization of an l-Aminopeptidase from Pseudomonas putida ATCC 12633

An l-aminopeptidase of Pseudomonas putida, used in an industrial process for the hydrolysis of d,l-amino acid amide racemates, was purified to homogeneity. The highly l-enantioselective enzyme resembled thiol reagent-sensitive alkaline serine proteinases and was strongly activated by divalent cations. It possessed a high substrate specificity for dipeptides and alpha-H amino acid amides, e.g., l-phenylglycine amide.     

Purification and Characterization of an Extracellular Proteinase from Brevibacterium linens ATCC 9174

An extracellular serine proteinase from Brevibacterium linens ATCC 9174 was purified to homogeneity. pH and temperature optima were 8.5 and 50(deg)C, respectively. The results for the molecular mass of the proteinase were 56 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 126 kDa by gel filtration, indicating that the native enzyme exists as a dimer. Mg(sup2+) and Ca(sup2+) activated the proteinase, as did NaCl; however, Hg(sup2+), Fe(sup2+), and Zn(sup2+) caused strong inhibition. The sequence of the first 20 N-terminal amino acids was NH(inf2)-Ala-Lys-Asn-Asp-Ala-Val-Gly-Gly-Met-Gly-Tyr-Leu-Ser-Met-Ile-Pro-Se r-Gln-Pro-Gly.     

Characterization of beta-lactamase from Mycobacterium butyricum ATCC 19979

beta-lactamase has been purified to a homogeneous state from Mycobacterium butyricum ATCC 19979. The molecular weight (Mr = 29,000) and the isoelectric point (4,0) of the enzyme have been determined. The enzyme showed both penicillinase and cephalosporinase activity, but had relatively more of the former. With respect to substrate-profile the enzyme resembled the plasmid specified TEM-type beta-lactamases commonly encountered in Gram-negative bacteria. The enzyme was insensitive to p-chloromercuribenzoate, sodium chloride, or iodine inhibition.     

Purification and Characterization of Amidase which Participates in Nitrile Degradation

Amidase was purified from the cell-free extract of acetonitrile-grown Arthrobacter sp. J-1 by a procedure involving protamine sulfate precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and column chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose, hydroxyapatite and Sephadex G-200. The overall purification was 47-fold. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as judged by ultracentrifugal analysis and disc gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be about 300,000 and 320,000 by disc gel electrophoresis and gel filtration, respectively. The enzyme was possibly composed of eight identical subunits of a molecular weight of 39,000. The isoelectric point was 3.8. The enzyme catalyzed the stoichiometric hydrolysis of acetamide to form acetic acid and ammonia. The enzyme was active toward acetamide, acrylamide and propionamide and the Km values were 0.97, 23.3 and 8.05 mm, respectively. The enzyme showed acyltransferase activity.     

Purification and properties of beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase from Mycobacterium phlei ATCC354.

beta-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.30) was purified 145-fold from Mycobacterium phlei ATCC354 by ammonium sulphate fractionation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The pH optima for oxidation and reduction reactions were 8.4 and 6.8 respectively. The purified enzyme was specific for NAD, NADH, acetoacetate and D(-)-beta-hydroxybutyrate. Km values for DL-beta-hydroxybutyrate and NAD were 7.4 mM and 0.66 mM respectively. The enzyme was inactivated by mercurial thiol inhibitors and by heat, but could be protected by NADH, Ca2+ and partially by Mn2+. The enzyme did not require metal ions and was insensitive to EDTA, glutathione, dithiothreitol, beta-mercaptoethanol and cysteine.     

Purification and Characterization of Two Endoxylanases from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824

Two endoxylanases produced by C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824 were purified to homogeneity by column chromatography. Xylanase A, which has a molecular weight of 65,000, hydrolyzed larchwood xylan randomly, yielding xylohexaose, xylopentaose, xylotetraose, xylotriose, and xylobiose as end products. Xylanase B, which has a molecular weight of 29,000, also hydrolyzed xylan randomly, giving xylotriose and xylobiose as end products. Xylanase A hydrolyzed carboxymethyl cellulose with a higher specific activity than xylan. It also exhibited high activity on acid-swollen cellulose. Xylanase B showed practically no activity against either cellulose or carboxymethyl cellulose but was able to hydrolyze lichenan with a specific activity similar to that for xylan. Both xylanases had no aryl-β-xylosidase activity. The smallest oligosaccharides degraded by xylanases A and B were xylohexaose and xylotetraose, respectively. The two xylanases demonstrated similar K_m and V_max values but had different pH optima and isoelectric points. Ouchterlony immunodiffusion tests showed that xylanases A and B lacked antigenic similarity.     

Isolation and identification of Mycobacterium neoaurum from a patient with urinary infection

Mycobacterium neoaurum is a novel species of Mycobacteria, until now only isolated from catheters in immunosuppressed patients. This report describes the isolation and identification of M. neoaurum from urine obtained from a hospitalized patient.     

Purification and Characterization of an Enzyme That Catalyzes Ring Cleavage of Aspergillic Acid,from Tvichoderma koningii ATCC 76666

The aspergillic acid degrading enzyme (ADE) that catalyzes the cleavage of the pyrazine ring in aspergillic acid (AA, l-hydroxy-3-isobutyl-6-sec-butyl-2-pyrazinone) was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from extracts of Trichoderma koningii ATCC 76666. ADE was a homodimeric protein with a molecular mass of 112kDa, contained lmol of FAD per mol of subunit, and required NAD(P)H and molecular oxygen for its activity. ADE had an isoelectric point of around 5.3, and an optimum pH of 7.0–8.0. p-Chloromercuribenzoate and HgCl₂ completely inhibited ADE activity, while metal chelating reagents, α, α′-dipyridyl and o-phenanthroline, were not inhibitors. The substrate specificity among AA-related compounds was that hydroxyaspergillic acid was a poor substrate (16% of the activity for AA) and deoxyaspergillic acid did not serve as a substrate.     

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Prokaryotic Ubiquitin-like Protein-deconjugating Enzyme Is an Unusual Aspartate Amidase

Deamidase of Pup (Dop), the prokaryotic ubiquitin-like protein (Pup)-deconjugating enzyme, is critical for the full virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is unique to bacteria, providing an ideal target for the development of selective chemotherapies. We used a combination of genetics and chemical biology to characterize the mechanism of depupylation. We identified an aspartate as a potential nucleophile in the active site of Dop, suggesting a novel protease activity to target for inhibitor development.     

Conversion of phytosterols into androstenedione by Mycobacterium neoaurum

Optimum conditions for transformation of phytosterols by Mycobacterium neoaururm, required for selective cleavage of the lateral chain into androstenedione, were shown to differ from the known conditions of animal sterol (cholesterol) transformation. Complete conversion of phytosterols into androstenedione at a substrate load of no less than 20 g/l was achieved on increasing the amount of the inoculum and the concentration of glucose (by 2 and 4 times, respectively, relative to cholesterol) and performing the fermentation under conditions of turbulent mixing. Under these conditions, both the rate of the transformation and the yield of the reaction product were high, due to the saturation of the culture liquid with hydrocarbonate. Data from the literature show that this ion is involved in cleavage of the branched lateral chain at carbon in position 24.     

Purification and characterization of an aminopeptidase fromStreptococcus mitis ATCC 903

An aminopeptidase isolated from the cytoplasmic fraction of a cell extract ofStreptococcus mitis ATCC 903 was purified 330-fold by ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and hydroxyapatite chromatography. The partially purified enzyme had a broad substrate specificity. Twelve aminoacyl-ß-naphthylamide substrates were hydrolyzed and also several di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentapeptides and bradykinin. The enzyme hydrolyzed arginine-ß-naphthylamide at the highest rate. Optimal conditions for activity were at pH 7.0–7.2 and at 37–40°C. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 93,000. The enzyme was activated by Co²⁺ ions. Hg²⁺ inhibited the activity completely. SDS, EDTA, urea, and pCMB also inhibited activity. Inhibition by EDTA could be completely reversed by dialysis and addition of Co²⁺ ions. Reducing agents, sodium fluoride, and PMSF had no effect on the activity of the enzyme. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was at pH 4.3. High substrate concentrations inhibited activity. Substrate inhibition increased in the presence of high concentrations of Co²⁺ ions.     

Purification and Characterization of an Endoglucanase from Pseudomonas solanacearum

Comparative analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of culture supernatants of a virulent Pseudomonas solanacearum strain and of a spontaneous avirulent mutant derived from it was performed. The results show that the levels of two major polypeptides with molecular masses of 43 and 25 kilodaltons (kDa) were markedly reduced in the spent culture medium of the avirulent mutant. In addition, enzyme assays showed that the level of carboxymethyl cellulase (endoglucanase) activity in the culture supernatants of the avirulent mutant was reduced over 25-fold, whereas polygalacturonase activities in both strains were nearly identical. Purification of the endoglucanase from the spent culture medium of the virulent P. solanacearum strain by adsorption to phosphocellulose, salt elution, and gel-filtration chromatography yielded a >95% pure preparation of the 43-kDa polypeptide. The kinetic and enzymatic properties of the purified endoglucanase were subsequently analyzed. Antibody prepared against the purified 43-kDa endoglucanase was used to demonstrate its production by several strains of P. solanacearum races 1 and 2.     

Purification of Glucoamylase from Lactobacillus amylovorus ATCC 33621

An intracellular glucoamylase (E.C. 3.2.1.3) was purified to homogeneity from Lactobacillus amylovorus on a Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography System (FPLC) with a Mono Q ion-exchanger and two Superose 12 gel filtration columns arranged in series. The enzyme activity was quantified with a specific, chromogenic substrate, p-nitrophenyl-β-maltoside. Preparative gel electrophoresis was then used to further purify active enzyme fractions. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Native-PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of the purified enzyme showed a single protein band of molecular weight 47 kDa. Glucoamylase activity of the purified protein was confirmed by its ability to degrade starch on a 0.025% starch-polyacrylamide gel stained with I₂/KI. Glucoamylase exhibited optimum catalytic activity at pH 6.0 and 45°C, and the enzyme had an isoelectric point near 4.39. The glucoamylase contained high levels of hydrophilic amino acids, comparable to fungal glucoamylases. Received: 12 July 1996 / Accepted: 10 September 1996     

Purification and Characterization of an Autolysin from Clostridium acetobutylicum

A proteinaceous substance with antibiotic-like activity, resembling that of a bacteriocin, was isolated from an industrial-scale acetone-butanol fermentation of Clostridium acetobutylicum. The substance, purified by acetone precipitation, diethylaminoethyl cellulose chromatography, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was characterized as a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 28,000. The glycoprotein was partially inactivated by certain protease enzymes. It had no effect on deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, or protein synthesis, and it did not result in the loss of intracellular adenosine triphosphate. The glycoprotein lysed sodium dodecyl sulfate-treated cells and cell wall preparations, and therefore it is referred to as an autolysin. The autolysin gene appeared to be chromosomal since plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid was not detected in the C. acetobutylicum strain.     

Purification and Characterization of an Antifungal Chitinase from Arabidopsis thaliana

Plants exhibit an altered pattern of protein synthesis in response to pathogen invasion and abiotic stress. One of these `pathogenesis-related' proteins has been identified as chitinase, which is capable of inhibiting fungal growth in vitro. This observation has led to the suggestion that the in vivo role of chitinases is to protect plants against fungal invasion. Here, we report the purification and characterization of a basic chitinase from Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Columbia wild type. The purified enzyme has a molecular mass of approximately 32 kilodaltons as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, and an apparent pl of approximately 8.7 as determined by isoelectric focusing. The purified protein is an effective inhibitor of the growth of Trichoderma reesei in vitro but does not affect the growth of several other fungi. Amino acid composition analysis of the intact protein as well as amino acid composition analysis and automatic Edman degradation of isolated tryptic fragments of the enzyme indicate that it may be identical to the product of a chitinase gene isolated from an Arabidopsis genomic library (Samac DA, Hironaka CM, Yallaly PE, Shah DM [1990] Plant Physiol 93: 907-914).     

Purification and Characterization of an X-Prolyl-Dipeptidyl Peptidase from Lactobacillus sakei

An X-prolyl-dipeptidyl peptidase has been purified from Lactobacillus sakei by ammonium sulfate fractionation and five chromatographic steps, which included hydrophobic interaction, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography. This procedure resulted in a recovery yield of 7% and an increase in specificity of 737-fold. The enzyme appeared to be a dimer with a subunit molecular mass of approximately 88 kDa. Optimal activity was shown at pH 7.5 and 55°C. The enzyme was inhibited by serine proteinase inhibitors and several divalent cations (Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺, and Zn²⁺). The enzyme almost exclusively hydrolyzed X-Pro from the N terminus of each peptide as well as fluorescent and colorimetric substrates; it also hydrolyzed X-Ala at the N terminus, albeit at lower rates. K_m s for Gly-Pro- and Lys-Ala-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin were 29 and 88 μM, respectively; those for Gly-Pro- and Ala-Pro-p-nitroanilide were 192 and 50 μM, respectively. Among peptides, β-casomorphin 1-3 was hydrolyzed at the highest rates, while the relative hydrolysis of the other tested peptides was only 1 to 12%. The potential role of the purified enzyme in the proteolytic pathway by catalyzing the hydrolysis of peptide bonds involving proline is discussed.     

Purification and Partial Characterization of an Aminopeptidase from Lactobacillus lactis

A surface-bound aminopeptidase of Lactobacillus lactis cells was solubilized with lysozyme, and the extract was subjected to streptomycin sulfate precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, chromatography on Sephadex G-100 and diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex A-50, and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme was homogeneous in disc electrophoretic analysis and consisted of a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of 78,000 to 81,000. The optimal pH and optimal temperature for enzyme activity were 6.2 to 7.2 and 47.5 degrees C, respectively, for l-lysine-4-nitroanilide as the substrate. The enzyme was activated by Co and Zn ions and inhibited by Cu, Hg, and Fe ions and by the metal-complexing reagents ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, 1,10-phenanthroline, and alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl. Higher concentrations of substrate and hydrolysis products also inhibited the activity of the enzyme. The aminopeptidase had broad substrate specificity and hydrolyzed many amino acid arylamides and many peptides with unsubstituted NH(2)-terminal amino acids.     

Purification and Characterization of an Arginine Aminopeptidase from Lactobacillus sakei

An arginine aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.6) that exclusively hydrolyzes basic amino acids from the amino (N) termini of peptide substrates has been purified from Lactobacillus sakei. The purification procedure consisted of ammonium sulfate fractionation and three chromatographic steps, which included hydrophobic interaction, gel filtration, and anion-exchange chromatography. This procedure resulted in a recovery rate of 4.2% and a 500-fold increase in specific activity. The aminopeptidase appeared to be a trimeric enzyme with a molecular mass of 180 kDa. The activity was optimal at pH 5.0 and 37°C. The enzyme was inhibited by sulfhydryl group reagents and several divalent cations (Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺, and Zn²⁺) but was activated by reducing agents, metal-chelating agents, and sodium chloride. The enzyme showed a preference for arginine at the N termini of aminoacyl derivatives and peptides. The K_m values for Arg-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin (AMC) and Lys-AMC were 15.9 and 26.0 μM, respectively. The nature of the amino acid residue at the C terminus of dipeptides has an effect on hydrolysis rates. The activity was maximal toward dipeptides with Arg, Lys, or Ala as the C-terminal residue. The properties of the purified enzyme, its potential function in the release of arginine, and its further metabolism are discussed because, as a whole, it could constitute a survival mechanism for L. sakei in the meat environment.