Kinetic properties and ammonium-dependent regulation of cytosolic isoenzymes of glutamine synthetase in Arabidopsis

Glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) is a key enzyme of nitrogen assimilation, catalyzing the synthesis of glutamine from ammonium and glutamate. In Arabidopsis, cytosolic GS (GS1) was accumulated in roots when plants were excessively supplied with ammonium; however, the GS activity was controlled at a constant level. The discrepancy between the protein content and enzyme activity of GS1 was attributable to the kinetic properties and expression of four distinct isoenzymes encoded by GLN1;1, GLN1;2, GLN1;3 and GLN1;4, genes that function complementary to each other in Arabidopsis roots. GLN1;2 was the only isoenzyme significantly up-regulated by ammonium, which correlated with the rapid increase in total GS1 protein. GLN1;2 was localized in the vasculature and exhibited low affinities to ammonium (Km = 2450 +/- 150 microm) and glutamate (Km = 3.8 +/- 0.2 mm). The expression of the counterpart vascular tissue-localizing low affinity isoenzyme, GLN1;3, was not stimulated by ammonium; however, the enzyme activity of GLN1;3 was significantly inhibited by a high concentration of glutamate. By contrast, the high affinity isoenzyme, GLN1;1 (Km for ammonium < 10 microm; Km for glutamate = 1.1 +/- 0.4 mm) was abundantly accumulated in the surface layers of roots during nitrogen limitation and was down-regulated by ammonium excess. GLN1;4 was another high affinity-type GS1 expressed in nitrogen-starved plants but was 10-fold less abundant than GLN1;1. These results suggested that dynamic regulations of high and low affinity GS1 isoenzymes at the levels of mRNA and enzyme activities are dependent on nitrogen availabilities and may contribute to the homeostatic control of glutamine synthesis in Arabidopsis roots.     

Screening and Improving the Recombinant Nitrilases and Application in Biotransformation of Iminodiacetonitrile to Iminodiacetic Acid

In this study, several nitrilase genes from phylogenetically distinct organisms were expressed and purified in E. coli in order to study their ability to mediate the biotransformation of nitriles. We identified three nitrilases: Acidovorax facilis nitrilase (AcN); Alcaligenes fecalis nitrilase (AkN); and Rhodococcus rhodochrous nitrilase (RkN), which catalyzed iminodiacetonitrile (IDAN) to iminodiacetic acid (IDA). AcN demonstrated 8.8-fold higher activity for IDAN degradation as compared to AkN and RkN. Based on homology modeling and previously described ‘hot spot’ mutations, several AcN mutants were screened for improved activity. One mutant M3 (F168V/L201N/S192F) was identified, which demonstrates a 41% enhancement in the conversion as well as a 2.4-fold higher catalytic efficiency towards IDAN as compared to wild-type AcN.     

Arabidopsis thaliana GLN2-encoded glutamine synthetase is dual targeted to leaf mitochondria and chloroplasts

In higher plants, photorespiratory Gly oxidation in leaf mitochondria yields ammonium in large amounts. Mitochondrial ammonium must somehow be recovered as glutamate in chloroplasts. As the first step in that recovery, we report glutamine synthetase (GS) activity in highly purified Arabidopsis thaliana mitochondria isolated from light-adapted leaf tissue. Leaf mitochondrial GS activity is further induced in response to either physiological CO(2) limitation or transient darkness. Historically, whether mitochondria are fully competent for oxidative phosphorylation in actively photorespiring leaves has remained uncertain. Here, we report that light-adapted, intact, leaf mitochondria supplied with Gly as sole energy source are fully competent for oxidative phosphorylation. Purified intact mitochondria efficiently use Gly oxidation (as sole energy, NH(3), and CO(2) source) to drive conversion of l-Orn to l-citrulline, an ATP-dependent process. An A. thaliana genome-wide search for nuclear gene(s) encoding mitochondrial GS activity yielded a single candidate, GLN2. Stably transgenic A. thaliana ecotype Columbia plants expressing a p35S::GLN2::green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeric reporter were constructed. When observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy, leaf mesophyll and epidermal tissue of transgenic plants showed punctate GFP fluorescence that colocalized with mitochondria. In immunoblot experiments, a 41-kD chimeric GLN2::GFP protein was present in both leaf mitochondria and chloroplasts of these stably transgenic plants. Therefore, the GLN2 gene product, heretofore labeled plastidic GS-2, functions in both leaf mitochondria and chloroplasts to faciliate ammonium recovery during photorespiration.     

The cytosolic glutamine synthetase GLN1;2 plays a role in the control of plant growth and ammonium homeostasis in Arabidopsis rosettes when nitrate supply is not limiting

Glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) is a key enzyme of ammonium assimilation and recycling in plants where it catalyses the synthesis of glutamine from ammonium and glutamate. In Arabidopsis, five GLN1 genes encode GS1 isoforms. GLN1;2 is the most highly expressed in leaves and is over-expressed in roots by ammonium supply and in rosettes by ample nitrate supply compared with limiting nitrate supply. It is shown here that the GLN1;2 promoter is mainly active in the minor veins of leaves and flowers and, to a lower extent, in the parenchyma of mature leaves. Cytoimmunochemistry reveals that the GLN1;2 protein is present in the companion cells. The role of GLN1;2 was determined by examining the physiology of gln1;2 knockout mutants. Mutants displayed lower glutamine synthetase activity, higher ammonium concentration, and reduced rosette biomass compared with the wild type (WT) under ample nitrate supply only. No difference between mutant and WT can be detected under limiting nitrate conditions. Despite total amino acid concentration was increased in the old leaves of mutants at high nitrate, no significant difference in nitrogen remobilization can be detected using (15)N tracing. Growing plants in vitro with ammonium or nitrate as the sole nitrogen source allowed us to confirm that GLN1;2 is induced by ammonium in roots and to observe that gln1;2 mutants displayed, under such conditions, longer root hair and smaller rosette phenotypes in ammonium. Altogether the results suggest that GLN1;2 is essential for nitrogen assimilation under ample nitrate supply and for ammonium detoxification.     

GLN3 encodes a global regulator of nitrogen metabolism and virulence of C. albicans

The function of GLN3, a GATA factor encoding gene, in nitrogen metabolism of Candida albicans was examined. GLN3 null mutants had reduced growth rates on multiple nitrogen sources. More severe growth defects were observed in mutants lacking both GLN3 and GAT1, a second GATA factor gene. GLN3 was an activator of two genes involved in ammonium assimilation, GDH3, encoding NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase, and MEP2, which encodes an ammonium permease. GAT1 contributed to MEP2 expression, but not that of GDH3. A putative general amino acid permease gene, GAP2, was also activated by both GLN3 and GAT1, but activation by GLN3 was nitrogen source dependent. GLN3 was constitutively expressed, but GAT1 expression varied with nitrogen source and was reduced 2- to 3-fold in gln3 mutants. Both gln3 and gat1 mutants exhibited reduced sensitivity to rapamycin, suggesting they function downstream of TOR kinase. Hyphae formation by gln3 and gat1 mutants differed in relation to nitrogen source. The gln3 mutants formed hyphae on several nitrogen sources, but not ammonium or urea, suggesting a defect in ammonium assimilation. Virulence of gln3 mutants was reduced in a murine model of disseminated disease. We conclude that GLN3 has a broad role in nitrogen metabolism, partially overlapping, but distinct from that of GAT1, and that its function is important for the ability of C. albicans to survive within the host environment.     

GLN3 encodes a global regulator of nitrogen metabolism and virulence of C. albicans.

The function of GLN3, a GATA factor encoding gene, in nitrogen metabolism of Candida albicans was examined. GLN3 null mutants had reduced growth rates on multiple nitrogen sources. More severe growth defects were observed in mutants lacking both GLN3 and GAT1, a second GATA factor gene. GLN3 was an activator of two genes involved in ammonium assimilation, GDH3, encoding NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase, and MEP2, which encodes an ammonium permease. GAT1 contributed to MEP2 expression, but not that of GDH3. A putative general amino acid permease gene, GAP2, was also activated by both GLN3 and GAT1, but activation by GLN3 was nitrogen source dependent. GLN3 was constitutively expressed, but GAT1 expression varied with nitrogen source and was reduced 2- to 3-fold in gln3 mutants. Both gln3 and gat1 mutants exhibited reduced sensitivity to rapamycin, suggesting they function downstream of TOR kinase. Hyphae formation by gln3 and gat1 mutants differed in relation to nitrogen source. The gln3 mutants formed hyphae on several nitrogen sources, but not ammonium or urea, suggesting a defect in ammonium assimilation. Virulence of gln3 mutants was reduced in a murine model of disseminated disease. We conclude that GLN3 has a broad role in nitrogen metabolism, partially overlapping, but distinct from that of GAT1, and that its function is important for the ability of C. albicans to survive within the host environment.     

Chemoenzymatic production of 1,5-dimethyl-2-piperidone

A chemoenzymatic process for the preparation of 1,5-dimethyl-2-piperidone (1,5-DMPD) from 2-methylglutaronitrile (MGN) has been demonstrated. MGN was first hydrolyzed to 4-cyanopentanoic acid (4-CPA) ammonium salt using the nitrilase activity of immobilized Acidovorax facilis 72W cells. The hydrolysis reaction produced 4-CPA ammonium salt with greater than 98% regioselectivity at 100% conversion, and at concentrations of 170–210 g 4-CPA/l. Catalyst productivities of at least 1000 g 4-CPA/g dry cell weight (dcw) of immobilized cells were achieved by recycling the immobilized-cell catalyst in consecutive stirred-batch reactions. After recovery of the immobilized cell catalyst for reuse, the 4-CPA ammonium salt in the aqueous product mixture was directly converted to 1,5-DMPD by low-pressure catalytic hydrogenation in the presence of added methylamine.     

Efficient production of methionine from 2-amino-4-methylthiobutanenitrile by recombinant Escherichia coli harboring nitrilase

Methionine as an essential amino acid has been attracting more attention for its important applications in food and feed additives. In this study, for efficient production of methionine from 2-amino-4-methylthiobutanenitrile, a codon-optimized nitrilase gene was newly synthesized and expressed, and the catalytic conditions for methionine production were studied. The optimal temperature and pH for methionine synthesis were 40 °C and 7.5, respectively. The recombinant nitrilase was thermo-stable with half-life of 5.52 h at 40 °C. The substrate loading was optimized in given amount of catalyst and fixed substrate/catalyst ratio mode to achieve higher productivity. Methionine was produced in 100 % conversion within 120 min with a substrate loading of 300 mM. The production of methionine with the immobilized resting cells in packed-bed reactor was investigated. The immobilized nitrilase exhibited good operation stability and retained over 80 % of the initial activity after operating for 100 h. After separation, the purity and the total yield of methionine reached 99.1 and 97 %, respectively. This recombinant nitrilase could be a potential candidate for application in production of methionine.     

Bioconversion of Iminodiacetonitrile to Iminodiacetic acid with whole cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lysinibacillus boronitolerans</Emphasis> MTCC 107614 (IICT-akl252)

Biotechnological potential of nitrilases are prompting significant interest in finding the novel microbes capable of hydrolyzing nitriles. In this view, we have screened about 450 bacterial strains for nitrilase production using bioconversion of iminodiacetonitrile (IDAN) to iminodiacetic acid (IDA) through hydrolysis and obtained six nitrilase-producing isolates. Among these six isolates, IICT-akl252 was promising which was identified as Lysinibacillus boronitolerans. This is the first report on L. boronitolerans for nitrilase activity. Optimization of various medium and reaction parameters for maximizing the nitrilase production using whole cells in shake flask was carried out for L. boronitolerans IICT-akl252. Sucrose (2 %) as a carbon source attained better nitrilase yield while IDAN appeared to be the preferable inducer (0.2 %). The maximum IDA formation was achieved with 100 mM IDAN and 150 mg/ml cells at 30 °C and pH 6.5. After optimization of the culture and reaction conditions, the activity of nitrilase was increased by 2.3-fold from 27.2 to 64.5 U. The enzyme was stable up to 1 h at 50 °C. The enzyme was able to hydrolyze aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic nitrile substrates.     

Transformation of p-hydroxybenzonitrile to p-hydroxybenzoic acid using nitrilase activity of Gordonia terrae

Abstract

Resting cells of Gordonia terrae with nitrilase (EC 3.5.5.1) activity were investigated for transformation of p-hydroxybenzonitrile to p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The maximum conversion was observed in 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 8.0, using 40 mM substrate and resting cells corresponding to 0.70 Uml^{? 1} nitrilase activity at 35°C. A 500 mL fed batch reaction was designed for synthesis of p-hydroxybenzoic acid with six feedings of substrate at an interval of 1 h. A total of 14.4 g of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (> 98.7%) was obtained in 6 h with a productivity of 0.78 gh^{? 1}g^{? 1}_DCW of G. terrae.     

Enhancing Endo-nitrilase production by a newly isolated Arthrobacter nitroguajacolicus ZJUTB06-99 through optimization of culture medium

The medium components of nitrilase production by Arthrobacter nitroguajacolicus ZJUTB06-99 were optimized in this study. Effects of factors such as carbon sources, nitrogen sources, and inducers on nitrilase production were investigated. Glucose, yeast extract, and ε-caprolactam were chosen as the suitable components. Moreover, experiments were carried out to fix the concentration of three factors for the zero coded level of variables in the subsequent optimization. Response surface methodology (RSM) and central composite design (CCD) were employed for further optimization. A quadratic model was found to fit the nitrilase activity and the variables. The results revealed that the optimized medium contained (%, w/v) 2.80, glucose; 0.57, yeast extract; and 0.42, ε-caprolactam. Validation experiments were carried out under the optimized conditions and nitrilase activity of 107.49 U/L was close to the predicted activity 110.82 U/L. After optimization, the nitrilase activity attained 2.86 fold of activity compared to the unoptimized conditions and the conversion of acrylonitrile was significantly improved. The strain growth curve and nitrilase activity alteration in the course of culture were tested. The cells were suitably harvested after cultured for 72∼78 h.     

Activity improvement of a regioselective nitrilase from Acidovorax facilis and its application in the production of 1-(cyanocyclohexyl) acetic acid

A nitrilase gene from Acidovorax facilis ZJB09122 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). To improve the activity of this nitrilase, a key amino acid Phe168 was selected and mutated by site-directed mutagenesis, based on the homology modeling and previously described “hot spot” mutation. After mutation and screening, a mutant (Mut-F168V) with higher activity and stability was obtained. The nitrilase activity of Mut-F168V to hydrolyze 1-cyanocyclohexylacetonitrile was 39.52-fold compared with wild type A. facilis nitrilase (Wt-Acf-Nit). The values of K_m and V_max of Mut-F168V were markedly decreased to 1.89-fold and increased to 50.34-fold as compared to Wt-Acf-Nit, respectively. The biotransformation study showed that 1.0 M of 1-cyanocyclohexylacetonitrile could be regioselectively hydrolyzed to 1-(cyanocyclohexyl) acetic acid with 90% yield. The yield of 1-(cyanocyclohexyl) acetic acid by Mut-F168V was 66.19-fold compared to Wt-Acf-Nit after 1 h at the concentration of 1.0 M 1-cyanocyclohexylacetonitrile as substrate. The 1-(cyanocyclohexyl) acetic acid was subsequently isolated and characterized. The mutant (Mut-F168V) appears promising for potential applications for the industrial production of 1-(cyanocyclohexyl) acetic acid.     

Purification and characterization of a nitrilase from Fusarium solani O1

An intracellular nitrilase was purified from a Fusarium solani O1 culture, in which the enzyme (up to 3000 U L⁻¹) was induced by 2-cyanopyridine. SDS-PAGE revealed one major band corresponding to a molecular weight of approximately 40 kDa. Peptide mass fingerprinting suggested a high similarity of the protein with the putative nitrilase from Gibberella moniliformis. Electron microscopy revealed that the enzyme molecules associated into extended rods. The enzyme showed high specific activities towards benzonitrile (156 U mg⁻¹) and 4-cyanopyridine (203 U mg⁻¹). Other aromatic nitriles (3-chlorobenzonitrile, 3-hydroxybenzonitrile) also served as good substrates for the enzyme. The rates of hydrolysis of aliphatic nitriles (methacrylonitrile, propionitrile, butyronitrile, valeronitrile) were 14–26% of that of benzonitrile. The nitrilase was active within pH 5–10 and at up to 50 °C with optima at pH 8.0 and 40–45 °C. Its activity was strongly inhibited by Hg²⁺ and Ag⁺ ions. More than half of the enzyme activity was preserved at up to 50% of n-hexane or n-heptane or at up to 15% of xylene or ethanol. Operational stability of the enzyme was examined by the conversion of 45 mM 4-cyanopyridine in a continuous and stirred ultrafiltration-membrane reactor. The nitrilase half-life was 277 and 10.5 h at 35 and 45 °C, respectively.     

Enhancing the catalytic potential of nitrilase from Pseudomonas putida for stereoselective nitrile hydrolysis

(R)-mandelic acid was produced from racemic mandelonitrile using free and immobilized cells of Pseudomonas putida MTCC 5110 harbouring a stereoselective nitrilase. In addition to the optimization of culture conditions and medium components, an inducer feeding approach is suggested to achieve enhanced enzyme production and therefore higher degree of conversion of mandelonitrile. The relationship between cell growth periodicity and enzyme accumulation was also studied, and the addition of the inducer was delayed by 6 h to achieve maximum nitrilase activity. The nitrilase expression was also authenticated by the sodium dodecyl phosphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. P. putida MTCC 5110 cells were further immobilized in calcium alginate, and the immobilized biocatalyst preparation was used for the enantioselective hydrolysis of mandelonitrile. The immobilized system was characterized based on the Thiele modulus (ϕ). Efficient biocatalyst recycling was achieved as a result of immobilization with immobilized cells exhibiting 88% conversion even after 20 batch recycles. Finally, a fed batch reaction was set up on a preparative scale to produce 1.95 g of (R)-(-)-mandelic acid with an enantiomeric excess of 98.8%.     

Metabolism of glycolate and glyoxylate in intact spinach leaf peroxisomes

Intact and broken (osmotically disrupted) spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaf peroxisomes were compared for their enzymic activities on various metabolites in 0.25 molar sucrose solution. Both intact and broken peroxisomes had similar glycolate-dependent o₂ uptake activity. In the conversion of glycolate to glycine in the presence of serine, intact peroxisomes had twice the activity of broken peroxisomes at low glycolate concentrations, and this difference was largely eliminated at saturating glycolate concentrations. However, when glutamate was used instead of serine as the amino group donor, broken peroxisomes had slightly higher activity than intact peroxisomes. In the conversion of glyoxylate to glycine in the presence of serine, intact peroxisomes had only about 50% of the activity of broken peroxisomes at low glyoxylate concentrations, and this difference was largely overcome at saturating glyoxylate concentrations. In the transamination between alanine and hydroxypyruvate, intact peroxisomes had an activity only slightly lower than that of broken peroxisomes. In the oxidation of NADH in the presence of hydroxypyruvate, intact peroxisomes were largely devoid of activity. These results suggest that the peroxisomal membrane does not impose an entry barrier to glycolate, serine, and O₂ for matrix enzyme activity; such a barrier does exist to glutamate, alanine, hydroxypyruvate, glyoxylate, and NADH. Furthermore, in intact peroxisomes, glyoxylate generated by glycolate oxidase is channeled directly to glyoxylate aminotransferase for a more efficient glycolate-glycine conversion. In related studies, application of in vitro osmotic stress to intact or broken peroxisomes had little effect on their ability to metabolize glycolate to glycine.     

金属螯合载体固定重组腈水解酶

以琼脂粉为基质制备金属螯合载体,并用于固定重组腈水解酶。研究发现:制备金属螯合载体最合适的金属离子为Zn2+。当Zn2+离子浓度0.3 mol/L、给酶量15.6 mg/g、固定化pH 8.0、固定化温度40℃时,制得的固定化酶活性最高。固定化酶最适反应温度为50℃、最适反应pH为7.0。当扁桃腈浓度为10 mmol/L、反应1 h时,固定化酶最大产率为0.041 mmol/(g·h);在反应12 h时,产物e.e.值可达到99%以上。固定化酶重复使用8次以后,酶活力仍保持在45%。     

Glycolate oxidase isoforms are distributed between the bundle sheath and mesophyll tissues of maize leaves

Glycolate oxidase (EC 1.1.3.15) activity was detected both in the bundle sheath (79%) and mesophyll (21%) tissues of maize leaves. Three peaks of glycolate oxidase activity were separated from maize leaves by the linear KCl gradient elution from the DEAE-Toyopearl column. The first peak corresponded to the glycolate oxidase isoenzyme located in the bundle sheath cells, the second peak had a dual location and the third peak was related to the mesophyll fraction. The mesophyll isoenzyme showed higher affinity for glycolate (Km 23 micromol x L(-1)) and a higher pH optimum (7.5-7.6) as compared to the bundle sheath isoenzyme (Km 65 micromol x L(-1), pH optimum 7.3). The bundle sheath isoenzyme was strongly activated by isocitrate and by succinate while the mesophyll isoenzyme was activated by isocitrate only slightly and was inhibited by succinate. It is concluded that although the glycolate oxidase activity is mainly attributed to the bundle sheath, conversion of glycolate to glyoxylate occurs also in the mesophyll tissue of C4 plant leaves.