Regulation and Physiological Role of the DAS1 Gene, Encoding Dihydroxyacetone Synthase, in the Methylotrophic Yeast Candida boidinii

The physiological role of dihydroxyacetone synthase (DHAS) in Candida boidinii was evaluated at the molecular level. The DAS1 gene, encoding DHAS, was cloned from the host genome, and regulation of its expression by various carbon and nitrogen sources was analyzed. Western and Northern analyses revealed that DAS1 expression was regulated mainly at the mRNA level. The regulatory pattern of DHAS was similar to that of alcohol oxidase but distinct from that of two other enzymes in the formaldehyde dissimilation pathway, glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase. The DAS1 gene was disrupted in one step in the host genome (das1Δ strain), and the growth of the das1Δ strain in various carbon and nitrogen sources was compared with that of the wild-type strain. The das1Δ strain had completely lost the ability to grow on methanol, while the strain with a disruption of the formate dehydrogenase gene could survive (Y. Sakai et al., J. Bacteriol. 179:4480–4485, 1997). These and other experiments (e.g., those to determine the expression of the gene and the growth ability of the das1Δ strain on media containing methylamine or choline as a nitrogen source) suggested that DAS1 is involved in assimilation rather than dissimilation or detoxification of formaldehyde in the cells.     

A Methylotrophic Pathway Participates in Pectin Utilization by Candida boidinii

The methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii S2 was found to be able to grow on pectin or polygalacturonate as a carbon source. When cells were grown on 1% (wt/vol) pectin, C. boidinii exhibited induced levels of the pectin-depolymerizing enzymes pectin methylesterase (208 mU/mg of protein), pectin lyase (673 mU/mg), pectate lyase (673 mU/mg), and polygalacturonase (3.45 U/mg) and two methanol-metabolizing peroxisomal enzymes, alcohol oxidase (0.26 U/mg) and dihydroxyacetone synthase (94 mU/mg). The numbers of peroxisomes also increased ca. two- to threefold in cells grown on these pectic compounds (3.34 and 2.76 peroxisomes/cell for cells grown on pectin and polygalacturonate, respectively) compared to the numbers in cells grown on glucose (1.29 peroxisomes/cell). The cell density obtained with pectin increased as the degree of methyl esterification of pectic compounds increased, and it decreased in strains from which genes encoding alcohol oxidase and dihydroxyacetone synthase were deleted and in a peroxisome assembly mutant. Our study showed that methanol metabolism and peroxisome assembly play important roles in the degradation of pectin, especially in the utilization of its methyl ester moieties.     

黑曲霉葡萄糖氧化酶基因的克隆及其在酵母中的高效表达

将黑曲霉葡萄糖氧化酶(GOD)基因重组进大肠杆菌酵母穿梭质粒Ppic9,转化甲基营养酵母Pichia pastoris GS115,构建出GOD的高产酵母工程菌株。在酵母αFactor及AOX1基因启动子和终止信号的调控下,黑曲霉GOD在甲基酵母中大量表达并分泌至胞外,经甲醇诱导3～4d,发酵液中的GOD活力可达30～40u/mL。SDS-PAGE证实GOD在培养物上清中的含量显著高于其它杂蛋白,约占胞外蛋白总量的60%～70%,经Q SepharoseTMFast Flow离子交换柱一步纯化即达电泳纯。重组酵母GOD比活达426.63u/mg蛋白,是商品黑曲霉GOD的1.6倍。动力学性质分析表明,重组酵母GOD的K_m和K_cat分别为38.25mmol/L和3492.66s-1,与商品黑曲霉GOD相比,具有更高的催化效率。重组酵母GOD的高活力特性可有效提高葡萄糖传感器的线性检测范围。     

Molecular Characterization of Two Genes with High Similarity to the Dihydroxyacetone Synthase Gene in the Methylotrophic Yeast Pichia methanolica

The methylotrophic yeast Pichia methanolica possesses two genes, PmDAS1 and PmDLP1, whose amino acid sequences show high similarity to dihydroxyacetone synthase (DAS), the formaldehyde-fixing enzyme for methanol metabolism within the peroxisome. The PmDAS1 and PmDLP1 genes encode 709 and 707 amino acid residues respectively, and PmDas1p contains a type-1 peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS1), while PmDlp1p does not. Upon phylogenetic analysis, PmDas1p fit into the DAS group with other DASs, while PmDlp1p was grouped with the DAS-like proteins (DLP) of non-methylotrophic yeasts and fungi, a branch of the phylogenetic tree independent of the DAS and transketolase (TK) groups. While expression of PmDAS1 restored the methylotrophic growth of the Candida boidinii das1Δ strain, the PmDLP1 and PmDAS1?ΔPTS1 genes did not. Taken together, these results indicate that PmDAS1 encodes a functional DAS and has an indispensable role in methanol metabolism, and that PmDlp1p share a common, as yet uncharacterized function in P. methanolica as well as in non-methylotrophic yeasts and fungi.     

Methanol-Inducible Promoter of Thermotolerant Methylotrophic Yeast Ogataea thermomethanolica BCC16875 Potential for Production of Heterologous Protein at High Temperatures

Methanol-utilizing metabolism is generally found in methylotrophic yeasts. Several potential promoters regulating enzymes in this pathway have been extensively studied, especially alcohol oxidase. Here, we characterized the alcohol oxidase gene promoter from thermotolerant Ogataea thermomethanolica (OthAOX). This promoter can be induced by methanol, and was shown to regulate expression of phytase up to 45 °C. The pattern of heterologous phytase N-glycosylation depends on the induction temperature. Unlike the AOX promoter from Pichia pastoris, this OthAOX initially turns on the expression of the heterologous protein at the de-repression stage in the presence of glycerol. Full induction of protein is observed when methanol is present. With this methanol-inducible promoter, target protein can be initially produced prior to the induction phase, which would help shorten the time for protein production. Being able to drive protein expression at various temperatures prompts this newly identified AOX promoter to be potential tool for heterologous protein production in high temperature conditions.     

Expression of Recombinant Proteins in the Methylotrophic Yeast Pichia pastoris

Protein expression in the microbial eukaryotic host Pichia pastoris offers the possibility to generate high amounts of recombinant protein in a fast and easy to use expression system.As a single-celled microorganism P. pastoris is easy to manipulate and grows rapidly on inexpensive media at high cell densities. Being a eukaryote, P. pastoris is able to perform many of the post-translational modifications performed by higher eukaryotic cells and the obtained recombinant proteins undergo protein folding, proteolytic processing, disulfide bond formation and glycosylation [1].As a methylotrophic yeast P. pastoris is capable of metabolizing methanol as its sole carbon source. The strong promoter for alcohol oxidase, AOX1, is tightly regulated and induced by methanol and it is used for the expression of the gene of interest. Accordingly, the expression of the foreign protein can be induced by adding methanol to the growth medium [2; 3].Another important advantage is the secretion of the recombinant protein into the growth medium, using a signal sequence to target the foreign protein to the secretory pathway of P. pastoris. With only low levels of endogenous protein secreted to the media by the yeast itself and no added proteins to the media, a heterologous protein builds the majority of the total protein in the medium and facilitates following protein purification steps [3; 4].The vector used here (pPICZαA) contains the AOX1 promoter for tightly regulated, methanol-induced expression of the gene of interest; the α-factor secretion signal for secretion of the recombinant protein, a Zeocin resistance gene for selection in both E. coli and Pichia and a C-terminal peptide containing the c-myc epitope and a polyhistidine (6xHis) tag for detection and purification of a recombinant protein. We also show western blot analysis of the recombinant protein using the specific Anti-myc-HRP antibody recognizing the c-myc epitope on the parent vector.Download video file.^{(116M, mp4)}     

甲醇酵母基因表达系统的研究进展

在大肠杆菌这一传统表达系统被频繁用作研究各种基因表达时,一种新型且有效的基因表达系统--甲醇酵母正逐渐引起人们的注意。此系统不仅具有高表达、高稳定、高分泌的特点,而且其宿主甲醇酵母--巴斯德毕赤酵母（Ｐｉｃｈｉａｐａｓｔｏｒｉｓ）具有高密度生长的特性。因此近年来此表达系统的研究得到迅速发展,在其中表达了多种具有商业价值的外源蛋白。本文对甲醇酵母基因表达系统的特点及研究进展作一简要综述。     

影响甲醇酵母中外源蛋白表达的因素

甲醇酵母系统由于其在表达蛋白方面无可比拟的优越性,已越来越得到广泛的应用。但不同的个源蛋白表达量有很大差异。介绍了影响甲醇酵母中外源蛋白表达的因素,这将有助于揭示甲醇酵母中外源蛋白表达的内在机制。     

人胰岛素在甲醇酵母Pichia pastoris中的分泌表达

将猪胰岛素前体基因和在其５’端引入９个氨基酸的间隔肽序列的ＰＩＰ基因插入到Ｐｉｃｈｉａ ｐａｓｔｏｒｉｓ的分泌表达质粒ｐＰＩＣ９中,得到分泌表达质粒ｐｐＩＣ９／ＰＩＰ和ｐＰＣ９／ｓｐ－ＰＩＰ７并用以转化ｐａｓｔｏｒｉｓ ＧＳ１１５。用点杂交筛选,获得高拷贝转化Ｐ３９（－ｓｐ）和Ｓ５１（＋ｓｐ）。     

人p53蛋白在巴斯德毕赤酵母中的表达

将人ｐ５３ 基因装入 Ｐｉｃｈｉａ 分泌型质粒ｐ Ｈ Ｉ Ｌ Ｓ１ 中,酶切线性化后电穿孔导入酵母细胞进行整合,经筛选得到一高表达ｐ５３ 蛋白的克隆。 Ｓ Ｄ Ｓ Ｐ Ａ Ｇ Ｅ 显示表达量约占分泌总量的３０ ％ 。 Ｅ Ｌ Ｉ Ｓ Ａ 验证重组人ｐ５３ 存在免疫学活性。在诱导时就降低 Ｐｉｃｈｉａ 酵母系统水解酶活力等方面进行优化,经 Ｆ Ｐ Ｌ Ｃ 分离纯化得到约２００ ｍ ｇ／ Ｌ 表达量。     

Characterization and high-level production of D-amino acid oxidase in Candida boidinii

D-Amino acid oxidase (DAO, EC 1.4.3.3) from a methylotrophic yeast, Candida boidinii, was produced at a high level under the control of the alcohol oxidase gene promoter in the original host. The enzyme was a peroxisomal and monomeric enzyme, and contained noncovalently-bound FAD as a cofactor. The enzyme was active toward several D-amino acids such as D-Ala, D-Met, and D-Ser. An alcohol oxidase-depleted strain (aod1delta) was found to be a more suitable host for DAO production than the wild-type strain. Several post-translational effects may be responsible for the improvement of the DAO productivity by the aod1delta strain. Finally, an aod1delta strain transformant having multi-copies of an expression plasmid on its chromosome could produce DAO amounting up to 30% of the total soluble proteins.     

Characterization of the Gene Cluster Responsible for Cylindrospermopsin Biosynthesis

Toxic cyanobacterial blooms cause economic losses and pose significant public health threats on a global scale. Characterization of the gene cluster for the biosynthesis of the cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin (cyr) in Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii AWT205 is described, and the complete biosynthetic pathway is proposed. The cyr gene cluster spans 43 kb and is comprised of 15 open reading frames containing genes required for the biosynthesis, regulation, and export of the toxin. Biosynthesis is initiated via an amidinotransfer onto glycine followed by five polyketide extensions and subsequent reductions, and rings are formed via Michael additions in a stepwise manner. The uracil ring is formed by a novel pyrimidine biosynthesis mechanism and tailoring reactions, including sulfation and hydroxylation that complete biosynthesis. These findings enable the design of toxic strain-specific probes and allow the future study of the regulation and biological role of cylindrospermopsin.     

Isolation and Characterization of a Mutant of a Methanol Yeast,Candida boidinii S2, with Higher Formaldehyde Productivity

We isolated a mutant strain of a methanol-utilizing yeast, Candida boidinii S2, which shows improved formaldehyde productivity. The procedure for mutant screening consisted of; 1) induction of alcohol oxidase on a methanol-plate, 2) catabolite inactivation of alcohol oxidase on a glucose-plate, and 3) visualization of alcohol oxidase activity in a colony. One of the mutants, strain AOU-1, showed 1.7 times higher formaldehyde productivity and a higher growth rate on methanol than the parent strain. The high formaldehyde productivity was proved to be due to the high alcohol oxidase activity. No qualitative change of the enzyme was detected between the parent strain and mutant strain AOU-1. The high activity of mutant strain AOU-1 could be attributed to a quantitative change and a change in the rate of enzyme synthesis. Catabolite repression and inactivation of alcohol oxidase in the mutant were also discussed.     

甲醇酵母表达系统高拷贝数整合型表达载体的构建

以甲醇酵母(Hansenula polymorpha)表达系统的Yip型表达载体pJF5-1为基础,通过引入宿主来源的一个rDNA随机顺序和由SV40早期启动子控制的G418抗性基因(neo)及对野生型标记基因Hpleu2启动子大部分上游序列的缺失,构建了一个高拷贝整合型表达载体pMIRH。有关转化、筛选和拷贝分析等试验结果表明,由pMIRH可产生含高拷贝数载体的转化子,并可通过由leu2+筛选和G418抗性筛选所组成的二级筛选方法富集这些含高拷贝数载体的转化子。有关完整DNA和消化DNA Southern杂交分析结果进一步表明,上述高拷贝数的载体以串联重复排列的方式整合于宿主基因组。     

Purification and Characterization of Xylose Isomerase of a Methanol Yeast,Candida boidinii,Which is Involved in Sorbitol Production from Glucose

d-Xylose (xylose) isomerase was extracted from xylose-grown cells of a methanol yeast, Candida boidinii (Kloeckera sp.) No. 2201. The enzyme was purified 70-fold, over the original cell- free extract, with a yield of 2.4% in a homogeneous state, as judged on sodium dodecyl sulfate- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined to be 130,000, the enzyme being composed of two subunits of 65,000. The optimum pH and temperature for activity were 4.5 and 37~45°C, respectively. The enzyme activity was markedly enhanced by Mn²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Co²⁺, and the enzyme isomerized aldopentoses and aldohexoses. The Km values for xylose and d-glucose were 5.6 × 10?¹m and 4.1 × 10?¹m, and the V_max values were 5.8 × 10² and 3.3 × 10² µmol/min/mg, respectively. NaHAsO₄ 7H₂O and NaCN strongly inhibited the activity, but HgCl₂, NaN₃, dithiothreitol, monoiodoacetate and polyols such as d-sorbitol, xylitol and d-mannitol did not inhibit the activity.     

自身抗原组氨酰转移核糖核酸合成酶基因在巴斯德毕赤酵母中的分泌表达研究

目的:通过基因克隆在巴斯德毕赤酵母中表达人自身抗原组氨酰转移核糖核酸合成酶(HRS或Jo-1)。方法:PCR扩增Jo-1基因,与酵母表达载体pPIC9k重组,构建表达质粒pPIC9k-Jo-1。用电穿孔法转化酵母菌SMD1168,在MD平板上筛选重组克隆,用G418快速筛选高拷贝转化子,阳性克隆经甲醇诱导表达后,培养上清用SDS-PAGE和免疫酶斑点法鉴定。结果:PCR产物长约1500bp,与预期1526bp接近;pPIC9k-Jo-1重组阳性克隆测序结果与GenBank核酸数据库的报道完全一致,双酶切鉴定正确,表达产物Jo-1的相对分子质量约55000,免疫酶斑点法证实表达产物具有天然Jo-1分子的免疫原性,阴性对照菌未见目的表达条带。结论:Jo-1在巴斯德毕赤酵母中分泌表达成功,为后续研究打下了基础。     

Production and Characterization of Recombinant Phanerochaete chrysosporium Cellobiose Dehydrogenase in the Methylotrophic Yeast Pichia pastoris

The hemoflavoenzyme cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) from the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium has been heterologously expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. After 4 days of cultivation in the induction medium, the expression level reached 1800 U/L (79 mg/L) of CDH activity, which is considerably higher than that obtained previously for wild-type CDH (wtCDH) and recombinant CDH (rCDH) produced by P. chrysosporium. Analysis with SDS-PAGE and Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) staining revealed a major protein band with an approximate molecular mass of 100 kDa, which was identified as rCDH by Western blotting. The absorption spectrum of rCDH shows that the protein contains one flavin and one heme cofactor per protein molecule, as does wtCDH. The kinetic parameters for rCDH using cellobiose, ubiquinone, and cytochrome c, as well as the cellulose-binding properties of rCDH were nearly identical to those of wtCDH. From these results, we conclude that the rCDH produced by Pichia pastoris retains the catalytic and cellulose-binding properties of the wild-type enzyme, and that the Pichia expression system is well suited for high-level production of rCDH.     

Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of Catalase from the Methylotrophic Yeast Pichia pastoris

Catalase (CAT_pp) with molecular weight 223 kD was isolated from the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris and purified 90-fold by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Quantitative parameters of absorption and CD spectra of CAT_pp solutions and of its membrane-concentrated form (CAT_pp-conc) were studied. Rates of H₂O₂ decomposition and kinetic characteristics K _m and k _cat of CAT_pp and CAT_pp-conc were determined in 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) at 30°C, as well as the effective constant k _in of the enzyme inactivation rate during the catalysis and the constant k ₂ of the interaction rate of the Complex I catalases with H₂O₂. Thermal inactivation of CAT_pp in solutions at 45°C was characterized by the effective rate constant k _in ^*, and the low-frequency (27 kHz) ultrasonic inactivation of CAT_pp at 20°C was characterized by the firstorder rate constant k _in (US). All spectral and kinetic characteristics of CAT_pp and CAT_pp-conc were compared with the corresponding values for catalase from bovine liver (CAT) and for catalase from the methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii (CAT_cb). All three catalases were rather similar in their spectral properties but strongly varied in their kinetic parameters, and their comparison suggests that CAT_pp should be the best enzyme in its overall properties as it displayed the maximal efficiency in terms of k _cat/K _m, thermal stability comparable with the thermal stability of CAT in terms of k _in ^*, the minimal k _in, and high stability in the ultrasonic cavitation field at the US power of 60 W/cm².