Cloning and Expression of Pseudomonas taetrolens Y-30 Gene Encoding Glutamine Synthetase: An Enzyme Available for Theanine Production by Coupled Fermentation with Energy Transfer

Glutamine synthetase (GS) of Pseudomonas taetrolens Y-30 can form theanine from glutamic acid and ethylamine in a mixture where yeast fermentation of sugar is coupled for ATP regeneration (coupled fermentation with energy transfer). From a genomic DNA library of P. taetrolens Y-30, a clone containing 6 kbp insertional DNA fragment was selected by the PCR screening technique with specific oligonucleotide primers for the GS gene. The fragment had an open reading frame of the GS gene encoding a protein of 468 amino acids (molecular mass, 52 kDa). The deduced amino acid sequence showed a significant homology with that of P. syringae pv. tomato GS (97%), and all the amino acid residues were fully conserved, which concern with catalytic activity in other bacterial GS. A tyrosine residue for adenylylation of GS was also found, and in vivo adenylylation was confirmed in P. taetrolens Y-30. The isolated GS gene was ligated into an expression vector (pET21a), and expressed in Escherichia coli AD494 (DE3). The enzyme productivity in the expression system was 30-fold higher than that in P. taetrolens Y-30. Recombinant GS had the same properties as those of unnadenylylated intrinsic GS, and formed theanine in the mixture of coupled fermentation with energy transfer.     

Purification and characterization of glutamine synthetase of Pseudomonas taetrolens Y-30: an enzyme usable for production of theanine by coupling with the alcoholic fermentation system of baker's yeast

Concentrated cell-extract of Pseudomonas taetrolens Y-30, isolated as a methylamine-assimilating organism, formed gamma-glutamylethylamide (theanine) from glutamic acid and ethylamine in a mixture containing the alcoholic fermentation system of baker's yeast for ATP-regeneration. Glutamine synthetase (GS), probably responsible for theanine formation, was isolated from the extract of the organism grown on a medium containing 1% methylamine, 1% glycerol, 0.5% yeast extract, and 0.2% polypepton as carbon and nitrogen sources. The molecular mass was estimated to be 660 kDa by gel filtration and 55 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, suggesting that Ps. taetrolens Y-30 GS consists of 12 identical subunits. The enzyme required Mg2+ or Mn2+ for its activity. Under the standard reaction condition for glutamine formation (pH 8.0 with 30 mM Mg2+), GS showed 7% and 1% reactivity toward methylamine and ethylamine respectively of that to ammonia. Reactivity to the alkylamines varied with optimum pH of the reaction in response to divalent cation in the mixture: pH 11.0 was the optimum for the Mg2+ -dependent reaction with ethylamine, and pH 8.5 was the optimum for the Mn2+ -dependent reaction. In a mixture of an optimum reaction condition with 1000 mM ethylamine (at pH 8.5 with 3 mM Mn2+), reactivity increased up to 7% of the reactivity to ammonia in the standard reaction condition. The isolated GS formed theanine in the mixture with the yeast fermentation system.     

Theanine production by coupled fermentation with energy transfer employing Pseudomonas taetrolens Y-30 glutamine synthetase and baker's yeast cells

Theanine was formed from glutamic acid and ethylamine by coupling the reaction of glutamine synthetase (GS) of Pseudomonas taetrolens Y-30 with sugar fermentation of baker's yeast cells as an ATP-regeneration system. Theanine formation was stimulated by the addition of Mn2+ to the mixture for the coupling. The addition of Mg2+ was less effective. In a mixture containing a larger amount of yeast cells with a fixed level of GS, glucose (the energy source) was consumed rapidly, resulting in a decrease in the final yield of theanine. On the other hand, an increase in GS amounts increased theanine formation in a mixture with a fixed amount of yeast cells. High concentrations of ethylamine enhanced theanine formation whereas inhibited yeast fermentation of sugar and the two contrary effects of ethylamine caused a high yield of theanine based on glucose consumed. In an improved reaction mixture containing 200 mM sodium glutamate, 1,200 mM ethylamine, 300 mM glucose, 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), 5 mM MnCl2, 5 mM AMP, 100 units/ml GS, and 60 mg/ml yeast cells, approximately 170 mM theanine was formed in 48 h.     

Cloning and expression of Methylovorus mays No. 9 gene encoding gamma-glutamylmethylamide synthetase: an enzyme usable in theanine formation by coupling with the alcoholic fermentation system of baker's yeast

Gamma-glutamylmethylamide synthetase (GMAS), found in an obligate methylotroph, Methylovorus mays No. 9, can form theanine from glutamic acid and ethylamine in a mixture in which yeast sugar fermentation is coupled for ATP regeneration. The internal and N-terminal amino acid sequences of GMAS had certain similarities to putative glutamine synthetase type III (GS III) of Methylobacillus flagellatus KT. From the M. mays No. 9 genomic DNA library, a clone containing a 6.5-kbp insertional DNA fragment was selected by the PCR screening technique with oligonucleotide primers specific for the GMAS gene. The fragment had an open reading frame of the GMAS gene encoding a protein of 444 amino acids (molecular mass, 49 kDa). The deduced amino acid sequence showed significant identity with that of Met. flagellatus KT GS III (78%). The isolated gene was ligated into an expression vector (pET21a) and expressed in Escherichia coli AD494 (DE3). Enzyme productivity in the expression system was about 23-fold higher than that in M. mays No. 9. Recombinant GMAS had the same properties as intrinsic GMAS, and it formed theanine by coupling the reaction with the ATP-regeneration system of yeast sugar fermentation.     

Characterization of theanine-forming enzyme from Methylovorus mays no. 9 in respect to utilization of theanine production

For development of theanine production from glutamic acid and ethylamine by coupling yeast sugar fermentation as an ATP-regenerating system, several strains were selected from among about 200 methylamine- and/or methanol-assimilating bacteria depending on the theanine-forming activity of their permeated cells. The amount of theanine formed by the cells of the selected strains was much larger than that by the cells of Escherichia coli AD494 (DE3) expressing Pseudomonas taetrolens Y-30 glutamine synthetase (GS), which has been found to be a usable enzyme for theanine production. A GS-like enzyme responsible for the theanine-forming reaction was obtained from an obligate methylotroph isolate, Methylovorus mays No. 9. The enzyme was induced by methylamine in the culture medium. A molecular mass of 410-470 kDa was obtained by gel filtration of the enzyme, and 51 kDa by SDS-PAGE analysis. The enzyme showed high activity toward methylamine rather than ammonia, which indicates that it is similar to known gamma-glutamylmethylamide synthetase. The isolated enzyme also had high reactivity to ethylamine in a neutral pH range, and formed theanine from glutamic acid and ethylamine in a reaction mixture containing a yeast sugar fermentation system for ATP-regeneration.     

Repeated Batch Production of Theanine by Coupled Fermentation with Energy Transfer Using Membrane-Enclosed γ-Glutamylmethylamide Synthetase and Dried Yeast Cells

γ-Glutamylmethylamide synthetase and dried baker’s yeast cells were enclosed together in a dialysis membrane tube to produce theanine repeatedly by coupled fermentation with energy transfer. The membrane-enclosed enzyme preparation (M-EEP) formed approximately 600 mM theanine from glutamic acid and ethylamine at a 100% conversion rate. M-EEP maintained its productivity of theanine during six consecutive reactions in a mixture containing NAD⁺.     

Theanine production by coupled fermentation with energy transfer using gamma-glutamylmethylamide synthetase of Methylovorus mays No. 9

Gamma-glutamylmetylamide synthetase (GMAS) of Methylovorus mays No. 9, produced by Eschericia coli AD494 (DE3) harboring pET21aGM, formed theanine from glutamic acid and ethylamine with coupling of the reaction with sugar fermentation of baker's yeast cells as an ATP-regeneration system. Theanine formation was stimulated by the addition of Mn(2+) to the reaction mixture, whereas Mg(2+) was less effective. Increases to a certain level in the concentrations of GMAS and the substrates in the mixture were effective in increasing theanine formation, but high concentrations of ethylamine (900 mM or more) inhibited yeast sugar fermentation, and eventually decreased theanine formation. The inhibitory effect of ethylamine was restored by increasing the concentration of potassium phosphate buffer in the mixture. Approximately 600 mM (110 mg/ml) theanine was formed in 48 h in an improved reaction mixture containing 600 mM sodium glutamate, 600 mM ethylamine.HCl, 300 mM glucose, 200 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), 30 mM MgCl(2), 5 mM MnCl(2), 5 mM AMP, 30 units/ml of GMAS, and 40 mg/ml of yeast cells. The yield of theanine was 100% on the substrates (glutamic acid and ethylamine) and also on the energy source (glucose consumed).     

Adenylylation and catalytic properties of Mycobacterium tuberculosis glutamine synthetase expressed in Escherichia coli versus mycobacteria

Bacterial glutamine synthetases (GSs) are complex dodecameric oligomers that play a critical role in nitrogen metabolism, converting ammonia and glutamate to glutamine. Recently published reports suggest that GS from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb) may be a therapeutic target (Harth, G., and Horwitz, M. A. (2003) Infect. Immun. 71, 456-464). In some bacteria, GS is regulated via adenylylation of some or all of the subunits within the aggregate; catalytic activity is inversely proportional to the extent of adenylylation. The adenylylation and deadenylylation of GS are catalyzed by adenylyl transferase (ATase). Here, we demonstrate via electrospray ionization mass spectrometry that GS from pathogenic M. tuberculosis is adenylylated by the Escherichia coli ATase. The adenylyl group can be hydrolyzed by snake venom phosphodiesterase to afford the unmodified enzyme. The site of adenylylation of MTb GS by the E. coli ATase is Tyr-406, as indicated by the lack of adenylylation of the Y406F mutant, and, as expected, is based on amino acid sequence alignments. Using electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy methodology, we found that GS is not adenylylated when obtained directly from MTb cultures that are not supplemented with glutamine. Under these conditions, the highly related but non-pathogenic Mycobacterium bovis BCG yields partially ( approximately 25%) adenylylated enzyme. Upon the addition of glutamine to the cultures, the MTb GS becomes significantly adenylylated ( approximately 30%), whereas the adenylylation of M. bovis BCG GS does not change. Collectively, the results demonstrate that MTb GS is a substrate for E. coli ATase, but only low adenylylation states are accessible. This parallels the low adenylylation states observed for GS from mycobacteria and suggests the intriguing possibility that adenylylation in the pathogenic versus non-pathogenic mycobacteria is differentially regulated.     

Regulation of nitrogenase activity in Anabaena variabilis by modification of the Fe protein

The glutamine synthetase (GS) gene from Bacillus subtilis PCI 219 was cloned in Escherichia coli using the vector pBR329. A plasmid, pSGS2, was isolated from a glnA+ transformant and the cloned GS gene was found to be located in a 3.6 kb DNA fragment. The nucleotide sequence of a 1.8 kb segment encoding the GS was determined. This segment showed an open reading frame which would encode a polypeptide of 444 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of this GS gene product has higher homology with that of the Clostridium acetobutylicum GS than that of the E. coli GS.     

Investigating the effects of posttranslational adenylylation on the metal binding sites of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase using lanthanide luminescence spectroscopy.

Lanthanide luminescence was used to examine the effects of posttranslational adenylylation on the metal binding sites of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase (GS). These studies revealed the presence of two lanthanide ion binding sites of GS of either adenylylation extrema. Individual emission decay lifetimes were obtained in both H2O and D2O solvent systems, allowing for the determination of the number of water molecules coordinated to each bound Eu3+. The results indicate that there are 4.3 +/- 0.5 and 4.6 +/- 0.5 water molecules coordinated to Eu3+ bound to the n1 site of unadenylylated enzyme, GS0, and fully adenylylated enzyme, GS12, respectively, and that there are 2.6 +/- 0.5 water molecules coordinated to Eu3+ at site n2 for both GS0 and GS12. Energy transfer measurements between the lanthanide donor-acceptor pair Eu3+ and Nd3+, obtained an intermetal distance measurement of 12.1 +/- 1.5 A. Distances between a Tb3+ ion at site n2 and tryptophan residues were also performed with the use of single-tryptophan mutant forms of E. coli GS. The dissociation constant for lanthanide ion binding to site n1 was observed to decrease from Kd = 0.35 +/- 0.09 microM for GS0 to Kd = 0.06 +/- 0.02 microM for GS12. The dissociation constant for lanthanide ion binding to site n2 remained unchanged as a function of adenylylation state; Kd = 3.8 +/- 0.9 microM and Kd = 2.6 +/- 0.7 microM for GS0 and GS12, respectively. Competition experiments indicate that Mn2+ affinity at site n1 decreases as a function of increasing adenylylation state, from Kd = 0.05 +/- 0.02 microM for GS0 to Kd = 0.35 +/- 0.09 microM for GS12. Mn2+ affinity at site n2 remains unchanged (Kd = 5.3 +/- 1.3 microM for GS0 and Kd = 4.0 +/- 1.0 microM for GS12). The observed divalent metal ion affinities, which are affected by the adenylylation state, agrees with other steady-state substrate experiments (Abell LM, Villafranca JJ, 1991, Biochemistry 30:1413-1418), supporting the hypothesis that adenylylation regulates GS by altering substrate and metal ion affinities.     

Cloning, nucleotide sequencing, and expression of tetanus toxin fragment C in Escherichia coli.

The amino acid sequence of the first 30 residues of fragment C of tetanus toxin was determined, and a mixture of 32 complementary oligonucleotides, each 17 bases long, was synthesized. A 2-kilobase (kb) EcoI fragment of Clostridium tetani DNA was identified by Southern blotting and was cloned into the Escherichia coli plasmid vector pAT153 with the 32P-labeled oligonucleotide mixture as a probe. A second 3.2-kb Bg/II fragment was identified and cloned with the 2-kb EcoRI fragment as a probe. The nucleotide sequence of 1.8 kb of this DNA was determined and was shown to encode the entire fragment C and a portion of fragment B of tetanus toxin. The tetanus DNA was expressed in E. coli with pWRL507, a plasmid vector containing the trp promoter and a portion of the trpE gene. The trpE-tetanus fusion proteins were visualized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and were shown to react with anti-fragment C antibody.     

Glutamine synthetase of Klebsiella aerogenes: genetic and physiological properties of mutants in the adenylylation system.

Mutations resulting in defects in the adenylylation system of glutamine synthetase (GS) affect the expression of glnA, the structural gene for GS. Mutants with lesions in glnB are glutamine auxotrophs and contain repressed levels of highly adenylylated GS. Glutamine-independent revertants of the glnB3 mutant have acquired an additional mutation at the glnE site. The glnE54 mutant is incapable of adenylylating GS and produces high levels of enzyme, even when ammonia is present in the growth medium. The fact that mutations in glnB and glnE simultaneously disturb both the normal adenylylation and repression patterns of GS in Klebsiella aerogenes indicates that the adenylylation system, or adenylylation state, of GS is critical for the regulation of synthesis of GS.     

苦瓜MAP30基因的毕赤酵母表达载体构建及重组菌株的筛选

目的:从苦瓜中克隆MAP30全长基因,并将该基因连接至表达载体pPIC9中,建立酵母菌落PCR筛选方法。方法采用改良SDS法从苦瓜表皮中提取基因组DNA,设计特异性的引物,通过PCR技术扩增出全长861bp的MAP30基因。该基因经XhoⅠ和EcoRⅠ双酶切,连接至毕赤酵母表达载体pPIC9中。重组载体转化GS115菌株,运用菌落PCR鉴定重组菌株。结果:基因测序表明,该基因已成功插入酵母表达载体pPIC9α-factor分泌信号下游,同源性分析表明该基因与GeneBank(AF284811)的核苷酸同源性达99.9%,氨基酸同源性达100%。菌落PCR显示外源基因已整合入酵母GS115菌株中。结论:成功地克隆了MAP30全长基因,并构建了含MAP30基因的重组毕赤酵母表达载体,并获得了整合菌株,为下一步研究奠定了基础。     

Characterization and location of the L-proline activating fragment from the multifunctional gramicidin S synthetase 2

Gramicidin S synthetase 2 (GS2) derived from Bacillus brevis is a multifunctional single polypeptide (Mr 280,000) with a 4'-phosphopantetheine residue covalently bound to the enzyme. When GS2 was treated with trypsin or chymotrypsin, fragments with some activity were liberated. The molecular mass of the L-proline activating fragment was 114 kDa on SDS-PAGE. This fragment, when incubated with gramicidin S synthetase 1 (GS1) in the presence of phenylalanine and proline, produced D-Phe-L-Pro dipeptide. The fragment accepted D-phenylalanine from GS1 in the absence of L-proline. The L-proline activating fragment was shown to lack pantothenic acid by microbiological assay. On the other hand, the L-leucine activating fragment, which was partially purified, contained a large amount of pantothenic acid, although it did not form the D-Phe-L-Pro dipeptide. These results indicate that the L-proline activating site is located near an acceptor site for D-phenylalanine on GS2, but that it is not adjacent to a 4'-phosphopantetheine group. The N-terminal sequence (15 amino acid residues) of the L-proline activating fragment obtained by trypsin treatment was identical with that of GS2, indicating that the L-proline activating site is located at the N-terminus of the native synthetase. The N-terminal sequence of GS2 has been matched with the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence 71 bp downstream of the stop codon of the GS1 gene except that the first initiator methionine was not detected.     

Adenylylation: renaissance of a forgotten post-translational modification

The stable post-translational modification of proteins by adenylylation or uridylylation was discovered more than four decades ago as a mechanism to regulate the activity of enzymes. Although many other processes involving the covalent transfer of an AMP residue to an amino acid side chain have been identified since then, these are transient adenylylation events that essentially use the free energy of ATP hydrolysis to activate specific processes. Recently, new examples of stable adenylylation of small GTPases involved in signal transduction and regulation of cellular events were discovered, which appear to modulate downstream processes such as cytoskeletal rearrangement and vesicular trafficking. We present a survey of the historical and modern phases of research in this area, focusing on the common and differing aspects of protein adenylylation.     

圈卷产色链霉菌尼可霉素生物合成基因——sanH和sanI的研究

通过反向遗传学方法克隆到圈卷产色链霉菌尼可霉素生物合成基因簇中约7.0kb的DNA片段。该片段除含有尼可霉素生物合成基因sanF外,对sanF上游约22kb的BglⅡDNA片段进行序列测定及分析表明,还含有两个完整的开放阅读框(ORF)。ORF1由1233个核苷酸组成,ORF2由195个核苷酸组成,它们分别编码由410个氨基酸残基和64个氨基酸残基组成的蛋白质,依次命名为sanH和sanI。蛋白序列数据库比较结果表明,SanH和SanI与浅灰链霉菌(\%Streptomyces griseolus)\%中共转录的细胞色素P450(cytochrome P450)和铁氧还蛋白(ferredoxin)有较高的同源性,一致性分别为46%和56%,相似性分别为62%和70%。基因功能研究表明,sanH基因的破坏虽不影响圈卷产色链霉菌产生的尼可霉素的生物活性,但该基因可能参与了尼可霉素羟基化反应的生物合成。