Bacterial alginate lyase inactive on alginate biosynthesized by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A bacterium (strain Al) isolated from a ditch produces three kinds of intracellular alginate lyases [Al-I (molecular weight: M.W. 60,000), Al-II-1 (M.W. 60,000) and Al-II-2]; the former two lyases have been purified and characterized (Yonemoto et al., J. Ferment. Bioeng., 72, 152–157, 1991). As part of a series of studies, Al-II-2 lyase was purified from cell-free extract of the bacterium. The lyase, with a M.W. of 25,000, depolymerized sodium-, potassium- and propyleneglycol alginates most efficiently at pH 8.0, 70°C, but it was inactive toward bacterial alginates with O-acetyl groups.     

Bacterial alginate lyase gene: Nucleotide sequence and molecular route for generation of alginate lyase species

A bacterium (strain A1) isolated from a ditch synthesized three types of intracellular alginate lyases: A1-I (molecular weight [M.W.] 60,000), A1-II-2 (M.W. 25,000) and A1-III (M.W. 38,000). The nucleotide sequence of the gene for A1-I lyase, which has been cloned in Escherichia coli DH1 was determined. The open reading frame of the gene encoded 622 amino acids with a calculated M.W. of 69,153. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of A1-I lyase purified from strain A1 or E. coli DH1 cells transformed with the A1-I lyase gene was consistent with the deduced sequence from ⁵⁵His to ⁷⁴Ala, indicating that the A1-I lyase was synthesized as a precursor with a M.W. of 69,153 and then processed to a mature form with a M.W. of 63,681. The N-terminal sequence of the first twenty amino acids of A1-III lyase was found to match that of A1-I lyase. The N-terminal sequence of the first twenty amino acids of A1-II-2 lyase was consistent with the deduced amino acid sequence from ⁴¹⁴Ala to ⁴³³Val in the nucleotide sequence of the A1-I lyase gene. These results indicated that the A1-I lyase was further processed to generate A1-II-2 and A1-III lyase species.     

Sequence of a gene encoding a (poly ManA) alginate lyase active on Pseudomonas aeruginosa alginate

Abstract To overcome problems associated with Western blotting of denatured proteins, we have used quantitative immunoelectrophoretic techniques to perform functional analysis of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae common antigen. Using these techniques, we show (a) that Neisseria gonorrhoeae expresses an antigen that is cross-reactive with the common antigen of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Legionella micdadei and with the GroEl-like protein of Chlamydia , and (b) that this N. gonorrhoeae common antigen has lectin-like activity and can be precipitated with three different sugars immobilized on agarose beads: α- d -glucosamine, maltose and fucose.     

Bacterial alginates: biosynthesis and applications

Alginate is a copolymer of β-d-mannuronic acid and α-l-guluronic acid (GulA), linked together by 1–4 linkages. The polymer is a well-established industrial product obtained commercially by harvesting brown seaweeds. Some bacteria, mostly derived from the genus Pseudomonas and belonging to the RNA superfamily I, are also capable of producing copious amounts of this polymer as an exopolysaccharide. The molecular genetics, regulation and biochemistry of alginate biosynthesis have been particularly well characterized in the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, although the biochemistry of the polymerization process is still poorly understood. In the last 3 years major aspects of the molecular genetics of alginate biosynthesis in Azotobacter vinelandii have also been reported. In both organisms the immediate precursor of polymerization is GDP-mannuronic acid, and the sugar residues in this compound are polymerized into mannuronan. This uniform polymer is then further modified by acetylation at positions O-2 and/or O-3 and by epimerization of some of the residues, leading to a variable content of acetyl groups and GulA residues. In contrast, seaweed alginates are not acetylated. The nature of the epimerization steps are more complex in A. vinelandii than in P. aeruginosa, while other aspects of the biochemistry and genetics of alginate biosynthesis appear to be similar. The GulA residue content and distribution strongly affect the physicochemical properties of alginates, and the epimerization process is therefore of great interest from an applied point of view. This article presents a survey of our current knowledge of the molecular genetics and biochemistry of bacterial alginate biosynthesis, as well as of the biotechnological potential of such polymers. Received: 14 March 1997 / Received revision: 7 May 1997 / Accepted: 11 May 1997     

Bacterial citrate lyase

Bacterial citrate lyase, the key enzyme in fermentation of citrate, has interesting structural features. The enzyme is a complex assembled from three non-identical subunits, two having distinct enzymatic activities and one functioning as an acyl-carrier protein. Bacterial citrate lyase,si-citrate synthase and ATP-citrate lyase have similar stereospecificities and show cofactor cross-reactions. On account of these common features, the citrate enzymes are promising markers in the study of evolutionary biology. The occurrence, function, regulation and structure of bacterial citrate lyase are reviewed in this article.     

Bacterial alginates: from biosynthesis to applications

Alginate is a polysaccharide belonging to the family of linear (unbranched), non-repeating copolymers, consisting of variable amounts of β-d-mannuronic acid and its C5-epimer α- l-guluronic acid linked via β-1,4-glycosidic bonds. Like DNA, alginate is a negatively charged polymer, imparting material properties ranging from viscous solutions to gel-like structures in the presence of divalent cations. Bacterial alginates are synthesized by only two bacterial genera, Pseudomonas and Azotobacter, and have been extensively studied over the last 40 years. While primarily synthesized in form of polymannuronic acid, alginate undergoes chemical modifications comprising acetylation and epimerization, which occurs during periplasmic transfer and before final export through the outer membrane. Alginate with its unique material properties and characteristics has been increasingly considered as biomaterial for medical applications. The genetic modification of alginate producing microorganisms could enable biotechnological production of new alginates with unique, tailor-made properties, suitable for medical and industrial applications.     

褐藻胶裂解酶基因的克隆表达与酶学性质

随着大型褐藻生产燃料乙醇以及褐藻寡糖重大药用价值的发现,褐藻胶裂解酶成为国内外多个领域的研究重点。文中对解藻酸弧菌上与褐藻胶降解相关的5个基因分别进行克隆表达,通过SDS-PAGE和酶活性定量测定,发现该基因簇中的4个基因有降解褐藻胶活性。对酶活最高的rAlgV3进行了诱导条件的优化、酶蛋白纯化及酶性质研究,发现优化诱导条件后重组酶rAlgV3的酶活由2.34×10~4 U/L上升为1.68×10~5 U/L,比优化前提高了7.3倍;对酶性质进行表征发现该酶在4–70℃均有活性,最适反应温度为40℃,在4–20℃酶相对稳定;该酶在pH 6.5-9.0环境下均有较高的酶活,最适pH为8.0;pH稳定性好,在pH 4.5–9.5环境下可以稳定存在;适量的NaCl浓度和Fe~(2+)、Fe~(3+)等离子具有促进酶活的作用,SDS和Cu~(2+)离子可明显抑制酶活力。对该酶的底物特性的研究发现,该酶不仅可以降解褐藻胶中的Poly-M片段,也能降解Poly-G片段,具有广泛底物特性;其降解海藻酸钠主要释放二糖和三糖,是一种内切酶。该酶对于第三代燃料乙醇的发展及褐藻寡糖的生产具有重要作用。     

Role of the Pseudomonas fluorescens alginate lyase (AlgL) in clearing the periplasm of alginates not exported to the extracellular environment

Alginate is an industrially widely used polysaccharide produced by brown seaweeds and as an exopolysaccharide by bacteria belonging to the genera Pseudomonas and Azotobacter. The polymer is composed of the two sugar monomers mannuronic acid and guluronic acid (G), and in all these bacteria the genes encoding 12 of the proteins essential for synthesis of the polymer are clustered in the genome. Interestingly, 1 of the 12 proteins is an alginate lyase (AlgL), which is able to degrade the polymer down to short oligouronides. The reason why this lyase is associated with the biosynthetic complex is not clear, but in this paper we show that the complete lack of AlgL activity in Pseudomonas fluorescens in the presence of high levels of alginate synthesis is toxic to the cells. This toxicity increased with the level of alginate synthesis. Furthermore, alginate synthesis became reduced in the absence of AlgL, and the polymers contained much less G residues than in the wild-type polymer. To explain these results and other data previously reported in the literature, we propose that the main biological function of AlgL is to degrade alginates that fail to become exported out of the cell and thereby become stranded in the periplasmic space. At high levels of alginate synthesis in the absence of AlgL, such stranded polymers may accumulate in the periplasm to such an extent that the integrity of the cell is lost, leading to the observed toxic effects.     

Characterization of alginate lyase activity on liquid, gelled, and complexed states of alginate

A study of alginate lyase was carried out to determine if this enzyme could be used to remove alginate present in the core of alginate/poly-L-lysine (AG/PLL) microcapsules in order to maximize cell growth and colonization. A complete kinetic study was undertaken, which indicated an optimal activity of the enzyme at pH 7-8, 50 degrees C, in the presence of Ca2+. The buffer, not the ionic strength, influenced the alginate degradation rate. Alginate lyase was also shown to be active on gelled forms of alginate, as well as on the AG/PLL complex constituting the membrane of microcapsules. Batch cultures of CHO cells in the presence of alginate showed a decrease of the growth rate by a factor of 2, although the main metabolic flux rates were not modified. The addition of alginate lyase to cell culture medium increased the doubling time 5-7-fold and decreased the protein production rate, although cell viability was not affected. The addition of enzyme to medium containing alginate did not improve growth conditions. This suggests that alginate lyase is probably not suitable for hydrolysis of microcapsules in the presence of cells, in order to achieve high cell density and high productivity. However, the high activity may be useful for releasing cells from alginate beads or AG/PLL microcapsules.     

褐藻胶裂解酶基因的克隆表达及重组酶酶学性质

【目的】克隆交替假单胞菌(Pseudoalteromonas sp.)BYS-2的褐藻胶裂解酶基因,实现其在大肠杆菌细胞中异源表达,对分离纯化的重组酶进行酶学性质研究。【方法】以交替假单胞菌BYS-2菌株基因组DNA为模板,克隆得到褐藻胶裂解酶基因alg738,构建重组基因工程菌BL21(DE3)/p ET22b-alg738,诱导表达,表达产物通过Ni-NTA树脂纯化后进行酶学性质研究。【结果】重组酶的最适反应p H为8.0,在p H 6.0-9.0范围内37°C保温1 h仍能保持84%以上的相对酶活力,具有较好的p H稳定性;最适反应温度为45°C,热稳定性实验显示在37°C下保温60 min其残余酶活力仍达66.6%;在5 mmol/L浓度下,Na~+、Mg~(2+)、Mn~(2+)对该酶具有明显的促进作用,Ni~(2+)、Co~(2+)、Cu~(2+)、Hg~(2+)、Zn~(2+)、EDTA、β-巯基乙醇、SDS具有明显的抑制作用。动力学参数Km、Vmax分别为1.11 g/L和0.011 g/(L·min),底物特异性分析表明该重组酶为偏好聚甘露糖醛酸钠(Poly M)裂解作用的双功能酶。【结论】重组褐藻胶裂解酶具有良好的酶学特性,为褐藻胶裂解酶的开发应用打下基础。     

Evidence for a novel Chlorella virus-encoded alginate lyase

To clone the genes encoding lysis protein from a Chlorella virus, water samples were collected from 13 aquatic environments located in the Kanto area of Japan. Eight water samples contained plaque-forming viruses on Chlorella sp. NC64A, but no virus was detected in the other five samples. A novel Chlorella virus, CVN1, was isolated from the Inba-numa marsh sample. CVN1 genomic DNA was partially digested and shotgun cloned into pUC118 to identify the genomic region responsible for the lytic phenotype on Chlorella sp. NC64A. A DNA fragment which encoded two ORFs, ORF1 and ORF2, was obtained by antialgal assay. The ORF2 gene product, CL2, consisted of 333 amino acids showing antialgal activity not only on the original host of Chlorella sp. NC64A, but also on the heterogeneous hosts of Chlorella vulgaris C-27 and C. vulgaris C-207. CL2 showed a weak homology (19.8% amino acid identity) to mannuronate lyase SP2 from Turbo cornutus. CL2 in Escherichia coli cells was purified using a nickel chelate column. Lyase activity of purified CL2 on alginic acid was observed in an enzyme assay. The specific activity of purified CL2 was 2.1x10(-2) U mg(-1), the optimum pH for enzymatic activity was 10.5, and Ca(2+) was required for enzyme activity. This is the first report of a Chlorella virus protein with lyase activity.     

Isolation and characterization of an alginate lyase from Klebsiella aerogenes

The bacterium Klebsiella aerogenes (type 25) produced an inducible alginate lyase, whose major activity was located intracellularly during all growth phases. The enzyme was purified from the soluble fraction of sonicated cells by ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion- and cation-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The apparent molecular weight of purified alginate lyase of 28,000 determined by gel filtration and of 31,600 determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the active enzyme was composed of a single polypeptide. The alginate lyase displayed a pH optimum around 7.0 and a temperature optimum around 37°C. The purified enzyme depolymerized alginate by a lyase reaction in an endo manner releasing products which reacted in the thiobarbituric acid assay and absorbed strongly in the ultraviolet region at 235 nm. The alginate lyase was specific for guluronic acidrich alginate preparations. Propylene glycol esters of alginate and O-acetylated bacterial alginates were poorly degraded by the lyase compared with unmodified polysaccharide. The guluronate-specific lyase activity was applied in an enzymatic method to detect mannuronan C-5 epimerase in three different mucoid (alginate-synthesizing) strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This enzyme which converts polymannuronate to alginate could not be demonstrated either extracellularly or intracellularly in all strains suggesting the absence of a polymannuronate-modifying enzyme in P. aeruginosa.Abbreviations poly(ManA) (1–4)--D-mannuronan - poly(GulA) (1–4)--L-guluronan - TBA 2-thiobarbituric acid     

Characterization of alginate lyase from Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae

The gene encoding alginate lyase (algL) in Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae was cloned, sequenced, and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Alginate lyase activity was optimal when the pH was 7.0 and when assays were conducted at 42 degrees C in the presence of 0.2 M NaCl. In substrate specificity studies, AlgL from P. syringae showed a preference for deacetylated polymannuronic acid. Sequence alignment with other alginate lyases revealed conserved regions within AlgL likely to be important for the structure and/or function of the enzyme. Site-directed mutagenesis of histidine and tryptophan residues at positions 204 and 207, respectively, indicated that these amino acids are critical for lyase activity.     

Preparation and structure elucidation of alginate oligosaccharides degraded by alginate lyase from Vibro sp. 510

Alginate that was purified from the fermentation solution of marine bacteria Vibro sp. 510 under specific reaction conditions was hydrolyzed by alginate lyase. Seven oligosaccharides, including di-, tri- and tetrasaccharides, were isolated through low-pressure, gel-permeation chromatography (LP-GPC) and semipreparative strong-anion exchange (SAX) fast-protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). The oligosaccharide structures were elucidated based on ESIMS and 2D NMR spectral analysis. The hydrolytic specificity of this alginate lyase to alginate is discussed.     

高活性酪氨酸解氨酶的表征及其在对香豆酸生物合成中应用

对香豆酸(p-coumaric acid)具有抗菌、抗氧化和预防心血管疾病的作用,也是许多重要化合物的前体或中间体,被广泛应用于食品、化妆品和医药等领域。酪氨酸解氨酶(tyrosine ammonia-lyase,TAL)能直接催化酪氨酸脱氨生成对香豆酸。然而,缺少高活性和高底物耐受性的酪氨酸解氨酶限制了对香豆酸的高效生物合成。为了提高对香豆酸的合成能力,本研究挖掘了2个黄杆菌来源的酪氨酸解氨酶,分别是柱状黄杆菌(Flavobacterium columnare)来源的Fc-TAL2和顺天黄杆菌(Flavobacterium suncheonense)来源的Fs-TAL。异源表达纯化表征分析显示,Fc-TAL2和Fs-TAL的最适温度和最适pH相同,分别为55℃、pH 9.5。在最适条件下,Fs-TAL的比酶活为82.47 U/mg,而Fc-TAL2的比酶活为13.27 U/mg。结构模拟和比对分析显示,内盖环上保守的Y50残基酚羟基朝向和到底物的距离是造成Fs-TAL活性高于Fc-TAL2的主要原因。全细胞催化研究进一步证实Fs-TAL具有较高活性和特异性,能够催化10 g/L酪氨酸...     

Role of alginate lyase in cell detachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The exopolysaccharide alginate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was shown to be important in determining the degree of cell detachment from an agar surface. Nonmucoid strain 8822 gave rise to 50-fold more sloughed cells than mucoid strains 8821 and 8830. Alginate anchors the bacteria to the agar surface, thereby influencing the extent of detachment. The role of the P. aeruginosa alginate lyase in the process of cell sloughing was investigated. Increased expression of the alginate lyase in mucoid strain 8830 led to alginate degradation and increased cell detachment. Similar effects were seen both when the alginate lyase was induced at the initial stage of cell inoculation and when it was induced at a later stage of growth. It appears that high-molecular-weight alginate polymers are required to efficiently retain the bacteria within the growth film. When expressed from a regulated promoter, the alginate lyase can induce enhanced sloughing of cells because of degradation of the alginate. This suggests a possible role for the lyase in the development of bacterial growth films.     

Promotion of germination and shoot elongation of some plants by alginate oligomers prepared with bacterial alginate lyase

Depolymerization of sodium alginate (average molecular weight: 25,700) from an edible seaweed Eisenia bicyclis with bacterial alginate lyase yielded oligosaccharide(s) with an average molecular weight of 1,800 together with other components. The proliferation and/or differentiation of plants was markedly enhanced in the presence of the oligosaccharide(s), although that of mammalian (HeLa) cells and an algae (Chlamidomonas sp.) was not. The results indicate that the depolymerization products of alginate containing oligosaccharine-like compounds specifically affect the proliferation and/or differentiation of higher plants.     

Partial purification and characterization of a mannuronan-specific alginate lyase fromPseudomonas aeruginosa

Production of a thick exopolysaccharide coat (alginate) by mucoid strains ofPseudomonas aeruginosa has been shown to contribute to the pathogenicity and persistence of these bacteria in the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis. Previous studies have shown that some mucoidP. aeruginosa strains produce an enzyme(s) capable of degrading this alginate coat. In this study, an alginate lyase from mucoidP. aeruginosa strain WcM#2 was isolated and characterized. Lyase production was enhanced by the addition of 0.2–0.3m NaCl to the growth media. The lyase was eluted from an alginate-Sepharose affinity column with 0.5m NaCl, which can serve as a simple one-step purification protocol for obtaining semi-pure functional alginate lyase. Fractionation of the enzyme preparation on a Sephadex G-75 sizing column showed that the enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 40,000, whereas sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) suggested a molecular weight of approximately 43,000. The affinity-purified enzyme had a pH optimum of 9.0, its activity was enhanced in the presence of 0.3m NaCl, and it showed substrate specificity for polymannuronic acid blocks. These results demonstrate the presence of a mannuronan-specific alginate lyase inP. aeruginosa that differs in several respects from previous reports ofP. aeruginosa alginate lyases.