Expression of a Bacillus subtilis pectate lyase gene in Pichia pastoris

The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris is an attractive heterologous protein expression host, mainly for genes from higher eukaryotes. However, no successful examples for the expression of bacterial gene encoding pectate lyase in P. pastoris have been reported. The present study reports for the first time the cloning and functional expression of the bacterial Bacillus subtilis gene encoding alkaline pectate lyase in P. pastoris. A molecular weight of 43,644 Da was calculated from the deduced amino acid sequence. A pectate lyase activity as high as 100 U/ml was attained in the fermentation broth of P. pastoris GS 115, which was about 10 times higher than when the gene is expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant pectate lyase was purified to homogeneity and maximal activity of the enzyme was observed at 65 °C, and pH 9.4. The recombinant enzyme showed a wider pH and thermal stability spectrum than the purified pectate lyase from B. subtilis WSHB04-02. Pectate lyase activity slightly increased in the presence of Mg²⁺ (ion) but decreased in the presence of other metal ions. Analysis of polygalacturonic acid degradation products by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry revealed that the degradation products were unsaturated trigalacturonic acid and unsaturated bigalacturonic acid, which confirms that the enzyme catalyzes a trans-elimination reaction.     

枯草芽胞杆菌孢子表面展示外源蛋白的研究

枯草芽胞杆菌孢子表面展示技术是最近十几年新兴的一种外源蛋白固定方法,已在酶学、疫苗学、靶向药物制备、金属污染治理等领域获得了广泛应用。以孢子衣壳蛋白为载体蛋白,已经成功地把许多抗原、酶和其他蛋白展示在孢子外表面。枯草芽胞杆菌孢子衣壳由多种衣壳蛋白组成,但可用做载体蛋白的并不多,且它们的特性不同。综合介绍了枯草芽胞杆菌孢子表面展示外源蛋白这种新型技术的具体机理,及其在国内外各领域应用的研究进展。     

Mutational analysis of the nucleoid-associated protein HBsu of Bacillus subtilis

The essential nucleoid-associated protein HBsu of Bacillus subtilis comprises 92 residues, 20% of which are basic amino acids. To investigate the role of the residues located within the DNA-binding arm, the arginine residues R58 and R61 were changed to leucine, while lysine residues K80 and K86 were replaced by alanine. All altered proteins exhibited a reduction in DNA binding capacity, ranging from 10% to 30% of HBsu wild type DNA-binding ability. To investigate the physiological effect of these mutations in B. subtilis, the indigenous hbs gene was replaced by the mutated genes. B. subtilis strain PK20, which carries the HBsu mutation R58L which exhibits the lowest DNA binding ability in vitro, showed the strongest retardation of growth compared to the wild type. Furthermore, PK20 cells displayed an increased rate of cell lysis, diminished sporulation efficiency and a reduced level of negatively supercoiled DNA. These observations suggest that the DNA binding ability of HBsu DNA is important for growth and differentiation and influences DNA topology. Received: 27 July 1998 / Accepted: 22 September 1998     

Molecular cloning and characterisation of the ribC gene from Bacillus subtilis : a point mutation in ribC results in riboflavin overproduction

A mutation leading to roseoflavin resistance and deregulated riboflavin biosynthesis was mapped in the genome of the riboflavin-overproducing Bacillus subtilis strains RB52 and RB50 at map position 147°. The chromosomal location indicates that the deregulating mutation in RB52 and RB50 is an allele of the previously identified ribC mutation. We cloned the ribC gene and found that it encodes a putative 36-kDa protein. Surprisingly, RibC has significant sequence similarity to flavin kinases and FAD synthases from various other bacterial species. By comparing the deduced amino acid sequence of RibC from the wild-type parent strain of RB50 with the RibC sequence from the riboflavin-overexpressing RB50 mutant we identified a point mutation that resulted in a Gly to Ser exchange in the C-terminal region of the product Received: 3 June 1996 / Accepted: 19 October 1996     

Septation and chromosome segregation during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis

The early stages of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis incorporate a modified, highly asymmetric cell division. It is now clear that most, if not all, of the components of the vegetative division machinery are used also for asymmetric division. However, the machinery for chromosome segregation may differ significantly between vegetative growth and sporulation. Several interesting checkpoint mechanisms couple cell cycle events to gene expression early in sporulation. This review summarises important advances in the understanding of chromosome segregation and cell division at the onset of sporulation in B.subtilis in the past three years.     

Cloning and expression of the gene for neutral protease of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in Bacillus subtilis

A Bacillus amyloliquefaciens neutral protease gene was cloned and expressed in Bacillus subtilis.The chromosomal DNA of B. amyloliquefaciens strain F was partially digested with restriction endonuclease Sau3AI, and 2 to 9 kb fragments isolated were ligated into the BamHI site of plasmid pUB110. Then, B. subtilis strain 1A289 was transformed with the hybrid plasmids by the method of protoplast transformation and kanamycin-resistant transformants were screened for the formation of large halo on a casein plate. A transformant that produced a large amount of an extracellular neutral protease harbored a plasmid, designated as pNP150, which contained a 1.7 kb insert.The secreted neutral protease of the transformant was found to be indistinguishable from that of DNA donor strain B. amyloliquefaciens by double immunodiffusion test and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.The amount of the neutral protease activity excreted into culture medium by the B. subtilis transformed with pNP150 was about 50-fold higher than that secreted by B. amyloliquefaciens. The production of the neutral protease in the transformant was partially repressed by addition of glucose to the medium.     

海洋枯草芽孢杆菌产纤溶酶的诱变育种与发酵工艺优化*

目的:对海洋来源的具有产纤溶酶能力的枯草芽孢杆菌(Bacillus subtilis)LC6-1进行紫外诱变,得到高产且稳定的突变株PW6-3,对该突变株发酵产酶的条件进行优化。方法:采用单因素和正交试验进行发酵培养基组分和培养条件的优化。结果:突变株PW6-3的酶活力为(6 960.21 ± 85.51)U/mL,较原始菌株提高了30.48%。以PW6-3为出发菌株,采用单因素及正交试验的方法对菌株进行发酵培养基组分与培养条件优化,最终得到的最佳培养基组分是:玉米淀粉30 g/L,玉米浆干粉40 g/L,CaCl₂ 3 g/L;最佳发酵培养条件是:32℃,转速200 r/min,接种量3%,pH 6.5,种龄18 h,发酵培养时间66 h,最终菌株的酶活力稳定在(9 203.63 ± 67.85)U/mL。结论:发酵工艺优化后,菌株PW6-3纤溶酶产量较诱变之前的菌株LC6-1提高72.53%,且发酵工艺成本较低,具有较好的经济效益。     

构建重组枯草芽孢杆菌催化制备D-对羟基苯甘氨酸

目的: 在Bacillus subtilis中表达异源D-海因酶基因(hyd)和D-氨甲酰水解酶基因(adc),构建重组细胞作为催化剂,用于生产D-对羟基苯甘氨酸(D-HPG)。方法: 构建hyd表达质粒,考察培养基中二价金属离子对D-海因酶活性的影响。过表达acoR基因,考察AcoR蛋白胞内水平与P_acoA-hyd基因拷贝数的关系。筛选表达adc基因的启动子,构建hyd和adc基因共表达质粒,考察双酶活性菌株的催化特性。结果: 成功构建了海因酶表达质粒pHPS和pUBS,培养基中添加0.8mmol/L的MnCl₂·4H₂O,使168N/pUBS菌株的D-海因酶活性达到956U/gDCW。整合表达P_cdd-acoR基因,使LSL02/pUBS菌株的D-海因酶活性达到1 470U/gDCW。单拷贝P_AE-adc基因的表达水平相对最高。双酶共表达质粒pUBSC被成功构建,菌株LSL02/pUBSC的最适催化温度为40℃45℃,催化活性能够持续12h,当底物起始浓度为20g/L时,反应12h生成的D-HPG达到14.32g/L,转化率达到95%,收率超过80%。结论: 构建具有D-海因酶和D-氨甲酰水解酶双酶活性的重组Bacillus subtilis作为全细胞催化剂,用于海因酶法生产D-HPG,具有技术上的可行性和优势。     

D-阿洛酮糖3-差向异构酶在枯草芽孢杆菌中的高效表达及固定化细胞研究

将来源于Clostridium cellulolyticum H10的DPEase基因在食品级表达系统Bacillus subtilis中进行产酶研究,在3L发酵罐中高密度发酵最终酶活可达495U/ml,得到高表达量的DPEase酶液。通过硅藻土-海藻酸钠(吸附包埋法)对重组细胞进行固定化研究,结果表明,当海藻酸钠浓度为2%、细胞包埋量为50g/L、CaCl_2浓度为2%、硅藻土浓度为1%时,固定化细胞酶活回收率可达64%,固定化细胞与游离细胞相比最适pH不变,最适温度提高5℃,热稳定性明显提高,连续反应7个批次后转化率仍然为28%,仍保持81%的残余酶活,具有很高的工业应用价值。     

信号肽对亮氨酸脱氢酶在Bacillus subtilis中分泌表达的影响及酶学性质研究

根据信号肽N端电荷数,选择Sec及Tat两种途径的信号肽构建枯草芽孢杆菌穿梭质粒,首次实现Bacillus cereus源亮氨酸脱氢酶基因在Bacillus subtilis中的分泌表达。Tat途径信号肽Pho D促进蛋白质分泌的效果最好,胞外酶活力达20.25U/ml,为不添加信号肽的2.2倍,信号肽N端较多的电荷数,可能有利于多聚体蛋白的分泌。对表达产物进行纯化和酶学性质测定。结果表明,纯酶比酶活为13U/mg;L-Leucine为底物时酶的K_m为6.17mmol/L,V_(max)为14.49μmol/(L·min);底物特异性研究发现,酶与天然底物L-Leucine的亲和性最好,对一些脂肪族氨基酸也有活性,对芳香族氨基酸L-Phenylalanine无活性;酶的最适pH为10.5~12.0,pH稳定范围为5.0~11.0;最适反应温度为55℃;圆二色谱变温扫描酶二级结构变化,α螺旋含量随温度升高逐渐降低;差示扫描微量热技术(DSC)测定酶的解折叠温度(Tm值)为64.13℃,表明该酶具有较好耐热性。     

Enhanced stability of the cloned Bacillus subtilis alkaline protease gene in alginate-immobilized B. subtilis cells

Expression and stability of the cloned Bacillus subtilis alkaline protease (aprE)gene was monitored throughout the growth of free and alginate-immobilized B. subtilis cells. The time as well as the level of expression of the aprE gene in alginate-immobilized cells was found to be close to that of free cells. The multicopy plasmid that carries the aprE gene was stably maintained in alginate-immobilized cells. Plasmid stability was greatly enhanced, it reached 83% and 8% after ten growth cycles for alginate-immobilized and free cells in the absence of stress, respectively. Data presented demonstrate that immobilization of B. subtilis recombinant cells would partially solve the problem of plasmid instability in B. subtilis.     

Kinetics of the unfolding-folding transition of Bacillus subtilislevansucrase precursor

The reversible folding-unfolding transition of mature and precursor forms of Bacillus subtilis levansucrase were compared under physiological conditions of pH and temperature. The time constant of the folding reaction was not modified by the presence of the signal sequence and the precursor in the native form was slightly more resistant to the denaturing action of urea. However, the folding pathway could be different for each protein since a domain of the mature levansucrase underwent an independent transition which is not observed during the renaturation process of prelevansucrase.     

Comparison and functional characterisation of three homologous intracellular carboxylesterases of Bacillus subtilis

Enzymatic hydrolysis of racemic mixtures may provide an attractive method for the enantiopure production of chiral pharmaceuticals. For example, the carboxylesterase NP of Bacillus subtilis Thai I-8 is an excellent biocatalyst in the kinetic resolution of NSAID esters, such as naproxen and ibuprofen methyl esters. Two homologues of this enzyme were identified when the genome sequence of B. subtilis 168 was revealed in 1997. We characterised one of the homologous, YbfK, as a very enantioselective 1,2-O-isopropylidene-sn-glycerol caprylate esterase, while only modest enantioselectivity towards the naproxen ester was observed. The other homologue, the carboxylesterase NA has not been characterised yet. The purpose of the present study was to fully characterise these three highly homologous esterases with respect to their applicability towards the enantiospecific hydrolysis of a wide range of compounds. The esterase genes were cloned and expressed in B. subtilis using a combination of two strong promotors in a multi-copy vector. After purification of the enzymes from the cytoplasm of B. subtilis, the biochemical and enantioselective properties of the enzymes were determined. Although all carboxylesterases have similar physico-chemical properties, comparison of their specific activities and enantioselectivities towards several compounds revealed rather different substrate specificities. We conclude that carboxylesterase NP and carboxylesterase NA are particularly suited for the enzymatic conversion of naproxen esters, while YbfK offers enantiopure (+)-IPG from its caprylate ester. Given the carboxylesterase activities of the esterases it has been proposed to rename the nap gene of B. subtilis 168 into cesA and the ybfK gene into cesB.     

枯草芽孢杆菌纳豆亚种后生元的健康促进作用

枯草芽孢杆菌纳豆亚种是一种食用历史悠久的益生菌,其安全性和健康促进作用已在人群和临床应用上得到很好的证明。特殊的培养、灭活及膜过滤等技术可以利用枯草芽孢杆菌纳豆亚种发酵产生多种后生元成分,如菌体壁、胞外多糖、纳豆激酶、维生素K₂和γ-多聚谷氨酸等,这些后生元成分可赋予枯草芽孢杆菌纳豆亚种益生菌潜力。枯草芽孢杆菌纳豆亚种后生元具有重要的健康促进功能,如整肠通便、促进消化、预防和溶解血栓、降血压、促进骨骼钙吸收、降尿酸及抑菌消炎等。本文从后生元的定义出发,探讨枯草芽孢杆菌纳豆亚种后生元的制备方法、功能成分及可能的健康促进作用。

     

嗜热网球菌纤维二糖差向异构酶在枯草芽孢杆菌中的表达及发酵优化

通过化学方法合成嗜热网球菌(Dictyoglomus thermophilum)来源的纤维二糖差向异构酶基因ce,将其引入到载体pBSuL3-ce,构建重组质粒pBSuL3-ce并转化进枯草芽孢杆菌,发酵48h后测定胞内酶活为7. 5U/ml。酶学性质结果表明:该酶的最适pH为8. 5;最适温度为85℃,85℃的半衰期为120min。为降低发酵成本,对发酵培养基进行优化:以35g/L豆粕粉为氮源、5g/L甘油为碳源时,酶活力最高可达12. 3U/ml。依据摇瓶优化的条件在3L发酵罐中扩大培养,胞内酶活达到56U/ml,比摇瓶培养酶活提高了8倍。利用发酵所得酶制备乳果糖,在乳糖浓度为400g/L、反应温度为85℃、初始pH 8. 5、加酶量为20U/ml的条件下,乳果糖转化率可达51%。     

Rapid production of thermostable cellulase-free xylanase by a strain of Bacillus subtilis and its properties

A Bacillus subtilis strain isolated from a hot-spring was shown to produce xylanolytic enzymes. Their associative/synergistic effect was studied using a culture medium with oat spelts xylan as xylanase inducer. Optimal xylanase production of about 12 U ml⁻¹ was achieved at pH 6.0 and 50°C, within 18 h fermentation. At 50°C, xylanase productivity obtained after 11 h in shake-flasks, 96,000 U l⁻¹ h⁻¹, and in reactor, 104,000 U l⁻¹ h⁻¹ was similar. Increasing temperature to 55°C a higher productivity was obtained in the batch reactor 45,000 U l⁻¹ h⁻¹, compared to shake-flask fermentations, 12,000 U l⁻¹ h⁻¹. Optimal xylanolytic activity was reached at 60°C on phosphate buffer, at pH 6.0. The xylanase is thermostable, presenting full stability at 60°C during 3 h. Further increase in the temperature caused a correspondent decrease in the residual activity. At 90°C, 20% relative activity remains after 14 min. Under optimised fermentation conditions, no cellulolytic activity was detected on the extract. Protein disulphide reducing agents, such as DTT, enhanced xylanolytic activity about 2.5-fold. When is used xylan as substrate, xylanase production decreased as function of time in contrast, with trehalose as carbon source, xylanase production in maintained constant for at least 80 h fermentation.