X-ray structures of 4-chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase adducts with substituted catechols: New perspectives in the molecular basis of intradiol ring cleaving dioxygenases specificity

The crystallographic structures of 4-chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase (4-CCD) complexes with 3,5-dichlorocatechol, protocatechuate (3,4-dihydroxybenzoate), hydroxyquinol (benzen-1,2,4-triol) and pyrogallol (benzen-1,2,3-triol), which act as substrates or inhibitors of the enzyme, have been determined and analyzed. 4-CCD from the Gram-positive bacterium Rhodococcus opacus 1CP is a Fe(III) ion containing enzyme specialized in the aerobic biodegradation of chlorocatechols.The structures of the 4-CCD complexes show that the catechols bind the catalytic iron ion in a bidentate mode displacing Tyr169 and the benzoate ion (found in the native enzyme structure) from the metal coordination sphere, as found in other adducts of intradiol dioxygenases with substrates. The analysis of the present structures allowed to identify the residues selectively involved in recognition of the diverse substrates.Furthermore the structural comparison with the corresponding complexes of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from the same Rhodococcus strain (Rho-1,2-CTD) highlights significant differences in the binding of the tested catechols to the active site of the enzyme, particularly in the orientation of the aromatic ring substituents. As an example the 3-substituted catechols are bound with the substituent oriented towards the external part of the 4-CCD active site cavity, whereas in the Rho-1,2-CTD complexes the 3-substituents were placed in the internal position. The present crystallographic study shed light on the mechanism that allows substrate recognition inside this class of high specific enzymes involved in the biodegradation of recalcitrant pollutants.     

三氯卡班降解菌株Sphingomonas sp. YL-JM2C中多个邻苯二酚双加氧酶的功能

【目的】研究Sphingomonas sp.YL-JM2C菌株的生长特性,确定以三氯卡班作为碳源的生长情况。挖掘菌株YL-JM2C潜在的邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶及邻苯二酚2,3-双加氧酶基因,在大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)中异源表达邻苯二酚双加氧酶基因并研究其酶学性质。【方法】优化S.sp.YL-JM2C菌株以三氯卡班作为碳源时的培养条件,并利用全自动生长曲线测定仪测定菌株生长情况,绘制生长曲线。通过生物信息学方法挖掘潜在的邻苯二酚双加氧酶基因,并分别在Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)中进行异源表达,通过AKTA快速纯化系统纯化蛋白,分别以邻苯二酚、3-和4-氯邻苯二酚为底物检测重组蛋白的酶学特性。【结果】菌株在pH为7.0-7.5时生长最优。在以浓度为4-8 mg/L的三氯卡班做为底物时,菌株适宜生长。当R2A培养基仅含有0.01%酵母提取物和无机盐时,加入终浓度为4 mg/L的三氯卡班可促进菌株生长。挖掘到6个潜在的邻苯二酚双加氧酶基因stcA1、stcA2、stcA3、stcE1、stcE2和stcE3,表达并通过粗酶液分析证明其中5个基因stcA1、stcA2、stcA3、stcE1和stcE2编码的酶均具有邻苯二酚双加氧酶和氯邻苯二酚双加氧酶的活性;纯化酶的底物范围研究揭示了StcA1、StcA2和StcA3均属于Ⅱ型邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶,StcE1和StcE2为两个新型邻苯二酚2,3-双加氧酶;它们酶动力学分析研究证明了5个酶对邻苯二酚的亲和力和催化效率最高,4-氯邻苯二酚次之。【结论】在同一菌株中发现了5个具有功能的邻苯二酚双加氧酶基因,stcA1、stcA2和stcA3编码的酶均属于Ⅱ型邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶,stcE1和stcE2为两个新型邻苯二酚2,3-双加氧酶编码基因。5个酶均具有催化邻苯二酚和氯邻苯二酚开环反应的功能,这为更好地理解微生物基因组内代谢邻苯二酚及其衍生物氯代邻苯二酚基因的多样性奠定了基础。     

Salicylate 1,2-dioxygenase from Pseudaminobacter salicylatoxidans: crystal structure of a peculiar ring-cleaving dioxygenase

The crystallographic structure of salicylate 1,2-dioxygenase (SDO), a new ring fission dioxygenase from the naphthalenesulfonate-degrading strain Pseudaminobacter salicylatoxidans BN12, which oxidizes salicylate to 2-oxohepta-3,5-dienedioic acid by a novel ring fission mechanism, has been solved by molecular replacement techniques and refined at 2.9 Å resolution (R_free 26.1%; R-factor 19.3%). SDO is a homo-tetramer member of type III extradiol-type dioxygenases with a subunit topology characteristic of the bicupin β-barrel folds. The catalytic center contains a mononuclear iron(II) ion coordinated to three histidine residues (His119, His121, and His160), located within the N-terminal domain in a solvent-accessible pocket. SDO is markedly different from the known gentisate 1,2-dioxygenases (GDO) or 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate dioxygenase because of its unique ability to oxidatively cleave numerous salicylates, gentisates and 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate with high catalytic efficiency. The comparison of the structure and substrate specificity for a series of different substrates with the corresponding data for several GDOs and the docking of salicylates/gentisates in the active site of SDO, allowed the identification of several active site residues responsible for differences of substrate specificity. In particular, a more defined electron density of the N-terminal region allowed the discovery of a novel structure fragment in SDO previously unobserved in GDO. This region contributes several residues to the active site that influence substrate specificity for both of these enzymes. Implications on the catalytic mechanism are discussed.     

Crystal structure of 4-chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase from the chlorophenol-utilizing gram-positive Rhodococcus opacus 1CP

The crystal structure of the 4-chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase from the Gram-positive bacterium Rhodococcus opacus (erythropolis) 1CP, a Fe(III) ion-containing enzyme involved in the aerobic biodegradation of chloroaromatic compounds, has been solved by multiple wavelength anomalous dispersion using the weak anomalous signal of the two catalytic irons (1 Fe/257 amino acids) and refined at a 2.5 A resolution (R(free) 28.7%; R factor 21.4%). The analysis of the structure and its comparison with the structure of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ADP1 (Ac 1,2-CTD) highlight significant differences between these enzymes. The general topology of the present enzyme comprises two catalytic domains (one for each subunit) related by a noncrystallographic 2-fold axis and separated by a common alpha-helical zipper motif consisting of five N-terminal helices from each subunit; furthermore the C-terminal tail is shortened significantly with respect to the known Ac 1,2-CTD. The presence of two phospholipids binding in a hydrophobic tunnel along the dimer axis is shown here to be a common feature for this class of enzyme. The active site cavity presents several dissimilarities with respect to the known catechol-cleaving enzyme. The catalytic nonheme iron(III) ion is bound to the side chains of Tyr-134, Tyr-169, His-194, and His-196, and a cocrystallized benzoate ion, bound to the metal center, reveals details on a novel mode of binding of bidentate inhibitors and a distinctive hydrogen bond network with the surrounding ligands. Among the amino acid residues expected to interact with substrates, several are different from the corresponding analogs of Ac 1,2-CTD: Asp-52, Ala-53, Gly-76, Phe-78, and Cys-224; in addition, regions of largely conserved amino acid residues in the catalytic cleft show different shapes resulting from several substantial backbone and side chain shifts. The present structure is the first of intradiol dioxygenases that specifically catalyze the cleavage of chlorocatechols, key intermediates in the aerobic catabolism of toxic chloroaromatics.     

Comparison of enzymatic and immunochemical properties of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl-1,2-dioxygenases from four Pseudomonas strains

Abstract A 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl-1,2-dioxygenase gene has been cloned from chromosomal DNA of Pseudomonas sp. DJ-12 which can grow on biphenyl or 4-chlorobiphenyl as the sole carbon and energy source. Enzymatic and immunochemical properties of the cloned 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl-1,2-dioxygenase were characterized, and compared with those of P. pseudoalcaligenes KF707, Pseudomonas sp. KKS102, and P. putida OU83. The dioxygenase of Pseudomonas sp. DJ-12 was similar to those of P. pseudoalcaligenes KF707, and Pseudomonas sp. KKS102, but significantly different from that of P. putida OU83 in electrophoretic mobilities on native PAGE and SDS-PAGE. The dioxygenases of Pseudomonas sp. DJ-12 and P. putida OU83 exhibited the highest ring-fission activity to 3-methylcatechol, and those of P. pseudoalcaligenes KF707 and Pseudomonas sp. KKS102 to 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl among 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl, catechol, 3-methylcatechol, 4-methylcatechol, and 4-chlorocatechol as substrates. 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl-1,2-dioxygenase of P. pseudoalcaligenes KF707 was immunochemically related to that of Pseudomonas sp. KKS102, but was different from those of Pseudomonas sp. DJ-12 and P. putida OU83.     

Identification of amino acid residues essential for catalytic activity of gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas alcaligenes NCIB 9867

Gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (GDO, EC 1.13.11.4) is a ring cleavage enzyme that utilizes gentisate as a substrate yielding maleylpyruvate as the ring fission product. Mutant GDOs were generated by both random mutagenesis and site-directed mutagenesis of the gene cloned from Pseudomonas alcaligenes NCIB 9867. Alignment of known GDO sequences indicated the presence of a conserved central core region. Mutations generated within this central core resulted in the complete loss of enzyme activity whereas mutations in the flanking regions yielded GDOs with enzyme activities that were reduced by up to 78%. Site-directed mutagenesis was also performed on a pair of highly conserved HRH and HXH motifs found within this core region. Conversion of these His residues to Asp resulted in the complete loss of catalytic activity. Mutagenesis within the core region could have affected quaternary structure formation as well as cofactor binding. A mutant enzyme with increased catalytic activities was also characterized.     

Characterization of a novel thermostable Mn(II)-dependent 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase from a polychlorinated biphenyl- and naphthalene-degrading Bacillus sp. JF8

A novel thermostable Mn(II)-dependent 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl-1,2-dioxygenase (BphC_JF8) catalyzing the meta-cleavage of the hydroxylated biphenyl ring was purified from the thermophilic biphenyl and naphthalene degrader, Bacillus sp. JF8, and the gene was cloned. The native and recombinant BphC enzyme was purified to homogeneity. The enzyme has a molecular mass of 125 +/- 10 kDa and was composed of four identical subunits (35 kDa). BphC_JF8 has a temperature optimum of 85 degrees C and a pH optimum of 7.5. It exhibited a half-life of 30 min at 80 degrees C and 81 min at 75 degrees C, making it the most thermostable extradiol dioxygenase studied. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of 4.0-4.8 manganese atoms per enzyme molecule. The EPR spectrum of BphC_JF8 exhibited g = 2.02 and g = 4.06 signals having the 6-fold hyperfine splitting characteristic of Mn(II). The enzyme can oxidize a wide range of substrates, and the substrate preference was in the order 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl > 3-methylcatechol > catechol > 4-methylcatechol > 4-chlorocatechol. The enzyme is resistant to denaturation by various chelators and inhibitors (EDTA, 1,10-phenanthroline, H2O2, 3-chlorocatechol) and did not exhibit substrate inhibition even at 3 mm 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl. A decrease in Km accompanied an increase in temperature, and the Km value of 0.095 microm for 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl (at 60 degrees C) is among the lowest reported. The kinetic properties and thermal stability of the native and recombinant enzyme were identical. The primary structure of BphC_JF8 exhibits less than 25% sequence identity to other 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenases. The metal ligands and active site residues of extradiol dioxygenases are conserved, although several amino acid residues found exclusively in enzymes that preferentially cleave bicyclic substrates are missing in BphC_JF8. A three-dimensional homology model of BphC_JF8 provided a basis for understanding the substrate specificity, quaternary structure, and stability of the enzyme.     

Mapping the substrate-binding site of a human class mu glutathione transferase using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The substrate-binding site of a human muscle class mu glutathione transferase has been characterized using high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Isotopic labeling has been used to simplify one-dimensional proton NMR spectra of the Tyr and His residues in the enzyme and two-dimensional carbon-proton spectra of the Ala and Met residues in the enzyme. The resonance lines from 8 of the 12 Tyr residues have been assigned using site-directed mutagenesis. Replacement of Tyr7 with Phe reduced the activity of the enzyme 100-fold. The proximity of His, Tyr, Ala, and Met residues to the active site has been determined using a nitroxide-labeled substrate analogue. This substrate analogue binds with high affinity (Keq = 10(6) M-1) to the enzyme and is a competitive inhibitor. None of the His residues are within 17 A of the active site. Three of the assigned Tyr residues are greater than 17 A from the active site. Quantitative measurement of paramagnetic line broadening of five additional Tyr residues places them within 13-17 A from the active site. Broadening of the Ala and Met resonance lines by the spin-labeled substrate indicates that three Ala residues are 9-16 A from the nitroxide, three Met residues are less than 9 A from the nitroxide, and two Met residues are 9-16 A from the nitroxide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Properties of cyanogen bromide-activated, Agarose-immobilized catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from freeze-dried extracts of Nocardia sp. NCIB 10503

Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase [catechol: oxygen 1,2-oxidoreductase (decyclizing); EC 1.13.11.1], the aromatic intradiol ring-cleaving enzyme of Nocardia sp. NCIB 10503 prepared by freeze-drying cell-free extracts, was covalently attached to cyanogen bromide-activated Agarose. The properties of the immobilized enzyme were compared to those of the free enzyme preparation. Immobilization was shown to increase the thermal stability of the enzyme. The pH-activity profile was altered by immobilization. Various explanations for this phenomenon are discussed. The V_max and K_m of the enzyme were not significantly affected on immobilization. The enzyme had a broader substrate specificity than any previously reported catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, and this was largely unaltered by immobilization. The properties of the preparations are compared to those of other (free) catechol 1,2-dioxygenases. The results presented show that the immobilization of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase offers an attractive means for the production of cis,cis-muconate and novel substituted analogues.     

The mechanism-based inactivation of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase by catecholic substrates.

2,3-Dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (EC ), the extradiol dioxygenase of the biphenyl biodegradation pathway, is subject to inactivation during the steady-state cleavage of catechols. Detailed analysis revealed that this inactivation was similar to the O(2)-dependent inactivation of the enzyme in the absence of catecholic substrate, resulting in oxidation of the active site Fe(II) to Fe(III). Interestingly, the catecholic substrate not only increased the reactivity of the enzyme with O(2) to promote ring cleavage but also increased the rate of O(2)-dependent inactivation. Thus, in air-saturated buffer, the apparent rate constant of inactivation of the free enzyme was (0.7 +/- 0.1) x 10(-3) s(-1) versus (3.7 +/- 0.4) x 10(-3) s(-1) for 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl, the preferred catecholic substrate of the enzyme, and (501 +/- 19) x 10(-3) s(-1) for 3-chlorocatechol, a potent inactivator of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (partition coefficient = 8 +/- 2, K(m)(app) = 4.8 +/- 0.7 microm). The 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase-catalyzed cleavage of 3-chlorocatechol yielded predominantly 2-pyrone-6-carboxylic acid and 2-hydroxymuconic acid, consistent with the transient formation of an acyl chloride. However, the enzyme was not covalently modified by this acyl chloride in vitro or in vivo. The study suggests a general mechanism for the inactivation of extradiol dioxygenases during catalytic turnover involving the dissociation of superoxide from the enzyme-catecholic-dioxygen ternary complex and is consistent with the catalytic mechanism.     

Crystal structures of salicylate 1,2-dioxygenase-substrates adducts: A step towards the comprehension of the structural basis for substrate selection in class III ring cleaving dioxygenases

The crystallographic structures of the adducts of salicylate 1,2-dioxygenase (SDO) with substrates salicylate, gentisate and 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate, obtained under anaerobic conditions, have been solved and analyzed. This ring fission dioxygenase from the naphthalenesulfonate-degrading bacterium Pseudaminobacter salicylatoxidans BN12, is a homo-tetrameric class III ring-cleaving dioxygenase containing a catalytic Fe(II) ion coordinated by three histidine residues. SDO is markedly different from the known gentisate 1,2-dioxygenases or 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate dioxygenases, belonging to the same class, because of its unique ability to oxidatively cleave salicylate, gentisate and 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate. The crystal structures of the anaerobic complexes of the SDO reveal the mode of binding of the substrates into the active site and unveil the residues which are important for the correct positioning of the substrate molecules. Upon binding of the substrates the active site of SDO undergoes a series of conformational changes: in particular Arg127, His162, and Arg83 move to make hydrogen bond interactions with the carboxyl group of the substrate molecules. Unpredicted concerted displacements upon substrate binding are observed for the loops composed of residues 40-43, 75-85, and 192-198 where several aminoacidic residues, such as Leu42, Arg79, Arg83, and Asp194, contribute to the closing of the active site together with the amino-terminal tail (residues 2-15). Differences in substrate specificity are controlled by several residues located in the upper part of the substrate binding cavity like Met46, Ala85, Trp104, and Phe189, although we cannot exclude that the kinetic differences observed could also be generated by concerted conformational changes resulting from amino-acid mutations far from the active site.     

恶臭假单胞菌ND6菌株catA基因的克隆和表达及其儿茶酚裂解途径探讨

恶臭假单胞菌ND6菌株的萘降解质粒pND6-1中编码儿茶酚1,2-双加氧酶的catA基因在大肠杆菌中进行了克隆和表达,并研究表达产物的酶学性质。结果表明:酶的K_m为0.019μmol/L,V_max为1.434μmol/(min.mg);具有很好的耐热性,在50℃保温45min后仍能够保留酶活力的93.7%;Fe²⁺对酶活性有显著的促进作用,其比活力是对照反应的292%;酶对4-氯儿茶酚的催化活性非常低,属于Ⅰ型儿茶酚1,2-双加氧酶。以萘为底物生长时,ND6菌株的细胞提取液中既存在催化邻位裂解途径的儿茶酚1,2-双加氧酶活性,也存在催化间位裂解途径的儿茶酚2,3-双加氧酶活性。以苯甲酸、对羟基苯甲酸和苯乙酸为唯一碳源生长时,ND6菌株细胞提取液的儿茶酚1,2-双加氧酶活性远远大于儿茶酚2,3-双加氧酶活性。表明ND6菌株既能通过儿茶酚间位裂解途径降解萘,也能通过儿茶酚邻位裂解途径降解萘,而以苯甲酸、对羟基苯甲酸和苯乙酸为诱导物时只利用儿茶酚邻位裂解途径。     

Identification of lysine-78 as an essential residue in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae xylose reductase

Yeast xylose reductases are hypothesized as hybrid enzymes as their primary sequences contain elements of both the aldo-keto reductases (AKR) and short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) enzyme families. During catalysis by members of both enzyme families, an essential Lys residue H-bonds to a Tyr residue that donates proton to the aldehyde substrate. In the Saccharomyces cerevisiae xylose reductase, Tyr49 has been identified as the proton donor. However, the primary sequence of the enzyme contains two Lys residues, Lys53 and Lys78, corresponding to the conserved motifs for SDR and AKR enzyme families, respectively, that may H-bond to Tyr49. We used site-directed mutagenesis to substitute each of these Lys residues with Met. The activity of the K53M variant was slightly decreased as compared to the wild-type, while that of the K78M variant was negligible. The results suggest that Lys78 is the essential residue that H-bonds to Tyr49 during catalysis and indicate that the active site residues of yeast xylose reductases match those of the AKR, rather than SDR, enzymes. Intrinsic enzyme fluorescence spectroscopic analysis suggests that Lys78 may also contribute to the efficient binding of NADPH to the enzyme.     

A resonance Raman study of substrate and inhibitor binding to protocatechuate-3,4-dioxygenase

Resonance Raman spectra were obtained for complexes of protocatechuate-3,4-dioxygenase with substrate and hydroxybenzoate inhibitors. The data establish metal coordination by these bound species and demonstrate further that tyrosine ligation, present in the resting enzyme, is not altered in the complexes. For the inhibitors, 3-chloro-4-hydroxybenzoate and 3-fluoro-4-hydroxybenzoate, the data are interpreted as indicating iron ligation by the phenolate functionality. For the substrate, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylproprionate, chelation via the o-dihydroxy grouping is proposed. In all three complexes tyrosine ligands present in the resting enzyme are not displaced. The inhibitor scattering intensity was utilized as an internal standard to estimate that two tyrosines are coordinated to the iron at the active site.     

Homology modeling, simulation and molecular docking studies of catechol-2, 3-Dioxygenase from Burkholderia cepacia: Involved in degradation of Petroleum hydrocarbons

Catechol 2, 3-dioxygenase is present in several types of bacteria and undergoes degradation of environmental pollutants through an important key biochemical pathways. Specifically, this enzyme cleaves aromatic rings of several environmental pollutants such as toluene, xylene, naphthalene and biphenyl derivatives. Hence, the importance of Catechol 2, 3-dioxygenase and its role in the degradation of environmental pollutants made us to predict the three-dimensional structure of Catechol 2, 3-dioxygenase from Burkholderia cepacia. The 10ns molecular dynamics simulation was carried out to check the stability of the modeled Catechol 2, 3- dioxygenase. The results show that the model was energetically stable, and it attains their equilibrium within 2000 ps of production MD run. The docking of various petroleum hydrocarbons into the Catechol 2,3-dioxygenase reveals that the benzene, O-xylene, Toluene, Fluorene, Naphthalene, Carbazol, Pyrene, Dibenzothiophene, Anthracene, Phenanthrene, Biphenyl makes strong hydrogen bond and Van der waals interaction with the active site residues of H150, L152, W198, H206, H220, H252, I254, T255, Y261, E271, L276 and F309. Free energy of binding and estimated inhibition constant of these compounds demonstrates that they are energetically stable in their binding cavity. Chrysene shows positive energy of binding in the active site atom of Fe. Except Pyrene all the substrates made close contact with Fe atom by the distance ranges from 1.67 to 2.43 Å. In addition to that, the above mentioned substrate except pyrene all other made π-π stacking interaction with H252 by the distance ranges from 3.40 to 3.90 Å. All these docking results reveal that, except Chrysene all other substrate has good free energy of binding to hold enough in the active site and makes strong VdW interaction with Catechol-2,3-dioxygenase. These results suggest that, the enzyme is capable of catalyzing the above-mentioned substrate.     

Mutagenesis and subsite mapping underpin the importance for substrate specificity of the aglycon subsites of glycoside hydrolase family 11 xylanases

Glycoside hydrolase family (GH) 11 xylanase A from Bacillus subtilis (BsXynA) was subjected to site-directed mutagenesis to probe the role of aglycon active site residues with regard to activity, binding of decorated substrates and hydrolysis product profile. Targets were those amino acids identified to be important by 3D structure analysis of BsXynA in complex with substrate bound in the glycon subsites and the + 1 aglycon subsite. Several aromatic residues in the aglycon subsites that make strong substrate–protein interactions and that are indispensable for enzyme activity, were also important for the specificity of the xylanase. In the + 2 subsite of BsXynA, Tyr65 and Trp129 were identified as residues that are involved in the binding of decorated substrates. Most interestingly, replacement of Tyr88 by Ala in the + 3 subsite created an enzyme able to produce a wider variety of hydrolysis products than wild type BsXynA. The contribution of the + 3 subsite to the substrate specificity of BsXynA was established more in detail by mapping the enzyme binding site of the wild type xylanase and mutant Y88A with labelled xylo-oligosaccharides. Also, the length of the cord – a long loop flanking the aglycon subsites of GH11 xylanases – proved to impact the hydrolytic action of BsXynA. The aglycon side of the active site cleft of BsXynA, therefore, offers great potential for engineering and design of xylanases with a desired specificity.     

Cloning,expression, and characterization of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from a phenol-degrading Candida tropicalis JH8 strain

The sequence cato encoding catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from Candida tropicalis JH8 was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The sequence cato contained an ORF of 858?bp encoding a polypeptide of 285?amino acid residues. The recombinant catechol 1,2-dioxygenase exists as a homodimer structure with a subunit molecular mass of 32 KD. Recombinant catechol 1,2-dioxygenase was unstable below pH 5.0 and stable from pH 7.0 to 9.0; its optimum pH was at 7.5. The optimum temperature for the enzyme was 30°C, and it possessed a thermophilic activity within a broad temperature range. Under the optimal conditions with catechol as substrate, the K_m and V_max of recombinant catechol 1,2-dioxygenase were 9.2?µM and 0.987?µM/min, respectively. This is the first article presenting cloning and expressing in E. coli of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from C. tropicalis and characterization of the recombinant catechol 1,2-dioxygenase.     

Analysis of bacterial degradation pathways for long-chain alkylphenols involving phenol hydroxylase, alkylphenol monooxygenase and catechol dioxygenase genes

Eighteen 4-t-octylphenol-degrading bacteria were isolated and screened for the presence of degradative genes by polymerase chain reaction method using four designed primer sets. The primer sets were designed to amplify specific fragments from multicomponent phenol hydroxylase, single component monooxygenase, catechol 1,2-dioxygenase and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase genes. Seventeen of the 18 isolates exhibited the presence of a 232 bp amplicon that shared 61-92% identity to known multicomponent phenol hydroxylase gene sequences from short and/or medium-chain alkylphenol-degrading strains. Twelve of the 18 isolates were positive for a 324 bp region that exhibited 78-95% identity to the closest published catechol 1,2-dioxygenase gene sequences. The two strains, Pseudomonas putida TX2 and Pseudomonas sp. TX1, contained catechol 1,2-dioxygenase genes also have catechol 2,3-dioxygenase genes. Our result revealed that most of the isolated bacteria are able to degrade long-chain alkylphenols via multicomponent phenol hydroxylase and the ortho-cleavage pathway.     

Mutations of endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H active site residueAs sp130 anG glu132: activities and conformations

Endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H hydrolyzes the beta-(1-4)-glycosidic link of the N,N'-diacetylchitobiose core of high-mannose and hybrid asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. Seven mutants of the active site residues, Asp130 and Glu132, have been prepared, assayed, and crystallized. They include single site mutants of each residue to the corresponding amide, to Ala and to the alternate acidic residue, and to the double amide mutant. The mutants of Asp130 are more active than the corresponding Glu132 mutants, consistent with the assignment of the latter residue as the primary catalytic residue. The amide mutants are more active than the alternate acidic residue mutants, which in turn are more active than the Ala mutants. The structures of the Asn mutant of Asp130 and the double mutant are very similar to that of the wild-type enzyme. Several residues surrounding the mutated residues, including some that form part of the core of the beta-barrel and especially Tyr168 and Tyr244, adopt a very different conformation in the structures of the other two mutants of Asp130 and in the Asp mutant of Glu132. The results show that the residues in the upper layers of the beta-barrel can organize into two very distinct packing arrangements that depend on subtle electrostatic and steric differences and that greatly affect the geometry of the substrate-binding cleft. Consequently, the relative activities of several of the mutants are defined by structural changes, leading to impaired substrate binding, in addition to changes in functionality.     

Enzymatic properties of mutant Escherichia coli tryptophan synthase alpha-subunits

Thirty-nine mutant tryptophan synthase alpha subunits have been purified and analyzed (in the presence of the beta 2-subunit) for their enzymatic (kcat, Km) behavior in the reactions catalyzed by the alpha 2.beta 2 complex, the fully constituted form of this enzyme. The mutant alpha subunits, obtained by in vitro random, saturation mutagenesis of the encoding trpA gene, contain single amino acid substitutions at sites within the first 121 residues of the alpha polypeptide. Four categories of altered residues have been tentatively assigned roles in the catalytic functions of this enzyme: 1) catalytic residues (Glu49 and Asp60); 2) residues involved in substrate binding or orientation (Phe22, Thr63, Gln65, Tyr102, and Leu105); 3) residues involved in alpha.beta subunit interactions (Gly51, Pro53, Asp56, Asp60, Pro62, Ala67, Phe72, Thr77, Pro78, Tyr102, Asn104, Leu105, and Asn108); and 4) residues with no apparent catalytic roles. Catalytic residue alterations result in no detectable activity in the alpha-subunit specific reactions. Substrate binding/orientation roles are detected enzymatically primarily as rate defects; alterations only at Tyr102 result in apparent Km effects. alpha.beta interaction roles are detected as rate defects in all tryptophan synthase reactions plus Km increases for the alpha-subunit substrate, indole-3-glycerol phosphate, only when L-serine is present at the beta 2-subunit active site. A substitution at only one site, Asn104, appears to be unique in its potential effect on intersubunit channeling of indole, the product of the alpha-subunit specific reaction, to the beta 2-subunit active site.