Aspartate kinase and homoserine dehydrogenase ofCandida utilis

Aspartate kinase and homoserine dehydrogenase activity were assayed in a dialyzed cell-free extract ofCandida utilis. Aspartate kinase was partly inhibited by ATP-Mg and by Mg²⁺ alone. There appear to be two isoenzymes of aspartate kinase in the yeast, one heatlabile, the other relatively heat-stable. The first is subject to feedback inhibition by threonine, the other is threonine-resistant. Neither aspartate kinase nor homoserine dehydrogenase is the rate-limiting enzyme in methionine biosynthesis. Homoserine dehydrogenase measured in the forward direction showed an activity five times higher than aspartate kinase. No regulatory interaction could be demonstrated for this enzyme. No repression of aspartate kinase and homoserine dehydrogenase synthesis by threonine, methionine or both amino acids was observed.     

谷氨酸棒杆菌高丝氨酸脱氢酶编码基因hom的敲除

本研究以谷氨酸棒杆菌（Corynebacterium glutamicum）标准菌株ATCC 13032染色体为模板,设计引物PCR扩增高丝氨酸脱氢酶编码基因（hom）,在hom基因内部插入一段来源于质粒pET28a的卡那霉素抗性基因（Km）,得到基因元件hom::Km;通过电击转化法将hom::Km转入出发菌株替换原菌株的hom,在含卡那霉素的平板上挑取阳性转化子,通过PCR验证得到高丝氨酸脱氢酶缺陷的重组菌。发酵结果表明重组菌C.g- hom::Km -8发酵60小时赖氨酸产量达到4.7 g／L,是出发菌株谷氨酸棒杆菌ATCC 13032（0.7 g／L）的6.7倍。     

A C-terminal deletion in Corynebacterium glutamicum homoserine dehydrogenase abolishes allosteric inhibition by L-threonine.

In Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Corynebacterium glutamicum, homoserine dehydrogenase (HD), the enzyme after the branch point of the threonine/methionine and lysine biosynthetic pathways, is allosterically inhibited by L-threonine. To investigate the regulation of the C. glutamicum HD enzyme by L-threonine, the structural gene, hom, was mutated by UV irradiation of whole cells to obtain a deregulated allele, homdr. L-Threonine inhibits the wild-type (wt) enzyme with a Ki of 0.16 mM. The deregulated enzyme remains 80% active in the presence of 50 mM L-threonine. The homdr gene mutant was isolated and cloned in E. coli. In a C. glutamicum wt host background, but not in E. coli, the cloned homdr gene is genetically unstable. The cloned homdr gene is overexpressed tenfold in C. glutamicum and is active in the presence of over 60 mM L-threonine. Sequence analysis revealed that the homdr mutation is a single nucleotide (G1964) deletion in codon 429 within the hom reading frame. The resulting frame-shift mutation radically alters the structure of the C terminus, resulting in ten amino acid (aa) changes and a deletion of the last 7 aa relative to the wt protein. These observations suggest that the C terminus may be associated with the L-threonine allosteric response. The homdr mutation is unstable and probably deleterious to the cell. This may explain why only one mutation was obtained despite repeated mutagenesis.     

Analysis of a Corynebacterium glutamicum hom gene coding for a feedback-resistant homoserine dehydrogenase.

From a Corynebacterium glutamicum mutant possessing a homoserine dehydrogenase resistant to feedback inhibition by L-threonine, the corresponding gene (homFBR) was analyzed and compared with the wild-type hom gene. DNA fragment exchange experiments between both genes showed that a 0.23-kb region close to the 3' terminus of homFBR was responsible for deregulation. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed a single transition from G to A in homFBR leading to replacement of glycine-378 by glutamate in the mutant homoserine dehydrogenase.     

钝齿棒杆菌N-乙酰谷氨酸激酶基因的克隆、序列分析及表达

以钝齿棒杆菌(Corynebacterium crenatum)野生株AS 1.542及产精氨酸突变株971.1的基因组为模板,用PCR方法扩增出N-乙酰谷氨酸激酶基因(argB)片段。核酸序列分析结果表明,该片段全长1505bp,包含一个ORF,推测此ORF区编码一条317个氨基酸的多肽,分子量为33.6kDa。C.crenatum野生株AS 1.542与突变株971.1的argB基因序列比较,发现只在结构区有一个核苷酸的差别但没有引起氨基酸变化。野生株AS 1.542argB基因的编码区核苷酸序列与C.glutamicumATCC 13032、Corynebacterium efficiensYS-314和Escherichia colik12的同源性分别是99.89%、76.62%和37.94%,而氨基酸同源性分别是100%、78.55%和25.25%。在C.crenatum argB基因上游存在启动子区域。经IPTG诱导该基因在棒杆菌中得到有效表达,野生株AS 1.542为宿主的重组子酶活明显提高。突变株971.1为宿主的重组菌酶活提高一倍,精氨酸积累提高约25%。     

Development of a system vector-host in methylotrophic bacteria

Cloning of methylotropic and other Gram negative bacteria's genes was performed using vectors derived from IncP4 plasmids. Plasmids, such s RSF1010 are 8.8 kb in length, have a high copy number and broad host range and can be mobilized efficiently by a number of conjugative plasmids. IncP4 plasmids have relatively few restriction enzyme's targets suitable for cloning. In this paper the construction of versatile and special purpose IncP4 vectors available for cloning DNA into broad range of bacterial species are described. The seria of versatile vectors involves the transposon containing plasmid and two-replicon vectors.In genetic construction of special vector for direct cloning of restriction fragments the genetic regulation elements of Tn 1 were used. On the base of IncP4 replicon special vectors for construction of bank genes (cosmids) and the vectors for cloning of regulation sequence were also constructed.     

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the homoserine kinase (thrB) gene from Brevibacterium lactofermentum

Summary Five DNA fragments carrying the thrB gene (homoserine kinase E.C. 2.7.1.39) of Brevibacterium lactofermentum were cloned by complementation of Escherichia coli thrB mutants using pBR322 as vector. All the cloned fragments contained a common 3.1 kb DNA sequence. The cloned fragments hybridized among themselves and with a 9 kb BamHI fragment of the chromosomal DNA of B. lactofermentum but not with the DNA of E. coli. None of the cloned fragments were able to complement thrA and thrC mutations of E. coli. Plasmids pULTH2, pULTH8 and pULTH11 had the cloned DNA fragments in the same orientation and were very stable. On the contrary, plasmid pULTH18 was very unstable and showed the DNA inserted in the opposite direction. E. coli minicells transformed with plasmids pULTH8 or pULTH11 (both carrying the common 3.1 kb fragment) synthesize a protein with an M _r of 30,000 that is similar in size to the homoserine kinase of E. coli.Abbreviations SSC 0.15 M NaCl, 0.015 M sodium citrate - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate - TSB tripticase soy broth - m-DAP meso-diaminopimelic acid - Sm^r, Cp^r, Km^r, Am^r, Ap^r, Tc^r, MA15^r resistance to streptomycin, cephalotin, kanamycin, amykacin, ampicillin, tetracycline and microcin A 15, respectively     

Cloning vector system for Corynebacterium glutamicum.

A protoplast transformation system has been developed for Corynebacterium glutamicum by using a C. glutamicum-Bacillus subtilis chimeric vector. The chimera was constructed by joining a 3.0-kilobase cryptic C. glutamicum plasmid and the B. subtilis plasmid pBD10. The neomycin resistance gene on the chimera, pHY416, was expressed in C. glutamicum, although the chloramphenicol resistance gene was not. The various parameters in the transformation protocol were analyzed separately and optimized. The resulting transformation system is simple and routinely yields 10(4) transformants per microgram of plasmid DNA.     

Cloning and nucleotide sequences of the homoserine dehydrogenase genes (hom) and the threonine synthase genes (thrC) of the gram-negative obligate methylotroph Methylobacillus glycogenes.

We have cloned the homoserine dehydrogenase genes (hom) from the gram-negative obligate methylotrophs Methylobacillus glycogenes ATCC 21276 and ATCC 21371 by complementation of an Escherichia coli homoserine dehydrogenase-deficient mutant. The 4.15-kb DNA fragment cloned from M. glycogenes ATCC 21371 also complemented an E. coli threonine synthase-deficient mutant, suggesting the DNA fragment contained the thrC gene in addition to the hom gene. The homoserine dehydrogenases expressed in the E. coli recombinants were hardly inhibited by L-threonine, L-phenylalanine, or L-methionine. However, they became sensitive to the amino acids after storage at 4 degrees C for 4 days as in M. glycogenes. The structures of the homoserine dehydrogenases overexpressed in E. coli were thought to be different from those in M. glycogenes, probably in subunit numbers of the enzyme, and were thought to have converted to the correct structures during the storage. The nucleotide sequences of the hom and thrC genes were determined. The hom genes of M. glycogenes ATCC 21276 and ATCC 21371 encode peptides with M(r)s of 48,225 and 44,815, respectively. The thrC genes were located 50 bp downstream of the hom genes. The thrC gene of ATCC 21371 encodes a peptide with an M(r) of 52,111, and the gene product of ATCC 21276 was truncated. Northern (RNA) blot analysis suggests that the hom and thrC genes are organized in an operon. Significant homology between the predicted amino acid sequences of the hom and thrC genes and those from other microorganisms was found.     

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the glutamate dehydrogenase gene,gdh, from Corynebacterium melassecola

A hybrid plasmid containing a fragment of the Corynebacterium melassecola chromosome cloned into pBR325 restored growth of glutamate auxotrophs of Escherichia coli strains that have mutations in the genes for glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamate synthase. A 3.1-kilobase pair region was shown by complementation analysis and enzyme measurements to carry the glutamate dehydrogenase gene, gdh. Glutamate dehydrogenase encoded by gdh carried on recombinant plasmids was elevated over 100-fold in E. coli cells. The gdh promoter was located by in vitro fusion to a promoter-deficient galK gene.     

Threonine-sensitive aspartate kinase and homoserine dehydrogenase from Pisum sativum

Aspartate kinase and two homoserine dehydrogenases were partially purified from 4-day-old pea seedlings. A sensitive method for measuring aspartate kinase activity is described. Aspartate kinase activity was dependent upon ATP, Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺, and aspartate. The aspartate kinase was inhibited in a sigmoidal manner by threonine and K_i for threonine was 0·57 mM. The enzyme could be desensitized to the inhibitor and threonine protected the enzyme against thermal inactivation. Aspartate kinase activity was enhanced by isoleucine, valine and alanine. Homoserine, methionine and lysine were without effect. The homoserine dehydrogenase activity which was associated with aspartate kinase during purification could be resolved into two peaks by gel filtration. The activity of both peaks was inhibited by aspartate and cysteine and one was inhibited by threonine.     

Cloning and expression of Clostridium acetobutylicum phosphotransbutyrylase and butyrate kinase genes in Escherichia coli.

A 13.6-kilobase (kb) Sau3AI restriction endonuclease fragment of Clostridium acetobutylicum DNA cloned into pBR322 enabled Escherichia coli ato mutants to grow on butyrate as a sole carbon source (But+). Complementation of the ato defect by the recombinant plasmid pJC6 was due to expression of the genes for phosphotransbutyrylase (PTB) and butyrate kinase (BK). Both genes were efficiently expressed in E. coli, as their products were readily detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of whole-cell extracts. PTB was found to have a polypeptide subunit molecular weight of approximately 31,000, while that of BK was approximately 39,000. Deletion analysis and Tn5 mutagenesis of plasmid pJC7 (a But+ subclone containing a 4.4-kb BamHI fragment from the insert of pJC6) localized the PTB and BK genes within a region spanning approximately 2.9 kb. Preliminary evidence suggests that the two genes may form an operon that is transcribed as a single unit from a promoter of clostridial origin within the 4.4-kb insert of pJC7.     

Engineering the homoserine dehydrogenase and threonine dehydratase control points to analyse flux towards L-isoleucine in Corynebacterium glutamicum

 The synthesis of L-isoleucine by Corynebacterium glutamicum involves 11 reaction steps, with at least 5 of them regulated in activity or expression. Using gene replacement we constructed a vector-free C. glutamicum strain having feedback-resistant aspartate kinase and feedback-resistant homoserine dehydrogenase activity. Isogenic strains carrying in addition one or several copies of feedback-resistant threonine dehydratase were made and their product accumulations compared. With strain SM1, with high threonine dehydratase activity, accumulation of 50 mM L-isoleucine was achieved, whereas with the parent strain only 4 mM L-isoleucine was obtained. Applying a closed-loop control fed-batch strategy to strain SM1 a final titre of 138 mM L-isoleucine was achieved with an integral molar yield of 0.11 mol/mol, and a maximal specific productivity of 0.28 mmol (g h)^-1. This shows that high L-isoleucine yields can be obtained in the presence of one copy of feedback-resistant homoserine dehydrogenase by applying the appropriate fermentation strategy. In addition, the specific profiles of 2-oxoglutarate and pyruvate accumulation during fermentation revealed a major transition of the metabolism of C. glutamicum during the fermentation process. Received: 16 October 1995/Received revision: 21 December 1995/Accepted: 8 January 1996     

北京棒杆菌AS1.299高丝氨酸脱氢酶突变体L200F/D215K的异源表达及酶学性质

【目的】对北京棒杆菌Corynebacterium pekinense高丝氨酸脱氢酶(homoserine dehydrogenase,HSD)进行空间结构改造从而获得优良性能新酶。【方法】利用定点突变技术构建HSD双突变体L200F/D215A、L200F/D215E、L200F/D215G和L200F/D215K,并将其转入大肠杆菌E.coli BL21中进行高效表达,选取催化效率最高的双突变体L200F/D215K与双突变前的L200F进行动力学和酶学性质比较。【结果】HSD双突变体L200F/D215K的Vmax为36.92 U/mg,较L200F提高1.24倍;最适反应温度为37℃,较L200F提高2℃;最适反应pH为7.5,与L200F经验值相同;最适温度下的半衰期为4.16 h,较L200F提高1.12倍;L200F/D215K和L200F对有机溶剂和金属离子均表现出较好的抗性。【结论】HSD通过空间结构改造活力得到提高,并且其酶学性质得到优化。本研究有助于认识HSD突变体的酶学性质,为其新酶的研发利用提供有力依据。     

Cloning and expression of genes of the luminescence system in Photobacterium leiognathi

The genes of Photobacterium leiognathi luminescence system were cloned in plasmid pUC18. Escherichia coli cells harboring a recombinant plasmid pPHL1 are luminescent. pPHL1 contains luciferase genes and genes responsible for aldehyde biosynthesis. The luminescence of Escherichia coli is subject to autoinductor regulation similar to the one existing in luminescent bacteria. The 2.7 kb fragment of Photobacterium leiognathi DNA containing the genes for alpha- and beta-luciferase subunits were cloned in pUC19.     

Cloning and expression of the HpaI restriction-modification genes.

The genes from Haemophilus parainfluenzae encoding the HpaI restriction-modification system were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. From the DNA sequence, we predicted the HpaI endonuclease (R.HpaI) to have 254 amino acid residues (Mr 29,630) and the HpaI methyltransferase (M.HpaI) to have 314 amino acid residues (37,390). The R.HpaI and M.HpaI genes overlapped by 16 base pairs on the chromosomal DNA. The genes had the same orientation. The clone, named E. coli HB101-HPA2, overproduced R.HpaI. R.HpaI activity from the clone was 100-fold that from H. parainfluenzae. The amino acid sequence of M.HpaI was compared with those of other type II methyltransferases.     

Cloning, expression, and nucleotide sequence of the formate dehydrogenase genes from Methanobacterium formicicum

The genes for the two subunits of the formate dehydrogenase from Methanobacterium formicicum were cloned and their sequences determined. When expressed in Escherichia coli, two proteins were produced which had the appropriate mobility on an SDS gel for the two subunits of formate dehydrogenase and cross-reacted with antibodies raised to purified formate dehydrogenase. The genes for the two formate dehydrogenase subunits overlap by 1 base pair and are preceded by DNA sequences similar to both eubacterial and archaebacterial promoters and ribosome-binding sites. The amino acid sequences deduced from the DNA sequence were analyzed, and the arrangement of putative iron-sulfur centers is discussed.     

Lysine and threonine biosynthesis in sorghum seeds: characterisation of aspartate kinase and homoserine dehydrogenase isoenzymes

Aspartate kinase (AK, EC 2.7.2.4) and homoserine dehydrogenase (HSDH, EC 1.1.1.3) have been partially purified and characterised from immature sorghum seeds. Two peaks of AK activity were eluted by anion‐exchange chromatography [diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)‐Sephacel] with 183 and 262 mM KCl, and both activities were inhibited by lysine. Similarly, two peaks of HSDH activity were eluted with 145 and 183 mM KCl; the enzyme activity in the first peak in elution order was shown to be resistant to threonine inhibition, whereas the second was sensitive to threonine inhibition. However, following gel filtration chromatography (Sephacryl S‐200), one peak of AK activity co‐eluted with HSDH and both activities were sensitive to threonine inhibition, suggesting the presence of a bifunctional threonine‐sensitive AK–HSDH isoenzyme with a molecular mass estimated as 167 kDa. The activities of AK and HSDH were studied in the presence of lysine, threonine, methionine, valine, calcium, ethylene glycol bis(2‐aminoethylether)‐N,N,N′N′‐tetraacetic acid, calmodulin, S‐adenosylmethionine (SAM), S‐2‐aminoethyl‐l ‐cysteine (AEC) and increasing concentrations of KCl. AK was shown to be inhibited by threonine and lysine, confirming the existence of two isoenzymes, one sensitive to threonine and the other sensitive to lysine, the latter being predominant in sorghum seeds. Methionine, SAM plus lysine and AEC also inhibited AK activity; however, increasing KCl concentrations and calcium did not produce any significant effect on AK activity, indicating that calcium does not play a role in AK regulation in sorghum seeds. HSDH also exhibited some inhibition by threonine, but the majority of the activity was not inhibited, thus indicating the existence of a threonine‐sensitive isoenzyme and a second predominant threonine‐insensitive isoenzyme. Valine and SAM plus threonine also inhibited HSDH; however, increasing concentrations of KCl and calcium had no inhibitory effect.