Expression in Escherichia coli of cDNA Encoding Barley β-Amylase and Properties of Recombinant β-Amylase

To express the cloned β-amylase cDNA in Escherichia coli under control of the tac promoter, a plasmid pBETA92 was constructed. The plasmid consisted of 6312 bp. An extract of E. coli JM109 harboring pBETA92 had β-amylase activity that produced β-maltose from soluble starch. The enzyme production started in the logarithmic phase, increased linearly, and reached a maximum after 12 h. The recombinant barley β-amylase gave two major (pI 5.43 and 5.63) and four minor (pI 5.20, 5.36, 5.80, and 6.13) activity bands on isoelectric focusing, and their pIs didn’t change throughout the incubation. But Western blot analysis found that one β-amylase having a molecular weight of about 56,000 was synthesized. The recombinant β-amylase was purified from the cells by consecutive column chromatography. The purified enzyme gave a single band of protein on SDS–PAGE but showed heterogeneity on isoelectric focusing. The N-terminal amino acid sequence showed that the recombinant β-amylase lacked four amino acids at positions 2–5 (Glu-Val-Asn-Val) when compared with the presumed amino acid sequence of barley β-amylase. Therefore, the recombiant β-amylase consisted of 531 amino acids, and its molecular weight was calculated to be 59,169. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the recombinant β-amylase and the nucleotide sequence of the junction position in plasmid pBETA92 indicated that GTG (Val-5 in the case of barley β-amylase) at positions 27–29 from the SD sequence (AGGA) was the translation initiation codon. The properties of the recombinant β-amylase were almost the same as those of barley β-amylase except for the pI and the K_m values for maltohexaose and maltoheptaose. The pI of recombiant barley β-amylase calculated by Genetyx Version 9 based on the presumed amino acid sequence was 5.60, but the real pIs were 5.20–6.13. Therefore, some post-translational reaction(s) might happen after protein synthesis in E. coli cells, and this modification might cause the differences in the pI and the K_m values for maltohexaose and maltoheptaose between the barley and the recombinant β-amylases.     

Isolation of β-Amylase Producing Microorganisms

l,3-Diphenyl-2-propen-l-one (chalcone) was selectively hydrogenated at the carbon-carbon double bond on incubation with Corynebacterium equi IFO 3730, to give the corresponding saturated ketone, 1,3-diphenyl-l-propanone. Practically no alcoholic compounds were detected in the reaction mixture. This highly selective hydrogenation reaction was also successful with substrates having substituents on aromatic rings. On the other hand, two hydrogen atoms on the olefinic carbons were essential, because substitution of either one of the hydrogens by a methyl group completely inhibited the reaction.     

Cloning,Sequencing, and Expression of a β-Amylase Gene from Bacillus cereus var. mycoides and Characterization of Its Products

The cloned gene was composed of 1638 bp for coding plus promoter like and SD-like sequences ahead of it. The deduced amino acid sequence had high similarity with known β-amylases. The N-terminal sequence of the cloned β-amylase seemed to be a signal peptide. The gene was introduced into Bacillus subtilis 1A289 using pHY300PLK as a vector and the expressed protein was recovered from the culture media. The enzyme fraction produced was divided into two components upon the DEAE column chromatography. The amino acid sequence of one fraction (FrI) was the same as the mature enzyme, and the other (FrII) lacked the N-terminal amino acid residue (Ala) of the mature enzyme. The kinetic parameters of the hydrolysis catalyzed by the enzyme component FrI were measured, and the subsite affinities of the enzyme were evaluated. In conclusion, it was shown that the recombinant enzyme was the same as the mature enzyme functionally and proteochemically.     

Adsorption of Microbial β-Amylase on Starch

The effect of lime pretreatment of brown midrib sorghums on enzymatic saccharification was investigated. Under most of the pretreatment conditions, the saccharification yields of bmrs were higher than those of the normal counterparts. This result suggests that bmr is useful to reduce pretreatment costs, because the amount of lime necessary for the pretreatment of biomass can reduced by using bmr mutants.     

Molecular Cloning and Expression of Proteinaceous α-Amylase Inhibitor Gene from Streptomyces nitrosporeus in Escherichia coli

The proteinaceous α-amylase inhibitor, T-76, gene was cloned by screening a Streptomyces nitrosporeus genomic library using a deoxyinosine-containing probe corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the inhibitor. The nucleotide sequence of the insert of a positive clone had an open reading frame of 330 bp that encoded a polypeptide of 110 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 11,306 daltons. The polypeptide begins with proximal basic amino acids and a region rich in hydrophobic amino acids that possibly act as a signal peptide for secretion, which is followed by a sequence consistent with the amino-terminal amino acid sequence of the T-76 inhibitor. Escherichia coli cells harboring the plasmid derivatives for expression produced the inhibitor in their periplasmic space. The amino-terminal sequence of the inhibitor produced by an E. coli transformant was identical to that of the T-76 inhibitor secreted by S. nitrosporeus. The amino acid sequence of the inhibitor deduced from nucleotide sequence showed significant homology to other proteinaceous α-amylase inhibitors.     

Saccharification of indigenous starches by β-Amylase of Bacillus megaterium

Extracellular -amylase from Bacillus megaterium converted indigenous starches from low-grade, raw materials to maltose. The extent of saccharification was higher with gelatinized starches than the raw material. For the gelatinized starches the optima for saccharification were pH 6.9 and 60°C.     

Expression of a β-galactosidase gene from Lactobacillus sake in Escherichia coli

Summary A -galactosidase gene from Lactobacillus sake coding for lactose hydrolysis was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Chromosomal DNA from L. sake was partially digested with the restriction enzyme Sau3AI, and the 3–6 Kb fragment was ligated to the cloning vector pSP72 digested with BamHI. One E. coli transformant expressing -galactosidase was isolated on X-gal plates. It contained a plasmid with an insertion of approx. 4 Kb. The restriction map of the recombinant plasmid was constructed. The characteristics of the recombinant -galactosidase were compared with those of the wild type. The optima pH and temperature for both enzymes was 6.5 and 50°C, respectively. Stability of the enzymes at different temperatures and activity on lactose were determined.     

Expression and functional analysis of two lycopene β-cyclases from citrus fruits

In the present study, two LCYb genes (CitLCYb1 and CitLCYb2) were isolated from Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.), Valencia orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) and Lisbon lemon (Citrus limon Burm.f.) and their functions were analyzed by the color complementation assay in lycopene-accumulating E. coli cells. The results showed that CitLCYb1 and CitLCYb2 shared high identity at the amino acid level among the three citrus varieties. The N-terminal region of the two proteins encoded by CitLCYb1 and CitLCYb2 was predicted to contain a 51-residue chloroplastic transit peptide, which shared low similarity. In Satsuma mandarin, the secondary structures of the CitLCYb1 and CitLCYb2 encoding proteins without the transit peptide were quite similar. Moreover, functional analysis showed that both enzymes of CitLCYb1 and CitLCYb2 participated in the formation of β-carotene, and when they were co-expressed with CitLCYe, α-carotene could be produced from lycopene in E. coli cells. However, although CitLCYb2 could convert lycopene to α-carotene in E. coli cells, its extremely low level of expression indicated that CitLCYb2 did not participate in the formation of α-carotene during the green stage in the flavedo. In addition, the high expression levels of CitLCYb1 and CitLCYb2 during the orange stage played an important role in the accumulation of β,β-xanthophylls in citrus fruits. The results presented in this study might contribute to elucidate the mechanism of carotenoid accumulation in citrus fruits.     

Histochemical Discrimination of Endogenous Mammalian β-galactosidase Activity from that Resulting from lac-Z Gene Expression

Minces of several organs from the transgenic mouse ROSA-gal 26 (ROSA-26), which robustly expresses bacterial lac-Z in most tissues, were exposed to 4-bromo, 5-chloro, 3-indoyl, -D-galactopyrosanide (X-gal) at pH ranging from 7.5 to 9.5 to determine the optimal pH for in situ demonstration of bacterial -galactosidase activity (neutral pH optimum) while minimizing detection of potentially confounding endogenous mammalian -galactosidase (acidic pH optimum). Similar studies were performed with organ minces from C57BL/6 mice, Sprague-Dawley rats, New Zealand white rabbits, and macaques to confirm the effect of pH on minimizing detection of endogenous mammalian -galactosidase. In all organs evaluated; heart, liver, spleen, kidney, brain, and skeletal muscle, endogenous -galactosidase activity was rarely detected following incubation at pH greater than 7.5. In contrast, bacterial -galactosidase activity in the ROSA-26 mice was strongly detected in organ minces following incubation at pH 8.0–9.0. These findings are similar to previous observations we have made in lung minces and confirm that a simple alteration of a commonly used histochemical technique for detecting in situ -galactosidase activity, raising the reaction buffer pH to weakly alkaline range, can reliably distinguish between endogenous activity and that resulting from exogenous bacterial gene expression.     

Purifications and Enzymatic Properties of β-Amylase and Pullulanase from Bacillus cereus var. mycoides

A β-amylase and a pullulanase produced by Bacillus cereus var. mycoides were purified by means of ammonium sulfate fractionation, adsorption on starch and celite and Sephadex G–100 column chromatography. The purified enzymes were homogeneous in disc electrophoresis.

The β-amylase released only maltose from amylose, amylopectin, starch and glycogen, and the released maltose was in β-form. The pullulanase released maltose, maltotriose and maltotetraose from β-limit dextrin and maltotriose from pullulan, but not amylose-like substance from amylopectin.

The optimum pHs of β-amylase and pullulanase were about 7 and 6~6.5, respectively. The optimum temperatures of the enzymes were about 50°C. The enzymes were inhibited by the sulfhydryl reagents such as mercuric chloride and p-chloromercuribenzoate, and the inhibitions with p-chloromercuribenzoate were restored by the addition of cysteine. The molecular weights of β-amylase and pullulanase were estimated to be 35,000±5,000 and 110,000±20,000, respectively.     

Primary Structures of α- and β-Subunits of α-Amylase Inhibitors from Seeds of Three Cultivars of Phaseolus Beans

The primary structures of three α-amylase inhibitors (TAI, DAI, and MAI-2) consisting of glycoprotein subunits α and β from the respective seeds of three cultivars of Phaseolus beans, Toramame (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), Daifukumame (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and Murasakihanamame (Phaseolus coccineus L.) were determined by sequencing the peptide fragments derived from their enzymatic digestions. Major sugar chains of the inhibitors were also assessed by analyzing glycopeptides in the enzymatic digests. The subunits, α and β, were shown to be composed of 76 and 139 amino acid residues, respectively, in each inhibitor. The overall amino acid sequences of the inhibitors were slightly different from one another. Furthermore, the sequence of TAI was the same as that deduced from a cDNA clone encording α-amylase inhibitor-1 from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). It was also revealed that there were two N-glycosylation sites in each α-subunit: PA-derivatives of the major N-glycans were estimated to be M6B at Asn(12) and M9A at Asn(65). Each β-subunit of TAI and MAI-2 had two N-glycosylation sites, while the β-subunit of DAI had only one site. The major N-glycans pyridylaminated were estimated to be M3X at Asn(63) in each β-subunit and M3FX at Asn(83) in β-subunits of TAI and MAI-2.     

Molecular Cloning and Expression of an α-Amylase Inhibitor from Rye with Potential for Controlling Insect Pests

Alpha-amylase inhibitors have important roles in plant defense mechanisms, particularly against insects, and several of these inhibitors have been expressed in different crops to increase their resistance to particular insects. In this work, we report the cloning and expression of a gene encoding for a new -amylase inhibitor (BIII) from rye (Secale cereale) seeds. The BIII gene contains 354 nucleotides that encode for 118 amino acids sequence. A 313 bp fragment of the gene was expressed in Escherichia coli and resulted in a functional inhibitor that reduced the activity of -amylases of larvae of the coleopteran pests Acanthoscelides obtectus, Zabrotess subfasciatus and Anthonomus grandis. In contrast, the inhibitor did not inhibit the activity of porcine pancreatic -amylase. Although the amino acid sequence of BIII showed high identity with those of bifunctional inhibitors, the recombinant protein was unable to inhibit trypsin-like serine proteinases. The effects of recombinant BIII were evaluated in vivo against A. grandis. When first instar larvae were reared on an artificial diet containing four different concentrations of BIII, a reduction in larval weight and a mortality of 83% were observed at the highest concentration.     

Molecular Cloning and Expression of Two Novel β-N-Acetylglucosaminidases from Silkworm Bombyx mori

β-N-Acetylglucosaminidase is a major glycosidase involved in several physiological processes, such as fertilization, metamorphosis, glycoconjugate degradation, and glycoprotein biosynthesis in insects. A search using the Bombyx mori cDNA database revealed the existence of two putative β-N-acetylglucosaminidase genes. Their full-length cDNAs were cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends and polymerase chain reaction using specific primers, and named BmGlcNAcase1 and BmGlcNAcase2. A BLAST search revealed that BmGlcNAcase1 and BmGlcNAcase2 are homologous to a β-subunit homolog encoded by Drosophila melanogaster HEXO2 and the Spodoptera frugiperda β-N-acetylglucosaminidase gene respectively. The recombinant proteins of BmGlcNAcase1 and BmGlcNAcase2 without putative transmembrane domains were expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Both enzymes showed broad substrate specificity, and cleaved terminal N-acetylglucosamine residues from the α-3 and α-6 branches of a biantennary N-glycan substrate, and also hydrolyzed chitotriose to chitobiose.     

Chemical Modification of Amino Groups of Acid-stable α-Amylase and Acid-unstable α-Amylase from Aspergillus niger

Monochlorotrifluoro-p-benzoquinone (CFQ) was used for investigating the state of the amino groups of acid-stable α-amylase and acid-unstable α-amylase. About half of the total amino groups in both enzyme molecules were reacted with the reagent. The unreactive amino groups seemed to exist in a different state from the reactive ones. Both enzymes whose amino groups were modified by CFQ still maintained the α-phenylmaltosidase activity in spite of losing or decreasing the amylase activity. These facts suggest that the amino groups of both enzymes were not in the active site but the modification of them caused steric hindrance.

The pH-stability of the acid-unstable α-amylase whose one or two amino groups were modified with succinic anhydride or 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene-l-sulfonate (TNBS) increased on the acidic side and decreased on the alkaline side, but further modification of them led to decrease the stability on both sides.     

Expression in Escherichia coli of a cloned β-glucanase gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

Summary The recombinant phage G1 has been identified by screening 700 plaques of a Charon 4A library, containing DNA of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, for phage clones directing the hydrolysis of lichenan in Escherichia coli, as indicated by haloes surrounding plaques on lichenan agar. The gene coding for an endo--1.3–1.4-glucanase was recloned within a 3.6 kb EcoRI fragment into the EcoRI site of plasmid pBR322, in both orientations.The location and extent of the bgl gene on the 3.6 kb Bacillus DNA insert was estimated by insertion mutagenesis with transposon Tn5 and restriction mapping of Tn5 insertions within or near to the bgl gene.The -glucanase synthesized by E. coli harbouring plasmids pEG1 or pEG2 was shown to accumulate mainly in the periplasmic space but -glucanase activities were also detected extracellulary and in the cytoplasm. The molecular weight of the enzyme synthesized in E. coli harbouring pEG1 was estimated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be about 24000. It was shown that the level of bgl gene expression in E. coli varies about 10-fold, depending on the orientation of the 3.6 kb DNA-fragment cloned within the EcoRI site of pBR322. After insertion of HindIII-DNA fragments from phage into the HindIII site of the -glucanase-high-expression plasmid pEG1, we obtained clones also showing an approximately 10-fold reduction in -glucanase activites. It was thus concluded that on plasmid pEG1 the leftward acting Ap^r (PI) promotor of plasmid pBR322 strongly increases the expression in E. coli of the cloned B. amyloliquefaciens bgl gene.Abbreviations Ap ampicillin, Km, kanamycin - kd kilodalton - kb kilobase pairs - moi multiplicity of infection - pfu plaque forming units - SDS sodium dodecylsulphate - Tc tetracycline     

Expression, Purification and Characterization of a Recombinant β-Glucosidase from Volvariella Volvacea

For the first time, a β-glucosidase gene from the edible straw mushroom, Volvariella volvacea V1-1, has been over-expressed in E. coli. The gene product was purified by chromatography showing a single band on SDS-PAGE. The recombinant enzyme had a molecular mass of 380 kDa with subunits of 97 kDa. The maximum activity was at pH 6.4 and 50 °C over a 5 min assay. The purified enzyme was stable from pH 5.6–8.0, had a half life of 1 h at 45 °C. The β-glucosidase had a K_m of 0.2 mM for p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside.     

Molecular Shape and Packing in Crystals of Soybean β-Amylase

The structure of soybean β-amylase in trigonal (P3₂21) crystals was determined at 4.5 Å resolution by X-ray crystallographic techniques using the isomorphous replacement method. X-Ray diffraction data were collected by the screened precession method for the native enzyme and two heavy atom derivatives. The shape of the enzyme molecule and the locations of mercurial binding are presented. The molecule appeared to be composed of two domains: the larger domain contains one mercurial site on its surface and the smaller domain has another mercurial site, which seemed to be the so-called essential sulfhydryl group. A distinct cleft formed between the domains near the latter sulfhydryl group may be a substrate binding region.     

Expression of the β-subunit of β-conglycinin in seeds of transgenic plants

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seeds contain the storage protein -conglycinin, encoded by a multigene family. -Conglycinin consists of three subunits; , , and . A genomic clone for a -subunit of -conglycinin has been characterized by restriction-enzyme mapping and hybrid selected in-vitro translation followed by immunoprecipitation. In order to determine the developmental regulation of this -subunit gene, its expression was studied in seeds of transgenic petunia (Petunia hybrida) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants. The -subunit expressed in seeds of petunia and tobacco was recognized by anti--conglycinin serum at a relative molecular mass of 53 000, equivalent to that of the native protein. Separation of the petunia-seed proteins by isoelectric focusing followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis showed that multiple isoelectric forms of the -subunit were produced. There was approximately a twofold variation in the accumulation of the -subunit protein in the mature seeds of transgenic petunia plants, each containing a single -subunit gene. However, the level of protein accumulation in mature seeds and the amount of -subunit mRNA in developing seeds was not correlated. Accumulation of the -subunit protein in transgenic seeds was less than the -subunit protein that accumulated in transgenic petunia seeds containing a single -subunit gene and less than the amount of the -subunit in mature soybean seeds which contain 8–13 -subunit genes. In transgenic tobacco plants, the accumulation of the -subunit protein in seeds was generally well correlated with the number of genes that were incorporated in the different transformants.Abbreviations kb kilobase - kDa kilodalton - M_r relative molecular mass - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Purification and Some Properties of Active β-Amylase in Rice

An active β-amylase was purified from germinated rice seeds by precipitation with ammonium sulfate, acid treatment, chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose and DEAE-Sephadex A-50, and gel filiations on Sephadex G-75. The purified enzyme was homogeneous in disc electrophoretic analysis.

The molecular weight was estimated to be approximately 53,000 by thin-layer gel filtration and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The isoelectric point was found to be pH 5.0 by disc electrofocusing.

The optimum pH was found to be in the pH range of 5.5 to 6.5. The Km value for soluble starch was 3 mg/ml. The enzyme was inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents or heavy metal ions.

The active β-amylase was oxidatively dimerized by treatment with 0.3 m ferricyanide in 3 m urea. The dimerized enzyme was thought to be one of inert β-amylases in ungerminated rice seeds.