Coupling the fermentation and membrane separation process for polyamides monomer cadaverine production from feedstock lysine

Nylon is a polyamide material with excellent performance used widely in the aviation and automobile industries, and other fields. Nylon monomers such as hexamethylene diamine and other monomers are in huge demand. Therefore, in order to expand the methods of nylon production, we tried to develop alternative bio‐manufacturing processes which would make a positive contribution to the nylon industry. In this study, the engineered E. coli‐overexpressing Lysine decarboxylases (LDCs) were used for the bioconversion of l‐lysine to cadaverine. An integrated fermentation and microfiltration (MF) process for high‐level cadaverine production by E. coli was established. Concentration was increased from 87 to 263.6 g/L cadaverine after six batch coupling with a productivity of 3.65 g/L‐h. The cadaverine concentration was also increased significantly from 0.43 g cadaverine/g l‐lysine to 0.88 g cadaverine/g l‐lysine by repeated batch fermentation. These experimental results indicate that coupling the fermentation and membrane separation process could benefit the continuous production of cadaverine at high levels.     

Characterization of an aminotransferase from Acanthamoeba polyphaga Mimivirus

Acanthamoeba polyphaga Mimivirus, a complex virus that infects amoeba, was first reported in 2003. It is now known that its DNA genome encodes for nearly 1,000 proteins including enzymes that are required for the biosynthesis of the unusual sugar 4‐amino‐4,6‐dideoxy‐d‐glucose, also known as d‐viosamine. As observed in some bacteria, the pathway for the production of this sugar initiates with a nucleotide‐linked sugar, which in the Mimivirus is thought to be UDP‐d‐glucose. The enzyme required for the installment of the amino group at the C‐4′ position of the pyranosyl moiety is encoded in the Mimivirus by the L136 gene. Here, we describe a structural and functional analysis of this pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate‐dependent enzyme, referred to as L136. For this analysis, three high‐resolution X‐ray structures were determined: the wildtype enzyme/pyridoxamine 5′‐phosphate/dTDP complex and the site‐directed mutant variant K185A in the presence of either UDP‐4‐amino‐4,6‐dideoxy‐d‐glucose or dTDP‐4‐amino‐4,6‐dideoxy‐d‐glucose. Additionally, the kinetic parameters of the enzyme utilizing either UDP‐d‐glucose or dTDP‐d‐glucose were measured and demonstrated that L136 is efficient with both substrates. This is in sharp contrast to the structurally related DesI from Streptomyces venezuelae, whose three‐dimensional architecture was previously reported by this laboratory. As determined in this investigation,DesI shows a profound preference in its catalytic efficiency for the dTDP‐linked sugar substrate. This difference can be explained in part by a hydrophobic patch in DesI that is missing in L136. Notably, the structure of L136 reported here represents the first three‐dimensional model for a virally encoded PLP‐dependent enzyme and thus provides new information on sugar aminotransferases in general.     

The production and efflux of 4-aminobutyrate in isolated mesophyll cells

The pathway of 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production and efflux was investigated in suspensions of mesophyll cells isolated from asparagus (Asparagus sprengeri Regel) cladophylls. Analysis of free amino acids demonstrated that, on a molar basis, GABA represented 11.4, 19, and 6.5% of the xylem sap, intact cladophyll tissue, and isolated mesophyll cells, respectively. l-Glu, a GABA precursor, was abundant in intact cladophylls and isolated cells but not in xylem sap. When cells were incubated with l-[U-¹⁴C]Glu, intracellular GABA contained less than 10% of the radioactivity found in intracellular Glu. However, GABA in the medium contained 78% of the radioactivity found in extracellular l-Glu metabolites. Incubation with l-[1-¹⁴C]Glu resulted in the appearance of unlabeled GABA, demonstrating its production through decarboxylation at carbon 1. GABA released to the medium from cells incubated with l-[U-¹⁴C]Glu had a specific activity of 18 nanocuries per nanomole, whereas GABA remaining in the cell had a specific activity of 2.25 × 10⁻¹ nanocuries per nanomole. In the presence of exogenous l-Glu, amino acid analysis and cell volume measurements indicated intracellular Ala and GABA concentrations of 4.2 and 1.4 millimolar, respectively. In the medium, however, the corresponding concentrations were 2 and 57 micromolar. The data indicate that l-Glu entering the cell is decarboxylated to GABA, and that specific and passive efflux is from this pool of recently synthesized GABA and not from a previously synthesized unlabeled pool of GABA.     

Recharacterization of the mammalian cytosolic type 2 (R)-β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase as 4-oxo-l-proline reductase (EC 1.1.1.104)

Early studies revealed that chicken embryos incubated with a rare analog of l-proline, 4-oxo-l-proline, showed increased levels of the metabolite 4-hydroxy-l-proline. In 1962, 4-oxo-l-proline reductase, an enzyme responsible for the reduction of 4-oxo-l-proline, was partially purified from rabbit kidneys and characterized biochemically. However, only recently was the molecular identity of this enzyme solved. Here, we report the purification from rat kidneys, identification, and biochemical characterization of 4-oxo-l-proline reductase. Following mass spectrometry analysis of the purified protein preparation, the previously annotated mammalian cytosolic type 2 (R)-β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (BDH2) emerged as the only candidate for the reductase. We subsequently expressed rat and human BDH2 in Escherichia coli, then purified it, and showed that it catalyzed the reversible reduction of 4-oxo-l-proline to cis-4-hydroxy-l-proline via chromatographic and tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Specificity studies with an array of compounds carried out on both enzymes showed that 4-oxo-l-proline was the best substrate, and the human enzyme acted with 12,500-fold higher catalytic efficiency on 4-oxo-l-proline than on (R)-β-hydroxybutyrate. In addition, human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T) cells efficiently metabolized 4-oxo-l-proline to cis-4-hydroxy-l-proline, whereas HEK293T BDH2 KO cells were incapable of producing cis-4-hydroxy-l-proline. Both WT and KO HEK293T cells also produced trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline in the presence of 4-oxo-l-proline, suggesting that the latter compound might interfere with the trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline breakdown in human cells. We conclude that BDH2 is a mammalian 4-oxo-l-proline reductase that converts 4-oxo-l-proline to cis-4-hydroxy-l-proline and not to trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline, as originally thought. We also hypothesize that this enzyme may be a potential source of cis-4-hydroxy-l-proline in mammalian tissues.     

Biosynthesis of l-Sorbose and l-Psicose Based on C—C Bond Formation Catalyzed by Aldolases in an Engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum Strain

The property of loose stereochemical control at aldol products from aldolases helped to synthesize multiple polyhydroxylated compounds with nonnatural stereoconfiguration. In this study, we discovered for the first time that some fructose 1,6-diphosphate aldolases (FruA) and tagatose 1,6-diphosphate (TagA) aldolases lost their strict stereoselectivity when using l-glyceraldehyde and synthesized not only l-sorbose but also a high proportion of l-psicose. Among the aldolases tested, TagA from Bacillus licheniformis (BGatY) showed the highest enzyme activity with l-glyceraldehyde. Subsequently, a “one-pot” reaction based on BGatY and fructose-1-phosphatase (YqaB) generated 378 mg/liter l-psicose and 199 mg/liter l-sorbose from dihydroxyacetone-phosphate (DHAP) and l-glyceraldehyde. Because of the high cost and instability of DHAP, a microbial fermentation strategy was used further to produce l-sorbose/l-psicose from glucose and l-glyceraldehyde, in which DHAP was obtained from glucose through the glycolytic pathway, and some recombination pathways based on FruA or TagA and YqaB were constructed in Escherichia coli and Corynebacterium glutamicum strains. After evaluation of different host cells and combinations of FruA or TagA with YqaB and optimization of gene expression, recombinant C. glutamicum strain WT(pXFTY) was selected and produced 2.53 g/liter total ketoses, with a yield of 0.50 g/g l-glyceraldehyde. Moreover, deletion of gene cgl0331, encoding the Zn-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase in C. glutamicum, was confirmed for the first time to significantly decrease conversion of l-glyceraldehyde to glycerol and to increase yield of target products. Finally, fed-batch culture of strain SY14(pXFTY) produced 3.5 g/liter l-sorbose and 2.3 g/liter l-psicose, with a yield of 0.61 g/g l-glyceraldehyde. This microbial fermentation strategy also could be applied to efficiently synthesize other l-sugars.     

An l-glucose Catabolic Pathway in Paracoccus Species 43P

An l-glucose-utilizing bacterium, Paracoccus sp. 43P, was isolated from soil by enrichment cultivation in a minimal medium containing l-glucose as the sole carbon source. In cell-free extracts from this bacterium, NAD⁺-dependent l-glucose dehydrogenase was detected as having sole activity toward l-glucose. This enzyme, LgdA, was purified, and the lgdA gene was found to be located in a cluster of putative inositol catabolic genes. LgdA showed similar dehydrogenase activity toward scyllo- and myo-inositols. l-Gluconate dehydrogenase activity was also detected in cell-free extracts, which represents the reaction product of LgdA activity toward l-glucose. Enzyme purification and gene cloning revealed that the corresponding gene resides in a nine-gene cluster, the lgn cluster, which may participate in aldonate incorporation and assimilation. Kinetic and reaction product analysis of each gene product in the cluster indicated that they sequentially metabolize l-gluconate to glycolytic intermediates, d-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, and pyruvate through reactions of C-5 epimerization by dehydrogenase/reductase, dehydration, phosphorylation, and aldolase reaction, using a pathway similar to l-galactonate catabolism in Escherichia coli. Gene disruption studies indicated that the identified genes are responsible for l-glucose catabolism.     

Commentary on Urinary l-erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine: a novel serine racemase inhibitor and substrate of the Zn2+-dependent d-serine dehydratase

The analysis of the urine contents can be informative of physiological homoeostasis, and it has been speculated that the levels of urinary d-serine (d-ser) could inform about neurological and renal disorders. By analysing the levels of urinary d-ser using a d-ser dehydratase (DSD) enzyme, Ito et al. (Biosci. Rep.(2021) 41, BSR20210260) have described abundant levels of l-erythro-β-hydroxyasparagine (l-β-EHAsn), a non-proteogenic amino acid which is also a newly described substrate for DSD. The data presented support the endogenous production l-β-EHAsn, with its concentration significantly correlating with the concentration of creatinine in urine. Taken together, these results could raise speculations that l-β-EHAsn might have unexplored important biological roles. It has been demonstrated that l-β-EHAsn also inhibits serine racemase with K_i values (40 μM) similar to its concentration in urine (50 μM). Given that serine racemase is the enzyme involved in the synthesis of d-ser, and l-β-EHAsn is also a substrate for DSD, further investigations could verify if this amino acid would be involved in the metabolic regulation of pathways involving d-ser.     

Engineering Filamentous Fungi for Conversion of d-Galacturonic Acid to l-Galactonic Acid

d-Galacturonic acid, the main monomer of pectin, is an attractive substrate for bioconversions, since pectin-rich biomass is abundantly available and pectin is easily hydrolyzed. l-Galactonic acid is an intermediate in the eukaryotic pathway for d-galacturonic acid catabolism, but extracellular accumulation of l-galactonic acid has not been reported. By deleting the gene encoding l-galactonic acid dehydratase (lgd1 or gaaB) in two filamentous fungi, strains were obtained that converted d-galacturonic acid to l-galactonic acid. Both Trichoderma reesei Δlgd1 and Aspergillus niger ΔgaaB strains produced l-galactonate at yields of 0.6 to 0.9 g per g of substrate consumed. Although T. reesei Δlgd1 could produce l-galactonate at pH 5.5, a lower pH was necessary for A. niger ΔgaaB. Provision of a cosubstrate improved the production rate and titer in both strains. Intracellular accumulation of l-galactonate (40 to 70 mg g biomass⁻¹) suggested that export may be limiting. Deletion of the l-galactonate dehydratase from A. niger was found to delay induction of d-galacturonate reductase and overexpression of the reductase improved initial production rates. Deletion of the l-galactonate dehydratase from A. niger also delayed or prevented induction of the putative d-galacturonate transporter An14g04280. In addition, A. niger ΔgaaB produced l-galactonate from polygalacturonate as efficiently as from the monomer.     

Structural and functional analysis of gum arabic l-rhamnose-α-1,4-d-glucuronate lyase establishes a novel polysaccharide lyase family

Gum arabic (GA) is widely used as an emulsion stabilizer and coating in several industrial applications, such as foods and pharmaceuticals. GA contains a complex carbohydrate moiety, and the nonreducing ends of the side chains are often capped with l-rhamnose; thus, enzymes that can remove these caps are promising tools for the structural analysis of the carbohydrates comprising GA. In this study, GA-specific l-rhamnose-α-1,4-d-glucuronate lyase from the fungus Fusarium oxysporum 12S (FoRham1) was cloned and characterized. FoRham1 showed the highest amino acid sequence similarity with enzymes belonging to the glycoside hydrolase family 145; however, the catalytic residue on the posterior pocket of the β-propeller fold protein was not conserved. The catalytic residues of FoRham1 were instead conserved with ulvan lyases belonging to polysaccharide lyase family 24. Kinetic analysis showed that FoRham1 has the highest catalytic efficiency for the substrate α-l-rhamnose-(1→4)-d-glucuronic acid. The crystal structures of ligand-free and α-l-rhamnose-(1→4)-d-glucuronic acid –bound FoRham1 were determined, and the active site was identified on the anterior side of the β-propeller. The three-dimensional structure of the active site and mutagenesis analysis revealed the detailed catalytic mechanism of FoRham1. Our findings offer a new enzymatic tool for the further analysis of the GA carbohydrate structure and for elucidating its physiological functions in plants. Based on these results, we renamed glycoside hydrolase family 145 as a new polysaccharide lyase family 42, in which FoRham1 is included.     

Isolation of active mitochondria from tomato fruit

An improved method for isolating mitochondria from tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is described. The fruit is chilled, and the tissue of the fruit wall cut by hand into very thin slices with a razor blade while immersed in a buffer containing 0.4 m sucrose, 2 mm MgCl₂, 8 mm EDTA, 4 mm cysteine, 10 mm KCl, 0.5 mg per ml bovine serum albumin 50 mm tris-HCl, pH 7.6. The pH is monitored and kept within the range of 7.0 to 7.2 by dropwise addition of 1 n KOH during cutting. The tissue is strained through 8 layers of cheesecloth and centrifuged at 2000 × g for 15 minutes. The supernatant is then centrifuged at 11,000 × g for 20 minutes, and the sediment is washed once with a medium containing 0.4 m sucrose, 10 mm KCl, 1 mm MgCl₂, 10 mm tris-HCl, 10 mm KH₂PO₄ and bovine serum albumin (0.5 mg per ml), pH 7.2. Electron microscope studies show that this method gives homogeneous, relatively intact mitochondria; they have a higher respiratory control ratio than those reported by other workers. The method was also tested successfully on fruits of cantaloupe and `Honey Dew' melon.     

A Novel Type of Peptidoglycan-binding Domain Highly Specific for Amidated d-Asp Cross-bridge,Identified in Lactobacillus casei Bacteriophage Endolysins

Peptidoglycan hydrolases (PGHs) are responsible for bacterial cell lysis. Most PGHs have a modular structure comprising a catalytic domain and a cell wall-binding domain (CWBD). PGHs of bacteriophage origin, called endolysins, are involved in bacterial lysis at the end of the infection cycle. We have characterized two endolysins, Lc-Lys and Lc-Lys-2, identified in prophages present in the genome of Lactobacillus casei BL23. These two enzymes have different catalytic domains but similar putative C-terminal CWBDs. By analyzing purified peptidoglycan (PG) degradation products, we showed that Lc-Lys is an N-acetylmuramoyl-l-alanine amidase, whereas Lc-Lys-2 is a γ-d-glutamyl-l-lysyl endopeptidase. Remarkably, both lysins were able to lyse only Gram-positive bacterial strains that possess PG with d-Ala⁴→d-Asx-l-Lys³ in their cross-bridge, such as Lactococcus casei, Lactococcus lactis, and Enterococcus faecium. By testing a panel of L. lactis cell wall mutants, we observed that Lc-Lys and Lc-Lys-2 were not able to lyse mutants with a modified PG cross-bridge, constituting d-Ala⁴→l-Ala-(l-Ala/l-Ser)-l-Lys³; moreover, they do not lyse the L. lactis mutant containing only the nonamidated d-Asp cross-bridge, i.e. d-Ala⁴→d-Asp-l-Lys³. In contrast, Lc-Lys could lyse the ampicillin-resistant E. faecium mutant with 3→3 l-Lys³-d-Asn-l-Lys³ bridges replacing the wild-type 4→3 d-Ala⁴-d-Asn-l-Lys³ bridges. We showed that the C-terminal CWBD of Lc-Lys binds PG containing mainly d-Asn but not PG with only the nonamidated d-Asp-containing cross-bridge, indicating that the CWBD confers to Lc-Lys its narrow specificity. In conclusion, the CWBD characterized in this study is a novel type of PG-binding domain targeting specifically the d-Asn interpeptide bridge of PG.     

Identification of an l-Arabinose Reductase Gene in Aspergillus niger and Its Role in l-Arabinose Catabolism

The first enzyme in the pathway for l-arabinose catabolism in eukaryotic microorganisms is a reductase, reducing l-arabinose to l-arabitol. The enzymes catalyzing this reduction are in general nonspecific and would also reduce d-xylose to xylitol, the first step in eukaryotic d-xylose catabolism. It is not clear whether microorganisms use different enzymes depending on the carbon source. Here we show that Aspergillus niger makes use of two different enzymes. We identified, cloned, and characterized an l-arabinose reductase, larA, that is different from the d-xylose reductase, xyrA. The larA is up-regulated on l-arabinose, while the xyrA is up-regulated on d-xylose. There is however an initial up-regulation of larA also on d-xylose but that fades away after about 4 h. The deletion of the larA gene in A. niger results in a slow growth phenotype on l-arabinose, whereas the growth on d-xylose is unaffected. The l-arabinose reductase can convert l-arabinose and d-xylose to their corresponding sugar alcohols but has a higher affinity for l-arabinose. The K_m for l-arabinose is 54 ± 6 mm and for d-xylose 155 ± 15 mm.     

Binding of NAD+ and l-Threonine Induces Stepwise Structural and Flexibility Changes in Cupriavidus necator l-Threonine Dehydrogenase

Crystal structures of short chain dehydrogenase-like l-threonine dehydrogenase from Cupriavidus necator (CnThrDH) in the apo and holo forms were determined at 2.25 and 2.5 Å, respectively. Structural comparison between the apo and holo forms revealed that four regions of CnThrDH adopted flexible conformations when neither NAD⁺ nor l-Thr were bound: residues 38–59, residues 77–87, residues 180–186, and the catalytic domain. Molecular dynamics simulations performed at the 50-ns time scale revealed that three of these regions remained flexible when NAD⁺ was bound to CnThrDH: residues 80–87, residues 180–186, and the catalytic domain. Molecular dynamics simulations also indicated that the structure of CnThrDH changed from a closed form to an open form upon NAD⁺ binding. The newly formed cleft in the open form may function as a conduit for substrate entry and product exit. These computational results led us to hypothesize that the CnThrDH reaction progresses by switching between the closed and open forms. Enzyme kinetics parameters of the L80G, G184A, and T186N variants also supported this prediction: the k_cat/K_{m, l-Thr} value of the variants was >330-fold lower than that of the wild type; this decrease suggested that the variants mostly adopt the open form when l-Thr is bound to the active site. These results are summarized in a schematic model of the stepwise changes in flexibility and structure that occur in CnThrDH upon binding of NAD⁺ and l-Thr. This demonstrates that the dynamical structural changes of short chain dehydrogenase-like l-threonine dehydrogenase are important for the reactivity and specificity of the enzyme.     

Virulence Gene Regulation by l-Arabinose in Salmonella enterica

Invasion of the intestinal epithelium is a critical step in Salmonella enterica infection and requires functions encoded in the gene cluster known as Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1 (SPI-1). Expression of SPI-1 genes is repressed by l-arabinose, and not by other pentoses. Transport of l-arabinose is necessary to repress SPI-1; however, repression is independent of l-arabinose metabolism and of the l-arabinose-responsive regulator AraC. SPI-1 repression by l-arabinose is exerted at a single target, HilD, and the mechanism appears to be post-translational. As a consequence of SPI-1 repression, l-arabinose reduces translocation of SPI-1 effectors to epithelial cells and decreases Salmonella invasion in vitro. These observations reveal a hitherto unknown role of l-arabinose in gene expression control and raise the possibility that Salmonella may use L-arabinose as an environmental signal.     

Properties of an Aminotransferase of Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

A transaminase (aminotransferase, EC 2.6.1) fraction was partially purified from shoot tips of pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) seedlings. With α-ketoglutarate as co-substrate, the enzyme transaminated the following aromatic amino acids: d,l-tryptophan, d,l-tyrosine, and d,l-phenylalanine, as well as the following aliphatic amino acids: d,l-alanine, d,l-methionine, and d,l-leucine. Of other α-keto acids tested, pyruvate and oxalacetate were more active than α-ketoglutarate with d,l-tryptophan. Stoichiometric yields of indolepyruvate and glutamate were obtained with d,l-tryptophan and α-ketoglutarate as co-substrates. The specific activity was three times higher with d-tryptophan than with l-tryptophan.     

Novel Enzyme Family Found in Filamentous Fungi Catalyzing trans-4-Hydroxylation of l-Pipecolic Acid

Hydroxypipecolic acids are bioactive compounds widely distributed in nature and are valuable building blocks for the organic synthesis of pharmaceuticals. We have found a novel hydroxylating enzyme with activity toward l-pipecolic acid (l-Pip) in a filamentous fungus, Fusarium oxysporum c8D. The enzyme l-Pip trans-4-hydroxylase (Pip4H) of F. oxysporum (FoPip4H) belongs to the Fe(II)/α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily, catalyzes the regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation of l-Pip, and produces optically pure trans-4-hydroxy-l-pipecolic acid (trans-4-l-HyPip). Amino acid sequence analysis revealed several fungal enzymes homologous with FoPip4H, and five of these also had l-Pip trans-4-hydroxylation activity. In particular, the homologous Pip4H enzyme derived from Aspergillus nidulans FGSC A4 (AnPip4H) had a broader substrate specificity spectrum than other homologues and reacted with the l and d forms of various cyclic and aliphatic amino acids. Using FoPip4H as a biocatalyst, a system for the preparative-scale production of chiral trans-4-l-HyPip was successfully developed. Thus, we report a fungal family of l-Pip hydroxylases and the enzymatic preparation of trans-4-l-HyPip, a bioactive compound and a constituent of secondary metabolites with useful physiological activities.     

Turnover of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic Acid synthase protein in wounded tomato fruit tissue

Ethylene production in plant tissues declines rapidly following induction, and this decline is due to a rapid decrease in the activity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase, a key enzyme in ethylene biosynthesis. To study the nature of the rapid turnover of ACC synthase in vivo, proteins in wounded ripening tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruit discs were radiolabeled with [³⁵S]methionine, followed by a chase with nonradioactive methionine. Periodically, the radioactive ACC synthase was isolated with an immunoaffinity gel and analyzed. ACC synthase protein decayed rapidly in vivo with an apparent half-life of about 58 min. This value for protein turnover in vivo is similar to that previously reported for activity half-life in vivo and substrate-dependent enzyme inactivation in vitro. Carbonylcyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone and 2,4-dinitrophenol, potent uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation, strongly inhibited the rapid decay of ACC synthase protein in the tissue. Degradation of this enzyme protein was moderately inhibited by the administration of aminooxyacetic acid, a competitive inhibitor of ACC synthase with respect to its substrate S-adenosyl-l-methionine, α,α′-dipyridyl, and phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride or leupeptin, serine protease inhibitors. These results support the notion that the substrate S-adenosyl-l-methionine participates in the rapid inactivation of the enzyme in vivo and suggest that some ATP-dependent processes, such as the ubiquitin-requiring pathway, are involved in the degradation of ACC synthase proteins.     

Construction of a robust and sensitive arginine biosensor through ancestral protein reconstruction

Biosensors for signaling molecules allow the study of physiological processes by bringing together the fields of protein engineering, fluorescence imaging, and cell biology. Construction of genetically encoded biosensors generally relies on the availability of a binding “core” that is both specific and stable, which can then be combined with fluorescent molecules to create a sensor. However, binding proteins with the desired properties are often not available in nature and substantial improvement to sensors can be required, particularly with regard to their durability. Ancestral protein reconstruction is a powerful protein-engineering tool able to generate highly stable and functional proteins. In this work, we sought to establish the utility of ancestral protein reconstruction to biosensor development, beginning with the construction of an l-arginine biosensor. l-arginine, as the immediate precursor to nitric oxide, is an important molecule in many physiological contexts including brain function. Using a combination of ancestral reconstruction and circular permutation, we constructed a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor for l-arginine (cpFLIPR). cpFLIPR displays high sensitivity and specificity, with a K_d of ∼14 µM and a maximal dynamic range of 35%. Importantly, cpFLIPR was highly robust, enabling accurate l-arginine measurement at physiological temperatures. We established that cpFLIPR is compatible with two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy and report l-arginine concentrations in brain tissue.     

Moderate l-lactate administration suppresses adipose tissue macrophage M1 polarization to alleviate obesity-associated insulin resistance

As a crucial metabolic intermediate, l-lactate is involved in redox balance, energy balance, and acid–base balance in organisms. Moderate exercise training transiently elevates plasma l-lactate levels and ameliorates obesity-associated type 2 diabetes. However, whether moderate l-lactate administration improves obesity-associated insulin resistance remains unclear. In this study, we defined 800 mg/kg/day as the dose of moderate l-lactate administration. In mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD), moderate l-lactate administration for 12 weeks was shown to alleviate weight gain, fat accumulation, and insulin resistance. Along with the phenotype alterations, white adipose tissue thermogenesis was also found to be elevated in HFD-fed mice. Meanwhile, moderate l-lactate administration suppressed the infiltration and proinflammatory M1 polarization of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) in HFD-fed mice. Furthermore, l-lactate treatment suppressed the lipopolysaccharide-induced M1 polarization of bone marrow–derived macrophages (BMDMs). l-lactate can bind to the surface receptor GPR132, which typically drives the downstream cAMP–PKA signaling. As a nutrient sensor, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) critically controls macrophage inflammatory signaling and phenotype. Thus, utilizing inhibitors of the kinases PKA and AMPK as well as siRNA against GPR132, we demonstrated that GPR132–PKA–AMPKα1 signaling mediated the suppression caused by l-lactate treatment on BMDM M1 polarization. Finally, l-lactate addition remarkably resisted the impairment of lipopolysaccharide-treated BMDM conditional media on adipocyte insulin sensitivity. In summary, moderate l-lactate administration suppresses ATM proinflammatory M1 polarization through activation of the GPR132–PKA–AMPKα1 signaling pathway to improve insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice, suggesting a new therapeutic and interventional approach to obesity-associated type 2 diabetes.     

The biological sulphation of l-tyrosyl peptides

1. A rat-liver supernatant preparation can achieve the biological O-sulphation of l-tyrosylglycine and l-tyrosyl-l-alanine at pH7·0. 2. The optimum concentrations of l-tyrosylglycine and l-tyrosyl-l-alanine in this system are 50mm and 60mm respectively. 3. l-Tyrosylglycine yields two sulphated products, whereas l-tyrosyl-l-alanine yields three sulphated products, when used as acceptor for sulphate in the rat-liver system. 4. With both substrates, one of the sulphated products has been identified as the O-sulphate ester of the corresponding parent peptide.