GH42家族保守氨基酸位点累积突变对Geobacillus stearothermophilus来源β-半乳糖苷酶BgaB催化活性的影响

【背景】β-半乳糖苷酶转糖苷活性弱,产物低聚半乳糖(galactooligosaccharides, GOS)易被水解,致其催化得率普遍较低。【目的】以GH42家族Geobacillus stearothermophilus来源β-半乳糖苷酶BgaB为对象,探讨家族保守氨基酸位点突变对β-半乳糖苷酶BgaB催化活性的影响。【方法】在单点突变体功能研究基础上,采用定点突变与化学修饰相结合的方法,对保守氨基酸位点E303与F341进行累积突变。【结果】与野生型酶相比,所构建双点突变体Ox-E303C/F341S水解活性降低为30%;GOS最大得率由0.75%提高到19.50%。【结论】家族保守氨基酸位点累积突变能够使单点突变体功能得到共同进化,降低β-半乳糖苷酶水解活性和底物抑制作用,能够提高其转糖苷催化活性。     

腾冲嗜热厌氧菌丙氨酸消旋酶底物通道氨基酸位点的功能

【目的】通过定点突变探究腾冲嗜热厌氧菌MB4中生物合成型丙氨酸消旋酶Tt Alr底物通道内氨基酸位点A172和S173的功能。【方法】利用定点突变PCR技术构建突变体,通过亲和层析法纯化酶蛋白,采用D-氨基酸氧化酶偶联法检测各突变蛋白的活性及其稳定性。【结果】通过定点突变PCR成功得到8个突变体,酶学特性分析发现,A172位点突变为丝氨酸(S)后酶蛋白的相对活性有所提升,但含有该位点突变的酶蛋白稳定性均大幅下降;S173位点突变为天门冬氨酸(D)后导致突变体蛋白的最适反应温度提升了15°C,半衰期大幅延长,但相对活性明显下降。【结论】丙氨酸消旋酶Tt Alr底物通道内A172和S173位点均是影响酶蛋白催化活性和稳定性的关键位点。     

鉴别杰多霉素生物合成后修饰氧化酶JadH中参与底物结合或催化的关键残基

JadH是羟化脱水双功能酶,参与杰多霉素生物合成中的聚酮后修饰反应,将2,3-dehydro-UWM6催化为dehydrorabelomycin。为了分析杰多霉素生物合成途径中后修饰氧化酶JadH结合、催化底物的关键氨基酸,构建了JadH与底物复合物的三维结构模型。利用该模型并结合JadH同源蛋白氨基酸序列比对分析,推测出JadH活性中心中可能参与底物结合或催化的关键氨基酸(R50、G51、L52、G53、F100、R221、I223、P295和G298)。通过定点突变及体外酶学实验对这些位点的突变体的催化活性进行评价,结果显示这些突变株活性均显著低于野生型,表明这9个氨基酸是JadH参与底物结合或催化的关键氨基酸。     

人类线粒体肌酸激酶uMtCK的底物结合位点分析

研究人类线粒体肌酸激酶u Mt CK的结合位点,将其与底物肌酸和ATP结合有关的关键氨基酸进行突变,并对突变体进行酶动力学和圆二色谱数据分析,探讨这些关键氨基酸在底物识别和催化过程中的作用。结果显示,与野生酶相比,突变体Q313A和R336A的K_m~(Cr)分别提高了2.6和2.9倍,k_(cat)下降了19%和55%;同样地,与ATP结合相关的突变体R125A和R287A分别使得K_m~(ATP)升高了3.2和4.2,k_(cat)下降了72%和38%。以上结果表明突变体R125A、R287A、Q313A和R336A影响对底物的结合,同时也降低了酶促反应的速度。利用圆二色谱比较野生酶与不同突变体的二级结构并无明显变化,但进一步的结构模拟表明底物结合位点氨基酸在与底物之间的氢键对底物的识别和酶催化过程中发挥着重要作用。     

基于磷脂酶水解圈定向筛选高效聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯降解酶

【目的】目前自然环境中聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(polyethylene terephthalate, PET)废弃物的积累严重威胁生态健康,因此PET的降解问题已成为全球性的热点问题。生物酶法降解PET技术以其绿色环保而备受关注,但天然PET降解酶的催化活性普遍偏低,亟待进一步定向改造。现阶段定向进化为快速提高PET降解酶催化性能提供了可能,其中筛选方法是成功获得高性能突变体的关键所在。本研究旨在提出一种新型高效灵敏的筛选方法并应用于褐色喜热裂孢菌(Thermobifida fusca)来源角质酶Tfu-0883的定向改造,以期快速获得PET降解活性提高的突变体。【方法】基于易错PCR构建突变体文库,涂布于卵黄磷脂平板,以水解圈的大小作为筛选指标获得PET降解活性提高的突变体;对突变体进行酶学定性并筛选出潜在的分子改造位点,最终获得高性能突变体。【结果】从卵黄磷脂平板中挑取水解圈直径最大的单菌落,即突变体H10(N2D/D94H/A149E),其PET降解能力是野生型的1.5倍,最适温度与pH分别为60℃和8.0。突变体H10中第2位和第149位氨基酸残基远离底物结合凹槽,其突变会导致酶蛋白稳定性下降;第94位氨基酸残基则位于底物结合凹槽附近,由负电荷氨基酸Asp突变为正电荷氨基酸His,有利于吸附在带负电荷的PET表面,是突变体H10降解能力提升的关键因素;随后将野生型的第94位氨基酸残基Asp分别突变为His及同为正电荷且空间位阻更小的Lys和Arg,突变体D94H、D94K和D94R对PET降解能力均有提升,其中,突变体D94K降解PET能力是野生型的3.6倍。【结论】本研究基于磷脂酶水解圈构建了一种新的PET降解酶定向筛选方法,以此获得了降解活性提高的突变体,并证实角质酶Tfu-0883第94位氨基酸残基位点具有提升其PET降解活性的潜在能力。     

鸡源和猪源乳杆菌胆盐水解酶的表达及酶学性质比较

【目的】随着抗生素生长促进剂(AGPs)在动物饲料中逐步禁止使用,AGPs替代物的研究成为热点。由于胆盐水解酶(BSH)在脂类代谢中的关键作用,成为AGPs替代物研究的一个重要方向。在原核表达和纯化的基础上鉴定鸡源和猪源乳杆菌BSH在酶学性质方面的差异性。【方法】分别对鸡源胆盐水解酶(BSHc)和猪源胆盐水解酶(BSHp)基因进行原核表达和蛋白纯化,通过测定对6种甘氨结合胆盐和牛磺结合胆盐的水解效率获得两种酶的酶学动力学性质,进而测定了温度、pH和金属离子对酶活力的影响。【结果】BSHc和BSHp对甘氨结合胆盐的水解效率高于牛磺结合胆盐,BSHc对甘氨结合胆盐的水解效率较BSHp稍高;BSHc和BSHp的最适酶解温度分别为45°C和42°C;BSHc和BSHp的最适反应pH分别为6.0和5.4;含有Cu~(2+)、Fe~(3+)、Mn~(2+)和Zn~(2+)的金属盐对BSHc和BSHp的酶活力均具有不同程度的抑制作用,特别是Cu~(2+)和Fe~(3+)抑制作用比较强;含有Na~+、K~+、Mg~(2+)和Ca2+的金属盐对BSHc和BSHp酶活力的抑制作用相对较弱或无抑制作用,但KIO3对BSHc和BSHp酶活力具有强抑制作用,KI和CaCl_2对BSHp酶活力也具有较强的抑制作用。【结论】原核表达和纯化的BSHc和BSHp对甘氨结合胆盐的水解效率高于牛磺结合胆盐,BSHc的最适酶解温度和pH稍高于BSHp,Cu~(2+)、Fe~(3+)、Mn~(2+)和Zn~(2+)等金属离子对BSHc和BSHp酶活力具有明显抑制作用,试验结果为鉴定BSH抑制物进而研制AGPs替代物奠定了基础。     

亚位点+1处突变提高软化类芽胞杆菌环糊精糖基转移酶底物麦芽糊精特异性

通过改造来源于软化类芽胞杆菌Paenibacillus macerans的环糊精糖基转移酶(Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase,CGT酶)的+1亚位点提高其对麦芽糊精的底物特异性,并进一步提高以麦芽糊精为糖基供体催化合成2-O-D-吡喃葡糖基-L-抗坏血酸(AA-2G)的效率。首先对+1亚位点附近的3个氨基酸残基Leu194、Ala230和His233分别进行定点饱和突变,得到3个优势突变体L194N(亮氨酸→天冬酰胺),A230D(丙氨酸→天冬氨酸),H233E(组氨酸→谷氨酸),然后以这3个优势突变体为模板进一步进行两点和三点复合突变,获得7个复合突变体。研究结果表明,突变体L194N/A230D/H233E以麦芽糊精为底物合成AA-2G的产量最高,达到1.95 g/L,比野生型CGT酶提高了62.5%。对获得的突变体进行动力学分析,发现高浓度的底物L-AA对突变型CGT酶催化的酶促反应具有抑制作用。确定了突变体酶促反应的最适温度、pH和反应时间。模拟突变体的三维结构并进行分析,突变体底物特异性的改善可能与CGT酶第194位、230位和233位的氨基酸残基的亲水性及与底物分子间的作用力的改变有关。     

新德里金属β-内酰胺酶-1及其突变体结构与功能研究进展

耐药菌株所分泌表达的新德里金属β-内酰胺酶-1(New Delhi Metalloβ-lactamase-1,NDM-1)是金属-β-内酰胺酶家族的成员,能够催化几乎所有β-内酰胺类抗生素的水解,其迅速传播已成为人类健康的严重威胁。我国是产该酶病原菌分离率较高的国家之一,绝大部分为革兰氏阴性菌。到目前为止,全世界已报道了由16个突变位点和1个插入位点所形成的21种不同的NDM突变体,这些突变体的核酸序列通过单个或多个碱基取代或插入而改变。本文总结了NDM-1的结构及催化水解机理,对其结构中α-螺旋、β-折叠和环区结构进行了探讨,并基于此突变位点对该酶结构的影响进行了分析。这些区域所发生的突变,直接影响其水解底物的活性。深入了解这些突变对其结构和功能方面的影响,对于在分子水平上的进化研究具有十分重要的意义。     

用酵母双杂交技术研究IGF-1与其结合蛋白3的相互作用

 为了探讨胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白 3(IGFBP- 3)分子上的胰岛素样生长因子 1 (IGF- 1 )结合位点并找出其关键氨基酸残基组成 ,首先建立了研究 IGF- 1与 IGFBP- 3相互作用的酵母双杂交模型 ,可以定性和定量地分析两个蛋白质之间的相互作用大小 ;同时利用基因体外定点突变的方法 ,对推断出的 IGF- 1结合位点中的氨基酸突变 ,经 DNA序列分析 ,构建了 5种 IGFBP- 3突变体 .然后在酵母双杂交模型中通过对报告基因活性的定量分析 ,检测 IGF- 1与各种 IGFBP- 3突变体之间相互作用的大小 .结果表明 ,IGFBP- 3分子上的 Lys2 2 2 ,Gln2 2 3突变后 ,与 IGF- 1的结合力大大下降 ,而 Arg2 2 5,Pro2 2 6,Ser2 2 7突变后也导致与 IGF- 1结合力的部分下降 .从而初步确定了IGFBP- 3分子中第 2 2 2～ 2 2 7位的氨基酸区域为 IGF- 1的结合位点 ,并且 IGFBP- 3分子上 Lys2 2 2 ,Gln2 2 3在与 IGF- 1结合中起着重要作用 .     

Ydj1p锌指结构突变体对底物结合影响的分子动力学模拟分析

Ydj1p是酵母细胞质中一种主要的I型Hsp40分子伴侣,Ydj1p锌指结构在传递底物给Hsp70时发挥重要的作用,锌指结构域的两个锌离子结合位点区域(ZBDⅠ和ZBDⅡ)与半胱氨酸形成配位键对底物传递中维持结构稳定非常重要。本研究通过分子动力学手段对Ydj1p与各锌指结构突变体进行了模拟,分析ZBDⅠ突变体关键残基C143S、C201S,ZBDⅡ突变体关键残基C162S、C185S的突变影响Hsp40与Hsp70的底物传递。分析结果表明,当锌指部位的氨基酸发生突变,不仅能影响Ydj1p的结构稳定性,也能影响底物的传递,并且锌指结构Ⅰ突变体和锌指结构Ⅱ突变体之间也具有明显差异。通过结合能量的分析以及构象变化比对,揭示了Ydj1p以及各锌指结构突变体底物结合能力的强弱,这与生化实验研究了Ydj1p锌指结构与Hsp70合作,帮助多肽传递的功能是至关重要的结果较为相近。     

Molecular cloning,characterization and comparison of bile salt hydrolases from Lactobacillus johnsonii PF01

Aims

To clone, characterize and compare the bile salt hydrolase (BSH) genes of Lactobacillus johnsonii PF01.

Methods and Results

The BSH genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific oligonucleotide primers, and the products were inserted into the pET21b expression vector. Escherichia coli BLR (DE3) cells were transformed with pET21b vectors containing the BSH genes and induced using 0·1 mmol l^?1 isopropylthiolgalactopyranoside. The overexpressed BSH enzymes were purified using a nickel–nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni²⁺‐NTA) agarose column and their activities characterized. BSH A hydrolysed tauro‐conjugated bile salts optimally at pH 5·0 and 55°C, whereas BSH C hydrolysed glyco‐conjugated bile salts optimally at pH 5·0 and 70°C. The enzymes had no preferential activities towards a specific cholyl moiety.

Conclusions

BSH enzymes vary in their substrate specificities and characteristics to broaden its activity. Despite the lack of conservation in their putative substrate‐binding sites, these remain functional through motif conservation.

Significance and Impact of the Study

This is to our knowledge the first report of isolation of BSH enzymes from a single strain, showing hydrolase activity towards either glyco‐conjugated or tauro‐conjugated bile salts. Future structural homology studies and site‐directed mutagenesis of sites associated with substrate specificity may elucidate specificities of BSH enzymes.     

Kinetic and structural analysis of mutant Escherichia coli dihydroorotases: a flexible loop stabilizes the transition state

Dihydroorotase (DHOase) catalyzes the reversible cyclization of N-carbamyl-l-aspartate (CA-asp) to l-dihydroorotate (DHO) in the de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. Two different conformations of the surface loop (residues 105-115) were found in the dimeric Escherichia coli DHOase crystallized in the presence of DHO (PDB code 1XGE). The loop asymmetry reflected that of the active site contents of the two subunits: the product, DHO, was bound in the active site of one subunit and the substrate, CA-asp, in the active site of the other. In the substrate- (CA-asp-) bound subunit, the surface loop reaches in toward the active site and makes hydrogen bonds with the bound CA-asp via two threonine residues (Thr109 and Thr110), whereas the loop forms part of the surface of the protein in the product- (DHO-) bound subunit. To investigate the relationship between the structural states of this loop and the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme, a series of mutant DHOases including deletion of the flexible loop were generated and characterized kinetically and structurally. Disruption of the hydrogen bonds between the surface loop and the substrate results in significant loss of catalytic activity. Furthermore, structures of these mutants with low catalytic activity have no interpretable electron density for parts of the flexible loop. The structure of the mutant (Delta107-116), in which the flexible loop is deleted, shows only small differences in positions of other substrate binding residues and in the binuclear zinc center compared with the native structure, yet the enzyme has negligible activity. The kinetic and structural analyses suggest that Thr109 and Thr110 in the flexible loop provide productive binding of substrate and stabilize the transition-state intermediate, thereby increasing catalytic activity.     

Localization and primary characterization of bile salt hydrolase from Lactobacillus reuteri

The bile salt hydrolase (BSH) of Lactobacillus reuteri CRL 1098 is a single, constitutive, intracellular enzyme which is only detectable in stationary phase cells. It has optimal activity at pH 4.5–5.5 and 37–45 °C. The enzyme (80 kDa apparent mass) has sulphydryl groups in the catalytic active site and hydrolyzes both glycine and taurine conjugated bile acids with higher affinity for glyco-conjugates.     

Putative secondary active site of bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease I

Previous structural studies based on the co-crystal of a complex between bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease I (bpDNase I) and a double-stranded DNA octamer d(GCGATCGC)(2) have suggested the presence of a putative secondary active site near Ser43. In our present study, several crucial amino acid residues postulated in this putative secondary active site, including Thr14, Ser43, and His44 were selected for site-directed mutagenesis. A series of single, double and triple mutants were thus constructed and tested for their DNase I activity by hyperchromicity assay. Substitution of each or both of Thr14 and Ser43 by alanine results in mutant enzymes retaining 30-70% of WT bpDNase I activity. However, when His44 was replaced by aspartic acid, either in the single, double, or triple mutant, the enzyme activities were drastically decreased to 0.5-5% that of WT bpDNase I. Interestingly, when cysteine was substituted for Thr14 or Ser43, the specific DNase activities of the mutant enzymes were substantially increased by 1.5-100-fold, comparing to their alanine substitution mutant counterparts. Two other more sensitive DNase activity assay method, plasmid scission and zymogram analyses further confirm these observations. These results suggested that His44 may play a critical role in substrate DNA binding in this putative secondary active site, and introduction of sulfhydryl groups at Thr14 and Ser43 may facilitate Mn(2+)-coordination and further contribute to the catalytic activity of bpDNase I.     

Crucial effects of amino acid side chain length in transmembrane segment 5 on substrate affinity in yeast glucose transporter Hxt7

We previously identified Asp(340) in transmembrane segment 7 (TM7) as a key determinant of substrate affinity in Hxt7, a high-affinity facilitative glucose transporter of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To gain further insight into the structural basis of substrate recognition by Hxt7, we performed cysteine-scanning mutagenesis of 21 residues in TM5 of a Cys-less form of Hxt7. Four residues were sensitive to Cys replacement, among which Gln(209) was found to be essential for high-affinity glucose transport activity. The 17 remaining sites were examined further for the accessibility of cysteine to the hydrophilic sulfhydryl reagent p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate (pCMBS). Among the Cys mutants, T213C was the only one whose transport activity was completely inhibited by 0.5 mM pCMBS. Moreover, this mutant was protected from pCMBS inhibition by the substrate d-glucose and by 2-deoxy-D-glucose but not by L-glucose, indicating that Thr(213) is situated at or close to a substrate recognition site. The functional role of Thr(213) was further examined with its replacement with each of the other 19 amino acids in wild-type Hxt7. Such replacement generated seven functional transporters with various affinities for glucose. Only three mutants, those with Val, Cys, and Ser at position 213, exhibited high-affinity glucose transport activity. All of these residues possess a side chain length similar to that of Thr, indicating that side chain length at this position is a key determinant of substrate affinity. A working homology model of Hxt7 indicated that Gln(209) and Thr(213) face the central cavity and that Thr(213) is located within van der Waals distance of Asp(340) (TM7).     

A novel auto-cleavage assay for studying mutational effects on the active site of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 3C-like protease

The 3C-like protease (3CLpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been proposed as an attractive target for drug design. His41 and Cys145 were essential for the active site as the principal catalytic residues. In this study, we mutated the two sites, expressed four resulting mutants in Escherichia coli and characterized. All mutants showed undetectable activity in trans-cleavage assay. In addition, we introduced a 31-mer peptide containing an auto-cleavage site to the N-terminal of the proteases and found the peptide could be cleaved efficiently by 3CLsc itself, but, among the four mutants, only the mutant Cys145-->Ser showed residual activity as detected by the auto-cleavage assay. The data supported the proposition unequivocally that SARS-CoV 3CLpro was a member of serine proteases involving His41 and Cys145 residues at the active site. The auto-cleavage assay also provided a sensitive and reliable compensation to the traditional trans-cleavage assay.     

Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis diaminopimelic acid epimerase: paired cysteine residues are crucial for racemization

Recently, the overproduction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis diaminopimelic acid (DAP) epimerase MtDapF in Escherichia coli using a novel codon alteration cloning strategy and the characterization of the purified enzyme was reported. In the present study, the effect of sulphydryl alkylating agents on the in vitro activity of M. tuberculosis DapF was tested. The complete inhibition of the enzyme by 2-nitro-5-thiocyanatobenzoate, 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and 1,2-benzisothiazolidine-3-one at nanomolar concentrations suggested that these sulphydryl alkylating agents modify functionally significant cysteine residues at or near the active site of the epimerase. Consequently, the authors extended the characterization of MtDapF by studying the role of the two strictly conserved cysteine residues. The putative catalytic residues Cys87 and Cys226 of MtDapF were replaced individually with both serine and alanine. Residual epimerase activity was detected for both the serine replacement mutants C87S and C226S in vitro. Kinetic analyses revealed that, despite a decrease in the K(M) value of the C87S mutant for DAP that presumably indicates an increase in nonproductive substrate binding, the catalytic efficiency of both serine substitution mutants was severely compromised. When either C87 or C226 were substituted with alanine, epimerase activity was not detected emphasizing the importance of both of these cysteine residues in catalysis.     

Mutation of Thr466 in SHP2 abolishes its phosphatase activity, but provides a new substrate-trapping mutant

Most classical phosphotyrosyl phosphatases (PTPs), including the Src homology phosphotyrosyl phosphatase 2 (SHP2) possess a Thr or a Ser residue immediately C-terminal to the invariant Arg in the active site consensus motif (H/V-C-X5-R-S/T), also known as the "signature motif". SHP2 has a Thr (Thr466) at this position, but its importance in catalysis has not been investigated. By employing site-directed mutagenesis, phosphatase assays and substrate-trapping studies, we demonstrate that Thr466 is critical for the catalytic activity of SHP2. Its mutation to Ala abolishes phosphatase activity, but provides a new substrate-trapping mutant. We further show that the nucleophilic Cys459 is not involved in substrate trapping by Thr466Ala-SHP2 (T/A-SHP2). Mutation of Thr466 does not cause significant structural changes in the active site as revealed by the trapping of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the physiological substrate of SHP2, and by orthovanadate competition experiments. Based on these results and previous other works, we propose that the role of Thr466 in the catalytic process of SHP2 could be stabilizing the sulfhydryl group of Cys459 in its reduced state, a state that enables nucleophilic attack on the phosphate moiety of the substrate. The T/A-SHP2 harbors a single mutation and specifically interacts with the EGFR. Since the nucleophilic Cys459 and the proton donor Asp425 are intact in the T/A-SAHP2, it offers an excellent starting material for solving the structure of SHP2 in complex with its physiological substrate.