Expression and regulation of the penicillin G acylase gene from Proteus rettgeri cloned in Escherichia coli.

The penicillin G acylase genes from the Proteus rettgeri wild type and from a hyperproducing mutant which is resistant to succinate repression were cloned in Escherichia coli K-12. Expression of both wild-type and mutant P. rettgeri acylase genes in E. coli K-12 was independent of orientation in the cloning vehicle and apparently resulted from recognition in E. coli of the P. rettgeri promoter sequences. The P. rettgeri acylase was secreted into the E. coli periplasmic space and was composed of subunits electrophoretically identical to those made in P. rettgeri. Expression of these genes in E. coli K-12 was not repressed by succinate as it is in P. rettgeri. Instead, expression of the enzymes was regulated by glucose catabolite repression.     

Expression and purification of penicillin G acylase enzymes from four different micro-organisms, and a comparative evaluation of their synthesis/hydrolysis ratios for cephalexin

Several genes for the enzyme penicillin G acylase, as isolated from four different micro-organisms (Alcaligenes facaelis, Escherichia coli, Kluyvera cryocrescens or Providencia rettgeri) were modified at their carboxy-termini to include His-tag fusions, then were expressed from the plasmid pET-24a(+) in E. coli JM109(DE3) cells. All fusion proteins were next purified to homogeneity in a single step by agar-based Co-IDA chromatography, and were then evaluated as catalysts for the synthesis of cephalexin by a kinetically controlled strategy. We find here that the penicillin G acylase enzyme from K. cryocrescens shows a higher intrinsic synthesis/hydrolysis ratio, when compared to three other enzymes from A. facaelis or P. rettgeri, or E. coli.     

An approach for enhancing heterologous production of Providencia rettgeri penicillin acylase in Escherichia coli

Heterologous production of Providencia rettgeri penicillin acylase (PAC) was optimized in Escherichia coli. Several factors, including carbon, temperature, and host effects, were identified to be critical for the enzyme overproduction. The optimum culture conditions for the enzyme production vary for different host/vector systems. With the optimization, both volumetric and specific PAC activities could be significantly improved by more than 50-fold compared to the native expression in P. rettgeri. The heterologous production could be possibly limited by translation or posttranslational steps, depending on the culture temperature and host/vector system. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence demonstrating the limiting step for the production of P. rettgeri PAC and the existence of the P. rettgeri PAC precursor.     

Crystal structure of penicillin G acylase from the Bro1 mutant strain of Providencia rettgeri.

Penicillin G acylase is an important enzyme in the commercial production of semisynthetic penicillins used to combat bacterial infections. Mutant strains of Providencia rettgeri were generated from wild-type cultures subjected to nutritional selective pressure. One such mutant, Bro1, was able to use 6-bromohexanamide as its sole nitrogen source. Penicillin acylase from the Bro1 strain exhibited an altered substrate specificity consistent with the ability of the mutant to process 6-bromohexanamide. The X-ray structure determination of this enzyme was undertaken to understand its altered specificity and to help in the design of site-directed mutants with desired specificities. In this paper, the structure of the Bro1 penicillin G acylase has been solved at 2.5 A resolution by molecular replacement. The R-factor after refinement is 0.154 and R-free is 0.165. Of the 758 residues in the Bro1 penicillin acylase heterodimer (alpha-subunit, 205; beta-subunit, 553), all but the eight C-terminal residues of the alpha-subunit have been modeled based on a partial Bro1 sequence and the complete wild-type P. rettgeri sequence. A tightly bound calcium ion coordinated by one residue from the alpha-subunit and five residues from the beta-subunit has been identified. This enzyme belongs to the superfamily of Ntn hydrolases and uses Ogamma of Ser beta1 as the characteristic N-terminal nucleophile. A mutation of the wild-type Met alpha140 to Leu in the Bro1 acylase hydrophobic specificity pocket is evident from the electron density and is consistent with the observed specificity change for Bro1 acylase. The electron density for the N-terminal Gln of the alpha-subunit is best modeled by the cyclized pyroglutamate form. Examination of aligned penicillin acylase and cephalosporin acylase primary sequences, in conjunction with the P. rettgeri and Escherichia coli penicillin acylase crystal structures, suggests several mutations that could potentially allow penicillin acylase to accept charged beta-lactam R-groups and to function as a cephalosporin acylase and thus be used in the manufacture of semi-synthetic cephalosporins.     

雷氏普罗威登斯菌青霉素G酰化酶基因在大肠杆菌中的克隆与表达

利用PCR和分子克隆技术从雷氏普罗威登斯菌（Prouidencia rettgeri)(ATCC29944)的基因组DNA中获得一个青霉素G酰化酶（penicillinGacylase,PGA)基因并将其装入表达质粒pET24a。携带有重组质粒pETPGA的Escherichia coli基因工程菌BL21（DE3）/pETPGA实现了PGA的高效表达,对发酵条件的研究表明基因工程菌在24℃,添加5g/L甘油条件下以1.0mmol/LIPTG诱导1.5h酶活力即达到993.4U/L,比野生菌酶活力（15U/L）提高了66倍。     

Expression, purification and crystallization of penicillin G acylase from Escherichia coli ATCC 11105

The penicillin acylase gene (pac) from Escherichia coli ATCC 11105 was cloned into pUC 9 and the resulting vector (pUPA-9), when transformed into E. coli strain 5K, allowed the constitutive overproduction of mature penicillin acylase when grown at 28 degrees C. The enzyme was purified from the periplasmic fraction of E. coli pUPA-9 by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and anion exchange. Crystals of penicillin acylase were grown in batch using polyethylene glycol 8000 as a precipitant. The crystals (space group P1) diffracted to beyond 2.3 A.     

Expression of penicillin G acylase gene from Bacillus megaterium ATCC 14945 in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.

Penicillin G acylase gene from Bacillus megaterium ATCC 14945 has been isolated. Recombinant Escherichia coli clones were screened for clear halo forming activity on the lawn of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538P using the enzymatic acylating reaction of 7-aminodeacetoxycephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA) and D-(alpha)-phenylglycine methylester. The gene was contained within a 2.8 kb DNA fragment and expressed efficiently when transferred from E. coli to Bacillus subtilis. A twenty times greater amount of enzyme was produced in B. subtilis transformant than that in B. megaterium. The purified enzyme from subcloned B. subtilis showed that the native enzyme consisted of two identical subunits, each with a molecular weight of 57,000. The enzyme was able to react on various cephalosporins, i.e., cephalothin, cefamandole, cephaloridine, cephaloglycin, cephalexin and cephradine.     

Penicillinamidohydrolase inEscherichia coli

Synthesis of penicillinamidohydrolase (penicillin acylase, EC 3.5.1.11) in Escherichia coli is subjected to the absolute catabolite repression by glucose and partial repression by acetate. Both types of catabolite repression of synthesis of the enzyme in Escherichia coli are substantially influenced by cyclic 3',5'-adenosinemonophosphate (cAMP). Growth diauxie in a mixed medium containing glucose and phenylacetic acid serving as carbon and energy sources is overcome by cAMP. cAMP does not influence the basal rate of the enzyme synthesis (without the inducer). Derepression of synthesis of penicillinamidohydrolase by cAMP in a medium with glucose and inducer (phenylacetic acid) is associated with utilization of the inducer, due probably to derepression of other enzymes responsible for degradation of phenylacetic acid. Lactate can serve as a "catabolically neutral" source of carbon suitable for the maximum production of penicillinamidohydrolase. The gratuitous induction of the enzyme synthesis in a medium with lactate as the carbon and energy source and with phenylacetic acid is not influenced by cAMP; however, cAMP overcomes completely the absolute catabolite repression of the enzyme synthesis by glucose.     

Effect of pH on high-temperature production of bacterial penicillin acylase in Escherichia coli

High-temperature-oriented production of bacterial penicillin acylase (PAC), which is usually expressed at low temperatures (less than 30 degrees C), was demonstrated in this study via heterologous expression of the Providencia rettgeri (P. rettgeri) pac gene in Escherichia coli (E. coli). While it is possible to produce PAC at a temperature as high as 37 degrees C, the environmental condition (specifically, culture pH) critically affected culture performance. Production of PAC at 37 degrees C was feasible only when culture pH was close to neutral (i.e., 6.5-7.5). Outside this pH range, cell physiology for the host/vector system was seriously affected, resulting in poor culture performance. In acidic culture environments, temperature significantly affected the pac expression level and specific PAC activity decreased with an increase in culture temperature. In basic culture environments, cell growth was seriously inhibited though the pac expression level was minimally affected by temperature. Such unusual types of pH and temperature effects on pac expression were never reported for bacterial PACs. The results suggest that culture pH should be precisely controlled for the current host/vector systems being applied on the overproduction of P. rettgeri PAC in E. coli at high temperatures.     

Primary structure requirements for the maturation in vivo of penicillin acylase from Escherichia coli ATCC 11105

The two constituent subunits of the enzyme penicillin acylase from Escherichia coli strain ATCC 11105 are derived from a single precursor polypeptide by post-translational processing. Mutant penicillin acylase precursors were constructed carrying insertions and deletions in various domains and they were analysed for their processing behaviour. It was found that an endopeptide region of appropriate size and an intact C-terminus were absolutely necessary for the maturation process. Internal deletions within the beta-subunit domain also prevented post-translational cleavage. Processing competence, therefore, was not merely determined by the amino acid sequence in the vicinity of the processing sites but relied on a correct overall conformation of the protein. The processing pathway in vivo proceeds via an intermediate comprising the alpha subunits plus endopeptide and is thus identical to the pathway which has been determined previously by in vitro analysis. The post-translational modification of the precursor is probably not carried out by a specific processing enzyme(s) as the heterologous expression of the penicillin acylase (pac) structural gene yielded processed and active enzyme in different enterobacteria and in a Pseudomonas species.     

Molecular cloning and analysis of the gene encoding the thermostable penicillin G acylase from Alcaligenes faecalis.

Alcaligenes faecalis penicillin G acylase is more stable than the Escherichia coli enzyme. The activity of the A. faecalis enzyme was not affected by incubation at 50 degrees C for 20 min, whereas more than 50% of the E. coli enzyme was irreversibly inactivated by the same treatment. To study the molecular basis of this higher stability, the A. faecalis enzyme was isolated and its gene was cloned and sequenced. The gene encodes a polypeptide that is characteristic of periplasmic penicillin G acylase (signal peptide-alpha subunit-spacer-beta subunit). Purification, N-terminal amino acid analysis, and molecular mass determination of the penicillin G acylase showed that the alpha and beta subunits have molecular masses of 23.0 and 62.7 kDa, respectively. The length of the spacer is 37 amino acids. Amino acid sequence alignment demonstrated significant homology with the penicillin G acylase from E. coli A unique feature of the A. faecalis enzyme is the presence of two cysteines that form a disulfide bridge. The stability of the A. faecalis penicillin G acylase, but not that of the E. coli enzyme, which has no cysteines, was decreased by a reductant. Thus, the improved thermostability is attributed to the presence of the disulfide bridge.     

Inhibition of acid production in Streptococcus mutans R9: Inhibition constants and reversibility

Abstract The pac gene encoding the penicillin G acylase (PGA) of Bacillus megaterium ATCC 14945 has been cloned in Escherichia coli HB101 ( proA, leuB ) using a selective minimal medium containing phenylacetyl-L-leucine instead of L-leucine. The nucleotide sequence of this gene has been determined and contains an open reading frame of 2406 nucleotides. The deduced amino acid sequence shows significant similarity with other β-lactam acylases. Although the PGA of B. megaterium is extracellular, the enzyme produced in E. coli appears to have a cytoplasmic localization.     

Expression of the Arthrobacter viscosus penicillin G acylase gene in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

The penicillin G acylase gene cloned from Arthrobacter viscosus 8895GU was subcloned into vectors, and the recombinant plasmids were transferred into Escherichia coli or Bacillus subtilis. Both E. coli and B. subtilis transformants expressed the A. viscosus penicillin G acylase. The enzyme activity was found in the intracellular portion of the E. coli transformants or in the cultured medium of the B. subtilis transformants. Penicillin G acylase production in the B. subtilis transformants was 7.2 times higher than that in the parent A. viscosus. The A. viscosus penicillin G acylase was induced by phenylacetic acid in A. viscosus, whereas the enzyme was produced constitutively in both the E. coli and B. subtilis transformants carrying the A. viscosus penicillin G acylase gene.     

Expression of the Arthrobacter viscosus penicillin G acylase gene in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.

The penicillin G acylase gene cloned from Arthrobacter viscosus 8895GU was subcloned into vectors, and the recombinant plasmids were transferred into Escherichia coli or Bacillus subtilis. Both E. coli and B. subtilis transformants expressed the A. viscosus penicillin G acylase. The enzyme activity was found in the intracellular portion of the E. coli transformants or in the cultured medium of the B. subtilis transformants. Penicillin G acylase production in the B. subtilis transformants was 7.2 times higher than that in the parent A. viscosus. The A. viscosus penicillin G acylase was induced by phenylacetic acid in A. viscosus, whereas the enzyme was produced constitutively in both the E. coli and B. subtilis transformants carrying the A. viscosus penicillin G acylase gene.     

Synthesis and secretion of Providencia rettgeri and Escherichia coli heterodimeric penicillin amidases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Providencia rettgeri and Escherichia coli pac genes encoding heterodimeric penicillin G amidases (PAC) were successfully expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Furthermore, these recombinant enzymes are secreted from the yeast cell into the medium which is in contrast to bacterial hosts, where the enzymes are retained in the periplasm. Contrary to the P. rettgeri PAC-encoding gene, the E. coli pac is poorly expressed in yeast. The highest yield of P. rettgeri PAC was obtained with a multi-copy plasmid, resulting in of 1500units per liter. This yield is higher by an order of magnitude than that obtained in the best recombinant bacterial expression system. The recombinant P. rettgeri enzyme is only partially and selectively O-glycosylated. Only every sixth or seventh alpha-subunit is glycosylated, while the beta-subunit is not glycosylated at all. N-Glycosylation has not been detected.     

Reconstitution in vivo of penicillin G acylase activity from separately expressed subunits.

Penicillin G acylase from Escherichia coli ATCC11105 is synthesized as a precursor polypeptide with a signal sequence for secretion into the periplasm and an endopeptide separating two subunit domains. Proteolytic processing leads to mature, heterodimeric penicillin G acylase. We have shown that the alpha- and beta-subunits of the enzyme, which have no detectable enzymatic activity on their own, can reconstitute enzyme activity when their genes are put into an E. coli host on separate plasmids. Activity is reconstituted in the cytoplasm whereas normally processing and formation of the active heterodimer occurs in the periplasm. Enzyme activity can reach levels close to wild type in the strain used. The activity recovered from a combination of alpha-subunit linked to a 54-amino-acid endopeptide and beta-subunit was lower than with the subunits alone.     

Nucleotide sequence and expression in Escherichia coli of the cephalosporin acylase gene of a Pseudomonas strain.

The gene encoding cephalosporin acylase, which hydrolyzes 7-beta-(4-carboxybutanamido)-cephalosporanic acid (GL-7ACA) to 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7ACA) and glutaric acid, was cloned from a Pseudomonas sp. strain V22 and expressed in Escherichia coli, in a two-cistron system, and the enzyme was purified and characterized. The purified enzyme was composed of two non-identical subunits, their molecular weights were estimated by SDS-PAGE to be 40,000 and 22,000, and had a pI of 4.6. The amino acid sequence of the enzyme, deduced from the nucleotide sequence, showed high similarity (97%) with that of a previously reported acyI-encoded cephalosporin acylase. Cephalosporin acylase also resembles the bacterial gamma-glutamyl transpeptidases (GGTs) with respect to their molecular organization and amino acid sequence, but differs from them with respect to catalytic and immunological properties. Purified enzyme exhibited not only cephalosporin acylase activity, but also GGT activity. The Km values of the enzyme for GL-7ACA and L-gamma-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide were 6.1 and 3.8 mM, respectively. Cephalosporin acylase was not recognized by antibodies prepared against bacterial GGTs.     

Isolation and mapping of a mutant penicillin G acylase with altered substrate specificity from Escherichia coli

Summary Penicillin G acylase of Escherichia coli ATCC 11105 catalyzes hydrolysis as wellas synthesis of penicillin G. In this work a recombinant penicillin G acylase genewas mutagenized in vivo. A mutant with altered penicillin G acylase was selectedby its ability to grow with phthalyl-L-leucine as sole source of leucine. Themutant enzyme obtained was deficient in hydrolyzing penicillin G. A mutation ofGly359 to aspartic acid was mapped first by construction of chimeric pac genescomposed of wild type and mutant DNA, followed by nucleotide sequencing.     

Cloning and nucleotide sequencing of a novel 7 beta-(4-carboxybutanamido)cephalosporanic acid acylase gene of Bacillus laterosporus and its expression in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.

A strain of Bacillus species which produced an enzyme named glutaryl 7-ACA acylase which converts 7 beta-(4-carboxybutanamido)cephalosporanic acid (glutaryl 7-ACA) to 7-amino cephalosporanic acid (7-ACA) was isolated from soil. The gene for the glutaryl 7-ACA acylase was cloned with pHSG298 in Escherichia coli JM109, and the nucleotide sequence was determined by the M13 dideoxy chain termination method. The DNA sequence revealed only one large open reading frame composed of 1,902 bp corresponding to 634 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence contained a potential signal sequence in its amino-terminal region. Expression of the gene for glutaryl 7-ACA acylase was performed in both E. coli and Bacillus subtilis. The enzyme preparations purified from either recombinant strain of E. coli or B. subtilis were shown to be identical with each other as regards the profile of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and were composed of a single peptide with the molecular size of 70 kDa. Determination of the amino-terminal sequence of the two enzyme preparations revealed that both amino-terminal sequences (the first nine amino acids) were identical and completely coincided with residues 28 to 36 of the open reading frame. Extracellular excretion of the enzyme was observed in a recombinant strain of B. subtilis.