Gene synthesis, expression in E. coli, and in vitro refolding of Pseudomonas sp. KWI 56 and Chromobacterium viscosum lipases and their chaperones

Pseudomonas lipases are industrially used as detergent additives, in the food industry, and in organic synthesis. Currently, these lipases are either isolated from wild-type strains or overexpressed in recombinant Pseudomonas host strains which may be subject to special safety regulations and thus be unsuitable for enzyme engineering via directed evolution. Here we describe the heterologous expression of two Pseudomonas lipases in Escherichia coli. The lipase genes of Pseudomonas sp. KWI 56 (recently reclassified as Burkholderia cepacia) and Chromobacterium viscosum and the genes of their specific chaperones, which are required for correct folding, were synthesized with an optimized nucleotide sequence and overexpressed (up to 50%) in E. coli. However, both lipases were inactively expressed inside inclusion bodies. Quantitative in vitro refolding of the lipases in the presence of their specific chaperones yielded 310,000 U/g (Pseudomonas sp. KWI 56) and 190,000 U/g (C. viscosum) wet cells. In addition, these lipases could be demonstrated to refold efficiently in the presence of chaperones of related lipases.     

Substrate specificities of bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoate depolymerases and lipases: bacterial lipases hydrolyze poly(omega-hydroxyalkanoates).

The substrate specificities of extracellular lipases purified from Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Burkholderia cepacia (former Pseudomonas cepacia) and of extracellular polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) depolymerases purified from Comamonas sp., Pseudomonas lemoignei, and P. fluorescens GK13, as well as that of an esterase purified from P. fluorescens GK 13, to various polyesters and to lipase substrates were analyzed. All lipases and the esterase of P. fluorescens GK13 but none of the PHA depolymerases tested hydrolyzed triolein, thereby confirming a functional difference between lipases and PHA depolymerases. However, most lipases were able to hydrolyze polyesters consisting of an omega-hydroxyalkanoic acid such as poly(6-hydroxyhedxanoate) or poly(4-hydroxybutyrate). The dimeric ester of hydroxyhexanoate was the main product of enzymatic hydrolysis of polycaprolactone by P. aeruginosa lipase. Polyesters containing side chains in the polymer backbone such as poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) and other poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) were not or were only slightly hydrolyzed by the lipases tested.     

The cold-active lipase of Pseudomonas fragi. Heterologous expression, biochemical characterization and molecular modeling.

A recombinant lipase cloned from Pseudomonas fragi strain IFO 3458 (PFL) was found to retain significant activity at low temperature. In an attempt to elucidate the structural basis of this behaviour, a model of its three-dimensional structure was built by homology and compared with homologous mesophilic lipases, i.e. the Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipase (45% sequence identity) and Burkholderia cepacia lipase (38%). In this model, features common to all known lipases have been identified, such as the catalytic triad (S83, D238 and H260) and the oxyanion hole (L17, Q84). Structural modifications recurrent in cold-adaptation, i.e. a large amount of charged residues exposed at the protein surface, have been detected. Noteworthy is the lack of a disulphide bridge conserved in homologous Pseudomonas lipases that may contribute to increased conformational flexibility of the cold-active enzyme.     

Fluorescent organophosphonates as inhibitors of microbial lipases

Short- and long-chain 1-O-alkyl-2-acylaminodeoxyglycero- and alkoxy-alkylphosphonic acid p-nitrophenyl esters were synthesized as inhibitors for analytical and mechanistic studies on lipolytic enzymes. The respective compounds contain perylene or nitrobenzoxadiazole as reporter fluorophores covalently bound to the omega-ends of the respective 2-acylamino- and alkoxy- residues. Their inhibitory effects on the activities of three selected lipases showing different substrate preferences were determined, including the lipases from Rhizopus oryzae, Pseudomonas species, and Pseudomonas cepacia. R. oryzae lipase reacted much better with the single-chain inhibitors than the two-chain deoxyglycerolipids. In contrast, P. cepacia lipase was inactivated by perylene-containing two-chain phosphonate (XXII) to a larger extent as compared to the other inhibitors whereas Pseudomonas species lipase interacted efficiently and without any preferences with all inhibitors used in this study. In summary, the different lipases show a very characteristic reactivity pattern not only with respect to triacylglycerol substrates but also to their structurally related inhibitors. Thus, the novel phosphonates might be useful tools not only for analysis and discrimination of known lipolytic enzymes but also for discovery of yet unknown lipases/esterases in biological samples.     

假单胞菌脂肪酶的研究进展

脂肪酶是一种重要的工业用酶,来自于假单胞菌的脂肪酶较来自其它菌株的具有更强的温度、有机溶剂耐受性等比较优势,在有机合成、食品工业、药物制造、油脂深加工等工业应用方面应用潜力巨大。对假单胞菌脂肪酶的分类及性质、结构、表达调控和分泌机制等进行了简要的概述。     

Lipase specificity towards eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid depends on substrate structure

The fatty acid specificity of five lipases towards eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was evaluated in the hydrolysis of fish oil, squid oil and a model system. The model system contained methyl esters of EPA, DHA and palmitic acid. All the investigated lipases discriminated against both EPA and DHA more in the model system than in the natural oils. Thus both EPA and DHA were more easily hydrolysed from a glyceride than from a methyl ester. In the model system, the lipase from Candida rugosa showed the highest discrimination against DHA, while the lipases from Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas cepacia discriminated against EPA the most. In a glyceride, the fatty acid specificity of lipases towards EPA and DHA was affected by the positional distribution of the fatty acids and the glyceride structure due to the regiospecificity and triglyceride specificity of the lipase. In the oils, the Pseudomonas lipases also discriminated against EPA the most, while DHA was initially discriminated the most by the lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus. However, after longer reaction times the enrichment of DHA in the glyceride fraction of the oils was greatest for the lipase from C. rugosa.     

Extracellular lipase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an amphiphilic protein.

Lipase (triacylglycerol acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.3) secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAC1R was purified from cell-free growth medium by preparative isoelectric focusing. After blotting the N-terminal amino acid sequence and the amino acid composition were determined and compared to P. fragi and P. cepacia lipases yielding significant homology between all three species. Additionally, a consensus sequence K-Y-P-i-v-l-V-H-G was identified residing at the N-terminus of Pseudomonas lipases and in the central part of Staphylococcus lipases. Treatment of lipase with the serine-specific inhibitor diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate caused a rapid and complete inhibition of enzyme activity indicating the presence of a serine at the catalytic site as expected from lipase consensus sequences. Upon charge-shift electrophoresis the electrophoretic mobility of purified lipase was shifted either anodally or cathodally in the presence of sodium deoxycholate and cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide, respectively. This result demonstrates that extracellular lipase of P. aeruginosa exhibits an amphiphilic character like intrinsic membrane proteins.     

Purification, characterization, and molecular cloning of lactonizing lipase from Pseudomonas species

An extracellular lipase catalyzing the synthesis of macrocyclic lactones in anhydrous organic solvents was purified to homogeneity from Pseudomonas nov. sp. 109, and characterized. The lipase showed a pI of 5.3 on isoelectric focusing and a Mr of 29,000 +/- 1,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. With respect to substrate specificity, optimum chain length for acyl moiety varied depending on the type of reaction catalyzed: C18 in monomer lactone formation, C11 or shorter in dimer lactone formation, and C8 in ester hydrolysis. The amino-terminal 19 amino acid residues of the purified lipase were determined as Ser-Thr-Tyr-Thr-Gln-Thr-Lys-Tyr-Pro-Ile-Val-Leu-Ala-His-Gly-Met-Leu-Gly- Phe, and the gene encoding the lipase was identified by hybridization to a synthetic 20-nucleotide probe, cloned, and sequenced. Nucleotide sequence analysis predicted a 311-amino acid open reading frame, a putative ribosome-binding site, and a 26-amino acid sequence at the amino terminus of the sequence that is not found in the mature protein. This 26-amino acid sequence has many of the characteristics common to known signal peptides. The lipase gene encoded a sequence of Val-Asn-Leu-Ile-Gly-His-Ser-His-Gly-Gly which is very well conserved among lipases, and showed 38-40% overall homology to the amino acid sequences of lipases from Pseudomonas fragie and Pseudomonas cepacia, but showed little homology to those of other lipases, suggesting that some structural features are required for catalyzing macrocyclic lactone synthesis in organic solvents and are restricted to lipases of the Pseudomonas origin.     

Blue native electrophoresis study on lipases

We have developed a modified blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) protocol that can overcome aggregation of lipases seen in native PAGE. We have shown that two lipases, Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipase and Candida rugosa lipase, which aggregate in the native gel, can be resolved using our protocol. Activity staining was done to test for the functionality of the two lipases.     

Enantioselective recognition mechanism of secondary alcohol by surfactant-coated lipases in nonaqueous media.

The enantioselective recognition mechanism of secondary alcohol by lipases originated from Candida rugosa and Pseudomonas cepacia was elucidated on the basis of the kinetic study of the esterification of alcohol with lauric acid in isooctane. To obtain inherent kinetic parameters, we utilized a surfactant-coated lipase whose conformation is considered to be an "open" form in a homogeneous organic solvent. Based on the experimental results, the enantioselectivity of lipases was found to be derived from the difference in the V(max) values between the two enantiomers. The same result was observed when lipases of different origin and substrates with different molecular structures were applied. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The use of detergent-based aqueous two-phase systems for the isolation of extracellular proteins: purification of a lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia.

The partitioning of a variety of extracellular lipases, both pro- and eucaryotic, in detergent-based aqueous two-phase systems was examined. The results revealed that all procaryotic lipases showed a clear preference for the detergent-rich coacervate phase. In contrast, all eucaryotic lipases were significantly excluded from this phase, most probably caused by their glycosylation. The potential of such detergent-based systems for the isolation of extracellular lipases directly from cell-free culture broth was analyzed using the bacterium Pseudomonas cepacia (DSM 50181). This strain was identified after a limited screening for lipase activity. About 76% of the lipase could be extracted into the coacervate phase in just one purification step, leading to a four-fold concentration of lipase and a purification factor of 24.     

Production of optically active esters and alcohols from racemic alcohols by lipase-catalyzed stereoselective transesterification in non-aqueous reaction system

Microbial lipase-catalyzed transesterification between vinyl acetate and (RS)-2-octanol or (RS)-1-phenylethanol was investigated in a reaction system without addition of aqueous or organic solvents. From a screening test with various lipases, it was found that the enzymes from Pseudomonas species could efficiently catalyze the reaction, and R-enantiomers of the racemic alcohols were preferentially esterified by them. Enantiomeric purities of the optically active alcohols (S) and esters (R) obtained from (RS)-1-phenylethanol by the stereoselective transesterification of these lipases were all more than 95%.     

脂肪酶的特异性折叠酶

以Pseudomonas aeruginosa为代表的Ⅰ.1亚家族脂肪醇和以Burkholderia cepacia为代表的Ⅰ.2亚家族脂肪酶具有优良的手性化合物拆分性能,在绿色化工领域具有良好的开发潜力及其应用前景.Ⅰ.1亚家族脂肪酶和Ⅰ.2亚家族脂肪醇均采用Ⅱ型分泌机制进行分泌,其分泌依赖于一种分子伴侣--脂肪酶的特异性折叠酶(lipase specific foldase,Lif)的协助.从Lif蛋白的分类、结构特点、介导对应脂肪酶折叠的特异性及机制、lif基因表达调控机制及尚待探讨的问题等方面系统介绍Lif蛋白的研究进展.     

Microwave-assisted rapid characterization of lipase selectivities

A rapid screening procedure for characterization of lipase selectivities using microwaves was developed. The rate of reaction of various commercial lipases (porcine pancreas, Mucor miehei, Candida rugosa, Pseudomonas cepacia) as well as lipases from laboratory isolates-Bacillus stearothermophilus and Burkholderia cepacia RGP-10 for triolein hydrolysis was 7- to 12-fold higher in a microwave oven as compared to that by pH stat. The esterification of sucrose/methanol and ascorbic acid with different fatty acids was also achieved within 30 s in a microwave using porcine pancreas, B. stearothermophilus SB-1 and B. cepacia RGP-10 lipases. The relative rates and selectivity of the lipases both for hydrolytic and synthesis reactions remains unaltered. However, the rate of reaction was dynamically enhanced when exposed to microwaves. Microwave-assisted enzyme catalysis can become an attractive procedure for rapid characterization of large number of enzyme samples and substrates, which otherwise is a cumbersome and time-consuming exercise.     

Production of diacylglycerols from glycerol monooleate and ethyl oleate through free and immobilized lipase-catalyzed consecutive reactions

The ability of free and immobilized lipase on the production of diacylglycerols (DAG) by transesterification of glycerol monooleate (GMO) and ethyl oleate was investigated. Among three free lipases such as lipase G (Penicillium cyclopium), lipase AK (Pseudomonas fluorescens) and lipase PS (Pseudomonas cepacia), lipase PS exhibited the highest DAG productivity, and the DAG content gradually increased up to 24 hours reaction and then remained steady. The comparative result for DAG productivity between free lipase PS and immobilized lipases (lipase PS-D and Lipozyme RM IM) during nine times of 24 hours reaction indicated that total DAG production was higher in immobilized lipase PS-D (183.5mM) and Lipozyme RM IM (309.5mM) than free lipase PS (122.0mM) at the first reaction, and that the DAG production rate was reduced by consecutive reactions, in which more sn-1,3-DAG was synthesized than sn-1,2-DAG. During the consecutive reactions, the activity of lipase PS was relatively steady by showing similar DAG content, whereas DAG production of lipase PS-D and Lipozyme RM IM was gradually decreased to 69.9 and 167.1mM at 9th reaction, respectively, resulting in 62% and 46% reduced production when compared with 1st reaction. Interestingly, from 7th reaction lipase PS produced more DAG than immobilized lipase PS-D, and exhibited a stable activity for DAG production. Therefore, the present study suggested that DAG productivity between GMO and ethyl oleate was higher in immobilized lipases than free lipases, but the activity was reduced with repeated uses.     

Lipase-catalyzed ethanolysis of borage oil: a kinetic study

Ethanolysis of borage oil catalyzed by two commercial lipases (from Pseudomonas cepacia and Candida antarctica) was studied using two different methodologies. Multiresponse models derived from a generalized Michaelis-Menten mechanism were utilized to describe the rates of formation of ethyl esters of the primary fatty acids present in the precursor oil. The relative rate constants determined for each of the fatty acid residues indicated that both lipases discriminate against release of gamma-linolenic acid residues under the reaction conditions studied. However, both lipases also released some of the residues located at the sn-2 position, indicating that for the experimental conditions studied, both lipases are nonspecific. Moreover, inactivation of Novozym 435 was rapid. Because the half-life of this enzyme (ca. 2.2 h) is comparable to the half-life of the reaction, the intrinsic reaction rate and enzyme deactivation must both be considered in modeling the kinetics.     

Mutations in the "lid" region affect chain length specificity and thermostability of a Pseudomonas fragi lipase

The cold-adapted Pseudomonas fragi lipase (PFL) displays highest activity on short-chain triglyceride substrates and is rapidly inactivated at moderate temperature. Sequence and structure comparison with homologous lipases endowed with different substrate specificity and stability, pointed to three polar residues in the lid region, that were replaced with the amino acids conserved at equivalent positions in the reference lipases. Substitutions at residues T137 and T138 modified the lipase chain-length preference profile, increasing the relative activity towards C8 substrates. Moreover, mutations conferred to PFL higher temperature stability. On the other hand, replacement of the serine at position 141 by glycine destabilized the protein.     

Esterase EstA6 from Pseudomonas sp. CR-611 is a novel member in the utmost conserved cluster of family VI bacterial lipolytic enzymes

Strain Pseudomonas sp. CR-611, previously isolated from a subtropical forest soil on tributyrine-supplemented plates, displays phenotypic and physiological properties consistent with those described for Pseudomonas fluorescens. However, no complete match to this species could be found after 16S rDNA comparison. Zymographic analysis of the strain revealed a complex lipolytic system, showing the presence of at least two enzymes with activity on MUF-butyrate. Alignment of Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase/esterase-coding sequences allowed the design of specific primers for family VI lipases, and the isolation and cloning of the resulting gene estA6. The recombinant clone obtained displayed high activity on fatty acid-derivative substrates, indicating that one of the lipolytic enzymes of the strain had been cloned. The enzyme, named EstA6, was then purified and characterized, showing maximum activity on short chain-length substrates under conditions of high temperature and neutral pH. Amino acid sequence alignment of EstA6 with other family VI esterases allowed identification of a highly conserved beta-/gamma-protobacterial cluster in family VI lipases, to which EstA6 belongs.     

A generic system for the Escherichia coli cell-surface display of lipolytic enzymes

EstA is an outer membrane-anchored esterase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. An inactive EstA variant was used as an anchoring motif for the Escherichia coli cell-surface display of lipolytic enzymes. Flow cytometry analysis and measurement of lipase activity revealed that Bacillus subtilis lipase LipA, Fusarium solani pisi cutinase and one of the largest lipases presently known, namely Serratia marcescens lipase were all efficiently exported by the EstA autotransporter and also retained their lipolytic activities upon cell surface exposition. EstA provides a useful tool for surface display of lipases including variant libraries generated by directed evolution thereby enabling the identification of novel enzymes with interesting biological and biotechnological ramifications.     

Characterization of the lipA gene encoding the major lipase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain IGB83

The lipases produced by Pseudomonas have a wide range of potential biotechnological applications. Pseudomonas aeruginosa IGB83 was isolated as a highly lipolytic strain which produced a thermotolerant and alkaline lipase. In the present work, we have characterized the P. aeruginosa IGB83 gene (lipA) encoding this enzyme. We describe the construction of a lipA mutant and report on the effect of two carbon sources on lipase expression.