Alkali-tolerant high-activity catalase from a thermophilic bacterium and its overexpression in Escherichia coli

We have purified an alkali-tolerant catalase from the thermophilic bacterium Metallosphaera hakonensis. The catalase gene, which encodes 303 amino acids and has a calculated molecular mass of 33 kDa, including its putative signal peptide encoding sequence, was cloned. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibited a region-specific homology with the sequences of manganese catalases from thermophilic bacteria such as Thermus thermophilus and Thermus brockianus. When this gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, proteins of the expected size (33 kDa) were overproduced in the inactive form. We made several attempts to obtain active forms of or to activate these overproduced proteins. Upon their induction into E. coli, a 100-fold increase in the catalase activity was detected when high-concentration manganese was used as the medium. The catalase activity of the purified enzyme was optimal at a pH of 10.0. The alkali-tolerant property of this catalase makes it a promising enzyme in biotechnological applications such as H(2)O(2)-detoxifying systems.     

Cloning and expression of levansucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-512 FMC in Escherichia coli

Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-512 FMC produces dextran and levan using sucrose. Because of the industrial importance of dextrans and oligosaccharides synthesized by dextransucrase (one of glycansucrases from L. mesenteroides), much is known about the dextransucrase, including expression and regulation of gene. However, no detailed report about levansucrase, another industrially important glycansucrase from L. mesenteroides, and its gene was available. In this paper, we report the first-time isolation and molecular characterization of a L. mesenteroides levansucrase gene (m1ft). The gene m1ft is composed of 1272-bp nucleotides and codes for a protein of 424 amino acid residues with calculated molecular mass of 47.1 kDa. The purified protein was estimated to be about 51.7 kDa including a His-tag based on SDS-PAGE. It showed an activity band at 103 kDa on a non-denaturing SDS-PAGE, indicating a dimeric form of the active M1FT. M1FT levan structure was confirmed by NMR and dot blot analysis with an anti-levan-antibody. M1FT converted 150 mM sucrose to levan (18%), 1-kestose (17%), nystose (11%) and 1,1,1-kestopentaose (7%) with the liberation of glucose. The M1FT enzyme produced erlose [O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-fructofuranoside] as an acceptor product with maltose. The optimum temperature and pH of this enzyme for levan formation were 30 degrees C and pH 6.2, respectively. M1FT levansucrase activity was completely abolished by 1 mM Hg2+ or Ag2+. The Km and Vmax values for levansucrase were calculated to be 26.6 mM and 126.6 micromol min-1 mg-1.     

Characterization of the AINV gene and the encoded invertase from the dimorphic yeast Arxula adeninivorans

The invertase-encoding of AINV gene Arxula adeninivorans was isolated and characterized. The gene includes a coding sequence of 2700 bp encoding a putative 899 amino acid protein of 101.7 kDa. The identity of the gene was confirmed by a high degree of homology of the derived amino acid sequence to that of alpha-glucosidases from different sources. The gene activity is regulated by carbon source. In media supplemented with sucrose induction of the AINV gene and accumulation of the encoded invertase in the medium was observed. In addition the extracellular enzyme level is influenced by the morphological status of the organism, with mycelia secreting the enzyme in titres higher than those observed in budding yeasts. The enzyme characteristics were analysed from isolates of native strains as well as from those of recombinant strains expressing the AINV gene under control of the strong A. adeninivorans -derived TEF1 promoter. For both proteins a molecular mass of 600 kDa was determined, a pH optimum at pH 4.5 and a temperature optimum at 55 degrees C. The preferred substrates for the enzyme included the ss-D-fructofuranosides sucrose, inulin and raffinose. Only a weak enzyme activity was observed for the alpha-D-glucopyranosides maltotriose, maltose and isomaltose. Thus the invertase primarily is a ss-fructosidase and not an alpha-glucosidase as suggested by the homology to such enzymes.     

Identification of archaeon-producing hyperthermophilic α-amylase and characterization of the α-amylase

The extremely thermophilic anaerobic archaeon strain, HJ21, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent, could produce hyperthermophilic alpha-amylase, and later was identified as Thermococcus from morphological, biochemical, and physiological characteristics and the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence. The extracellular thermostable alpha-amylase produced by strain HJ21 exhibited maximal activity at pH 5.0. The enzyme was stable in a broad pH range from pH 5.0 to 9.0. The optimal temperature of alpha-amylase was observed at 95 degrees C. The half-life of the enzyme was 5 h at 90 degrees C. Over 40% and 30% of the enzyme activity remained after incubation at 100 degrees C for 2 and 3 h, respectively. The enzyme did not require Ca(2+) for thermostability. This alpha-amylase gene was cloned, and its nucleotide sequence displayed an open reading frame of 1,374 bp, which encodes a protein of 457 amino acids. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed that four homologous regions common in amylases were conserved in the HJ21 alpha-amylase. The molecular weight of the mature enzyme was calculated to be 51.4 kDa, which correlated well with the size of the purified enzyme as shown by the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.     

右旋糖酐蔗糖酶工程菌株的构建及其培养条件的研究

[目的]右旋糖酐蔗糖酶是一种以蔗糖为底物,催化转移D-葡萄糖基生成α-葡聚糖或低聚糖的葡萄糖基转移酶.[方法]利用PCR扩增技术,将已获得的右旋糖酐蔗糖酶基因dexYG亚克隆到表达载体PET28a( )上,转化E.coli BL21(DE3),经过卡那霉素抗性筛选和酶切验证后,得到右旋糖酐蔗糖酶工程菌株BL21(DE3)/pET28-dexYG.[结果]经IPTG诱导该基因在E.coli BL21(DE3)中能有效表达,在诱导过程中菌体生长受到抑制.通过对培养时间、IPTG浓度、培养温度、菌浓(OD600)和pH值等产酶因素的优化考察,得到最佳培养条件为:培养时间5h、IPTG浓度0.5mmol/L、25℃、OD600值1.0和pH6.0.酶活力由最初的5.39U/mL提高到35.62U/mL,其中pH值对产酶活力影响最大,在pH6.0时的最高产酶活力是LB原始pH条件下最高酶活的3.5倍,并且pH值也是导致在诱导后期酶活迅速下降的主要原因之一.[结论]酶的表达和酶活的研究结果表明,构建的工程菌株能够异源高效表达右旋糖酐蔗糖酶,并且表现出较高的酶活力.     

Proteolytic processing of dextransucrase of Leuconostoc mesenteroides

Various dextransucrase molecular mass forms found in enzyme preparations may sometimes be products of proteolytic activity. Extracellular protease in Leuconostoc mesenteroides strains NRRL B-512F and B-512FMC dextransucrase preparations was identified. Protease had a molecular mass of 30 kDa and was the predominant form derived from a high molecular mass precursor. The production and activity of protease in culture medium was strongly dependent on pH. When L. mesenteroides dextransucrase (173 kDa) was hydrolyzed by protease, at pH 7 and 37 degrees C, various dextransucrase forms with molecular masses as low as 120 kDa conserving dextransucrase activity were obtained.     

玉米赤霉烯酮降解酶多拷贝毕赤酵母菌株的构建及高效表达

通过密码子优化、体外多拷贝构建实现玉米赤霉烯酮(Zearalenone,ZEN)降解酶基因(zlhy-6)在毕赤酵母GS115菌株中的高效表达。按酵母密码子偏好性优化zlhy-6基因的密码子,与α因子信号肽编码序列一起合成,插入到pAO815质粒中,通过酶切酶连构建含1–6个表达盒的表达质粒,将其转入毕赤酵母GS115菌中,获得ZEN降解酶重组菌株。重组蛋白分子量为28.9 kDa,与预期一致。重组菌用甲醇诱导3 d,蛋白浓度达最高,之后下降;在pH 5.0、4.5条件下诱导培养,表达量最高;每天添加0.8%的甲醇、接种量10%表达水平最高;4拷贝的转化子表达水平最高,三角瓶发酵3 d,酶活性达到10 U/mL。在1 g玉米渣中添加0.1–0.5 mL发酵上清液,水解24 h,玉米渣中ZEN的降解率为44.08%–75.51%。研究结果为ZEN降解酶工业生产及在食品饲料中的应用奠定了基础。     

A unique highly thermostable 2-phosphoglycerate forming glycerate kinase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pyrococcus horikoshii</Emphasis>: gene cloning,expression and characterization

A glycerate kinase (GK) gene (PH0495) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography and ion exchange chromatography. The enzyme was likely a homodimer based on SDS-PAGE (47 kDa) and gel filtration chromatography (100 kDa) analysis. A radioisotope-labeling examination method was initially used for the enzymatic activity detection, and the enzyme (GK_ph) was found to catalyze the formation of 2-phosphoglycerate using d-glycerate as the substrate. The enzyme exhibited unique phosphoryl donor specificity with maximal activity towards pyrophosphate. The temperature and pH optima of the enzyme were 45°C and 7.0, respectively, and about half of the maximal activity remained at 100°C. The enzyme was highly thermostable with almost no loss of activity at 90°C for 12 h. Based on sequence alignment and structural comparison it was assigned to group I of the trichotomy of GKs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

植酸酶phyA基因在解脂耶氏酵母po1h中的表达

本实验通过PCR方法从毕赤酵母GS115-phyA中扩增出不含有信号肽及内含子的黑曲霉NRRL3135植酸酶phyA基因,并将其克隆到表达载体pINA1297中,得到表达载体pINA1297-phyA,利用醋酸锂转化法将线性化载体转化到解脂耶氏酵母po1h中,通过YNBcasa和PPB平板筛选出阳性表达菌株,阳性菌株在YM培养基中28℃培养6d后酶活达到最大为636.23U/mL。表达上清经SDS-PAGE分析得到表达植酸酶分子量约为130kDa,但通过去糖基化处理后其分子量变为51kDa,与理论值相符。经过酶学性质分析表明重组植酸酶最适pH为5.5,最适温度为55℃,该酶在pH2.0~8.0处理1h后仍有较高酶活,并且90℃处理10min后还有86.08%的残留酶活,其抵抗胃蛋白酶和胰蛋白酶能力也较强。     

嗜热子囊菌原变种Thermoascus aurantiacus var.aurantiacus热稳定几丁质酶的克隆表达及活性研究

研究通过RT-PCR和Tail-PCR技术从嗜热子囊菌原变种Thermoascus aurantiacus var.aurantiacus中克隆了一个几丁质酶同源基因。该基因全长1,253bp,包含一个由1,197个碱基构成的开放阅读框,编码398个氨基酸。序列比对分析表明,该基因编码蛋白属于糖苷水解酶18家族的几丁质酶。利用基因重组的方法构建酵母分泌型表达载体,并转化毕赤酵母。在甲醇的诱导下,重组蛋白得到了高效表达,第6天的表达量最高,达到0.433g/L,酶活力为28.96U/mg,同时对表达的几丁质酶进行了纯化,SDS-PAGE检测该蛋白的分子量为43.9kDa。该几丁质酶的最适反应温度为60℃,最适反应pH值为8.0,70℃处理30min仍有45%的相对酶活,具有较好的热稳定性及工业应用价值。     

Expression and characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma virens</Emphasis> UKM-1 endochitinase in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia</Emphasis> <Emphasis Type="Italic">coli</Emphasis>

A gene encoding endochitinase from Trichoderma virens UKM-1 was cloned and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). Both the endochitinase gene and its cDNA sequences were obtained. The endochitinase gene encodes 430 amino acids from an open reading frame comprising of 1,690 bp nucleotide sequence with three introns. The endochitinase was expressed as soluble and active enzyme at 20°C when induced with 1 mM IPTG. Maximum activity was observed at 4 h of post-induction time. SDS-PAGE showed that the purified endochitinase exhibited a single band with molecular weight of 42 kDa. Biochemical characterization of the enzyme displayed a near neutral pH characteristic with an optimum pH at 6.0 and optimum temperature at 50°C. The enzyme is stable between pH 3.0–7.0 and is able to retain its activity from 30 to 60°C. The presence of Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions increased the enzyme activity up to 20%. The purified enzyme has a strong affinity towards colloidal chitin and low effect on ethyl cellulose and D-cellubiose which are non-chitin related substrates. HPLC analysis from the chitin hydrolysis showed the release of (GlcNAc)₃, (GlcNAc)₂ and GlcNAc, in which (GlcNAc)₂ was the main product.     

Characterization of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">AXDH</Emphasis> gene and the encoded xylitol dehydrogenase from the dimorphic yeast <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arxula adeninivorans</Emphasis>

The xylitol dehydrogenase-encoding Arxula adeninivorans AXDH gene was isolated and characterized. The gene includes a coding sequence of 1107 bp encoding a putative 368 amino acid protein of 40.3 kDa. The identity of the gene was confirmed by a high degree of homology of the derived amino acid sequence to that of xylitol dehydrogenases from different sources. The gene activity was regulated by carbon source. In media supplemented with xylitol, D-sorbitol and D-xylose induction of the AXDH gene and intracellular accumulation of the encoded xylitol dehydrogenase was observed. This activation pattern was confirmed by analysis of AXDH promoter – GFP gene fusions. The enzyme characteristics were analysed from isolates of native strains as well as from those of recombinant strains expressing the AXDH gene under control of the strong A. adeninivorans-derived TEF1 promoter. For both proteins, a molecular mass of ca. 80 kDa was determined corresponding to a dimeric structure, an optimum pH at 7.5 and a temperature optimum at 35 °C. The enzyme oxidizes polyols like xylitol and D-sorbitol whereas the reduction reaction is preferred when providing D-xylulose, D-ribulose and L-sorbose as substrates. Enzyme activity exclusively depends on NAD⁺ or NADH as coenzymes.     

Purification and properties of a chitinase from Penicillium sp. LYG 0704

The chitinase producing Penicillium sp. LYG 0704 was procured from soil of the Chonnam National University crop field. The chitinase activity was detected after the first day which increased gradually and reached its maximum after 3 days of cultivation. The chitinase was purified from a culture medium by precipitation with isopropanol and column chromatography with Mono Q and Butyl-Sepharose. The molecular mass of chitinase was estimated to be 47 kDa by SDS–PAGE. Optimal pH and temperature were 5.0 and 40 °C, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was determined to be ¹AGSYRSVAYFVDWAI¹⁵. The fully cloned gene, 1287 bp in size, encoded a single peptide of 429 amino acids. BLAST search of the chitinase gene sequence showed similarity with chitinase of Aspergillus fumigatus Af293 chitinase gene (58%) and A. fumigatus class V chitinase ChiB1 gene (56%).     

Uricase production by a recombinant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hansenula polymorpha</Emphasis> strain harboring <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida utilis</Emphasis> uricase gene

Uricase is an important medical enzyme which can be used to determine urate in clinical analysis, to therapy gout, hyperuricemia, and tumor lysis syndrome. Uricase of Candida utilis was successfully expressed in Hansenula polymorpha under the control of methanol oxidase promoter using Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-factor signal peptide as the secretory sequence. Recombinant H. polymorpha MU200 with the highest extracellular uricase production was characterized with three copies of expression cassette and selected for process optimization for the production of recombinant enzyme. Among the parameters investigated in shaking flask cultures, the pH value of medium and inoculum size had great influence on the recombinant uricase production. The maximum extracellular uricase yield of 2.6 U/ml was obtained in shaking flask culture. The yield of recombinant uricase was significantly improved by the combined use of a high cell-density cultivation technique and a pH control strategy of switching culture pH from 5.5 to 6.5 in the induction phase. After induction for 58 h, the production of recombinant uricase reached 52.3 U/ml (about 2.1 g/l of protein) extracellularly and 60.3 U/ml (about 2.4 g/l) intracellularly in fed-batch fermentation, which are much higher than those expressed in other expression systems. To our knowledge, this is the first report about the heterologous expression of uricase in H. polymorpha.     

带His-tag的解脂耶氏酵母脂肪酶Lip2在毕赤酵母中的表达及纯化

将去自身信号肽并且N-端带6×His标签的YlLip2基因克隆至表达载体pPIC9K中,电转化GS115获得高效表达脂肪酶His₆-YlLip2的基因工程菌。筛选到的阳性克隆子摇瓶发酵脂肪酶活力最高为400U/ml。对重组毕赤酵母在10 L发酵罐中表达His₆-YlLip2的分批补料发酵工艺进行了初步优化,探讨了培养基、pH、温度对生物量和重组蛋白表达量的影响。结果表明:采用FM22培养基,诱导温度为25℃,pH 5.0,甲醇诱导114 h后His₆-YlLip2的最高酶活力达到3160U/ml。SDS-PAGE分析表明,蛋白的分子量大约为38kDa。重组的His₆-YlLip2经镍柱一步纯化后的纯度达到95.43%,比酶活达到4250U/mg。     

Cloning, expression and characterization of a metagenome derived thermoactive/thermostable pectinase

The gene encoding a thermostable pectinase was isolated from a soil metagenome sample. The gene sequence corresponded to an open reading frame of 1,311 bp encoding a translation product of 47.9 kDa. It showed maximum (93 %) identity to a Bacillus licheniformis glycoside hydrolase. Deduced amino acid analysis showed an absence of highly conserved cysteine residues in the N-terminal region at positions 24 and 42, and in the C-terminal region at positions 389, 394, 413 and 424. pQpecJKR01 (pQE30 expression vector containing the pectinase gene) was expressed in Escherichia coli strain M15 as a recombinant fusion protein containing an N-terminal 6× His tag. Biochemical properties of this pectinase were novel. The enzyme had temperature and pH optima of 70 °C and 7.0, respectively, but was active over a broad temperature and pH range. The enzyme was stable at 60 °C with a half-life of 5 h and the enzyme activity was inhibited by 0.1 % diethyl pyrocarbonate and 5 mM dicyclohexyl carbodiimide. The enzyme could be of great use in industrial processes due to its activity over a broad pH range and at high temperature.     

Purification and cloning of a thermostable xylose (glucose) isomerase with an acidic pH optimum from Thermoanaerobacterium strain JW/SL-YS 489.

An unusual xylose isomerase produced by Thermoanaerobacterium strain JW/SL-YS 489 was purified 28-fold to gel electrophoretic homogeneity, and the biochemical properties were determined. Its pH optimum distinguishes this enzyme from all other previously described xylose isomerases. The purified enzyme had maximal activity at pH 6.4 (60 degrees C) or pH 6.8 (80 degrees C) in a 30-min assay, an isoelectric point at 4.7, and an estimated native molecular mass of 200 kDa, with four identical subunits of 50 kDa. Like other xylose isomerases, this enzyme required Mn2+, Co2+, or Mg2+ for thermal stability (stable for 1 h at 82 degrees C in the absence of substrate) and isomerase activity, and it preferred xylose as a substrate. The gene encoding the xylose isomerase was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the complete nucleotide sequence was determined. Analysis of the sequence revealed an open reading frame of 1,317 bp that encoded a protein of 439 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 50 kDa. The biochemical properties of the cloned enzyme were the same as those of the native enzyme. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with sequences of other xylose isomerases in the database showed that the enzyme had 98% homology with a xylose isomerase from a closely related bacterium, Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum B6A-RI. In fact, only seven amino acid differences were detected between the two sequences, and the biochemical properties of the two enzymes, except for the pH optimum, are quite similar. Both enzymes had a temperature optimum at 80 degrees C, very similar isoelectric points (pH 4.7 for strain JW/SL-YS 489 and pH 4.8 for T. saccharolyticum B6A-RI), and slightly different thermostabilities (stable for 1 h at 80 and 85 degrees C, respectively). The obvious difference was the pH optimum (6.4 to 6.8 and 7.0 to 7.5, respectively). The fact that the pH optimum of the enzyme from strain JW/SL-YS 489 was the property that differed significantly from the T. saccharolyticum B6A-RI xylose isomerase suggested that one or more of the observed amino acid changes was responsible for this observed difference.     

A novel thermostable branching enzyme from an extremely thermophilic bacterial species, Rhodothermus obamensis

A branching enzyme (EC 2.4.1.18) gene was isolated from an extremely thermophilic bacterium, Rhodothermus obamensis. The predicted protein encodes a polypeptide of 621 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 72 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence shares 42-50% similarity to known bacterial branching enzyme sequences. Similar to the Bacillus branching enzymes, the predicted protein has a shorter N-terminal amino acid extension than that of the Escherichia coli branching enzyme. The deduced amino acid sequence does not appear to contain a signal sequence, suggesting that it is an intracellular enzyme. The R. obamensis branching enzyme was successfully expressed both in E. coli and a filamentous fungus, Aspergillus oryzae. The enzyme showed optimum catalytic activity at pH 6.0-6.5 and 65 degrees C. The enzyme was stable after 30 min at 80 degrees C and retained 50% of activity at 80 degrees C after 16 h. Branching activity of the enzyme was higher toward amylose than toward amylopectin. This is the first thermostable branching enzyme isolated from an extreme thermophile.