Direct electrochemical regeneration of NADH from NAD+ using cholesterol-modified gold amalgam electrode

The efficiency of the direct electrochemical regeneration of NADH from NAD+ was enhanced by applying a cholesterol-modified gold amalgam electrode. The modified electrode was prepared by immersing gold plate in mercury and casting few drops of cholesteryl oleate solution over the gold amalgam. Coenzymatically active NADH was formed from NAD+ directly at the cholesterol-modified gold amalgam electrode which is supposed to hinder the dimerization of the NAD radicals on its membrane surface. The direct electrochemical NAD+ reduction process was used favorably to drive an enzymatic reduction of pyruvate to d-lactate. d-Lactate of 18.2 mm was obtained from pyruvate of 25.3 mm at 21 h of total reaction time in the electrolysis of 50 cm3 solution with the electrode of 6 cm2area. The turnover number for NAD+ was estimated as 1400.     

Preparation and characterization of galactose-modified liposomes by a nonaqueous enzymatic reaction

In this study, NOH (NOH?=?N-octadecyl-4-[(D-galactopyranosyl)oxy]-2,3,5,6-tetrahydroxy hexanamide) was enzymatically synthesized as a targeting molecule and incorporated into liposomes to prepare a liposome surface modified with galactose. Glycyrrhetinic-acid–loaded liposome (GA-LP) and glycyrrhetinic-acid–loaded liposome surface modified with galactose (NOH-GA-LP) were prepared by the ethanol-injection method. NOH-GA-LP was characterized by morphology, particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, release in vitro, and stability. The size of spherical particles was in the range of 179–211?nm. Spherical particles exhibit a positive electrical charge (38.7 mV) and possess high encapsulation efficiency (91.3%) and show sustained release (72% over 48 hours) in vitro. This novel approach for the liposome surface modified with galactose by enzymatic synthesis is expected to provide potential application as a drug carrier for active targeted delivery to hepatocytes.     

Evaluation of the factors affecting avicel reactivity using multi-stage enzymatic hydrolysis

Multi-stage and single-stage enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose (Avicel PH-101) were conducted to investigate individual factors that affect the rate-reducing kinetics of enzymatic hydrolysis. Understanding factors affecting enzymatic hydrolysis of Avicel will help improve hydrolysis of various biomasses. Product inhibition, enzyme deactivation, and the changes of substrate are potential factors that can affect the hydrolysis efficiency of Avicel. Multi-stage enzymatic hydrolysis resulted in 36.9% and 25.4% higher carbohydrate conversion as compared to a single-stage enzymatic hydrolysis with an enzyme loading of 5 and 20 FPU/g in a 96 h reaction. However, a decline in carbohydrate conversion of 1.6% and 2.6% was observed through each stage with 5 and 20 FPU/g, respectively. This indicated that the substrate became more recalcitrant as hydrolysis progressed. The decreased reactivity was not due to crystallinity because no significant change in crystallinity was detected by X-ray diffraction. Product inhibition was significant at low enzyme loading, while it was marginal at high enzyme loading. Therefore, product inhibition can only partially explain this decreased conversion. Another important factor, enzyme deactivation, contributed to 20.3% and 25.4% decrease in the total carbohydrate conversion of 96 h hydrolysis with 5 and 20 FPU/g, respectively. This work shows that an important reason for the decreased Avicel digestibility is the effect of enzyme blockage, which refers to the enzymes that irreversibly adsorb on accessible sites of substrate. About 45.3% and 63.2% of the total decreased conversion at the end of the 8th stage with 5 and 20 FPU/g, respectively, was due to the presence of irreversibly adsorbed enzymes. This blockage of active sites by enzymes has been speculated by other researchers, but this article shows further evidence of this effect.     

Enzymatic reduction of dehydrocholic acid to 12-ketochenodeoxycholic acid with NADH regeneration

12-Ketochenodeoxycholic acid, an essential intermediate in the synthesis of chenodeoxycholic acid, has been enzymatically prepared from dehydrocholic acid. The specific reduction of dehydrocholic with NADH was catalysed by 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3α-hydroxysteroid: NAD(P)⁺ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.50) and 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7α-hydroxysteroid:NAD⁺ 7-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.159). Cofactor regeneration was obtained through the formate dehydrogenase (formate:NAD⁺ oxidoreductase, EC 1.2.1.2) catalysed oxidation of formate. Complete transformation of dehydrocholic acid to the 12-keto derivative was achieved with a coenzyme turnover number up to 1200. No steroid by-products were detected by high performance liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography. The process yielded 9 g product l^?1 in 66–84 h. The high purity of the enzymatically prepared 12-ketochenodeoxycholic acid should drastically reduce the formation of the toxic by-product lithocholic acid, which occurs in the synthesis of chenodeoxycholic acid when using chemical methods alone.     

Enhancement effect of polyethylene glycol on enzymatic synthesis of cephalexin

In an enzymatic synthesis of cephalexin (CEX) using an acylase from Xanthomonas citri, the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the synthetic reaction of 7-amino-3-deacetoxycephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA) and D-alpha-phenyl-glycine methyl ester (PGM) to CEX was investigated. The addition of PEG (MW 300-20,000) increased the yield significantly. This yield enhancement effect tended to increase with the increasing molecular weight of PEG. Addition of PEG to the reaction system did not affect both the CEX and PGM hydrolytic reactions. The PEG added to the reaction medium used in these experiments did not depress the water activity significantly, and the product yield improvement could not be explained by the activity alone. The PEG stabilized the enzyme activity to some extent, but this stabilizing effect was only partially attributable to the yield enhancement of CEX. The enhancing effect of PEG on the synthetic yield increased with the increasing PEG molecular weight or the length of the poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl) chain, which increases the hydrophobicity of PEG. This finding consequently has led to the conclusion that the PEG structure renders the affinity between enzyme and 7-ADCA, which is a hydrophobic substrate. The microenvironmental hydrophobicity of PEG and its interaction with the hydrophobic substrate was found to be the main reason for the improvement of the CEX yield. In fact, the Michaelis-Menten kinetic constant for 7-ADCA, K(7-ADCA) in the presence of PEG was smaller than that in the control system (without PEG addition). (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Redox reaction system conjugating electrochemical reduction of NADP and enzymatic reaction across the electron transfer membrane

The conjugated redox reaction was driven across the electron transfer membrane prepared from a urethane prepolymer to carry positive charge, where NADP⁺ as electron transfer carrier was adsorbed in the prepared polyurethane membrane. Glutathione reductase [NAD (P)H: oxidized-glutathione oxidoreductase (EC 1.6.4.1)] was used as the catalyst for production of the reduced form of glutathione (GSH) from the oxidized form (GSSG) in the objective reaction, and methyl viologen (MV) was used for the electrochemical regeneration of NADPH in the subreaction. The conjugated redox reaction in the separated reactions system, using the three-compartment cell with two membranes, was successful without MV contamination. Under the given conditions, the conversion ratio of GSH from GSSG reached 50% after 4 h of incubation at 30°C and the amount of GSH accumulated was 0.5 μmol ml⁻¹ of reaction mixture.     

Enzymatic synthesis of L‐lactic acid from carbon dioxide and ethanol with an inherent cofactor regeneration cycle

Efficient conversion of carbon dioxide is of great interests to today's endeavors in controlling greenhouse gas emission. A multienzyme catalytic system that uses carbon dioxide and ethanol to produce L ‐lactate was demonstrated in this work, thereby providing a novel reaction route to convert bio‐based ethanol to an important building block for synthesis biodegradable polymers. The synthetic route has a unique internal cofactor regeneration cycle, eliminating the need of additional chemical or energy for cofactor regeneration. Lactate was successfully synthesized with 41% of ethanol converted in a batch reaction, while a turnover number of 2.2 day⁻¹ was reached for cofactor regeneration in a reaction with continuous feeding of ethanol. A kinetic model developed based on reaction kinetic parameters determined separately for each reaction step predicted well the reaction rates and yields of the multienzyme reaction system. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011;108: 465–469. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Oxidation of butane to butanol coupled to electrochemical redox reaction of NAD+/NADH

A crude cell extract from a butane-utilizing bacterium, Alcaligenes sp., catalyzed the oxidation of butane to butanol coupled to NADH. A graphite electrode modified with Neutral Red (NR-electrode) catalyzed the reduction of NAD⁺ to NADH. About 4.9 mM butanol was produced from 50% n-butane/O₂ mixture through the combined reactions of the crude enzyme and the NR-electrode in 250 ml reactor for 3 h.     

The effect of organic solvents on the equilibrium position of enzymatic acylglycerol synthesis

The effect of organic solvents on the equilibrium position of lipase-catalyzed esterification of glycerol and decanoic acid has been investigated. The reaction is carried out in an aqueous-organic two-phase system. In polar solvents, high mole fractions of monoacylglycerol and low mole fractions of triacylglycerol and measured, while in nonpolar solvents, the measured differences in the mole fractions of monodi-, and triacylglycerols are less. There is a good correlation between the ester mole fractions at equilibrium and the log P of the solvent (partition coefficient in n-octanolwater), however, only if the group of tertiary alcohols is excluded. In the plot of the easter mole fractions as a function of the logarithm of hte solubility of water in the organic solvent, the tertiary alcohols can be included; however, in this case other deviations appear.For the prediction of the effect of organic solvents on the ester mole fractions at reaction equilibrium in nondilute reaction systems with a water activity below 1, the program TREP (Two-phase Reaction Equilibrium Prediction) is developed, which is based on the UNIFAC group contribution method. With this model the equilibrium data are essentially predicted from basic thermodynamic data. The required equilibrium constants are estimated from experiments without an organic solvent in the reaction medium. The mole fractions calculated by TREP show the same trends as the experimentally measured mole fractions; however, some variation is observed in the absolute values. These deviations may be due to inaccuracies in the UNIFAC group contribution method. TREP is found to be a correct method to predict within some limits the ester mole fractions at equilibrium for all mixtures of solvents, substrates, and products. The production of monoester can be enhanced in reaction system with a sufficient high concentration of a polar solvent. In experiments with a triglymeto-decanoic acid ratio of 5, almost no di-and triesters can be detected at equilibrium. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

菊糖蔗糖酶的性质鉴定及菊糖的酶法合成

菊糖作为益生元和膳食纤维,具有许多重要的生理功能,广泛应用于食品、医药等领域.微生物菊糖蔗糖酶可以以蔗糖为底物合成较植物菊糖具有更高分子量的菊糖.文中通过基因数据库筛选获得一段拟表达菊糖蔗糖酶的基因.通过N-端和C-端截断的方式,保留中间催化域,构建重组质粒.将重组质粒在大肠杆菌表达系统中表达,粗酶液经Ni2+亲和层析...     

Design of a cytochrome P450BM3 reaction system linked by two‐step cofactor regeneration catalyzed by a soluble transhydrogenase and glycerol dehydrogenase

A cytochrome P450BM3‐catalyzed reaction system linked by a two‐step cofactor regeneration was investigated in a cell‐free system. The two‐step cofactor regeneration of redox cofactors, NADH and NADPH, was constructed by NAD⁺‐dependent bacterial glycerol dehydrogenase (GLD) and bacterial soluble transhydrogenase (STH) both from Escherichia coli. In the present system, the reduced cofactor (NADH) was regenerated by GLD from the oxidized cofactor (NAD⁺) using glycerol as a sacrificial cosubstrate. The reducing equivalents were subsequently transferred to NADP⁺ by STH as a cycling catalyst. The resultant regenerated NADPH was used for the substrate oxidation catalyzed by cytochrome P450BM3. The initial rate of the P450BM3‐catalyzed reaction linked by the two‐step cofactor regeneration showed a slight increase (approximately twice) when increasing the GLD units 10‐fold under initial reaction conditions. In contrast, a 10‐fold increase in STH units resulted in about a 9‐fold increase in the initial reaction rate, implying that transhydrogenation catalyzed by STH was the rate‐determining step. In the system lacking the two‐step cofactor regeneration, 34% conversion of 50 μM of a model substrate (p‐nitrophenoxydecanoic acid) was attained using 50 μM NADPH. In contrast, with the two‐step cofactor regeneration, the same amount of substrate was completely converted using 5 μM of oxidized cofactors (NAD⁺ and NADP⁺) within 1 h. Furthermore, a 10‐fold dilution of the oxidized cofactors still led to approximately 20% conversion in 1 h. These results indicate the potential of the combination of GLD and STH for use in redox cofactor recycling with catalytic quantities of NAD⁺ and NADP⁺. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

Enhanced enzymatic synthesis of a semi-synthetic cephalosprin,cefaclor, with in situ product removal

In the enzymatic synthesis of cefaclor, 3-chloro-7-d-(2-phenylglycinamide)-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid, from phenylglycine methyl ester and 7-aminodesacetoxymethyl-3-chlorocephalosporanic acid, the in situ product could influence both the overall conversion and hydrolysis of the ester. Optimization of the parameters, such as pH 6.2, 5 °C and substrate molar ratio of 2:1, made in situ product removal improve the overall conversion from 64% to 85% (mol/mol).     

Product inhibition of the enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose

Kinetic experiments have been conducted with acetone-dried cells of Kluyveromyces fragilis to study product inhibition of the enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose. Both hydrolytic products, d-glucose and d-galactose, showed efficient inhibition effect on enzyme activity. The fact that d-glucose and d-galactose are mutually exclusive for the inhibition was verified by Dixon plots. The kinetic constants were also estimated using the experimental data. The rate equation was derived based on a multiple inhibition model of competitive inhibition of d-galactose and non-competitive inhibition of d-glucose. The good agreement between experiment and prediction indicated the validity of the established model.     

Selective probing of a NADPH site controlled light‐induced enzymatic catalysis

Achieving molecular recognition of NADPH binding sites is a compelling strategy to control many redox biological processes. The NADPH sites recognize the ubiquitous NADPH cofactor via highly conserved binding interactions, despite differences in the regulation of the hydride transfer in redox active proteins. We recently developed a photoactive NADPH substitute, called nanotrigger NT synchronizing the initiation of enzymatic catalysis of the endothelial NO‐synthase (eNOS) with a laser pulse. Spatial and temporal control of enzymatic activity by such a designed light‐driven activator would benefit from achieving molecular selectivity, i.e. activation of a single NADPH‐mediated enzyme. In this work, we probe the ability of NT to discriminate between two NADPH sites with light. The selected NADPH sites belong to dihydrofolate reductase dihydrofolate reductase enzyme (DHFR) and endothelial NO‐synthase (eNOS). Ultrafast kinetics showed that NT could not activate DHFR catalysis with a laser pulse in contrast with the observed trigger of eNOS catalysis leading to NO formation. Homology modelling, molecular dynamics simulations showed that NT discriminated between the two NADPH sites by different donor to acceptor distances and by local steric effects hindering light activation of DHFR catalysis. The data suggested that the narrow NADPH site required a tight fit of the nanotrigger at a suitable distance/angle to the electron acceptor for a specific activation of the catalysis. The ability of the nanotrigger to activate eNOS combined with a low reactivity in unfavourable NADPH sites makes NT a highly promising tool for targeting eNOS in endothelial cells with a laser pulse. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pulsed column reactor as a novel tool for continuous enzymatic synthesis of peptide in an aqueous/organic biphasic medium

We propose a novel effective method for a continuous peptide synthesis in an aqueous/organic biphasic medium using a pulsed column reactor. N-Formyl-l-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine methyl ester was enzymatically synthesized continuously. With this extractive method using a pulsed column reactor, we can synthesize peptides with a stable performance even if a peptide (or a peptide-amino acid complex) is precipitated due to its high hydrophobicity.     

Hydrolysis of crambe oil by enzymatic catalysis: An evaluation of the operational conditions

Abstract

In this work, the enzymatic hydrolysis of the crambe oil by using a commercial immobilized lipase Lipozyme RM IM was evaluated. The effect of the operational conditions, such as temperature, water/oil molar ratio, enzyme/substrate mass ratio and stirring speed were assessed based on the experimental designs. The experiments were performed in a closed and batch system with controlled temperature and stirring speed. In addition, the kinetics of the process was studied in the best operational conditions, wherein the experimental data were obtained and described by a mathematical model. The influence of the operational conditions was assessed based on the measured values of the free fatty acids (FFA) produced by the enzymatic hydrolysis. In 4?h of reaction, a yield of 42.6% was observed and the most significant operational conditions were the enzyme/substrate mass ratio and stirring speed. By the kinetic investigation, an initial reaction rate of 3.5?×?10⁴?mol?mL^?1?h^?1 and a maximum yield of 74% were observed after 40?h of reaction (in the equilibrium condition). The mathematical model was not only able to adequately describe the experimental data of FFA concentrations profiles but also showed predictive capacity to independents assays in different operational conditions. Therefore, based on the simulation analysis of the enzymatic hydrolysis of the crambe oil, the model can be useful for process optimization and phenomenological studies.     

Use of a coenzyme by the glmS ribozyme-riboswitch suggests primordial expansion of RNA chemistry by small molecules

The glmS ribozyme-riboswitch is the first known example of a naturally occurring catalytic RNA that employs a small molecule as a coenzyme. Binding of glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) activates self-cleavage of the bacterial ribozyme, which is part of the mRNA encoding the metabolic enzyme GlcN6P-synthetase. Cleavage leads to negative feedback regulation. GlcN6P binds in the active site of the ribozyme, where its amine could function as a general acid and electrostatic catalyst. The ribozyme is pre-folded but inactive in the absence of GlcN6P, demonstrating it has evolved strict dependence on the exogenous small molecule. The ribozyme showcases the ability of RNA to co-opt non-covalently bound small molecules to expand its chemical repertoire. Analogue studies demonstrate that some molecules other than GlcN6P, such as l-serine (but not d-serine), can function as weak activators. This suggests how coenzyme use by RNA world ribozymes may have led to evolution of proteins. Primordial cofactor-dependent ribozymes may have evolved to bind their cofactors covalently. If amino acids were used as cofactors, this could have driven the evolution of RNA aminoacylation. The ability to make covalently bound peptide coenzymes may have further increased the fitness of such primordial ribozymes, providing a selective pressure for the invention of translation.     

Optimisation of enzymatic synthesis of cefaclor with in situ product removal and continuous acyl donor feeding

Enzymatic synthesis of cefaclor by penicillin acylase (PA) was carried out under kinetic control with in situ product removal (ISPR). We present a continuous acyl donor feeding strategy for enzymatic reactions. Using this strategy, the conversion of the antibiotic nucleus was improved from 65 to 91%, and the hydrolysis of phenylglycine methyl ester (PGME) was decreased. Side product (phenylglycine) production was less than half of that in the control batch. The ratio of synthesis to hydrolysis (S/H) in the process was kept stable for longer and at a higher level than in the control. This is a practical method for enzymatic synthesis of cefaclor.     

Optimisation of enzymatic synthesis of cefaclor with in situ product removal and continuous acyl donor feeding

Enzymatic synthesis of cefaclor by penicillin acylase (PA) was carried out under kinetic control with in situ product removal (ISPR). We present a continuous acyl donor feeding strategy for enzymatic reactions. Using this strategy, the conversion of the antibiotic nucleus was improved from 65 to 91%, and the hydrolysis of phenylglycine methyl ester (PGME) was decreased. Side product (phenylglycine) production was less than half of that in the control batch. The ratio of synthesis to hydrolysis (S/H) in the process was kept stable for longer and at a higher level than in the control. This is a practical method for enzymatic synthesis of cefaclor.