Cloning and production of Xylanase B from Paenibacillus barcinonensis in Bacillus subtilis hosts

Xylanase B from Paenibacillus barcinonensis was cloned in shuttle vectors for Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and expressed in Bacillus hosts. Several recombinant strains were constructed, among which B. subtilis MW15/pRBSPOX20 showed the highest production. This recombinant strain consists of a protease double mutant host containing P. barcinonensis xynB gene under the control of a phage SPO2 strong promoter. Maximum production was found when the strain was cultured in nutrient broth supplemented with xylans. Analysis of xylanase B location in B. subtilis MW15/pRBSPOX20 showed that the enzyme remained cell-associated in young cultures, consistent with its intracellular location in its original host, P. barcinonensis, and the lack of a signal peptide. However, when cultures reached the stationary phase, xylanase B was released to the external medium as a result of cell lysis. The amount of enzyme located in the supernatants of old cultures could account for 50% of total xylanase activity. Analysis by SDS-PAGE showed that xylanase B is an abundant protein found in the culture medium in late stationary phase cultures.     

Production of cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase of Bacillus circulans var. alkalophilus ATCC21783 in B. subtilis

Summary The cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase, E.C. 2.4.1.19) gene from an alkalophilic Bacillus circulans var. alkalophilus ATCC21783 was cloned into Escherichia coli and B. subtilis. When cloned from E. coli to B. subtilis, the entire insert containing the CGTase gene was, depending on the plasmid construction, either unstable or the recombinant B. subtilis did not secrete the enzyme in significant amounts. To achieve efficient enzyme production in B. subtilis, the gene was placed under the control of the B. amyloliquefaciens -amylase promoter. In one of the constructions, both the promoter and the signal sequence of the gene were replaced with those of B. amyloliquefaciens, whereas in another construction only the promoter area was exchanged. The recombinant B. subtilis clones transformed with these plasmid constructions secreted CGTase into the culture medium 14 times as much as did the parental strain in shake flask cultures. In fermentor cultures in an industrially feasible medium the enzyme production was substantially higher, yielding 1.2 g/l of CGTase, which is about 33 times the amount of the enzyme produced by the parental strain in corresponding fermentations. Both of the plasmid constructions were stable when grown over 50 generations without antibiotic selection.     

Expression of the cloned xylanases from an alkalophilic,thermophilic Bacillus in Bacillus subtilis

A recombinant plasmid construct, pLPX6.5, harbouring a 6.5 kb Hind III fragment of genomic DNA, from an alkalophilic, thermophilic Bacillus NCIM 59 and coding for xylanase activity, was electroporatically transformed into Bacillus subtilis MI 111. The expression of the recombinant xylanases was confirmed by cross-reactivity with antibodies raised against purified xylanase II (M _r 15,800) from NCIM 59. However, as there were different xylan hydrolysis products from NCIM 59 and the host B. subtilis, the two xylanases appear to have different modes of action. Xylanase expression in the transformants was 6-fold higher than in the host. There was no significant enhancement in the expression of recombinant xylanases by adding xylan to the growth medium.The authors are with the Division of Biochemical Sciences, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune-411008, India     

Sequencing,cloning, and heterologous expression of cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase of Bacillus firmus strain 37 in Bacillus subtilis WB800

Bacillusfirmus strain 37 produces the cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) enzyme and CGTase produces cyclodextrins (CDs) through a starch cyclization reaction. The strategy for the cloning and expression of recombinant CGTase is a potentially viable alternative for the economically viable production of CGTase for use in industrial processes. The present study used Bacillus subtilis WB800 as a bacterial expression host for the production of recombinant CGTase cloned from the CGTase gene of B. firmus strain 37. The CGTase gene was cloned in TOPO-TA^® plasmid, which was transformed in Escherichia coli DH5α. The subcloning was carried out with pWB980 plasmid and transformation in B. subtilis WB800. The 2xYT medium was the most suitable for the production of recombinant CGTase. The enzymatic activity of the crude extract of the recombinant CGTase of B. subtilis WB800 was 1.33 µmol β-CD/min/mL, or 7.4 times greater than the enzymatic activity of the crude extract of CGTase obtained from the wild strain. Following purification, the recombinant CGTase exhibited an enzymatic activity of 157.78 µmol β-CD/min/mL, while the activity of the CGTase from the wild strain was 9.54 µmol β-CD/min/mL. When optimal CDs production conditions for the CGTase from B. firmus strain 37 were used, it was observed that the catalytic properties of the CGTase enzymes were equivalent. The strategy for the cloning and expression of CGTase in B. subtilis WB800 was efficient, with the production of greater quantities of CGTase than with the wild strain, offering essential data for the large-scale production of the recombinant enzyme.

     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> signal peptidase recognizes and cleaves the signal sequence of xylanase from a newly isolated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> strain R5

A gene encoding the xylanase from Bacillus subtilis strain R5 containing the native signal sequence was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The heterologous expression of the gene resulted in the production of the recombinant protein in the cytoplasm as well as its secretion into the culture medium. The xylanase activity in the culture medium increased with time after induction up to 90% of the total activity in 14 h. Molecular mass and N-terminal amino acid sequence determinations of the purified recombinant xylanase revealed that the native signal peptide was cleaved off by E. coli signal peptidases between Ala28 and Ala29.     

Induction of Bacillus subtilis expression system using environmental stresses and glucose starvation

The application of safe and cheap inducers is important in the field of fermentation technology, which persuades employing new expression systems. In this study, a Bacillus subtilis expression system was induced by applying starvation and environmental stresses to produce xylanase. The expression plasmid harbors SigB-dependent ohrB promoter. The target gene was expressed by inoculating the recombinant strain into glucose-limited synthetic medium resulting in a sharp increase of xylanase activity at the end of logarithmic growth phase. The recombinant strain was able to express the xylanase enzyme 14-fold higher than that of the control one. The induction was also performed by exposing the recombinant strain to NaCl and ethanol stresses, and heat shock; the strain growing in LB showed 5-, 15- and 6-fold increases in xylanase activity, respectively. The best induction using environmental stresses was achieved by applying the salt stress in the synthetic medium. The maximum expression for NaCl and ethanol stresses occurred after 40 min of induction. All observed inductions were related to activation of SigB protein causing expression of the SigB-dependent xylanase gene. This SigB-dependent expression system can be considered as a biotechnology tool and an alternative to eliminate the cost of conventional inducers.     

Expression of a Clostridium thermocellum xylanase gene in Bacillus subtilis

Summary The native promoter of a xylanase gene isolated from Clostridium thermocellum was replaced with a strong promoter screened from Bacillus subtilis chromosomes. A part of the C-terminal region of the gene which is not related to the xylanase activity was removed. With the modified xylanase gene, B. subtilis was transformed and grown in LB medium. The xylanase gene was expressed well in B. subtilis and extracellular xylanase was produced up to 30 units per ml when the growth reached OD₆₀₀ of 4.8.     

Improvement of culture conditions to overproduce β-galactosidase from Escherichia coli in Bacillus subtilis

The effect of some culture variables in the production of β-galactosidase from Escherichia coli in Bacillus subtilis was evaluated. The lacZ gene was expressed in B. subtilis using the regulatory region of the subtilisin gene aprE. The host contained also the hpr2 and degU32 mutations, which are known to overexpress the aprE gene. We found that, when this overproducing B. subtilis strain was grown in mineral medium supplemented with glucose (MMG), β-galactosidase production was partially growth-associated, as 40%–60% of the maximum enzyme activity was produced before the onset of the stationary phase. In contrast, when a complex medium was used, β-galactosidase was produced only at low levels during vegetative growth, whereas it accumulated to high levels during early stationary phase. Compared with the results obtained in complex media, a 20% increase in specific β-galactosidase activity in MMG supplemented with 11.6 g/l glucose was obtained. On the 1-l fermenter scale, a threefold increase in volumetric β-galactosidase activity was obtained when the glucose concentration was varied from 11 g/l to 26 g/l. In addition, glucose feeding during the stationary phase resulted in a twofold increase in volumetric enzyme activity as cellular lysis was prevented. Finally, we showed that oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide evolution rates can be used for on-line determination of the onset of stationary phase, glucose depletion and biomass concentration. Received: 18 April 1996 / Received revision: 27 August 1996 / Accepted: 6 September 1996     

DNA Supercoiling and Osmoresistance in Bacillus subtilis 168

The importance of the DNA structure for the expression of the osmotic response (osmotolerance) was investigated in Bacillus subtilis 168. Plasmid pUB110 DNA was used as a reporter of the chromosomal DNA topology, and analyses were performed in chloroquine agarose gels. Plasmidic DNA obtained from cultures in Schaeffer medium (D) taken in those periods in which B. subtilis is able to express osmotolerance (early stationary phase or from germinating spores) or from adapted cultures to hyperosmotic medium (DN) presented a higher level of negative supercoiling than DNA samples from vegetative cultures, normally refractory to induction of osmotolerance. The involvement of the DNA gyrase was investigated through the sensitivity to novobiocin, an antibiotic inhibitor of its activity and the behavior of a gyrB1 mutant strain (RG1). In the wild-type strain, the addition of a sublethal concentration of novobiocin (0.5 μg/ml) to the hyperosmotic medium relaxed DNA and inhibited growth. Moreover, already growing cultures in DN medium and later submitted to the same antibiotic presented a relaxed DNA and stopped growing. The RG1 mutant strain submitted to similar novobiocin treatments displayed normal growth in DN novobiocin medium. These results pointed to the requirement of a highly negative supercoiled DNA structure involving the gyrase activity in osmotic response. Received: 9 May 1997 / Accepted: 18 June 1997     

Cloning, sequencing, and expression of a β-1,4-endoxylanase gene from Indonesian Bacillus licheniformis strain I5 in Escherichia coli

The gene encoding an endo-β-1,4-xylanase from an Indonesian indigenous Bacillus licheniformis strain I5 was amplified using PCR, cloned, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The nucleotide sequence of a 642 bp DNA fragment was determined, revealing one open reading frame that encoded a xylanase. Based on the nucleotide sequence, calculated molecular mass of the enzyme was 23 kDa. This xylanase has a predicted typical putative signal peptide; however, in E. coli, the active protein was located mainly in intracellular form. Neither culture supernatant of recombinant E. coli nor periplasmic fraction has significantly detectable xylanase activity. The deduced amino acid of the gene has 91% identity with that of Bacillus subtilis endoxylanase. Optimal activity of the recombinant enzyme was at pH 7 and 50°C     

Effect of the regulation system of metabolic nitrogen exchange on biosynthesis of serine proteinases from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus intermedius</Emphasis>

The regulatory link between biosynthesis of Bacillus intermedius subtilisin-like serine proteinase and nitrogen metabolism in B. intermedius cells was determined. The level of the enzyme biosynthesis by the recombinant strain of Bacillus subtilis in the medium containing ammonium ions was three- to fivefold less than that in the medium with poorly utilized sodium nitrate. Accumulation of glutamyl endopeptidase in a culture liquid of this microorganism did not depend on the source of nitrogen present in the medium. During cultivation in the rich medium, the productivity of subtilisin-like proteinase in the recombinant B. subtilis strain carrying a mutation in the NrgB sensor protein was demonstrated to increase threefold compared to that of the control strain. In the minimal culture medium, mutation in the nrgB gene abolished the effect of a nitrogen source on the level of the subtilisin-like proteinase gene expression. At the same time, this mutation did not affect glutamyl endopeptidase biosynthesis. Thus, expression of the gene coding for subtilisin-like proteinase from B.intermedius is suggested to be positively regulated by the regulatory system of nitrogen metabolism.     

碱性蛋白酶SubC在枯草芽孢杆菌中的高效异源表达

【背景】碱性蛋白酶是工业用酶中占比最大的酶类,广泛应用于清洁、食品、医疗等行业。近期研究发现碱性蛋白酶在生产生物活性肽方面有巨大潜力,这将进一步拓宽其在保健食品领域中的应用。【目的】利用枯草芽孢杆菌异源表达地衣芽孢杆菌来源的碱性蛋白酶SubC。【方法】通过筛选3种枯草芽孢杆菌宿主菌株(Bacillus subtilis 1A751、MA07、MA08)和6种信号肽(AmyE、AprE、NprE、Pel、YddT、YoqM),同时优化诱导剂浓度、发酵培养基和发酵时长,最终得到最优重组菌株MA08-AmyE-subCopt。【结果】重组菌株MA08-AmyE-subCopt的胞外酶活力为3.33×103 AU/mL,胞外蛋白分泌量为胞内可溶蛋白表达量的4倍,与携带野生型信号肽的对照组菌株WT相比,酶活提高了73.4%。【结论】异源碱性蛋白酶SubC在枯草芽孢杆菌中成功表达,为碱性蛋白酶SubC的表达和在保健食品领域的工业化应用提供了理论基础。     

Dependence of the hydrolytic exoenzyme production level on the way of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> culturing

An 867 mutant has been derived from a B. subtilis 1560 strain capable of biofilm formation during stationary culturing. The mutant was able to form more elastic and resistant to mechanical stress biofilms that could be used in fermentation more than once. Analysis of the hydrolytic activity of the 1560 and 867 strains film and submerged cultures showed that the biofilm culturing permitted to enhance the levels of amylase by 1.5–2.4 times and that of glucanase by three times.     

Biosynthesis of the Bacillus intermedius subtilisin-like serine proteinase by the recombinant Bacillus subtilis strain

The effect of certain nutrients on the growth and production of the Bacillus intermedius subtilisin-like serine proteinase by the recombinant strain Bacillus subtilis AJ73(pCS9) was studied. Glucose was found to inhibit the synthesis of proteinase in the early (28 h of growth) but not in the late stationary phase (48 h of growth). The inhibitory effect of the other mono-and disaccharides studied was less pronounced. Casamino acids added to the medium at concentrations of 0.1–1% as an additional carbon and nitrogen source stimulated enzyme biosynthesis. Individual amino acids (cysteine, asparagine, glutamine, tryptophan, histidine, and glutamate) also stimulated enzyme biosynthesis in the early stationary phase by 25–30%, whereas other amino acids (valine, leucine, alanine, and aspartate) were ineffective or even slightly inhibitory to enzyme production. The stimulatory effect of the first group of amino acids on the synthesis of proteinase in the late stationary phase was negligible. In contrast, the bivalent ions Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Mn²⁺ stimulated biosynthesis of proteinase in the late stationary phase (by 20–60%) and not in the early stationary phase. The data indicate that there are differences in the biosyntheses of proteinase by the recombinant B. subtilis strain during the early and late periods of the stationary phases.     

Release of transforming plasmid and chromosomal DNA from two cultured soil bacteria

The release of chromosomal and plasmid DNA from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Bacillus subtilis cultivated in minimal medium and broth over a period of 50 h was monitored and related to growth phase, autolysis, DNase production and natural competence. The released DNAs were biologically active in natural transformation. In addition, the circular integrity of a released B. subtilis shuttle vector (pHV14) was demonstrated by artificial transformation of Escherichia coli. In cultures of both strains high molecular weight DNA accumulated, particularly during the stationary and death phase (up to 30 g ml^-1). Generally, despite the presence in culture fluids of DNase activity (and of an intracellular enzyme, catalase, indicating some cell lysis) there was high transforming activity of chromsomal and plasmid DNA even 40 h after the cultures reached the stationary phase. In cultures of B. subtilis in minimal medium a presumably active release of intact plasmids and chromsomal DNA occurred during the competence phase. The release of biologically functional DNA during essentially all growth phases of a gram-positive and a gram-negative member of soil bacteria might facilitate horizontal gene transfer by transformation in natural habitats.     

The role of bacteria in retting of desiccated flax during damp weather

Summary The bacteria present on samples of desiccated flax stems were Bacillus mycoides, B. subtilis, Erwinia carotovora, Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. putida and Micrococcus sp. and the fungi present were Cladosporium herbarum, Fusarium culmorum, Botrytis cineria, Epicoccum nigrum and yeast. When inoculated on autoclaved stems or in liquid culture, B. subtilis produced mainly pectin-lyase and xylanase. However, only pectin-lyase was detected in significant levels in autoclaved stem sections or in liquid cultures inoculated with E. carotovora. Enhanced pectin-lyase and xylanase levels were detected in field-retted stems sprayed with B. subtilis compared with enzyme levels in stems sprayed with E. carotovora or the control stem tissues. Increases in the fungal population coincided with a reduction in the bacterial population on treated stems at the later part of retting. Enhanced retting was observed in stems sprayed with B. subtilis and consequently the stems produced finer fibres than fibres from E. carotovora-sprayed or control stems.     

Expression of a xylanase gene of Bacillus pumilus in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

Summary A hybrid plasmid, pOXN29 (10.4 Mdal), coding the xylanase (xynA) and -xylosidase (xynB) genes of Bacillus pumilus IPO was constructed by the ligation of pBR322 and a 7.7 Mdal PstI-fragment of chromosomal DNA as reported in our previous paper (Panbangred et al. 1983). A deletion plasmid of pOXN29, pOXN293 (9.2 Mdal), which contains xynA and xynB, was ligated with pUB110 at an EcoRI site, and used to transform B. subtilis MI111. Two selected clones of B. subtilis as xylanase hyper-producers contained plasmids pOXW11 (4.2 Mdal) and pOXW12 (4.0 Mdal), both consisting of only pUB110, xynA, and its flanking regions, as the result of spontaneous deletion. These B. subtilis clones produced 2.7–3.0 times as much xylanase as B. pumilus. Escherichia coli and B. subtilis clones harbouring the hybrid plasmids synthesized xylanase and -xylosidase constitutively, whereas both enzymes were induced by xylose in B. pumilus.Xylanase synthesized by B. subtilis harbouring pOXW11 or pOXW12 was excreted into the medium like that of B. pumilus IPO, but xylanase synthesized in E. coli harbouring pOXN29, 293 or pOXW1 coding xynA was intracellular. In a previous investigation (Panbangred et al. 1983), xylanase was found to be located in the cytoplasm, not the periplasm nor the membrane fraction in E. coli cells harbouring pOXN29 derivatives. In spite of the abnormal location of xylanase synthesized in E. coli, the signal peptide was processed in the same way as in B. pumilus, with the same molecular weight and the same amino terminal sequences of xylanase prepared from E. coli cells and B. pumilus culture fluid.     

Efficient expression of a Paenibacillus barcinonensis endoglucanase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The endoglucanase coded by celA (GenBank Access No. Y12512) from Paenibacillus barcinonensis, an enzyme with good characteristics for application on paper manufacture from agricultural fibers, was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by using different domains of the cell wall protein Pir4 as translational fusion partners, to achieve either secretion or cell wall retention of the recombinant enzyme. Given the presence of five potential N-glycosylation sites in the amino acid sequence coded by celA, the effect of glycosylation on the enzymatic activity of the recombinant enzyme was investigated by expressing the recombinant fusion proteins in both, standard and glycosylation-deficient strains of S. cerevisiae. Correct targeting of the recombinant fusion proteins was confirmed by Western immunoblot using Pir-specific antibodies, while enzymatic activity on carboxymethyl cellulose was demonstrated on plate assays, zymographic analysis and colorimetric assays. Hyperglycosylation of the enzyme when expressed in the standard strain of S. cerevisiae did not affect activity, and values of 1.2 U/ml were obtained in growth medium supernatants in ordinary batch cultures after 24 h. These values compare quite favorably with those described for other recombinant endoglucanases expressed in S. cerevisiae. This is one of the few reports describing the expression of Bacillus cellulases in S. cerevisiae, since yeast expressed recombinant cellulases have been mostly of fungal origin. It is also the first report of the yeast expression of this particular endoglucanase.     

Characterization of a bacterial xylanase resistant to repression by glucose and xylose

Summary Bacillus subtilis CD4, when grown in nutrient broth or minimal medium in presence of xylan, produced extracellular xylanase that hydrolyzed xylan optimally at pH 5. The enzyme was induced by xylan, xylose and glucose. Addition of xylose or glucose in xylan containing medium did not affect enzyme production. The structural gene encoding xylanase was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The recombinant enzyme exhibited similar properties like that of native enzyme including resistance to repression by xylose and glucose.     

Differentiated pellicle organization and lipopeptide production in standing culture of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> strains

Pellicle formation and lipopeptide production was analysed in standing cultures of different Bacillus subtilis strains producing two or three families of lipopeptides. Despite its ability to produce surfactin, B. Subtilis ATCC 6633 was unable to form stable pellicle at air–water interface. For the ATTC 21332 and ATCC 9943 strains, it was shown for the first time that the lipopeptides were also produced in standing cultures at productivities similar or lower than those obtained when the culture medium is agitated. A differentiated behaviour was observed between these strains in repetitive batch cultures. B. subtilis 9943 formed a wrinkled, thinner and more resistant pellicle than B. subtilis 21332. The structure of the pellicle determined by electron microscopy observations showed that cells of B. subtilis 9943 formed microcolonies whereas those of B. subtilis 21332 rapidly died. Under these conditions, surfactin production by strain 21332 decreased after 2 days whereas it remained stable for B. subtilis 9943 during the 6 days of the cultures. These data indicate that cells of B. subtilis strains growing in pellicle can produce lipopeptides differently depending on their cellular organisation. M. Chollet-Imbert and F. Gancel have contributed equally to the scientific work.