Acetyl esterase from mediterranean oranges: partial purification, immobilisation and biotransformations

Acetyl esterase (acetic-ester acetylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.6) from citrus peel, whose natural role is not well known, catalyses, in vitro, the hydrolysis of acetyl groups from a wide range of substrates. This enzyme was extracted from Mediterranean orange peel, largely available in Italy, and purified 190-fold by a single chromatographic step on Sepabeads FP-HG. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme showed a major protein band, corresponding to a molecular mass of 45 kDa. Both free and immobilised enzyme were used in biotransformations. The enzyme removed the acetyl group in the 3 position of β-lactamic antibiotics, such as cephalosporin C and the intermediate 7-aminocephalosporanic acid with ≥98% conversion and 91-93% product yield.     

Molecular characterization and enzymatic hydrolysis of naringin extracted from kinnow peel waste

Kinnow peel, a waste rich in glycosylated phenolic substances, is the principal by-product of the citrus fruit processing industry and its disposal is becoming a major problem. This peel is rich in naringin and may be used for rhamnose production by utilizing α-L-rhamnosidase (EC 3.2.1.40), an enzyme that catalyzes the cleavage of terminal rhamnosyl groups from naringin to yield prunin and rhamnose. In this work, infrared (IR) spectroscopy confirmed molecular characteristics of naringin extracted from kinnow peel waste. Further, recombinant α-L-rhamnosidase purified from Escherichia coli cells using immobilized metal-chelate affinity chromatography (IMAC) was used for naringin hydrolysis. The purified enzyme was inhibited by Hg2+ (1 mM), 4-hydroxymercuribenzoate (0.1 mM) and cyanamide (0.1 mM). The purified enzyme established hydrolysis of naringin extracted from kinnow peel and thus endorses its industrial applicability for producing rhamnose.     

Purification and characterization of an esterase involved in cellulose acetate degradation by Neisseria sicca SB

An esterase catalyzing the hydrolysis of acetyl ester moieties in cellulose acetate was purified 1,110-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity from the culture supernatant of Neisseria sicca SB, which can assimilate cellulose acetate as the sole carbon and energy source. The purified enzyme was a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 40 kDa and the isoelectric point was 5.3. The pH and temperature optima of the enzyme were 8.0-8.5 and 45 degrees C. The enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of acetyl saccharides, p-nitrophenyl esters of short-chain fatty acids, and was slightly active toward aliphatic and aromatic esters. The K(m) and Vmax for cellulose acetate (degree of substitution, 0.88) and p-nitrophenyl acetate were 0.0162% (716 microM as acetyl content in the polymer) and 36.0 microM, and 66.8 and 39.1 mumol/min/mg, respectively. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and diisopropyl fluorophosphate, which indicated that the enzyme was a serine esterase.     

S-acetyl phosphopantetheine: deacetyl citrate lyase S-acetyl transferase from Klebsiella aerogenes

An enzyme has been partially purified from Klebsiella aerogenes which transfers an acetyl group from S-acetyl phosphopantetheine to deacetyl citrate lyase. This converts the deacetyl citrate lyase which has no enzyme activity, to citrate lyase, the active enzyme. A variety of other acetyl thioesters including acetyl CoA did not serve as acetyl donors.     

Purification and characterization of aryl acylamidase from Nocardia globerula

Aryl acylamidase was purified from an extract of N-acetyl-o-toluidine-induced cells of Nocardia globerula IFO 13510 in ten steps. The purified enzyme appeared to be homogeneous from analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme has a molecular mass of approximately 126 kDa and consists of two subunits which are identical in molecular mass. The purified enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of N-acetyl-o-toluidine to o-toluidine and acetic acid at a rate of 47.7 mumol.min-1.mg-1 at 35 degrees C. It also catalyzed the hydrolysis of various anilide derivatives and esters, as well as the transfer of an acetyl group to aniline as an acetyl acceptor. The purified enzyme was sensitive to thiol reagents such as HgCl2 and p-chloromercuribenzoate. The amino-terminal sequence (28 amino acid residues) of the enzyme was determined. Based on the substrate specificity of this enzyme, the pathway intermediates involved in the conversion of n-acetyl-o-toluidine to 4'-hydroxy-N-acetyl-o-toluidine are discussed.     

Effect of Drying Methods on Quality of Leaf Protein Concentrate

Glutathione thiol esterase activity in cell extracts of a yeast: Saccharomyces cerevisiae was separated into three peaks when filtered on a Sephadex G-150 gel column. One of the enzymes in these peaks was purified. The enzyme was a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of 28,000 and catalyzed the complete hydrolysis of S-acetylglutathione and S-lactoylglutathione. S- Methyl-, S-hexyl-, S-glyceryl-, S-succinylglutathiones, and acetyl CoA were not hydrolyzed. In addition to the hydrolytic activity, the purified enzyme showed a group transfer activity and catalyzed the formation of acetyl CoA from S-acetylglutathione and CoA. The purified enzyme was not identical with glyoxalase II in molecular weight, substrate specificity, or behaviors toward inhibitors.     

Acetyl coenzyme A: alpha-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase. Evidence for a transmembrane acetylation mechanism

The lysosomal membrane enzyme acetyl-CoA: alpha-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase catalyzes the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to terminal alpha-linked glucosamine residues of heparan sulfate. The reaction mechanism was examined using highly purified lysosomal membranes from rat liver. The reaction was followed by measuring the acetylation of a monosaccharide acetyl acceptor, glucosamine. The enzyme reaction was optimal above pH 5.5, and a 2-3-fold stimulation of activity was observed when the membranes were assayed in the presence of 0.1% taurodeoxycholate. Double reciprocal analysis and product inhibition studies indicated that the enzyme works by a Di-Iso Ping Pong Bi Bi mechanism. Further evidence to support this mechanism was provided by characterization of the enzyme half-reactions. Membranes incubated with acetyl-CoA and [3H]CoA were found to produce acetyl-[3H]CoA. This exchange was optimal at pH values above 7.0. Treating membranes with [3H] acetyl-CoA resulted in the formation of an acetyl-enzyme intermediate. The acetyl group could then be transferred to glucosamine, forming [3H]N-acetylglucosamine. The transfer of the acetyl group from the enzyme to glucosamine was optimal between pH 4 and 5. The results suggest that acetyl-CoA does not cross the lysosomal membrane. Instead, the enzyme is acetylated on the cytoplasmic side of the lysosome and the acetyl group is then transferred to the inside where it is used to acetylate heparan sulfate.     

Purification and characterization from rat kidney membranes of a novel platelet-activating factor (PAF)-dependent transacetylase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of PAF, formation of PAF analogs, and C2-ceramide

We have previously identified two enzyme activities that transfer the acetyl group from platelet-activating factor (PAF) in a CoA-independent manner to lysoplasmalogen or sphingosine in HL-60 cells, endothelial cells, and a variety of rat tissues. These were termed as PAF:lysoplasmalogen (lysophospholipid) transacetylase and PAF:sphingosine transacetylase, respectively. In the present study, we have solubilized and purified this PAF-dependent transacetylase 13,700-fold from rat kidney membranes (mitochondrial plus microsomal membranes) based on the PAF:lysoplasmalogen transacetylase activity. The mitochondria and microsomes were prepared and washed three times, then solubilized with 0.04% Tween 20 at a detergent/protein (w/w) ratio of 0.1. The solubilized fractions from mitochondria and microsomes were combined and subjected to sequential column chromatographies on DEAE-Sepharose, hydroxyapatite, phenyl-Sepharose, and chromatofocusing. The enzyme was further purified by native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and affinity gel matrix in which the competitive inhibitor of the enzyme, 1-O-hexadecyl-2-N-methylcarbamyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine was covalently attached to the CH-Sepharose. On SDS-PAGE, the purified enzyme showed a single homogeneous band with an apparent molecular mass of 40 kDa. The purified enzyme catalyzed transacetylation of the acetyl group not only from PAF to lysoplasmalogen forming plasmalogen analogs of PAF, but also to sphingosine producing N-acetylsphingosine (C2-ceramide). In addition, this enzyme acted as a PAF-acetylhydrolase in the absence of lipid acceptor molecules. These results suggest that PAF-dependent transacetylase is an enzyme that modifies the cellular functions of PAF through generation of other diverse lipid mediators.     

Phosphotransacetylase from Clostridium acidiurici

The phosphotransacetylase from Clostridium acidiurici has two properties not observed for this enzyme in other bacteria: (i) it requires a divalent metal for activity, and (ii) it is not subject to uncoupling by arsenate. The enzyme has been obtained in highly purified form, with a specific activity 500-fold higher than crude extracts. Ferrous or manganous ions are required for maximal activity, with Mn(2+) being 50 to 75% as effective as Fe(2+). The acetyl group can be transferred from acetyl phosphate to coenzyme A in 20 mm arsenate without a net decrease in high-energy acyl linkages. Likewise, H(32)PO(4) (2-) will exchange with acetyl-PO(4) (2-) in the presence of arsenate without loss of acetyl phosphate. This suggests that the active site on the enzyme is capable of discriminating between phosphate and arsenate while permitting the reversible transfer of acyl groups between CoA and phosphate.     

Rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase: a novel enzyme from Aspergillus aculeatus,specific for the deacetylation of hairy (ramified) regions of pectins

Rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase, able to specifically hydrolyse the acetyl asters present in modified hairy (ramified) regions (MHR) of apple pectin, was identified. The enzyme removed about 70% of the total acetyl groups in MHR. This acetylesterase did not cause the release of acetyl groups from a range of other acetylated substrates, either synthetic or extracted from plants, including the acetylated smooth regions present in beet pectin. Pretreatment of pectic polysaccharides in order to remove arabinose side chains had no effect on the acetyl release, wor was an effect found on the rate or degree of acetyl release, when the purified acetylesterase was combined with pectolytic enzymes, pectin methylesterase or arabinanases. Correspondence to: A. G. J. Voragen     

Purification and characterization of an extracellular beta-glucosidase produced by Phoma sp. KCTC11825BP isolated from rotten mandarin peel

A beta-glucosidase from Phoma sp. KCTC11825BP isolated from rotten mandarin peel was purified 8.5-fold with a specific activity of 84.5 U/mg protein. The purified enzyme had a molecular mass of 440 kDa with a subunit of 110 kDa. The partial amino acid sequence of the purified beta-glucosidase evidenced high homology with the fungal beta- glucosidases belonging to glycosyl hydrolase family 3. Its optimal activity was detected at pH 4.5 and 60 degrees C, and the enzyme had a half-life of 53 h at 60 degrees C. The Km values for p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside and cellobiose were 0.3 mM and 3.2 mM, respectively. The enzyme was competitively inhibited by both glucose (Ki=1.7 mM) and glucono-delta-lactone (Ki=0.1 mM) when pNPG was used as the substrate. Its activity was inhibited by 41% by 10 mM Cu2+ and stimulated by 20% by 10 mM Mg2+.     

Partial purification and properties of the amino-terminal amino acid-acetylating enzyme from hen's oviduct

By using the synthetic peptide ACTH1-24 as a model substrate, an enzyme that may be involved in the amino-terminal acetylation of certain proteins and growing nascent polypeptide chains has been found in hen's oviduct. It was partially purified by a four-step procedure comprising extraction from the homogenates, ammonium sulfate fractionation, chromatography on a column of QAE-Sephadex A-50, and gel filtration on a Sepharose 6B column. An enzyme preparation purified about 40-fold from the homogenates transferred the acetyl group from acetyl coenzyme A preferentially to the amino-terminal amino acids of several ACTH-related peptides at an optimum pH of around 7.2. This occurred to different extents depending on the peptide length and on the nature of the amino-terminal residue. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be approximately 250,000 by gel filtration.     

Purification and Characterization of Polyphenol Oxidase From Waste Potato Peel by Aqueous Two-Phase Extraction

Potato peel from food industrial waste is a good source of polyphenol oxidase (PPO). This work illustrates the application of an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) for the extraction and purification of PPO from potato peel. ATPS was composed of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and potassium phosphate buffer. Effect of different process parameters, namely, PEG, potassium phosphate buffer, NaCl concentration, and pH of the system, on partition coefficient, purification factor, and yield of PPO enzyme were evaluated. Response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized as a statistical tool for the optimization of ATPS. Optimized experimental conditions were found to be PEG1500 17.62% (w/w), potassium phosphate buffer 15.11% (w/w), and NaCl 2.08 mM at pH 7. At optimized condition, maximum partition coefficient, purification factor, and yield were found to be 3.7, 4.5, and 77.8%, respectively. After partial purification of PPO from ATPS, further purification was done by gel chromatography where its purity was increased up to 12.6-fold. The purified PPO enzyme was characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), followed by K_m value 3.3 mM, and V_max value 3333 U/mL, and enzyme stable ranges for temperature and pH of PPO were determined. These results revealed that ATPS would be an attractive option for obtaining purified PPO from waste potato peel.     

A novel cephalosporin deacetylating acetyl xylan esterase from Bacillus subtilis with high activity toward cephalosporin C and 7-aminocephalosporanic acid

A cephalosporin deacetylating acetyl xylan esterase was cloned from the genomic DNA of Bacillus subtilis CICC 20034 and functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. Its gene contained an open reading frame of 957 bp encoding 318 amino acids with a calculated mass of 35,607 Da, and it displayed significant identity to acetyl xylan esterases from Bacillus sp. 916, B. subtilis 168, and Bacillus pumilus Cect5072. The enzyme was a native homohexamer but a trimer under the condition of 1 % sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS); both forms were active and could transit to each other by incubating in or removing SDS. The enzyme belongs to carbohydrate esterase family 7 and had a double specificity on both the acetylated oligosaccharide and cephalosporin C (CPC) and 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7-ACA). The activity of this purified enzyme toward CPC and 7-ACA was highest among all the acetyl xylan esterase from CE family 7, which were 484 and 888 U/mg, respectively, and endowed itself with great industrial interest on semi-synthetic β-lactam antibiotics. The optimum pH of the purified enzyme was 8.0, and the optimum temperature was 50 °C, and the enzyme had high thermal stability, broad range of pH tolerance, and extremely organic solvent tolerance.     

Identification of acetyl phosphate as the product of clostridial glycine reductase: Evidence for an acyl enzyme intermediate

It has been reported [Tanaka, H., & Stadtman, T. C. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 447-452] that glycine reductase from Clostridium sticklandii catalyzes the reaction glycine + ADP + P(i) + 2(e)- - acetate + ATP + NH(4)+. Glycine reductase consists of three proteins, designated A, B, and C. Only A has been purified to homogeneity. A dithiol serves as an electron donor. We find that ADP is not essential for the reaction and that in its absence acetyl phosphate is formed. Upon further purification of components B and C, an acetate kinase activity can be separated from both proteins. This observation establishes that acetate kinase activity is not an intrinsic property of glycine reductase, and therefore the reaction catalyzed by glycine reductase is glycine + P(i) + 2(e)- - acetyl phosphate + NH(4)+. Experiments with [(14)C]glycine and unlabeled acetate show that free acetate is not a precursor of acetyl phosphate. When glycine labeled with l8(O) is converted to product, l8(O) is lost. The l 8 (O) content of unreacted glycine remains unchanged after approximately 50% is converted to product. We propose that an acyl enzyme, most probably an acetyl enzyme,is an intermediate in the reaction and that the acetyl enzyme reacts with P(i) to form acetyl phosphate. A mechanism is proposed for the formation of the acetyl enzyme.     

Deacetylation of xylans by acetyl esterases of Trichoderma reesei

Summary Two previously purified esterases of Trichoderma reesei were used to study the deacetylation of polymeric, oligomeric and dimeric acetylated xylan fragments. For the first time nearly complete enzymatic deacetylation of polymeric xylan with purified acetyl xylan esterase was demonstrated, resulting in precipitation of the remaining polymer structure. The esterases had very different substrate specifities, one having a preference for high molecular weight substrates and the other showing high activity only towards acetyl xylobiose. The latter enzyme was also regioselective, cleaving off the acetyl substituent only from the C-3 position of the xylopyranose ring. The highest xylose yield from acetylated xylan was obtained by the synergistic action of xylanase, \-xylosidase and acetyl xylan esterase. Offprint requests to: M. Sundberg     

Purification and properties of an acetyl specific carboxylesterase from Nocardia mediterranei

Summary An acetyl specific carboxylesterase has been purified from Nocardia mediterranei. The purified enzyme is homogeneous as shown by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The esterase has a molecular weight of 68,000 and is composed of two identical subunits. The enzyme exhibits optimal activity at pH 7.5 and at 35°C and is stable below 40°C. The enzyme activity is inhibited by several sulfhydryl reagents. The esterase hydrolyzes preferentially acetyl esters. Propionyl esters are cleaved very slowly whereas butyryl esters are no substrates at all. In addition, the esterase shows a pronounced regiospecificity. On the other hand the enantiospecificity is rather low as demonstrated by the hydrolysis of prochiral and racemic substrates.     

Fat metabolism in higher plants. Further characterization of wheat germ acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase.

Wheat germ acetyl CoA carboxylase was purified 600-fold over the crude homogenate. The purified enzyme gave rise to complex electrophoretic patterns in dissociating gels. As isolated, the activity of wheat germ acetyl CoA carboxylase exhibited profound dependence on the composition of the reaction mixture. In addition to the substrates MgATP, HCO₃, and acetyl CoA, the enzyme required both free Mg²⁺ and K⁺ for optimal activity. The effects of the two ions were additive. At pH 8.5, Mg²⁺ activated the carboxylase by adding to the enzyme prior to the other reactants in an equilibrium ordered reaction mechanism.     

Cys359 of GrdD is the active-site thiol that catalyses the final step of acetyl phosphate formation by glycine reductase from Eubacterium acidaminophilum.

In the amino-acid-fermenting anaerobe Eubacterium acidaminophilum, acetyl phosphate is synthesized by protein C of glycine reductase from a selenoprotein A-bound carboxymethyl-selenoether. We investigated specific thiols present in protein C for responsibility for acetyl phosphate liberation. After cloning of the genes encoding the large and the small subunit (grdC1, grdD1), they were expressed separately in Escherichia coli and purified as Strep-tag proteins. GrdD was the only subunit that catalysed arsenate-dependent hydrolysis of acetyl phosphate (up to 274 U.mg-1), whereas GrdC was completely inactive. GrdD contained two cysteine residues that were exchanged by site-directed mutagenesis. The GrdD(C98S) mutant enzyme still catalysed the hydrolysis of acetyl phosphate, but the GrdD(C359A) mutant enzyme was completely inactive. Next, these thiols were analysed further by chemical modification. After iodoacetate treatment of GrdD, the enzyme activity was lost, but in the presence of acetyl phosphate enzyme activity was protected. Subsequently, the inactivated carboxymethylated enzyme and the protected enzyme were both denatured, and the remaining thiols were pyridylethylated. Peptides generated by proteolytic cleavage were separated and subjected to mass spectrometry. Cys98 was not accessible to carboxymethylation by iodoacetate in the native enzyme in the presence or absence of the substrate, but could be alkylated after denaturation. Cys359, in contrast, was protected from carboxymethylation in the presence of acetyl phosphate, but became accessible to pyridylethylation upon prior denaturation of the protein. This clearly confirmed the catalytic role of Cys359 as the active site thiol of GrdD responsible for liberation of acetyl phosphate.