Enhanced UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose by homologous overexpression of UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase in Lactobacillus casei

UDP-sugars are widely used as substrates in the synthesis of oligosaccharides catalyzed by glycosyltransferases. In the present work a metabolic engineering strategy aimed to direct the carbon flux towards UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose biosynthesis was successfully applied in Lactobacillus casei. The galU gene coding for UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (GalU) enzyme in L. casei BL23 was cloned under control of the inducible nisA promoter and it was shown to be functional by homologous overexpression. Notably, about an 80-fold increase in GalU activity resulted in approximately a 9-fold increase of UDP-glucose and a 4-fold increase of UDP-galactose. This suggested that the endogenous UDP-galactose 4-epimerase (GalE) activity, which inter-converts both UDP-sugars, is not sufficient to maintain the UDP-glucose/UDP-galactose ratio. The L. casei galE gene coding for GalE was cloned downstream of galU and the resulting plasmid was transformed in L. casei. The new recombinant strain showed about a 4-fold increase of GalE activity, however this increment did not affect that ratio, suggesting that GalE has higher affinity for UDP-galactose than for UDP-glucose. The L. casei strains constructed here that accumulate high intracellular levels of UDP-sugars would be adequate hosts for the production of oligosaccharides.     

Correlation of Activities of the Enzymes α-Phosphoglucomutase, UDP-Galactose 4-Epimerase, and UDP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase with Exopolysaccharide Biosynthesis by Streptococcus thermophilus LY03

The effects of different carbohydrates or mixtures of carbohydrates as substrates on bacterial growth and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production were studied for the yoghurt starter culture Streptococcus thermophilus LY03. This strain produces two heteropolysaccharides with the same monomeric composition (galactose and glucose in the ratio 4:1) but with different molecular masses. Lactose and glucose were fermented by S. thermophilus LY03 only when they were used as sole energy and carbohydrate sources. Fructose was also fermented when it was applied in combination with lactose or glucose. Both the amount of EPS produced and the carbohydrate source consumption rates were clearly influenced by the type of energy and carbohydrate source used, while the EPS monomeric composition remained constant (galactose-glucose, 4:1) under all circumstances. A combination of lactose and glucose resulted in the largest amounts of EPS. Measurements of the activities of enzymes involved in EPS biosynthesis, and of those involved in sugar nucleotide biosynthesis and the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway, demonstrated that the levels of activity of α-phosphoglucomutase, UDP-galactose 4-epimerase, and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase are highly correlated with the amount of EPS produced. Furthermore, a weaker relationship or no relationship between the amounts of EPS and the enzymes involved in either the rhamnose nucleotide synthetic branch of the EPS biosynthesis or the pathway leading to glycolysis was observed for S. thermophilus LY03.     

UDP-glucose 4-epimerase isoforms UGE2 and UGE4 cooperate in providing UDP-galactose for cell wall biosynthesis and growth of Arabidopsis thaliana

Five Arabidopsis thaliana genes that encode UDP-glucose 4-epimerase (UGE) and represent two ancient plant UGE clades might be involved in the regulation of cell wall carbohydrate biosynthesis. We tested this hypothesis in a genome-wide reverse genetic study. Despite significant contributions of each gene to total UGE activity, none was essential for normal growth on soil. uge2 uge4 displayed dramatic general growth defects, while other mutant combinations were partially aberrant. UGE2 together with UGE3 influenced pollen development. UGE2 and UGE4 synergistically influenced cell wall galactose content, which was correlated with shoot growth. UGE2 strongly and UGE1 and UGE5 lightly supported UGE4 in influencing root growth and cell wall galactose content by affecting galactan content. By contrast, only UGE4 influenced xyloglucan galactosylation in roots. Secondary hypocotyl thickening and arabinogalactan protein carbohydrate structure in xylem parenchyma depended on the combination of UGE2 and UGE4. As opposed to cell wall galactose content, tolerance to external galactose strictly paralleled total UGE activity. We suggest a gradual recruitment of individual UGE isoforms into specific roles. UGE2 and UGE4 influence growth and cell wall carbohydrate biosynthesis throughout the plant, UGE3 is specialized for pollen development, and UGE1 and UGE5 might act in stress situations.     

Structure of the exopolysaccharide produced by Streptococcus thermophilus S3

The exopolysaccharide of Streptococcus thermophilus S3, produced in skimmed milk, is composed of D-galactose and L-rhamnose in a molar ratio of 2:1. The polysaccharide contains 0.4 equiv of O-acetyl groups per repeating unit. Linkage analysis and 1D/2D NMR (1H and 13C) studies on native and O-deacetylated EPS together with nanoES-CID tandem mass spectrometry studies on oligosaccharides generated by a periodate oxidation protocol, show the polysaccharide to have the following structure: [structure: see text].     

Subcellular distributions of UDP-galactose:polysaccharide transferase and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase involved in biosynthesis of prespore-specific acid mucopolysaccharide in Dictyostelium discoideum

During the development of a cell aggregate of Dictyostelium discoideum into a fruiting body, an antigenic acid mucopolysaccharide is synthesized only in the prespore cells of a cell mass. In this study, the subcellular distributions of UDPgalactose:polysaccharide transferase and UDPglucose pyrophosphorylase involved in biosynthesis of the mucopolysaccharide were determined. The transferase was specifically localized in the smaller vesicles with lighter density than the prespore-specific vacuoles identifiable electronmicroscopically. In contrast to the enzyme, the antigenic mucopolysaccharide was exclusively localized in the prespore-specific vacuoles. Unlike the transferase, UDPglucose pyrophosphorylase was confined to the soluble fraction. The sucrose gradient profiles of the transferase activity in the 5000 X g supernatant gave two main peaks. When the profiles wee compared among standing and migrating slugs and culminating cell mass, the difference in the profiles closely reflected the state of biosynthesis of the acid mucopolysaccharide in each developmental stage.     

Structural characterisation of the exopolysaccharide produced by Streptococcus thermophilus EU20

Streptococcus thermophilus EU20 when grown on skimmed milk secretes a high-molecular-weight exopolysaccharide that is composed of glucose, galactose and rhamnose in a molar ratio of 2:3:2. Using chemical techniques and 1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopy (1H and 13C) the polysaccharide has been shown to possess a heptasaccharide repeating unit having the following structure: [chemical structure: see text]. Treatment of the polysaccharide with mild acid (0.5 M TFA, 100 degrees C for 1 h) liberates two oligosaccharides; the components correspond to the repeating unit and a hexasaccharide equivalent to the repeating unit minus the terminal alpha-L-Rhap.     

Isolation and characterization of the exopolysaccharide produced by Streptococcus thermophilus SFi20

This paper reports isolation, structural characterization and some physico-chemical properties in aqueous solution of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Streptococcus thermophilus strain SFi20. The yield of the purified EPS was found to be reproducible and close to the average value of 143 mg/l. The chemical structure, previously suggested, has been confirmed on the basis of NMR data. Viscometric, chiro-optical and rheological measurements have been carried out with the aim of characterizing the conformational state of the polysaccharide in aqueous solution. All the data reported indicate that the EPS does not undergo a cooperative conformational transition under the investigated experimental conditions. Furthermore, the viscosity data and the viscoelastic behaviour suggest that the polymer is rather flexible and adopts a random coil conformation in aqueous solution.     

Subcellular distributions of UDP-galactose: Polysaccharide transferase and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase involved in biosynthesis of prespore-specific acid mucopolsaccharide in Dictyostelium discoideum

During the development of a cell aggregate of Dictystelium discoideum into a fruiting body, an antigenic acid mucopolysaccharide is synthesized only in the prespore cells of a cell mass. In this study, the subcellular distributions of UCPgalactose: polysaccharide transferase and UDPglucose pyrophosphorylase involved in biosynthesis of the mucopolysaccharide were determined. The transferase was specifically localized in the smaller vesicles with lighter density than the prespore-specific vacuoles identifiable electronmicroscopically. In contrast to the enzyme, the antigenic mucopolysaccharide was exclusively localized in the prespore-specific vacuoles. Unlike the transferase, UDPglucose pyrophosphorylase was confined to the soluble fraction. The sucrose gradient profiles of the transferase activity in the 5000 × g supernatant gave two main peaks. When the profiles were compared among standing and migrating slugs and culminating cell mass, the difference in the profiles closely reflected the state of biosynthesis of the acid mucopolysaccharide in eac developmental stage.     

UDP-glucose dehydrogenase from Capra hircus liver: Purification,partial characterization and evaluation as a coupling enzyme in UDP-galactose 4-epimerase assay

UDP-glucose dehydrogenase from Capra hircus has been purified to homogeneity by salt fractionations, heat treatment and chromatographic steps. It is a homohexamer of about 300 kDa. Though the basic physical and enzymatic properties of the caprine enzyme are comparable to those of the beef liver enzyme, it has lower energy of activation and different entropy and enthalpy for the transition state during catalysis. The caprine enzyme can act suitably as an auxiliary enzyme in the coupled assay system for UDP-galactose 4-epimerase.Enzymes: UDP-Glc DH, UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.22); Epimerase, UDP-galactose 4-epimerase (EC 5.1.3.2).     

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4-epimerase activity indicates the presence of N-acetylgalactosamine in exopolysaccharides of Streptococcus thermophilus strains

The monomer composition of the exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by Streptococcus thermophilus LY03 and S. thermophilus Sfi20 were evaluated by high-pressure liquid chromatography with amperometric detection and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Both strains produced the same EPS composed of galactose, glucose, and N-acetylgalactosamine. Further, it was demonstrated that the activity of the precursor-producing enzyme UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4-epimerase, converting UDP-N-acetylglucosamine into UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine, is responsible for the presence of N-acetylgalactosamine in the EPS repeating units of both strains. The activity of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4-epimerase was higher in both S. thermophilus strains than in a non-EPS-producing control strain. However, the level of this activity was not correlated with EPS yields, a result independent of the carbohydrate source applied in the fermentation process. On the other hand, both the amounts of EPS and the carbohydrate consumption rates were influenced by the type of carbohydrate source used during S. thermophilus Sfi20 fermentations. A correlation between activities of the enzymes alpha-phosphoglucomutase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, and UDP-galactose 4-epimerase and EPS yields was seen. These experiments confirm earlier observed results for S. thermophilus LY03, although S. thermophilus Sfi20 preferentially consumed glucose for EPS production instead of lactose in contrast to the former strain.     

NDP-sugars, floridoside and floridean starch levels in relation to activities of UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and UDP-glucose-4-epimerase in Solieria chorda l is (Rhodophyceae) under experimental conditions

Under limited nutrient availability (i.e. unenriched sea‐water) and under 75 mol photons m^–2 s^–1 irradiance 12:12 LD, thalli of Solieria chordalis J. Agardh accumulated floridean starch and floridoside. When they were transferred into nutrient‐enriched seawater (150 umol L^?1 NO3¹‐ and 7 umol L^?1 P0₄³i at 35 umol photons m^?2 s^?1 in irradiance 12:12 LD, starch and floridoside levels decreased. The main nucleotide diphosphate (NDP) sugars (i.e. UDP‐glucose, UDP‐galactose and ADP‐glucose) and the activities of UDP‐glucose pyrophosphorylase [Enzyme Code (EC) 2.7.7.9] and UDP‐glucose‐4‐epimerase (EC 5.1.3.2) were measured under these controlled culture conditions. Both UDP‐glucose and UDP‐galactose in the thal l i increased under conditions known to favor the accumulation of floridean starch and floridoside, whereas they decreased under conditions leading to floridean starch and floridoside breakdown. On the other hand, ADP‐glucose level only varied slightly. Although UDP‐glucose pyrophosphorylase activity rose under conditions of floridean starch synthesis, little variation was observed in UDP‐glucose‐4‐epimerase activity. These results suggest a possible enzymatic regulation of the NDP‐sugar and carbohydrate pool in which UDP‐glucose pyrophosphorylase would play a major role.     

Carbohydrate utilization in Streptococcus thermophilus: characterization of the genes for aldose 1-epimerase (mutarotase) and UDPglucose 4-epimerase.

The complete nucleotide sequences of the genes encoding aldose 1-epimerase (mutarotase) (galM) and UDPglucose 4-epimerase (galE) and flanking regions of Streptococcus thermophilus have been determined. Both genes are located immediately upstream of the S. thermophilus lac operon. To facilitate the isolation of galE, a special polymerase chain reaction-based technique was used to amplify the region upstream of galM prior to cloning. The galM protein was homologous to the mutarotase of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, whereas the galE protein was homologous to UDPglucose 4-epimerase of Escherichia coli and Streptomyces lividans. The amino acid sequences of galM and galE proteins also showed significant similarity with the carboxy-terminal and amino-terminal domains, respectively, of UDPglucose 4-epimerase from Kluyveromyces lactis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, suggesting that the yeast enzymes contain an additional, yet unidentified (mutarotase) activity. In accordance with the open reading frames of the structural genes, galM and galE were expressed as polypeptides with apparent molecular masses of 39 and 37 kilodaltons, respectively. Significant activities of mutarotase and UDPglucose 4-epimerase were detected in lysates of E. coli cells containing plasmids encoding galM and galE. Expression of galE in E. coli was increased 300-fold when the gene was placed downstream of the tac promoter. The gene order for the gal-lac gene cluster of S. thermophilus is galE-galM-lacS-lacZ. The flanking regions of these genes were searched for consensus promoter sequences and further characterized by primer extension analysis. Analysis of mRNA levels for the gal and lac genes in S. thermophilus showed a strong reduction upon growth in medium containing glucose instead of lactose. The activities of the lac (lactose transport and beta-galactosidase) and gal (UDPglucose 4-epimerase) proteins of lactose- and glucose-grown S. thermophilus cells matched the mRNA levels.     

Proteins encoded by Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461 rmlA and ugpG genes, involved in gellan gum biosynthesis, exhibit both dTDP- and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activities

The commercial gelling agent gellan is a heteropolysaccharide produced by Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461. In this work, we carried out the biochemical characterization of the enzyme encoded by the first gene (rmlA) of the rml 4-gene cluster present in the 18-gene cluster required for gellan biosynthesis (gel cluster). Based on sequence homology, the putative rml operon is presumably involved in the biosynthesis of dTDP-rhamnose, the sugar necessary for the incorporation of rhamnose in the gellan repeating unit. Heterologous RmlA was purified as a fused His6-RmlA protein from extracts prepared from Escherichia coli IPTG (isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside)-induced cells, and the protein was proven to exhibit dTDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (Km of 12.0 microM for dTDP-glucose) and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (Km of 229.0 microM for UDP-glucose) activities in vitro. The N-terminal region of RmlA exhibits the motif G-X-G-T-R-X2-P-X-T, which is highly conserved among bacterial XDP-sugar pyrophosphorylases. The motif E-E-K-P, with the conserved lysine residue (K163) predicted to be essential for glucose-1-phosphate binding, was observed. The S. elodea ATCC 31461 UgpG protein, encoded by the ugpG gene which maps outside the gel cluster, was previously identified as the UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase involved in the formation of UDP-glucose, also required for gellan synthesis. In this study, we demonstrate that UgpG also exhibits dTDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activity in vitro and compare the kinetic parameters of the two proteins for both substrates. DNA sequencing of ugpG gene-adjacent regions and sequence similarity studies suggest that this gene maps with others involved in the formation of sugar nucleotides presumably required for the biosynthesis of another cell polysaccharide(s).     

Control of EpsE, the phosphoglycosyltransferase initiating exopolysaccharide synthesis in Streptococcus thermophilus, by EpsD tyrosine kinase

We studied the roles of Streptococcus thermophilus phosphogalactosyltransferase (EpsE) (the priming enzyme), tyrosine kinase (EpsD), phosphatase (EpsB), and a membrane-associated protein with no known biochemical function (EpsC) in exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis. These proteins are well-conserved among bacteria and are usually encoded by clustered genes. Exopolysaccharide synthesis took place in the wild-type strain and a mutant lacking EpsB but not in mutants lacking EpsC, EpsD, or EpsE. The three mutants unable to synthesize EPS lacked the EpsE phosphogalactosyltransferase activity, while the two EPS-synthesizing strains possessed this activity, showing that EpsC and EpsD are required for EpsE function. An EpsD phosphorylated form was found in all strains except the epsC mutant, indicating that EpsC is necessary for EpsD phosphorylation. Moreover, the phosphorylated form of EpsD, a supposedly cytoplasmic protein, was found to be associated with the plasma membrane, possibly due to interaction with EpsC. Finally, the EpsD and EpsE elution profiles in a gel filtration chromatography assay were similar, suggesting that these two proteins colocalize in the membrane. Mutation of Tyr200, predicted to be a phosphorylation site and present in a conserved motif in bacterial phosphoglycosyltransferases, led to EpsE inactivation. In contrast, mutation of Tyr162 or Tyr199 had no effect. Taken together, these data show that EpsD controls EpsE activity. Possible mechanisms for this control are discussed.     

Cloning, expression and characterization of a UDP-galactose 4-epimerase from Escherichia coli

The gene galE encoding UDP-galactose 4-epimerase was cloned into E. coli BL21(DE3) from the chromosomal DNA of E. coli strain K-12. High expression of the soluble recombinant epimerase was achieved in the cell lysate. In order to evaluate the use of this epimerase in enzymatic synthesis of important -Gal epitopes (oligosaccharides with a terminal Gal1,3Gal sequence), a new radioactivity assay (1,3-galactosyltransferase coupled assay) was established to characterize its activity in producing UDP-galactose from UDP-glucose. Approximately 2700 units (100 mg) enzyme with a specific activity of 27 U mg^–1 protein could be obtained from one liter of bacterial culture. The epimerase was active in a wide pH range with an optimum at pH 7.0. This expression system established a viable route to the enzymatic production of -Gal oligosaccharides to support xenotransplantation research.     

Activity of the enzymes involved in the synthesis of exopolysaccharide precursors in an overproducing mutant ropy strain of Streptococcus thermophilus

The activities of some enzymes belonging to the Leloir pathway, phosphoglucomutase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, UDP-galactose 4-epimerase and galactose 1-P uridyl transferase, were studied in a wild ropy, a non-ropy and an overproducing mutant ropy strain of Streptococcus thermophilus. These activities were assayed over successive culture transfers along with exocellular polysaccharide (EPS) production. The overproducing mutant ropy strain showed increments in polysaccharide production over successive culture transfers, as opposed to reductions in production by the wild ropy strain. The observed variations among strains in the enzyme activities that were analysed in relation to EPS production suggest their involvement in the synthesis of sugar-nucleotide EPS precursors.     

Heterologous expression and characterization of the exopolysaccharide from Streptococcus thermophilus Sfi39.

The genes responsible for exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis in Streptococcus thermophilus Sfi39 were identified on a 20-kb genomic fragment. The two genes, epsE and epsG, were shown to be involved in EPS synthesis as their disruption lead to the loss of the ropy phenotype. Several naturally selected nonropy mutants were isolated, one acquired an insertion sequence (IS)-element (IS905) in the middle of the eps gene cluster. The eps gene cluster was cloned and transferred into a nonEPS-producing heterologous host, Lactococcus lactis MG1363. The EPS produced was shown by chemical analysis and NMR spectroscopy to be identical to the EPS produced by S. thermophilus Sfi39. This demonstrated first that all genes needed for EPS production and export were present in the S. thermophilus Sfi39 eps gene cluster, and second that the heterologous production of an EPS was possible by transfer of the complete eps gene cluster alone, provided that the heterologous host possessed all necessary genetic information for precursor synthesis.     

灵芝UDP-葡萄糖4-差向异构酶酶学性质研究及其应用

【背景】灵芝多糖是灵芝的重要活性物质之一。UDP-葡萄糖4-差向异构酶（UDP-glucose 4-epimerase,UGE,EC 5.1.3.2）是灵芝多糖合成途径中糖供体生成的重要酶,其参与了UDP-葡萄糖与UDP-半乳糖的相互转化,与多糖中半乳糖残基含量密切相关。【目的】通过对来源于灵芝的UGE基因进行异源表达,丰富灵芝多糖糖供体合成途径重要酶的酶学特性信息,深入了解灵芝多糖代谢合成途径。【方法】以灵芝菌株（Ganoderma lingzhi） CGMCC 5.26的cDNA为模板,克隆得到UGE基因GL30389,并在Escherichia coli BL21（DE3）中诱导表达,产物纯化后进行酶学性质、酶动力学、底物专一性及转化率的研究。【结果】灵芝UGE的分子量为45 kDa。最适反应pH值为6.0,在pH 7.0—9.0范围内有较好的稳定性;最适反应温度为30℃,温度在40℃时稳定性最好。Fe²⁺和Mg²⁺对UGE有激活作用。以UDP-葡萄糖为底物时,K_m为0.824 mmol/L,V_max为769.230 μmol/（L·min）,k_cat为1.333 s^—1,k_cat/K_m为1.618 L/（mmol·s）。灵芝UGE对D-葡萄糖、半乳糖醛酸及N-乙酰葡萄糖胺有催化活性。通过优化pH、温度、底物与酶的配比、添加金属离子将转化率从16.0%提升至39.4%。【结论】灵芝UGE与植物来源的UGE酶学性质较为相似,其催化效率优于大部分细菌来源的UGE。本研究丰富了灵芝多糖糖供体合成途径重要酶的酶学特性信息,有利于深入了解灵芝多糖代谢合成途径。