Kinetic model of hydrocortisone 1-en-dehydrogenation by Arthrobacter globiformis

A kinetic model of the hydrocortisone-to-prednisolone transformation by Arthrobacter globiformis is constructed using the experimental data obtained in studies of this process. Besides adequately describing experimental data, the model allows one to determine the relation between hydrocortisone oxidation and the level of endogenous substrates in bacterial cells, and the relation between the saturating concentration of hydrocortisone in the enzymic system of bacteria and the content of endogenous substrates in their cells, as well as the regulation of the transmembrane potential and the activation by the uncouplers.     

Redox reactions in hydrocortisone transformation by Arthrobacter globiformis cells

Hydrocortisone and prednisolone transformation by Arthrobacter globiformis cells in aerobic and anaerobic conditions was studied. 3-Ketosteroid-1-en-dehydrogenase activity was shown to be the major factor regulating the direction of transformation. When it is high (aerobic conditions), the end products of hydrocortisone transformation are prednisolone or its 20 beta-hydroxy derivative. The latter is produced via 1-en-dehydrogenation, which is not a limiting stage of the process. Low 3-ketosteroid-1-en-dehydrogenase activity (in the presence of cyanide) or its complete inhibition (strictly anaerobic conditions) result in the direct reduction of 20-keto group of hydrocortisone.     

Kinetic mechanism of choline oxidase from Arthrobacter globiformis

Choline oxidase catalyzes the four-electron oxidation of choline to glycine-betaine, with betaine-aldehyde as intermediate and molecular oxygen as primary electron acceptor. The enzyme is capable of accepting betaine-aldehyde as a substrate, allowing the investigation of the reaction mechanism for both the conversion of choline to the aldehyde intermediate and of betaine-aldehyde to glycine-betaine. The steady state kinetic mechanism has been determined at pH 7 with choline and betaine-aldehyde as substrate to be sequential, consistent with oxygen reacting with the reduced enzyme before release of betaine-aldehyde or glycine-betaine, respectively. A K(m) value < or =20 microM has been estimated for betaine-aldehyde based on the kinetic pattern with a y-intercept seen in a plot of 1/rate versus 1/[oxygen]. The kinetic data suggest that betaine-aldehyde predominantly remains bound at the active site during turnover of the enzyme with choline. In agreement with such a conclusion, less than 10% betaine-aldehyde has been found in the reaction mixture under enzymatic turnover with saturating concentrations of choline. The k(cat) values were 6.4+/-0.3 and 15.3+/-2.5 s(-1) for choline and betaine-aldehyde, respectively, suggesting that a kinetic step in the oxidation of choline to the aldehyde intermediate must be partially rate-limiting for catalysis. Cleavage of the CH bond of choline as being partially rate-limiting for catalysis is discussed.     

Production of Riboflavin by Arthrobacter globiformis

S ummary . The yellow pigment excreted by a strain of Arthrobacter globiformis during exponential growth was identified as riboflav in. The amount produced was approximately 5 μ/mg of cells formed (dry weight) in all media tested, rich as well as poor. This value was also found in media containing 1% of Tween So, even though the concentration of internal flavins then was nearly one-half the normal value. Over production of riboflavin in most media was 40-50 fold. The specific growth rate of the riboflavin producer was sevral per cent less than that of a normal strain of the same species.     

L-Lysine production by auxotrophic mutants of Arthrobacter globiformis

By mutagenesis with N-methyl N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, in two steps, a number of methionine plus threonine double auxotrophs have been isolated from a glutamate producing Arthrobacter globiformis, excreting L-lysine in good amounts. For the three potent mutants tested the medium of WHITE was adjudged to be the best. Biotin, ammonium chloride and glucose was found to be optimum at 5 μg l^?1, 40 mM and 4% level, respectively. With such optimal C and N source, the strain MT 35 yielded 28.0 g lysine l^?1 of medium in flask culture.     

Production of d-Tagatose from Dulcitol by Arthrobacter globiformis

A process for the bacterial oxidation of dulcitol to d-tagatose has been developed. The strain Arthrobacter globiformis ST48 used in this fermentation was isolated from soil. The yield of d-tagatose accumulated in the medium from dulcitol was as high as 85%. About 14 g of d-tagatose crystals was isolated from 1 liter of 2% dulcitol medium.     

NADP-Dependent Phenylacetaldehyde Dehydrogenase for Degradation of Phenylethylamine in Arthrobacter globiformis

The role of endogenous gibberellin (GA) in the flowering of the short-day plant, Pharbitis nil, was investigated by using uniconazole, which is a specific inhibitor of GA biosynthesis. Both the endogenous GA level and flowering response decreased with increasing concentration of uniconazole applied via the roots. The strongest inhibition of flowering was observed when uniconazole was applied one day before a 15-h dark treatment. The inhibition by uniconazole was overcome by an application of GAs to the plumules, the order of effectiveness of the endogenous GAs in P. nil being GA₁ ≧GA₂₀>GA₁₉≧GA₄₄>GA₅₃»GA_H. This is the first report of the correlation between the endogenous GA level and flowering response in P. nil. It was found that endogenous GAs were required for the flowering of P. nil during or just after the dark period.     

Regulation of 3-ketosteroid-1-en-dehydrogenase activity of Arthrobacter globiformis cells by a respiratory chain

It has been shown that 3-ketosteroid-1-en-dehydrogenase localized in a cytoplasmic membrane donates reducing equivalents to a respiratory chain directly which passes them over to oxygen. Microbial hydrocortisone oxidation is coupled with energy generation in the form of the H+ transmembrane potential. Electron transfer via a respiratory chain is the limiting stage in the process of hydrocortisone 1-en-dehydrogenation.     

Steroid transformation by activated living immobilized Arthrobacter simplex cells

A preparation of living Arthrobacter simplex cells immobilized in polyacrylamide gel, which showed steroid-Δ¹-dehydrogenase activity, was studied. The entrapped microorganisms catalyzed the transformation of cortisol to prednisolone and this reaction was followed spectrophotometrically or with the aid of thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). About 40% of the original activity found with free bacteria was retained after immobilization. The steroid dehydrogenase activity of polyacrylamide-entrapped A. simplex could be raised to a minor extent in alcoholic solvents or by addition of a cofactor such as menadione. On incubation in various nutrient media, on the other hand, the activity could be increased considerablyl, usually 7–10 times. Possible causes for the observed increase in activity have been investigated, and microbial growth of the original entrapped microorganisms appears to be the major reason. Frozen activated preparations of immobilized A. simplex showed only a small loss of activity on storage for at least four months. A semicontinuous batch wise operation with immobilized A. simplex in different nutrient media was carried out. At the end of the experiment the steroid transformation capacity was 0.5 g steroid per day per g gel (wet weight).     

Gratuitous induction of xanthine oxidase by 5,6-diaminouracil in continuously grown cells of Arthrobacter globiformis M4

Summary 5,6-Diaminouracil (DAU), was found to be a gratuitous inducer of xanthine oxidase (XO) in Arthrobacter globiformis M4. Synthesis of urate oxidase was not induced by this compound. Preparation of a biocatalyst rich in XO could be achieved by exposing continuously grown cells to low concentrations of DAU.     

L-Phenylalanine production by double auxotrophic analogue resistant mutants of Arthrobacter globiformis

A number of tryptophan plus tyrosine double auxotrophic mutants isolated by the NTG treatment of a glutamate producing strain of Arthrobacter globiformis were found to excrete phenylalanine in a mineral salt medium. By controlling the pH of the medium to near neutrality, the active growth period could be extended up to 72 h and more phenylalanine was accumulated compared to the unregulated culture where the growth period took up to 48 h. Under optimum culture conditions, the best double auxotroph (TT-39) produced 3 g phenylalanine/l. Further improvement of phenylalanine production has been achieved by the step-by-step isolation of a mutant resistant to the phenylalanine analogues p-fluorophenylalanine (PFP) and β-2-thienylalanine (TA) from the TT-39 strain. Under optimum culture conditions, the best double auxotrophic analogue resistant mutant TT-39 PT^r-21 yielded 8.7 g/l phenylalanine.     

A Hydroxylamine-Cytochrome c Reductase Occurs in the Heterotrophic Nitrifier Arthrobacter globiformis

A partially purified cell-free extract of Arthrobacter globiformisshowed hydroxylamine-cytochrome c reductase activity. The enzymedid not seem to contain cytochrome, it was activated by ferrousions and inhibited by EDTA, and had an optimal pH of 9. ¹ On leave from Suido Kiko Kaisha, Ltd., Tokyo.     

Production of polysaccharides by Arthrobacter globiformis associated with Anabaena azollae in Azolla leaf cavity

Abstract The composition of the capsular polysaccharides (CPS) and exopolysaccharides (EPS) of three strains of Arthrobacter globiformis , isolated from the leaf cavities of Azolla caroliniana (strain B1), A. filiculoides (strains A3 and L1) and A. globiformis ATCC 8010 have been analysed by HPLC and enzymatic assays. Glucose and galactose were detected in the EPS of all the strains, while rhamnose was present only in the EPS of the strain L1 and uronic acids in B1 and ATCC 8010. Traces of fructose were detected by enzymatic assays in all the strains. The CPS contained glucose, galactose and rhamnose, while uronic acids were present only in strain B1. In all the strains the amount of EPS was higher than CPS. The reactivity to different dyes and lectins of the mucilagineous matrix of the algal packets extracted from the fern and of the bacterial mucilage were similar.     

Formation of resting forms of Arthrobacter globiformis in autolysing cell suspensions

Under conditions of spontaneous or induced autolysis of thick cell suspensions, Arthrobacter globiformis strains produced cells exhibiting features typical of resting microbial forms. The number of viable resting cells was greater under conditions of induced rather than spontaneous autolysis. The thermoresistance of the resting cells of A. globiformis strains isolated from 2- to 3 million-year-old permafrost was higher than that of the collection A. globiformis strain.     

Cloning and sequence analysis of the gene for glucodextranase from Arthrobacter globiformis T-3044 and expression in Escherichia coli cells

The gld gene for glucodextranase from Arthrobacter globiformis T-3044 was cloned by using a combination of gene walking and probe methods and expressed on the recombinant plasmid pGD8, which was constructed with pUC118, in Escherichia coli cells. The enzyme gene consisted of a unique open reading frame of 3,153 bp. The comparison of the DNA sequence data with the N-terminal and 6 internal amino acid sequences of the purified enzyme secreted from A. globiformis T-3044 suggested the enzyme was translated from mRNA as a secretory precursor with a signal peptide of 28 amino acids residues. The deduced amino acids sequence of the mature enzyme contained 1,023 residues, resulting in a polypeptide with a molecular mass of 107,475 daltons. The deduced sequence showed about 38% identity to that of the glucoamylase from Clostridium sp. G0005. The glucodextranase activity of transformant harboring pGD8 was about 40 mU/ml at 30 degrees C for a 16-h culture. Although the GDase that was produced from the transformant was shorter than authentic GDase by 2 amino acid residues at the N-terminal end side, its enzymatic properties were almost same as the authentic one. Two kinds of genes, dex1 and dex2, for endo-dextranases from A. globiformis T-3044 were also cloned into Escherichia coli cells. The N-terminal of the purified endo-dextranase from A. globiformis T-3044 agreed with the deduced amino acid sequence, after the 33rd alanine residue, of only the dex1 gene for edo-dextranase. This result suggests that the endo-dextranase is translated from mRNA as a secretory precursor with a signal peptide of 32 amino acids residues. The deduced sequence of endo-dextranase 1 and endo-dextranase 2 showed about 93% and 65% identity with that of known endo-dextranase from Arthrobacter sp. CB-8, respectively.     

Mechanistic aspects of the covalent flavoprotein dimethylglycine oxidase of Arthrobacter globiformis studied by stopped-flow spectrophotometry

Dimethylglycine oxidase (DMGO) is a covalent flavoenzyme from Arthrobacter globiformis that catalyzes the oxidative demethylation of dimethylglycine to yield sarcosine, formaldehyde, and hydrogen peroxide. Stopped-flow and steady-state kinetic studies have been used to study the reductive and oxidative half-reactions using dimethylglycine and O2 as substrates. The reductive half-reaction is triphasic. The rate of the fast phase is dependent on substrate concentration, involves flavin reduction, and has a limiting rate constant of 244 s(-1). This phase also displays a kinetic isotope effect of 2.9. Completion of the first kinetic phase generates an intermediate with broad spectral signature between 350 and 500 nm, which is attributed to a reduced enzyme-iminium charge-transfer species, similar to the purple intermediate that accumulates in reactions of D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) with alanine. The second phase (16 s(-1)) is independent of substrate concentration and is attributed to iminium hydrolysis/deprotonation. The third phase (2 s(-1)) is attributed to product release, the rate of which is less than the steady-state turnover rate (10.6 s(-1)). Flavin oxidation of dithionite- and dimethylglycine-reduced enzyme by O2 occurs in a single phase, and the rate shows a linear dependence on oxygen concentration, giving bimolecular rate constants of 342 and 201 mM(-1) x s(-1), respectively. Enzyme-monitored turnover experiments indicate that decay of the reduced enzyme-iminium intermediate is rate-limiting, consistent with rate constants determined from single turnover studies. A minimal kinetic mechanism is presented, which establishes a close relationship to the mechanism of action of DAAO. The covalent flavin in dimethylglycine oxidase is identified as an alphaN1-histidyl48-FAD, and equilibrium titration studies establish a single redox center that displays typical flavoprotein 'oxidase' characteristics.     

Coupling between 3-ketosteroid-delta'-dehydrogenase and the respiratory chain in the bacterium Arthrobacter globiformis

Intact bacterial cells and their cytoplasmic membranes obtained by ultrasonic desintegration are able to induce dehydration of hydrocortisone to prednisolone that is coupled with O2 uptake. This reaction is inhibited by cyanide and 2-n-nonyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide (HOQNO). Oxidation of hydrocortisone results in cytochrome reduction both in intact cells and in cytoplasmic membranes. Aerobic dehydration of hydrocortisone is linked with transmembrane potential generation. The data obtained suggest that the electron translocation from 3-ketosteroid-delta'-dehydrogenase to O2 occurs via the respiratory chain. The enzyme donates reduced equivalents directly to the respiratory chain, presumably at the level of menaquinone.