The interactions of artificial coenzymes with alcohol dehydrogenase and other NAD(P)(H) dependent enzymes

The interactions of CL4, a biomimetic analogue of NAD⁺ comprising a nicotinamide functionality coupled via a triazine ring to a dibenzenesulphonic acid unit, and of a series of analogues, with HLADH and other dehydrogenases have been compared to those of the natural coenzymes NAD(P)⁺. CL4, together with one analogue with one of the sulphonic acid groups shifted by one position and another analogue with a single benzenedisulphonic acid unit, have been shown to be functional mimics of NAD⁺ in the oxidation of butan-1-ol by horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH). A combination of discontinuous HPLC-based assays and continuous fluorescence based assays were used to deduce approximate kinetic constants for this reaction, using the artificial coenzymes, at pH 7.5 and 37°C. HLADH demonstrated a V_max with the most active analogue which was 4% of that with NAD⁺. The substrate specificity of HLADH using these coenzymes was found to change relative to that using the natural coenzyme. Activity was sought from a range of other dehydrogenases: Bacillus megaterium glucose dehydrogenase, Leuconostoc mesenteroides glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase; all displayed activity using a range of the biomimetic coenzymes.     

Comparative thermostability of mesophilic and thermophilic alcohol dehydrogenases: Stability-determining roles of proline residues and loop conformations

The present study demonstrates the comparative thermal, conformational and kinetic stabilities of the three closely related enzymes; the mesophilic yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH), horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH), and the extreme-thermophilic Thermoanaerobacter brockii alcohol dehydrogenase (TBADH). The mid-point unfolding temperatures for TBADH and HLADH were at least 10 °C and 6 °C higher, respectively, than that of YADH. When YADH was completely inactivated by thermal stress, the residual activities of HLADH and TBADH were 70% and 100%, respectively. The optimum temperature (T_opt) activities of HLADH and TBADH were at least 40 °C and 55 °C higher, respectively, than that of YADH. Due to the higher rigidity of HLADH and TBADH, the enzymatic activation energies of HLADH and TBADH were higher than that of YADH. Geometric X-ray analysis indicated a comparatively higher coil (turn and loop) percentage in TBADH and HLADH than in YADH. Pairwise alignment for TBADH/HLADH exhibited a similarity score approximately 2.5-fold greater than that of the TBADH/YADH pair. Multiple alignments made with ClustalW revealed a higher number of conserved proline residues in the two most stable enzymes (HLADH/TBADH). These extra prolines tend to occur in surface loops and are likely to be responsible for the increased stability of TBADH and HLADH, by loop rigidification.     

Characterization of methylated azopyridine as a potential electron transfer mediator for electroenzymatic systems

N,N'-dimethyl-4,4'-azopyridinium methyl sulfate (MAZP) was characterized as an electron transfer mediator for oxidation reactions catalyzed by NAD⁺- and pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases. The bimolecular rate constant of NADH reactivity with MAZP was defined as (2.2 ± 0.1) × 10⁵ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, whereas the bimolecular rate constant of reactivity of the reduced form of PQQ-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase with MAZP was determined to be (4.7 ± 0.1) × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹. The use of MAZP for the regeneration of the cofactors was investigated by applying the electrochemical oxidation of the mediator. The total turnover numbers of mediator MAZP and cofactor NADH for ethanol oxidation catalyzed by NAD⁺-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase depended on the concentration of the substrate and the duration of the electrolysis, and the yield of the reaction was limited by the enzyme inactivation and the electrochemical process. The PQQ-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase was more stable, and the turnover number of the enzyme reached a value of 2.3 × 10³. In addition, oxidation of 1,2-propanediol catalyzed by the PQQ-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase proceeded enantioselectively to yield l-lactic acid.     

Production of 2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol in engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum

The pentanol isomers 2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol represent commercially interesting alcohols due to their potential application as biofuels. For a sustainable microbial production of these compounds, Corynebacterium glutamicum was engineered for producing 2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol via the Ehrlich pathway from 2-keto-3-methylvalerate and 2-ketoisocaproate, respectively. In addition to an already available 2-ketoisocaproate producer, a 2-keto-3-methylvalerate accumulating C. glutamicum strain was also constructed. For this purpose, we reduced the activity of the branched-chain amino acid transaminase in an available C. glutamicum l-isoleucine producer (K2P55) via a start codon exchange in the ilvE gene enabling accumulation of up to 3.67 g/l 2-keto-3-methylvalerate. Subsequently, nine strains expressing different gene combinations for three 2-keto acid decarboxylases and three alcohol dehydrogenases were constructed and characterized. The best strains accumulated 0.37 g/l 2-methyl-1-butanol and 2.76 g/l 3-methyl-1-butanol in defined medium within 48 h under oxygen deprivation conditions, making these strains ideal candidates for additional strain and process optimization.     

Investigating Terephthalate Biodegradation: Structural Characterization of a Putative Decarboxylating cis-Dihydrodiol Dehydrogenase

As a highly coveted precursor molecule, terephthalate (Tph) continues to be used extensively for the production of polyethylene Tph bottles, polyester films, and textile fibers worldwide. Based on its detrimental physiological effects, Tph is now recognized as a serious environmental pollutant. While amenable to biodegradation and, in fact, traditionally neutralized by aerobic microbiological processes, our current lack of understanding of the enzymatic degradation of Tph at the molecular level presents a major impediment in the development of robust bioremediation strategies. The biodegradation of Tph proceeds through a single metabolic intermediate (a cis-dihydrodiol), which is subsequently converted to the end product (protocatechuate) by a decarboxylating cis-dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (TphB). Using iodide single‐wavelength anomalous dispersion, we report the first structural characterization of TphB to 1.85 Å resolution. Contrary to prior speculations, a fluorescent scan unambiguously shows that TphB coordinates Zn^2 + and not Fe^2 +. The molecular architecture of TphB provides a rationale to the primary‐level divergence observed between TphB and other cis-dihydrodiol dehydrogenases while explaining its intriguingly close evolutionary clustering with non-dihydrodiol dehydrogenases belonging to the isocitrate/isopropylmalate family of enzymes. Sequence and structural analyses reveal a putative substrate-binding pocket proximal to the bound Zn^2 +. In silico substrate modeling in this putative binding pocket suggests a mechanistic sequence relying on H291, K295, and Zn^2 + as core mediators of catalytic turnover. Overall, this study reveals novel structural and mechanistic insights into a decarboxylating cis-dihydrodiol dehydrogenase that mediates one of the two catalytic steps in the biodegradation of the environmental pollutant Tph.     

Occurrence of multiple forms of alcohol dehydrogenase in Penicillium supplemented with 2,3-butanediol

The NAD-dependent oxidation of ethanol, 2,3-butanediol, and other primary and secondary alcohols, catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenases derived from Penicillium charlesii, was investigated. Alcohol dehydrogenase, ADH-I, was purified to homogeneity in a yield of 54%. The enzyme utilizes several primary alcohols as substrates, with K_m values of the order of 10^?4m. A K_m value of 60 mm was obtained for R,R,-2,3-butanediol. The stereospecificity of the oxidation of 2-butanol was investigated, and S-(+)-2-butanol was found to be oxidized 2.4 times faster than was R-(?)-2-butanol. The reduction of 2-butanone was shown to produce S-(+)-2-butanol and R-(?)-butanol in a ratio of 7:3. ADH-I is the primary isozyme of alcohol dehydrogenase present in cultures utilizing glucose as the sole carbon source. The level of alcohol dehydrogenase activity increased 7.6-fold in mycelia from cultures grown with glucose and 2,3-butanediol (0.5%) as carbon sources compared with the activity in cultures grown on only glucose. Two additional forms of alcohol dehydrogenase, ADH-II and ADH-III, were present in the cultures supplemented with 2,3-butanediol. These forms of alcohol dehydrogenase catalyze the oxidation of ethanol and 2,3-butanediol. These data suggest that P. charlesii carries out an oxidation of 2,3-butanediol which may constitute the first reaction in the degradation of 2,3-butanediol as well as the last reaction in the mixed-acid fermentation. Alcohol dehydrogenase activities in P. charlesii may be encoded by multiple genes, one which is expressed constitutively and others whose expression is inducible by 2,3-butanediol.     

Cloning,overexpression, purification,and site-directed mutagenesis of xylitol-2-dehydrogenase from Candida albicans

Xylitol-2-dehydrogenase from Candida albicans was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant XDH has an apparent molecular weight of 40 kDa which belongs to the medium chain alcohol dehydrogenase family and exclusively uses NAD⁺ as a cofactor. The recombinant caXDH has a K_M of 8.8 mM and 37.7 μM using the substrate xylitol and NAD⁺, respectively, and its catalytic efficiency is 53,200 min^?1 mM^?1. Following site-directed mutagenesis, one of the engineered caXDHs with six mutations at Ser95Cys, Ser98Cys, Tyr101Cys, Asp206Ala, Ile207Arg, and Phe208Ser shifted its cofactor dependence from NAD⁺ to NADP⁺ in which the K_M and k_cat/K_M towards NADP⁺ are 119 μM and 26,200 min^?1 mM^?1, respectively.     

Enzymatic preparation of optically pure t-butyl 6-chloro-(3R,5S)-dihydroxyhexanoate by a novel alcohol dehydrogenase discovered from Klebsiella oxytoca

Alcohol dehydrogenases can catalyze the inter-conversion of aldehydes and alcohols. The t-butyl 6-chloro-(3R,5S)-dihydroxyhexanoate is a key chiral intermediate in the synthesis of statin-type drugs such as Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) and Lipitor (atorvastatin). Herein, a novel alcohol dehydrogenase (named as KleADH) discovered from Klebsiella oxytoca by a genome mining method was cloned and characterized. The KleADH was functionally overexpressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3) and the whole cell biocatalyst was able to convert t-butyl 6-chloro-(5S)-hydroxy-3-oxohexanoate to t-butyl 6-chloro-(3R,5S)-dihydroxyhexanoate with more than 99% diastereomeric excess (de) and 99% conversion in 24 h without adding any expensive cofactors. Several factors influencing the whole cell catalyst activity such as temperature, pH, the effects of metal ions and organic solvent were determined. The optimum enzyme activity was achieved at 30 °C and pH 7.0 and it was shown that 1 mM Fe³⁺ can increase the enzyme activity by 1.2 times. N-hexane/water and n-heptane/water biphasic systems can also increase the activity of KleADH. Substrate specificity studies showed that KleADH also exhibited notable activity towards several aryl ketones with high stereoselectivity. Our investigation on this novel alcohol dehydrogenase KleADH reveals a promising biocatalyst for producing chiral alcohols for preparation of valuable pharmaceuticals.     

Utilizing an endogenous pathway for 1-butanol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Microbial production of higher alcohols from renewable feedstock has attracted intensive attention thanks to its potential as a source for next-generation gasoline substitutes. Here we report the discovery, characterization and engineering of an endogenous 1-butanol pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Upon introduction of a single gene deletion adh1Δ, S. cerevisiae was able to accumulate more than 120 mg/L 1-butanol from glucose in rich medium. Precursor feeding, ¹³C-isotope labeling and gene deletion experiments demonstrated that the endogenous 1-butanol production was dependent on catabolism of threonine in a manner similar to fusel alcohol production by the Ehrlich pathway. Specifically, the leucine biosynthesis pathway was engaged in the conversion of key 2-keto acid intermediates. Overexpression of the pathway enzymes and elimination of competing pathways achieved the highest reported 1-butanol titer in S. cerevisiae (242.8 mg/L).     

Protective effect of β-casomorphin-7 on cardiomyopathy of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats via inhibition of hyperglycemia and oxidative stress

β-Casomorphin-7 (β-CM-7) is regarded as the most representative milk-derived bioactive peptide. The present work studies the efficacy of β-CM-7 against myocardial injury in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, focusing on the following assays: (1) the level of blood glucose and advanced glycosylation end product (AGE), the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum; (2) the level of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), the activity of Na⁺K⁺-ATPase, Ca²⁺Mg²⁺-ATPase and enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in myocardial tissue; (3) the protein expression of glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4) in myocardial tissue. It showed that with the influence of β-CM-7, the levels of blood glucose of β-CM-7 treatment group decreased markedly compared with model group (P < 0.01) accompanied with their alleviated symptoms of diabetes. In the antioxidant and oxidant levels, β-CM-7 treatment group signified a remarkable increase in the activity of GSH-Px, SOD and CAT of the anti-oxidation system and meanwhile demonstrated a considerable reduction in H₂O₂ content (all P < 0.05) in comparison with model group. We also found both the content of AGE and the activity of LDH of β-CM-7 treated group considerably reduced while the content of GLUT-4 and the activity of Na⁺K⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺Mg²⁺-ATPase of β-CM-7 treated group increased obviously (P < 0.05). Meanwhile the cardiac indexes were significantly lessened. Thus our assay validates that the remedy employing β-CM-7 may treat diabetic cardiomyopathy with high efficacy predominantly associated with the mechanism that β-CM-7 ameliorates myocardial energy metabolism and abates free-radical-mediated oxidative stress in blood and myocardium.     

The alpha beta epimerization of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide.

The proton magnetic resonance spectra of the dihydronicotinamide ring of αNADH³ and the nicotinamide ring of αNAD⁺ are reported and the proton absorptions assigned. The absolute assignment of the C4 methylene protons of αNADH is based on the generation of specifically deuterium-labeled (pro-S) B-deuterio-αNADH from enzymatically prepared B-deuterio-βNADH. The C4 proton absorption of αNAD⁺ is assigned by oxidation of B-deuterio-αNADH by the A specific, yeast alcohol dehydrogenase to yield 4-deuterio-αNAD⁺.The epimerization of either αNADH or βNADH yields an equilibrium ratio of approximately 9:1 βNADH to αNADH. The rate of epimerization of αNADH to βNADH at 38 °C in 0.05, pH 7.5, phosphate buffer is 3.1 × 10^?3 min^?1, corresponding to a half-life of 4 hr. Four related dehydrogenases, yeast and horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase and chicken M₄ and H₄ lactate dehydrogenase, are shown to oxidize αNADH to αNAD⁺ at rates three to four orders of magnitude slower than for βNADH. By using specifically labeled B-deuterio-αNADH the enzymatic oxidation by yeast alcohol dehydrogenase has been shown to occur with the identical stereospecificity as the oxidation of βNADH. The nonenzymatic epimerization of αNADH to βNADH and the enzymatic oxidation αNADH are discussed as a possible source of αNAD⁺in vivo.     

Large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel (BKCa) activating properties of a series of novel N-arylbenzamides: Channel subunit dependent effects

Large conductance calcium activated potassium channels (BK_Ca) are fundamental in the control of cellular excitability. Thus, compounds that activate BK_Ca channels could provide potential therapies in the treatment of pathologies of the cardiovascular and central nervous system. A series of novel N-arylbenzamide compounds, and the reference compound NS1619, were evaluated for BK_Ca channel opener properties in Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK293) cells expressing the human BK_Ca channel α-subunit alone or α + β1-subunit complex.Channel activity was determined using a non-radioactive Rb⁺ efflux assay to construct concentration effect curves for each compound. All N-arylbenzamide compounds and NS1619 evoked significant (p <0.05) concentration related increases in Rb⁺ efflux both in cells expressing α-subunit alone or α + β1-subunits. Co-expression of the β1-subunit modified the Rb⁺ efflux responses, relative to that obtained in cells expressing the α-subunit alone, for most of the N-arylbenzamide compounds, in contrast to NS1619. The EC₄₀ values of NS1619, BKMe1 and BKOEt1 were not significantly affected by the co-expression of the BK_Ca channel α + β1-subunits. In contrast, 5 other N-arylbenzamides (BKPr2, BKPr3, BKPr4, BKH1 and BKVV) showed a significant (p <0.05) 2- to 10-fold increase in EC₄₀ values when tested on the BK_Ca α + β1-subunit expressing cells compared to BK_Ca α-subunit expressing cells. Further, the E_max values for BKPr4, BKVV and BKH1 were lower in the BK_Ca channel α + β1-subunit expressing cells.In conclusion, the N-arylbenzamides studied, like NS1619, were able to activate BK_Ca channels formed of the α-subunit only. The co-expression of the β1-subunit, however, modified the ability of certain compounds to active the channel leading to differentiated pharmacodynamic profiles.     

Histochemical localization of primary and secondary alcohol dehydrogenases in whole-body, freeze-dried sections of mice

Summary Whole-body sagittal sections of frozen, C57BL/6J, adult, male mice were used for the localization of primary and secondary alcohol dehydrogenases in most tissues of the body. The reduction of Nitro BT with NAD⁺ as coenzyme, as described originally by Hardonk (1965), was utilized for the generation of coloured final reaction deposits. Ethanol was used as a substrate for primary alcohol dehydrogenase; 2-propanol, -methylbenzyl alcohol and 2-butanol were used as substrates for secondary alcohol dehydrogenase. Liver and bronchial epithelium showed the highest activities for both enzymes; oesophageal and upper gastric epithelium showed a high activity of primary alcohol dehydrogenase. Pyrazole, indazole and imidazole inhibited primary, but not secondary, alcohol dehydrogenase. Dimethylsulphoxide and menthol slightly inhibited both enzymes. Oleic acid, sulphydryl agents,p-chloromercuribenzoate, and copper sulphate also inhibited both enzymes. Slight inhibition of secondary dehydrogenase was observed on co-administration of several alcohols.As expected,N-nitrosonornicotine did not function as a substrate for alcohol dehydrogenases. When this compound was present in the histochemical incubation media, no activity was seen at any of the usual sites of these enzymes. The distribution of the alcohol dehydrogenase activities found in this study correlates with the distribution of radioactivity in oesophagus, bronchi and liver after administration of [¹⁴C]nitrosonornicotine. This suggests that the alcohol dehydrogenases may be involved in the metabolism of hydroxylated nitrosonornicotine, a metabolite of the most abundant known carcinogen in cigarette smoke.     

Salt effects on β-glucosidase: pH-profile narrowing

Salts inhibit the activity of sweet almond β-glucosidase. For cations (Cl⁻ salts) the effectiveness follows the series: Cu⁺², Fe⁺² > Zn⁺² > Li⁺ > Ca⁺² > Mg⁺² > Cs⁺ > NH₄⁺ > Rb⁺ > K⁺ > Na⁺ and for anions (Na⁺ salts) the series is: I⁻ > ClO₄⁻ > ⁻SCN > Br⁻ ≈ NO₃⁻ > Cl⁻ ≈ ⁻OAc > F⁻ ≈ SO₄^− 2. The activity of the enzyme, like that of most glycohydrolases, depends on a deprotonated carboxylate (nucleophile) and a protonated carboxylic acid for optimal activity. The resulting pH-profile of k_cat/K_m for the β-glucosidase-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl glucoside is characterized by a width at half height that is strongly sensitive to the nature and concentration of the salt. Most of the inhibition is due to a shift in the enzymic pK_as and not to an effect on the pH-independent second-order rate constant, (k_cat/K_m)^lim. For example, as the NaCl concentration is increased from 0.01 M to 1.0 M the apparent pK_a1 increases (from 3.7 to 4.9) and the apparent pK_a2 decreases (from 7.2 to 5.9). With p-nitrophenyl glucoside, the value of the pH-independent (k_cat/K_m)^lim (= 9 × 10⁴ M^− 1 s^− 1) is reduced by less than 4% as the NaCl concentration is increased. There is a similar shift in the pK_as when the LiCl concentration is increased to 1.0 M. The results of these salt-induced pK_a shifts rule out a significant contribution of reverse protonation to the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. At low salt concentration, the fraction of the catalytically active monoprotonated enzyme in the reverse protonated form (i.e., proton on the group with a pK_a of 3.7 and dissociated from the group with a pK_a of 7.2) is very small (≈ 0.03%). At higher salt concentrations, where the two pK_as become closer, the fraction of the monoprotonated enzyme in the reverse protonated form increases over 300-fold. However, there is no increase in the intrinsic reactivity, (k_cat/K_m)^lim, of the monoprotonated species. For other enzymes which may show such salt-induced pK_a shifts, this provides a convenient test for the role of reverse protonation.     

Engineering Clostridium acetobutylicum for production of kerosene and diesel blendstock precursors

Processes for the biotechnological production of kerosene and diesel blendstocks are often economically unattractive due to low yields and product titers. Recently, Clostridium acetobutylicum fermentation products acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) were shown to serve as precursors for catalytic upgrading to higher chain-length molecules that can be used as fuel substitutes. To produce suitable kerosene and diesel blendstocks, the butanol:acetone ratio of fermentation products needs to be increased to 2–2.5:1, while ethanol production is minimized. Here we show that the overexpression of selected proteins changes the ratio of ABE products relative to the wild type ATCC 824 strain. Overexpression of the native alcohol/aldehyde dehydrogenase (AAD) has been reported to primarily increase ethanol formation in C. acetobutylicum. We found that overexpression of the AAD^D485G variant increased ethanol titers by 294%. Catalytic upgrading of the 824(aad^D485G) ABE products resulted in a blend with nearly 50 wt%≤C₉ products, which are unsuitable for diesel. To selectively increase butanol production, C. beijerinckii aldehyde dehydrogenase and C. ljungdhalii butanol dehydrogenase were co-expressed (strain designate 824(Cb ald-Cl bdh)), which increased butanol titers by 27% to 16.9 g L⁻¹ while acetone and ethanol titers remained essentially unaffected. The solvent ratio from 824(Cb ald-Cl bdh) resulted in more than 80 wt% of catalysis products having a carbon chain length≥C₁₁ which amounts to 9.8 g L⁻¹ of products suitable as kerosene or diesel blendstock based on fermentation volume. To further increase solvent production, we investigated expression of both native and heterologous chaperones in C. acetobutylicum. Expression of a heat shock protein (HSP33) from Bacillus psychrosaccharolyticus increased the total solvent titer by 22%. Co-expression of HSP33 and aldehyde/butanol dehydrogenases further increased ABE formation as well as acetone and butanol yields. HSP33 was identified as the first heterologous chaperone that significantly increases solvent titers above wild type C. acetobutylicum levels, which can be combined with metabolic engineering to further increase solvent production.     

Purification and characterization of a novel carbonyl reductase involved in oxidoreduction of aromatic β-amino ketones/alcohols

Aromatic β-amino ketones/alcohols such as adrenalone play an important role in some stereoselective synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, the transformation of aromatic β-amino ketones to their chiral alcohols has been carried out chemically as no corresponding biocatalyst has been available. Here, a novel carbonyl reductase responsible for the reduction of adrenalone to (R)-(−)-epinephrine was identified and characterized from Kocuria rhizophila. This enzyme was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by ion-exchange column chromatography, hydrophobic chromatography and gel chromatography. The purified enzyme yielded pure (R)-enantiomer product with high activity and utilized NADH as the cofactor. The enzyme had special significance by showing selectivity for many aromatic β-amino ketones/alcohols such as 2-amino-acetophenone, 2-amino-4′-hydroxyacetophenone, isoproterenol and ephedrine. The maximum reaction rate (V_max) and apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (K_m) for adrenalone and NADH were 14.62 μmol/(min mg) protein and 0.189 mM, 11.66 μmol/(min mg) protein and 0.204 mM respectively. These properties ensure the enzyme a promising future for industrial application as a replacement of chemical synthesis of aromatic β-amino chiral alcohols.     

Comparison of substrate specificity of alcohol dehydrogenases from human liver, horse liver, and yeast towards saturated and 2-enoic alcohols and aldehydes

The saturated and 2-enoic primary alcohols and aldehydes, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 1-hexanol, phenylmethanol, 3-phenyl-1-propanol, 2-propen-1-ol, 2-buten-1-ol, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, 2-hexen-1-ol, 3-phenyl-2-propen-1-ol, ethanal, 1-propanal, 1-butanal, 1-hexanal, phenylmethanal, 3-phenyl-1-propanal, 2-propen-1-al, 2-buten-1-al, 2-hexen-1-al, and 3-phenyl-2-propen-1-al, have been compared under uniform conditions as substrates for the alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes from horse and human liver and from yeast. Kinetic constants (K_m arid V) have been measured for each of the substrates with each of the enzymes; equilibrium constants for the various alcohol-aldehyde pairs have also been estimated. The results obtained emphasize the similarities of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase to horse and human liver alcohol dehydrogenase, showing the specificity of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase to be less restricted than formerly believed. In general, the 2-enoic alcohols are better substrates for all three alcohol dehydrogenases than their saturated analogs; on the other hand, saturated aldehydes are better substrates than the 2-enoic aldehydes. Based on these various findings, it is suggested that a more likely candidate than ethanol for the physiological substrate of alcohol dehydrogenase in mammalian systems may well be an unsaturated alcohol, although the wide variety of substrates catalyzed at high rates is not incompatible with a general detoxifying function for alcohols or aldehydes, or both, by alcohol dehydrogenase.     

Characterization of a highly thermostable ß-hydroxybutyryl CoA dehydrogenase from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824

Higher energy content and hydrophobicity make bio-based n-butanol a preferred building block for chemical and biofuels manufacturing. Butanol is obtained by Clostridium sp. based ABE fermentation process. While the ABE process is well understood, the enzyme systems involved have not been elucidated in detail. The important enzyme ß-hydroxybutyryl CoA dehydrogenase from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 (Hbd) was purified and characterized. Surprisingly, Hbd shows extremely high temperature (T > 60 °C), pH (4–11) and solvent (1-butanol, isobutanol, ethanol) stability. Hbd catalyzes acetoacetyl CoA hydration to ß-hydroxybutyryl CoA up to pH 9.5, where the reaction is reversed. Substrate (acacCoA, ß-hbCoA) and cofactor (NADH, NAD⁺, NADPH and NADP⁺) specificities were determined. We identified NAD⁺ as an uncompetitive inhibitor. Identification of process relevant enzymes such as Hbd is key to optimize butanol production via cellular or cell-free enzymatic systems.     

Photochemical and enzymatic synthesis of methanol from formaldehyde with alcohol dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and water-soluble zinc porphyrin

We evaluated the photochemical and enzymatic synthesis of methanol from formaldehyde with alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and NAD⁺ photoreduction by the visible-light sensitization of zinc tetraphenylporphyrin tetrasulfonate (ZnTPPS) in the presence of methylviologen (MV²⁺), diaphorase, and triethanolamine (TEOA). When the sample solution containing ZnTPPS, MV²⁺, NAD⁺, diaphorase, and TEOA in potassium phosphate buffer solution was irradiated, the NADH produced increased with the irradiation time. After irradiation for 180 min, the conversion yield of NAD⁺ to NADH was about 60% under 0.1 mM NAD⁺ condition. The methanol production also depended on the conversion yield of NAD⁺ to NADH. After irradiation for 180 min, 0.38 μM of methanol was produced from formaldehyde (16 μM). The conversion ratio of formaldehyde to methanol was about 2.3%. This result indicates that a system for the photochemical synthesis of methanol from formaldehyde was developed with ADH and the NADH produced by the photosensitization of ZnTPPS in water media.     

Purification and Properties of Primary and Secondary Alcohol Dehydrogenases from Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus

Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus (ATCC 31550) has primary and secondary alcohol dehydrogenases. The two enzymes were purified to homogeneity as judged from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration. The apparent M_rs of the primary and secondary alcohol dehydrogenases are 184,000 and 172,000, respectively. Both enzymes have high thermostability. They are tetrameric with apparently identical subunits and contain from 3.2 to 5.5 atoms of Zn per subunit. The two dehydrogenases are NADP dependent and reversibly convert ethanol and 1-propanol to the respective aldehydes. The V_m values with ethanol as a substrate are 45.6 μmol/min per mg for the primary alcohol dehydrogenase and 13 μmol/min per mg for the secondary alcohol dehydrogenase at pH 8.9 and 60°C. The primary enzyme oxidizes primary alcohols, including up to heptanol, at rates similar to that of ethanol. It is inactive with secondary alcohols. The secondary enzyme is inactive with 1-pentanol or longer chain alcohols. Its best substrate is 2-propanol, which is oxidized 15 times faster than ethanol. The secondary alcohol dehydrogenase is formed early during the growth cycle. It is stimulated by pyruvate and has a low K_m for acetaldehyde (44.8 mM) in comparison to that of the primary alcohol dehydrogenase (210 mM). The latter enzyme is formed late in the growth cycle. It is postulated that the secondary alcohol dehydrogenase is largely responsible for the formation of ethanol in fermentations of carbohydrates by T. ethanolicus.