Engineering of a Bacillus subtilis strain with adjustable levels of intracellular biotin for secretory production of functional streptavidin

Streptavidin is a biotin-binding protein which has been widely used in many in vitro and in vivo applications. Because of the ease of protein recovery and availability of protease-deficient strains, the Bacillus subtilis expression-secretion system is an attractive system for streptavidin production. However, attempts to produce streptavidin using B. subtilis face the problem that cells overproducing large amounts of streptavidin suffer poor growth, presumably because of biotin deficiency. This problem cannot be solved by supplementing biotin to the culture medium, as this will saturate the biotin binding sites in streptavidin. We addressed this dilemma by engineering a B. subtilis strain (WB800BIO) which overproduces intracellular biotin. The strategy involves replacing the natural regulatory region of the B. subtilis chromosomal biotin biosynthetic operon (bioWAFDBIorf2) with an engineered one consisting of the B. subtilis groE promoter and gluconate operator. Biotin production in WB800BIO is induced by gluconate, and the level of biotin produced can be adjusted by varying the gluconate dosage. A level of gluconate was selected to allow enhanced intracellular production of biotin without getting it released into the culture medium. WB800BIO, when used as a host for streptavidin production, grows healthily in a biotin-limited medium and produces large amounts (35 to 50 mg/liter) of streptavidin, with over 80% of its biotin binding sites available for future applications.     

Stabilization of cell wall proteins in Bacillus subtilis: a proteomic approach

Even though cell wall proteins of Bacillus subtilis are characterized by specific cell wall retention signals, some of these are also components of the extracellular proteome. In contrast to the majority of extracellular proteins, wall binding proteins disappeared from the extracellular proteome during the stationary phase and are subjected to proteolysis. Thus, the extracellular proteome of the multiple protease-deficient strain WB700 was analyzed which showed an increased stability of secreted WapA processing products during the stationary phase. In addition, stabilization of the WapA processing products was observed also in a sigD mutant strain which is impaired in motility and cell wall turnover. Next, we analyzed if proteins that can be extracted from B. subtilis cell walls are stabilized in the WB700 strain as well as in the sigD mutant. Thus, the cell wall proteome of B. subtilis wild type was defined showing most abundantly cell wall binding proteins (CWBPs) resulting from the WapA and WprA precursor processing. The inactivation of extracellular proteases as well as SigmaD caused an increase of CWBP105 and a decrease of CWBP62 in the cell wall proteome. We conclude that WapA processing products are substrates for the extracellular proteases which are stabilized in the absence of sigD due to an impaired cell wall turnover.     

High-level expression and secretion of methyl parathion hydrolase in Bacillus subtilis WB800

The methyl parathion hydrolase (MPH)-encoding gene mpd was placed under the control of the P43 promoter and Bacillus subtilis nprB signal peptide-encoding sequence. High-level expression and secretion of mature, authentic, and stable MPH were achieved using the protease-deficient strain B. subtilis WB800 as the host.     

Engineering of a Bacillus subtilis Strain with Adjustable Levels of Intracellular Biotin for Secretory Production of Functional Streptavidin

Streptavidin is a biotin-binding protein which has been widely used in many in vitro and in vivo applications. Because of the ease of protein recovery and availability of protease-deficient strains, the Bacillus subtilis expression-secretion system is an attractive system for streptavidin production. However, attempts to produce streptavidin using B. subtilis face the problem that cells overproducing large amounts of streptavidin suffer poor growth, presumably because of biotin deficiency. This problem cannot be solved by supplementing biotin to the culture medium, as this will saturate the biotin binding sites in streptavidin. We addressed this dilemma by engineering a B. subtilis strain (WB800BIO) which overproduces intracellular biotin. The strategy involves replacing the natural regulatory region of the B. subtilis chromosomal biotin biosynthetic operon (bioWAFDBIorf2) with an engineered one consisting of the B. subtilis groE promoter and gluconate operator. Biotin production in WB800BIO is induced by gluconate, and the level of biotin produced can be adjusted by varying the gluconate dosage. A level of gluconate was selected to allow enhanced intracellular production of biotin without getting it released into the culture medium. WB800BIO, when used as a host for streptavidin production, grows healthily in a biotin-limited medium and produces large amounts (35 to 50 mg/liter) of streptavidin, with over 80% of its biotin binding sites available for future applications.     

Use of the Bacillus subtilis subtilisin signal peptide for efficient secretion of TEM beta-lactamase during growth.

We report the development of an efficient Bacillus subtilis secretory system, with the secreted product stably maintained in the medium for 100 h. The system is based on characterization of the subtilisin signal peptidase cleavage site and promoters, catabolite repression of sporulation, presence of a vegetative secreting mechanism, and availability of a protease-deficient strain.     

High-Level Expression and Secretion of Methyl Parathion Hydrolase in Bacillus subtilis WB800

The methyl parathion hydrolase (MPH)-encoding gene mpd was placed under the control of the P43 promoter and Bacillus subtilis nprB signal peptide-encoding sequence. High-level expression and secretion of mature, authentic, and stable MPH were achieved using the protease-deficient strain B. subtilis WB800 as the host.     

Cloning, genetic organization, and characterization of a structural gene encoding bacillopeptidase F from Bacillus subtilis

Bacillopeptidase F is an extracellular serine protease that is expressed at the beginning of the stationary phase. To study its structure, regulation of expression, and physiological roles, we have cloned and characterized the structural gene (bpf) encoding this protease from Bacillus subtilis. DNA sequence analysis suggests this protease is synthesized as a preproenzyme (Mr = 92,000). Through processing at both the NH2 and COOH termini, it is gradually converted into various forms with molecular mass ranging from 80 to 48 kDa. Shortening the 3' end of bpf demonstrates that at least 290 amino acid residues from the COOH-terminus of bacillopeptidase F are not required for either catalytic activity or secretion. Bacillopeptidase F exhibits sequence similarity with several serine proteases. Its gene is found immediately downstream from the fts operon which was mapped at 135 degrees on the B. subtilis genetic linkage map. Inactivation of the chromosomal copy of bpf shows no effect on cell growth and sporulation. A triple protease-deficient strain (WB300 with the structural genes for bacillopeptidase F and two other major proteases inactivated) was constructed to serve as a better expression host for the production and secretion of foreign proteins.     

Subtilisins of Bacillus spp. hydrolyze keratin and allow growth on feathers

Keratinase is a serine protease produced by Bacillus licheniformis PWD-1 that effectively degrades keratin and confers the ability to grow on feathers to a protease-deficient B. subtilis strain. Studies presented herein demonstrate that B. licheniformis Carlsberg strain NCIMB 6816, which produces the well-characterized serine protease subtilisin Carlsberg, also degrades and grows on feathers. The PWD-1 and Carlsberg strains showed a similar time-course of enzyme production, and the purified serine proteases have similar enzymatic properties on insoluble azokeratin and soluble FITC-casein. Kinetic analysis of both enzymes demonstrated that they have high specificity for aromatic and hydrophobic amino acids in the P1 substrate position, although keratinase discriminates more than subtilisin Carlsberg against charged residues at this site. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the serine protease genes from B. licheniformis strains PWD-1, Carlsberg NCIMB 6816, ATCC 12759, and NCIMB 10689 showed that the kerA-encoded protease of PWD-1 differs from the others only by having V222, rather than A222, near the active site serine S220. Further, high-level expression of subE-encoded subtilisin from B. subtilis (78% similar to subtilisin Carlsberg) also confers growth on feathers on a protease-deficient B. subtilis strain. While strain PWD-1 and the kerA protease efficiently degrade keratin, keratin hydrolysis and growth on feathers is a property that can be conferred by appropriate expression of the major subtilisins, including the industrially produced enzymes.     

利用枯草芽孢杆菌ytkA和ywoF基因启动子与信号肽重组分泌表达mpd基因

用大肠杆菌-枯草芽孢杆菌穿梭载体pNW33N和去除了信号肽编码序列的成熟mpd基因构建了穿梭启动子探针pNW33N-mpd。用该探针从质粒pMPDP3和pMPDP29上克隆来自于枯草芽孢杆菌ytkA和ywoF基因上游的启动子功能片段,构建了穿梭表达载体pNYTM和pNYWM。将表达载体pNYTM和pNYWM转入枯草芽孢杆菌1A751获得表达菌株1A751(pNYTM)和1A751(pNYTM),mpd基因在ytkA和ywoF基因的启动子和信号肽的带动下实现了分泌表达且具有天然活性,结果表明ytkA基因的启动子强度强于ywoF基因的启动子。利用ytkA基因的强启动子和nprB基因的分泌型信号肽编码序列构建了新的穿梭分泌表达载体pYNMK,并使mpd基因在枯草芽孢杆菌WB800中得到了更高水平的分泌表达,表达菌株WB800(pYNMK)在培养到第84h时甲基对硫磷水解酶酶活达到最高值为10.40u/mL,是出发菌株邻单胞菌M6表达量的10.8倍,重组表达产物有91.4%分泌在培养基中。     

Engineering and production of streptokinase in a Bacillus subtilis expression-secretion system.

Streptokinase is one of the major blood-clot-dissolving agents used in many medical treatments. With the cloned streptokinase gene (skc) available, production of the secreted streptokinase from various Bacillus subtilis strains was studied. The use of the six-extracellular-protease-deficient strain, WB600, greatly improved the production yield of the secreted streptokinase. A modified skc which has the original skc promoter and signal sequence replaced with the B. subtilis levansucrase promoter and signal sequence was also constructed. B. subtilis carrying either the wild-type or the modified skc produces streptokinase at a comparable level. Even with WB600 as the expression host, a C-terminally-processed streptokinase was also observed. Through region-specific combinatorial mutagenesis around the C-terminal processing sites, streptokinase derivatives resistant to C-terminal degradation were engineered. One of the derivatives showed a 2.5-fold increase in specific activity and would potentially be a better thrombolytic agent.     

Secretion of the alpha-galactosidase from Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (guar) by Bacillus subtilis.

A fusion of DNA sequences encoding the SPO2 promoter, the alpha-amylase signal sequence from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and the mature part of the alpha-galactosidase from Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (guar) was constructed on a Bacillus subtilis multicopy vector. Bacillus cells of the protease-deficient strain DB104 harboring this vector produced and secreted the plant enzyme alpha-galactosidase up to levels of 1,700 U/liter. A growth medium suppressing the residual proteolytic activity of strain DB104 was used to reach these levels in a fermentor. Purification of the secreted product followed by NH2-terminal amino acid sequencing showed that the alpha-amylase signal sequence had been processed correctly. The molecular mass of the product estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was slightly lower than that of the plant purified enzyme, which is most likely due to glycosylation of the latter. The alpha-galactosidase product was active both on the artificial substrate para-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside and on the galactomannan substrate, guar gum. The activity of this Bacillus sp.-produced enzyme was similar to that of the glycosylated enzyme purified from guar seeds, indicating that glycosylation has no essential function for enzyme activity.     

Secretion of the alpha-galactosidase from Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (guar) by Bacillus subtilis

A fusion of DNA sequences encoding the SPO2 promoter, the alpha-amylase signal sequence from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and the mature part of the alpha-galactosidase from Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (guar) was constructed on a Bacillus subtilis multicopy vector. Bacillus cells of the protease-deficient strain DB104 harboring this vector produced and secreted the plant enzyme alpha-galactosidase up to levels of 1,700 U/liter. A growth medium suppressing the residual proteolytic activity of strain DB104 was used to reach these levels in a fermentor. Purification of the secreted product followed by NH2-terminal amino acid sequencing showed that the alpha-amylase signal sequence had been processed correctly. The molecular mass of the product estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was slightly lower than that of the plant purified enzyme, which is most likely due to glycosylation of the latter. The alpha-galactosidase product was active both on the artificial substrate para-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside and on the galactomannan substrate, guar gum. The activity of this Bacillus sp.-produced enzyme was similar to that of the glycosylated enzyme purified from guar seeds, indicating that glycosylation has no essential function for enzyme activity.     

The expression of the serine proteinase gene of Bacillus intermedius in Bacillus subtilis

The gene encoding for Bacillus intermedius serine proteinase was cloned and the complete nucleotide sequence was determined. Gene expression was explored in the protease-deficient strain Bacillus subtilis AJ73 during different stages of growth. Catabolite repression involved in control of proteinase expression during transition state and onset of sporulation was not efficient at the late stationary phase. Salt stress leads to induction of serine proteinase production during B. subtilis AJ73(pCS9) post-exponential growth. Expression of proteinase in B. subtilis deg-mutants may be controlled by DegU regulator. B. subtilis spo0-mutants failed to accomplish B. intermedius proteinase production. These data suggest complex network regulation of B. intermedius serine proteinase expression, including the action of spo0, degU, catabolite repression and demonstrate changes in control of enzyme biosynthesis at different stages of growth.     

Production of PHA depolymerase A (PhaZ5) from Paucimonas lemoignei in Bacillus subtilis

Purification of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase (EC 3.1.1.75) from Paucimonas lemoignei is complicated because the bacterium produces several isoenzymes which are difficult to separate from each other. The phaZ5 gene of P. lemoignei encoding extracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase A was functionally expressed from the constitutive P43 promoter of pWB980 in a multiple protease-negative mutant of Bacillus subtilis (strain WB800) and secreted to the culture medium. The depolymerase (apparent M(r), 42 kDa; 1.9 mg purified protein per liter culture) was purified from cell-free culture fluid to homogenity by applying only one chromatography step in comparison to at least two necessary steps if poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerases are purified from P. lemoignei. The recombinant depolymerase lacked any carbohydrate content in contrast to the glycosylated depolymerase of the wild-type. Glycosylation was not essential for activity but enhanced the thermal stability of the enzyme at high temperature. Overexpression of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase in B. subtilis is more efficient than in Escherichia coli.     

重组青霉素G酰化酶在枯草芽孢杆菌中的表达条件优化

 为获得巨大芽孢杆菌青霉素 G酰化酶 (PGA)的高产菌株和条件 ,构建了分泌表达 PGA的基因工程枯草杆菌菌株 ,对表达条件进行了优化 .以 LB作为初始培养基 ,考察了温度、苯乙酸、装液量、碳源对于工程菌 PGA产量的影响 .实验发现重组细胞产酶不再需要变温和苯乙酸诱导 .充足的通气量和适当浓度的淀粉可使细胞密度及 PGA表达量大为提高 .表达条件优化后 ,菌体 A60 0由 3提高到 2 0 ,PGA的表达量由 3～ 6U/ml提高到 35～ 40 U/ml,为目前生产用巨大芽孢杆菌表达量的 6倍 .     

A flow cytometry-based screening system for directed evolution of proteases

Proteases are industrially important enzymes but often have to be improved for their catalytic efficiency and stabilities to suit applications. Flow cytometry screening technology based on in vitro compartmentalization in double emulsion had been developed and applied on directed evolution of paraoxonase and β-galactosidase. Further advancements of flow cytometry-based screening technologies will enable an ultra-high throughput of variants offering novel opportunities in directed enzyme evolution under high mutational loads. For the industrially important enzyme class of proteases, a first flow cytometry-based screening system for directed protease evolution has been developed based on an extracellular protease-deficient Bacillus subtilis strain (WB800N), a model protease (subtilisin Carlsberg), and a water-in-oil-in-water double-emulsion technology. B. subtilis WB800N cells are encapsulated in double emulsion with a fluorogenic substrate (rhodamine 110-containing peptide), allowing the screening of protease variants in femtoliter compartments at high throughput. The protease screening technology was validated by employing an epPCR mutant library with a high mutational load and screened for increased resistance toward the inhibitor antipain dihydrochloride. A variant (K127R, T237P, M239I, I269V, Y310F, I372V) with an improved relative resistance was isolated from a small population of active variants, validating the reported protease flow cytometry screening technology for increased inhibitor resistance.     

Functional production and characterization of a fibrin-specific single-chain antibody fragment from Bacillus subtilis: effects of molecular chaperones and a wall-bound protease on antibody fragment production

To develop an ideal blood clot imaging and targeting agent, a single-chain antibody (SCA) fragment based on a fibrin-specific monoclonal antibody, MH-1, was constructed and produced via secretion from Bacillus subtilis. Through a systematic study involving a series of B. subtilis strains, insufficient intracellular and extracytoplasmic molecular chaperones and high sensitivity to wall-bound protease (WprA) were believed to be the major factors that lead to poor production of MH-1 SCA. Intracellular and extracytoplasmic molecular chaperones apparently act in a sequential manner. The combination of enhanced coproduction of both molecular chaperones and wprA inactivation leads to the development of an engineered B. subtilis strain, WB800HM[pEPP]. This strain allows secretory production of MH-1 SCA at a level of 10 to 15 mg/liter. In contrast, with WB700N (a seven-extracellular-protease-deficient strain) as the host, no MH-1 SCA could be detected in both secreted and cellular fractions. Secreted MH-1 SCA from WB800HM[pMH1, pEPP] could be affinity purified using a protein L matrix. It retains comparable affinity and specificity as the parental MH-1 monoclonal antibody. This expression system can potentially be applied to produce other single-chain antibody fragments, especially those with folding and protease sensitivity problems.     

Extracellular proteases modify cell wall turnover in Bacillus subtilis.

The rate of turnover of peptidoglycan in exponentially growing cultures of Bacillus subtilis was observed to be sensitive to extracellular protease. In protease-deficient mutants the rates of cell wall turnover were greater than that of wild-type strain 168, whereas hyperprotease-producing strains exhibited decreased rates of peptidoglycan turnover. The rate of peptidogylcan turnover in a protease-deficient strain was decreased when the mutant was grown in the presence of a hyperprotease-producing strain. The addition of phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, a serine protease inhibitor, to cultures of hyperprotease-producing strains increased their rates of cell wall turnover. Isolated cell walls of all protease mutants contained autolysin levels equal to or greater than that of wild-type strain 168. The presence of filaments, or cells with incomplete septa, was observed in hyperprotease-producing strains or when a protease-deficient strain was grown in the presence of subtilisin. The results suggest that the turnover of cell walls in B. subtilis may be regulated by extracellular proteases.     

Human IL-3 stimulates endothelial cell motility and promotes in vivo new vessel formation.

Angiogenesis is a critical process for growth of new capillary blood vessels from preexisting capillaries and postcapillary venules, both in physiological and pathological conditions. Endothelial cell proliferation is a major component of angiogenesis and it is regulated by several growth factors. It has been previously shown that the human hemopoietic growth factor IL-3 (hIL-3), predominantly produced by activated T lymphocytes, stimulates both endothelial cell proliferation and functional activation. In the present study, we report that hIL-3 is able to induce directional migration and tube formation of HUVEC. The in vivo neoangiogenetic effect of hIL-3 was also demonstrated in a murine model in which Matrigel was used for the delivery of the cytokine, suggesting a role of hIL-3 in sustaining neoangiogenesis. Challenge of HUVEC with hIL-3 lead to the synthesis of platelet-activating factor (PAF), which was found to act as secondary mediator for hIL-3-mediated endothelial cell motility but not for endothelial cell proliferation. Consistent with the role of STAT5 proteins in regulating IL-3-mediated mitogenic signals, we herein report that, in hIL-3-stimulated HUVEC, the recruitment of STAT5A and STAT5B, by the beta common (betac) subunit of the IL-3R, was not affected by PAF receptor blockade.     

Secretion of staphylococcal nuclease by Bacillus subtilis.

The staphylococcal nuclease (nuc) gene from Staphylococcus aureus has been cloned and expressed in Bacillus subtilis. The nuclease protein was expressed either from its own promoter and translation start signals, or from a combination of a B. subtilis promoter, ribosome binding site, and a signal peptide sequence. Greater than 80% of the active gene product was secreted into the medium, whereas, when a signal peptide sequence was absent, as little as 4% of the nuclease activity was found in the culture medium. Intracellular (or cell-bound) nuclease, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting, was shown to have the molecular weight of the predicted precursor protein with the signal peptide. Levels of nuclease reached 50 mg per liter in the culture medium, depending on the growth medium and the strain used. These findings indicate the prospective use of nuclease as a model system for studying secretion of heterologous proteins in B. subtilis.