In vivo and in vitro complementation study comparing the function of DnaK chaperone systems from halophilic lactic acid bacterium Tetragenococcus halophilus and Escherichia coli

In this study, we characterized the DnaK chaperone system from Tetragenococcus halophilus, a halophilic lactic acid bacterium. An in vivo complementation test showed that under heat stress conditions, T. halophilus DnaK did not rescue the growth of the Escherichia coli dnaK deletion mutant, whereas T. halophilus DnaJ and GrpE complemented the corresponding mutations of E. coli. Purified T. halophilus DnaK showed intrinsic weak ATPase activity and holding chaperone activity in vitro, but T. halophilus DnaK did not cooperate with the purified DnaJ and GrpE from either T. halophilus or E. coli in ATP hydrolysis or luciferase-refolding reactions under the conditions tested. E. coli DnaK, however, cross-reacted with those from both bacteria. This difference in the cooperation with DnaJ and GrpE appears to result in an inability of T. halophilus DnaK to replace the in vivo function of the DnaK chaperone of E. coli.     

The groESL operon of the halophilic lactic acid bacterium Tetragenococcus halophila

The groESL operon of the halophilic lactic acid bacterium Tetragenococcus halophila was cloned by a PCR-based method. The molecular masses of GroES and GroEL proteins were calculated to be 10,153 and 56,893 Da, respectively. The amount of groESL mRNA was increased 3.8-fold by heat shock (45 degrees C), and 4-fold by high NaCl (3-4 M). The Bacillus subtilis sigmaA-like constitutive promoter existed in front of groES, and was used under both normal and stress (heat shock and high salinity) conditions.     

Purification and properties of a histidine decarboxylase from Tetragenococcus muriaticus,a halophilic lactic acid bacterium

AIMS: A histidine decarboxylase from Tetragenococcus muriaticus, a halophilic histamine-producing bacterium isolated from Japanese fermented squid liver sauce, was purified to homogeneity, for the first time. METHODS AND RESULTS: The enzyme was purified 16-fold from cell-free extract by ammonium sulphate precipitation, anion exchange chromatography and hydroxyapatite chromatography. The pure enzyme consisted of two polypeptide chains with molecular mass of 28.8 and 13.4 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of these polypeptides highly correlated with those of the alpha- and beta-chains of other Gram-positive bacterial histidine decarboxylases. The optimum and stable pH for the enzyme was 4.5-7.0 and 4.0-7.0, respectively. This enzyme did not decarboxylate lysine, arginine, tyrosine, tryptophan and ornithine. The enzyme activity decreased with the addition of NaCl. At pH 4.8, the Vmax and Km values were 16.8 micromol histamine min-1 mg-1 and 0.74 mmol l-1, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The very similar physiological properties of this enzyme and almost identical N-terminal amino acid sequences to those from other Gram-positive bacteria indicated that this enzyme may be evolutionally highly conserved among Gram-positive bacteria. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Information on this enzyme could be useful for studying the mechanism of histamine accumulation in salted foods. In addition, the N-terminal amino acid sequence can be utilized to design oligonucleotide probes, which may prove valuable in the rapid monitoring of halophilic histamine producers in salted products.     

Survival strategy of the salt-tolerant lactic acid bacterium,Tetragenococcus halophilus,to counteract koji mold,Aspergillus oryzae,in soy sauce brewing

In soy sauce brewing, the results of the fermentation of lactic acid greatly affect the quality of soy sauce. The soy sauce moromi produced with Aspergillus oryzae RIB40 allows the growth of Tetragenococcus halophilus NBRC 12172 but not T. halophilus D10. We isolated and identified heptelidic acid (HA), an inhibitor of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), produced by A. oryzae RIB40 as the growth inhibitor of the salt-tolerant lactic acid bacteria. The growth inhibition of T. halophilus D10 by HA was suggested to be associated with the direct inhibition of GAPDH activity under high salt environment. The difference in the susceptibility to HA among various strains of T. halophilus was caused by the mutations in the gene encoding GAPDH.     

pUCL287 plasmid from Tetragenococcus halophila (Pediococcus halophilus) ATCC 33315 represents a new theta-type replicon family of lactic acid bacteria

Abstract A cryptic plasmid, pUCL287, was isolated from Tetragenococcus halophila (Pediococcus halophilus) ATCC 33315. It had a theta-type mechanism of replication in its natural host. Its minimal replicon, Rep 281, was isolated on a 1.6-kb Eco RI fragment. The Rep 287 host range included the genera Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc but not genus Lactococcus . Plasmids hybridizing to pUCL287 are rare among lactic acid bacteria. As assessed by hybridization, Rep2Sl is dissimilar to pAMβ1, pIP50l and pUCL22, representatives of the most common theta-type replicon groups in Gram-positive bacteria. Therefore, pUCL287 appears to represent a new theta-type replicon family from lactic acid bacteria.     

Biochemical and molecular characterization of the biosynthesis of glutamine and glutamate, two major compatible solutes in the moderately halophilic bacterium Halobacillus halophilus

The moderately halophilic, chloride-dependent bacterium Halobacillus halophilus produces glutamate and glutamine as main compatible solutes at external salinities of 1.0 to 1.5 M NaCl. The routes for the biosynthesis of these solutes and their regulation were examined. The genome contains two genes potentially encoding glutamate dehydrogenases and two genes for the small subunit of a glutamate synthase, but only one gene for the large subunit. However, the expression of these genes was not salt dependent, nor were the corresponding enzymatic activities detectable in cell extracts of cells grown at different salinities. In contrast, glutamine synthetase activity was readily detectable in H. halophilus. Induction of glutamine synthetase activity was strictly salt dependent and reached a maximum at 3.0 M NaCl; chloride stimulated the production of active enzyme by about 300%. Two potential genes encoding a glutamine synthetase, glnA1 and glnA2, were identified. The expression of glnA2 but not of glnA1 was increased up to fourfold in cells adapted to high salt, indicating that GlnA2 is the glutamine synthetase involved in the synthesis of the solutes glutamate and glutamine. Furthermore, expression of glnA2 was stimulated twofold by the presence of chloride ions. Chloride exerted an even more pronounced effect on the enzymatic activity of preformed enzyme: in the absence of chloride in the assay buffer, glutamine synthetase activity was decreased by as much as 90%. These data demonstrate for the first time a regulatory role of a component of common salt, chloride, in the biosynthesis of compatible solutes.     

Growth, maintenance and fermentation pattern of the salt-tolerant lactic acid bacterium Tetragenococcus halophila in anaerobic glucose limited retention cultures

The homofermentative lactic acid bacterium Tetragenococcus halophila showed mixed acid fermentation at low growth-rates under glucose limiting conditions and in the presence of 10% NaCl. Maximum growth yields in fermentors with cell retention were not affected by pH, but maintenance requirement was at pH 5.2 four times higher than at pH 7.0. Despite the high salt-concentration of the medium, maintenance requirements were low compared to other lactic acid bacteria. The possible causes of the observed differences in maintenance requirements are discussed.     

Roles of individual domains and conserved motifs of the AAA+ chaperone ClpB in oligomerization,ATP hydrolysis,and chaperone activity

ClpB of Escherichia coli is an ATP-dependent ring-forming chaperone that mediates the resolubilization of aggregated proteins in cooperation with the DnaK chaperone system. ClpB belongs to the Hsp100/Clp subfamily of AAA+ proteins and is composed of an N-terminal domain and two AAA-domains that are separated by a "linker" region. Here we present a detailed structure-function analysis of ClpB, dissecting the individual roles of ClpB domains and conserved motifs in oligomerization, ATP hydrolysis, and chaperone activity. Our results show that ClpB oligomerization is strictly dependent on the presence of the C-terminal domain of the second AAA-domain, while ATP binding to the first AAA-domains stabilized the ClpB oligomer. Analysis of mutants of conserved residues in Walker A and B and sensor 2 motifs revealed that both AAA-domains contribute to the basal ATPase activity of ClpB and communicate in a complex manner. Chaperone activity strictly depends on ClpB oligomerization and the presence of a residual ATPase activity. The N-domain is dispensable for oligomerization and for the disaggregating activity in vitro and in vivo. In contrast the presence of the linker region, although not involved in oligomerization, is essential for ClpB chaperone activity.     

Identification of trehalose and glycine betaine as compatible solutes in the moderately halophilic sulfate reducing bacterium, Desulfovibrio halophilus

Abstract A gene ( ERG11 ) encoding cytochrome P450 sterol 14α-demethylase (P450_14DM) was isolated from the maize pathogen, Ustilago maydis , by amplifying part of the coding region of the gene using PCR and by employing the amplified DNA fragment as a hybridization probe to recover the complete gene from an U. maydis λEMBL3 genomic library. The deduced amino acid sequence of the U. maydis gene showed homology to P450_14DMs from other organisms and contained specific motifs which were hallmarks of P450s. Expression of the gene in an U. maydis mutant (A20) deficient in P450_14DM led to only a partial restoration of P450_14DM activity. Accumulation of ergosta-7,22-dienol and ergost-7-enol in A20 transformants containing the ERG11 gene implied that an additional mutation affecting sterol Δ ^5,6-desaturase activity accompanied the P450_14DM lesion.     

Isolation and characterization of a novel lactic acid bacterium for the production of lactic acid

We isolated a novel lactic acid bacterium from a Korean traditional fermented food, soybean paste. The newly isolated strain, dubbed RKY2, grew well on glucose, sucrose, galactose, and fructose, but it could not utilize xylose, starch, or glycerol. When the partially amplified 16S rDNA sequence (772 bp) of the strain RKY2 was compared with 10 reference strains, it was found to be most similar toLactobacillus pentosus JCM 1588^T, with 99.74% similarity. Therefore, the strain RKY2 was renamedLactobacillus sp. RKY2, which has been deposited in the Korean Collection for Type Cultures as KCTC 10353BP.Lactobacillus sp. RKY2 was found to be a homofermentative lactic acid bacterium, because its end-product from glucose metabolism was found to be mainly lactic acid. It could produce more than 90 g/L of lactic acid from MRS medium supplemented with 100 g/L of glucose, with 5.2 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹ of productivity and 0.95 g/g of lactic acid yield.     

Structural and functional relationship of ATP synthases (F1F0) from Escherichia coli and the thermophilic bacterium PS3

Functional compatibility between the F1 and F0 parts of ATP synthases from Escherichia coli (EF1F0) and the thermophilic bacterium PS3 (TF1F0) was analyzed. F1-stripped everted membrane vesicles from both organisms bound the homologous or heterologous F1 part to the same extent. Titration of the reconstituted membrane vesicles with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide revealed a similar sensitivity of the homologous and hybrid F1F0 complexes towards the inhibitor. Furthermore, the heterologous enzymes exhibited ATP-dependent H+ translocation comparable to that of homologous F1F0. Antisera raised against EF1 or subunits a, b, and c of EF0 were analyzed for cross-reactivity with TF1 and TF0. Common antigenic sites have been detected with immunoblot analysis for subunit beta and subunit c of EF1F0 and the corresponding subunits from TF1F0. A weak binding of the anti-a and anti-b antisera with the TF0 part has been observed in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Based on these findings the structural and functional relationship between the mesophilic and thermophilic ATP synthase complexes is discussed.     

Cloning and functional analysis of molecular chaperone genes from Bacillus stearothermophilus SIC1

Genes homologous to groES and groEL, which are recognized as molecular chaperone genes, from Bacillus stearothermophilus SIC1 were cloned and sequenced. By addition of GroES, GroEL and ATP in vitro, remaning activity of the alcohol dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae after heat treatment at 50°C for 6 min was improved from 55% to 90%. Furthermore, even though inclusion bodies were formed when a single chain Fv(sFv) was expressed in E. coli cells, during in vivo coexpression with molecular chaperone, a significant amount of the antibody protein could be recovered from the soluble fraction.     

Efficient conversion of lactic acid to butanol with pH-stat continuous lactic acid and glucose feeding method by Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum

In order to achieve high butanol production by Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4, the effect of lactic acid on acetone–butanol–ethanol fermentation and several fed-batch cultures in which lactic acid is fed have been investigated. When a medium containing 20 g/l glucose was supplemented with 5 g/l of closely racemic lactic acid, both the concentration and yield of butanol increased; however, supplementation with more than 10 g/l lactic acid did not increase the butanol concentration. It was found that when fed a mixture of lactic acid and glucose, the final concentration of butanol produced by a fed-batch culture was greater than that produced by a batch culture. In addition, a pH-controlled fed-batch culture resulted in not only acceleration of lactic acid consumption but also a further increase in butanol production. Finally, we obtained 15.5 g/l butanol at a production rate of 1.76 g/l/h using a fed-batch culture with a pH-stat continuous lactic acid and glucose feeding method. To confirm whether lactic acid was converted to butanol by the N1-4 strain, we performed gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis of butanol produced by a batch culture during fermentation in a medium containing [1,2,3-¹³C₃] lactic acid as the initial substrate. The results of the GC-MS analysis confirmed the bioconversion of lactic acid to butanol.     

Ribosomal complexes from an extremely halophilic bacterium and the role of cations

Concentrated extracts of Halobacterium cutirubrum were prepared at 0 C by gently disrupting cells with a nonionic detergent in a medium containing 3.0 m KCl, 0.5 m NH(4)Cl, and 0.04 m (or more) magnesium acetate and then treating the gelatinous mass with deoxyribonuclease. On KCl-sucrose gradients containing 0.5 m NH(4)Cl and 0.04 m magnesium acetate, these extracts showed 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits plus a flat profile of faster-sedimenting material up to high S values. Only after frozen storage or brief incubation of the extract were 70S ribosomes and distinct classes of small polyribosomes detected. Digestion with ribonuclease converted faster-sedimenting material to 70S particles. The presence of chloramphenicol during preparation of the extracts did not affect these results. The evidence suggests that ribosomal particles exist in these cells as subunits or as polyribosomes but not as 70S ribosomes. To investigate the function of Mg(++) and NH(4) (+) ions in ribosomal complexes from this halophile, concentrated cell extracts and extracts incubated with (14)C-leucine were examined on KCl-sucrose gradients containing different concentrations of these ions. Polyribosomes and the bulk of 70S ribosomes dissociated reversibly to subunits at about 0.01 m Mg(++), whereas a small fraction of the 70S particles, including those which in vitro incorporated (14)C-leucine into nascent protein, dissociated only below 1 mm Mg(++). Below this concentration of Mg(++), nascent protein remained attached to the 50S subunit even at 0.04 mm Mg(++) in the presence of 0.35 to 0.5 m NH(4)Cl. Nascent protein, presumably as peptidyl-transfer ribonucleic acid, dissociated reversibly from 50S subunits only at 0.04 mm Mg(++) and 0.1 m or less NH(4) (+). Thus, the stability of polyribosomes from H. cutirubrum depends specifically on both Mg(++) and NH(4) (+) ions.     

浆水中降胆固醇乳酸菌的筛选及其功能特性

摘要:【目的】获取高降胆固醇菌种并明确其功能特性。【方法】以浆水为实验材料,利用高降胆固醇培养基筛选出降胆固醇的乳酸菌,并研究高降胆固醇菌株的耐酸、耐盐等功能特性,而后采用生理生化特性鉴定和16S rDNA分子生物学鉴定结合的方法鉴定高降胆固醇菌株的种属。【结果】所分离的乳酸菌都有一定的降胆固醇能力,其中有4株菌对培养物中胆固醇的降解率大于75%,经鉴定发现有乳酸乳球菌乳亚种(Lactococcus lactis subsp． lactis)1株,乳酪短杆菌(Brevibacterium casei)2株,棉籽糖乳球菌(Lactococcus raffinolactis)1株。【结论】从浆水中筛选出4 株高降胆固醇乳酸菌,且其功能性质良好,有进一步开发利用价值。     

Production and purification of a novel exopolysaccharide from lactic acid bacterium Streptococcus phocae PI80 and its functional characteristics activity in vitro

Optimum culture conditions which ease the synthesis of a novel exopolysaccharide (EPS) from a potent marine strain Streptococcus phocae was proposed in this study. The strain grows well at 35 °C, pH 7.0 and NaCl (2%) with lactose and yeast extract as best carbon and nitrogen sources. The maximum yield of EPS (11.75 and 12.14 g/L) was obtained in the presence of lactose and yeast extract at a concentration of 20 g/L respectively. EPS was refined by gel filtration chromatography using phenyl Sepharose column which revealed the presence of arabinose, fructose and galactose sugar units with molecular mass about 2.8 × 10⁵ Da. Emulsifying and flocculating stability of EPS compared with three commercial hydrocolloids. EPS exhibited better activities which are similar to that of commercial hydrocolloids. Both crude and purified EPS exhibited strong antioxidant potential by quenching hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals. Antibiofilm activity by inhibition of Gram positive and Gram negative biofilm forming bacteria was evident in our studies. Potential antioxidant activity and biofilm inhibiting property of EPS may lead to the development of novel food grade adjuncts.     

Nisin formation by immobilized cells of the lactic acid bacterium, Streptococcus lactis]

The problem of microbial cell immobilization at present attracts the ever increasing attention of the scientists, since such organisms may be the source of various enzymes. Production of nizin by the immobilized cells of Str. lactis was studied. It was found that the cells of Str. lactis incorporated into polyacrylamide gel produced nizit on definite media. Still, the amount of the antibiotic was 2-3 times lower than in case of using free cells. The effect of a number of factors on the process of immobilization was studied and the influence of some factors, such as temperature, pH, aeration on nizin synthesis by the immobilized cells of the streptococcus was elucidated. Optimal conditions for nizin biosynthesis by the immobilized cells of Str. lactis were developed.