Cardiolipin synthases of Escherichia coli have phospholipid class specific phospholipase D activity dependent on endogenous and foreign phospholipids

E. coli has three Cls-isoenzymes for cardiolipin (CL) synthesis but the differences between these three enzymes remain unresolved. All three Cls enzymes contain the phospholipase D (PLD) characteristic HKD motive and synthesize CL using PLD activity. Here, using LC-MS we show the effect of overexpressing or deletion of the three individual Cls enzymes on the lipidome, which included changes in lipid class distribution and CL species profiles. We demonstrate, for the first time, that overexpression of only ClsB resulted in the appreciable synthesis of a variety of phosphatidylalcohols, thereby establishing a ‘classic’ PLD activity for this enzyme: phospholipid headgroup exchange. Endogenous E. coli lipids and primary alcohols were substrates for this trans-phosphatidylation reaction. Furthermore, we show that endogenous levels of ClsA mediated a similar trans-phosphatidylation reaction to form phosphatidylalcohols, however this reaction was dependent on the presence of the foreign phospholipid class phosphatidylcholine (PC). This allows us to clarify the different specificities of the cardiolipin synthases.     

A multifaceted approach to identify non-specific enzyme inhibition: Application to Mycobacterium tuberculosis shikimate kinase

Single dose high-throughput screening (HTS) followed by dose-response evaluations is a common strategy for the identification of initial hits for further development. Early identification and exclusion of false positives is a cost-saving and essential step in early drug discovery. One of the mechanisms of false positive compounds is the formation of aggregates in assays. This study evaluates the mechanism(s) of inhibition of a set of 14 compounds identified previously as actives in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mt) cell culture screening and in vitro actives in Mt shikimate kinase (MtSK) assay. Aggregation of hit compounds was characterized using multiple experimental methods, LC-MS, ¹HNMR, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and visual inspection after centrifugation for orthogonal confirmation. Our results suggest that the investigated compounds containing oxadiazole-amide and aminobenzothiazole moieties are false positive hits and non-specific inhibitors of MtSK through aggregate formation.     

LC-MS/MS测定小鼠血浆中多靶点抗AD bis-MEP-乙二酰胺杂合物ZLA浓度及药动学研究

目的:建立检测小鼠血浆内新型多靶点抗阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)药物双美普他酚-乙二酰胺杂合物(ZLA)浓度的高效液相色谱-质谱联用法(LC-MS/MS),并研究其在小鼠体内的药代动力学。方法:样品经甲醇沉淀去蛋白,应用Waters Xbridge C18色谱柱(2.1×100 mm,3.5μm),以甲醇-水(含5 m M甲酸铵,p H 9.8)(85:15,v/v)为流动相,流速0.25 m L/min;采用电喷雾(ESI)离子源,选择正离子模式多反应监测,待测物分别为m/z 304.3→107.0(ZLA)和m/z 621.7→232.1(内标)。分别给予KM小鼠腹腔和尾静脉注射ZLA 5mg/kg,不同时间点采集血浆用于ZLA定量分析。结果:ZLA和内标保留时间分别为3.2 min和2.5 min。血浆中ZLA线性范围为1-1000 ng/m L。血浆中提取回收率超过91%,日内和日间精密度RSD均小于6%。药动学研究结果显示,腹腔注射时ZLA可快速分布到血浆中,在10.2 min达到峰值,且能达到良好的生物利用度(47.6%)。结论:本研究建立的ZLA血药浓度测定方法快速、灵敏,特异性好,并成功应用于小鼠血浆中ZLA的药代动力学研究。本研究资料将为ZLA在AD治疗中的进一步临床前评估提供依据。     

里氏木霉纤维二糖水解酶Ⅱ在毕赤酵母中的高效表达

本工作采用巴氏毕赤酵母Pichiapastoris表达系统进行了里氏木霉Trichodermareesei纤维二糖水解酶Ⅱ(CellobiohydrolaseII)的表达。用RT-PCR的方法从经稻草粉诱导的里氏木霉培养物中分离出纤维二糖水解酶Ⅱ的基因,将其插入到巴氏毕赤酵母的表达载体pPICZαA中,并使之处于α-因子信号肽序列的下游,得到重组质粒pPICZαA-cbh2。通过电穿孔的方法用线性化的pPICZαA-cbh2转化巴氏毕赤酵母GS115菌株,经过大量筛选后得到可以高效表达纤维二糖水解酶的毕赤酵母菌株P.pastorisCBHⅡ1。在甲醇诱导的条件下培养P.pastorisCBHⅡ1,培养液中的CMC活性可达到3.82U/mL,SDS-PAGE分析结果表明纤维二糖水解酶在P.pastorisCBHⅡ1中的表达量远远高于里氏木霉。对表达产物进行了LC-MS分析,结果表明所表达的蛋白为里氏木霉的纤维二糖水解酶。     

药用真菌粗毛纤孔菌的分子甄别及其发酵液抗乳腺癌活性研究

从分子水平上探究粗毛纤孔菌与桑黄孔菌属菌株的差异,同时以人乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞筛选粗毛纤孔菌深层发酵液抗乳腺癌活性部位,并对其成分进行初步分析。基于rDNA ITS序列分子系统发育树和拆分网络（splits network）分析研究粗毛纤孔菌与桑黄孔菌属菌株的差异;采用MTT法检测发酵液不同提取物抗乳腺癌活性;通过细胞形态观察进一步了解活性提取物对细胞生长的影响;采用LC-MS/MS对活性提取物的成分进行分析。系统发育树表明粗毛纤孔菌与桑黄孔菌属菌株存在一定的遗传差异,粗毛纤孔菌GC含量较桑黄孔菌属菌株低,同时拆分网络分析法能更好地区分粗毛纤孔菌与桑黄;粗毛纤孔菌深层发酵液正丁醇提取物对MDA-MB-231细胞生长的抑制作用最强且呈量效和时效关系（ P<0.05）,作用24h的IC₅₀值为245.44μg/mL;细胞形态观察显示正丁醇提取物浓度在250μg/mL时,对MDA-MB-231细胞的凋亡作用随着时间的延长而加强;LC-MS/MS检测到正丁醇萃取部分的物质有2个,这2个物质均首次在粗毛纤孔菌中鉴定得到。结果表明,拆分网络分析法可较好地用于粗毛纤孔菌与桑黄孔菌属菌株的分子甄别,正丁醇提取物是粗毛纤孔菌深层发酵液抗乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞的主要活性部位,为进一步开发利用粗毛纤孔菌药用资源提供科学依据。     

Recombinant expression and characterization of Lucilia cuprina CYP6G3: Activity and binding properties toward multiple pesticides

The Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, is a primary cause of sheep flystrike and a major agricultural pest. Cytochrome P450 enzymes have been implicated in the resistance of L. cuprina to several classes of insecticides. In particular, CYP6G3 is a L. cuprina homologue of Drosophila melanogaster CYP6G1, a P450 known to confer multi-pesticide resistance. To investigate the basis of resistance, a bicistronic Escherichia coli expression system was developed to co-express active L. cuprina CYP6G3 and house fly (Musca domestica) P450 reductase. Recombinant CYP6G3 showed activity towards the high-throughput screening substrates, 7-ethoxycoumarin and p-nitroanisole, but not towards p-nitrophenol, coumarin, 7-benzyloxyresorufin, or seven different luciferin derivatives (P450-Glo™ substrates). The addition of house fly cytochrome b₅ enhanced the k_cat for p-nitroanisole dealkylation approximately two fold (17.8 ± 0.5 vs 9.6 ± 0.2 min⁻¹) with little effect on K_M (13 ± 1 vs 10 ± 1 μM). Inhibition studies and difference spectroscopy revealed that the organochlorine compounds, DDT and endosulfan, and the organophosphate pesticides, malathion and chlorfenvinphos, bind to the active site of CYP6G3. All four pesticides showed type I binding spectra with spectral dissociation constants in the micromolar range suggesting that they may be substrates of CYP6G3. While no significant inhibition was seen with the organophosphate, diazinon, or the neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, diazinon showed weak binding in spectral assays, with a Kd value of 23 ± 3 μM CYP6G3 metabolised diazinon to the diazoxon and hydroxydiazinon metabolites and imidacloprid to the 5-hydroxy and olefin metabolites, consistent with a proposed role of CYP6G enzymes in metabolism of phosphorothioate and neonicotinoid insecticides in other species.     

Proteomic analysis of physiological function response to hot summer in liver from lactating dairy cows

Lactation performance of dairy cattle is susceptible to heat stress. The liver is one of the most crucial organs affected by high temperature in dairy cows. However, the physiological adaption by the liver to hot summer conditions has not been well elucidated in lactating dairy cows. In the present study, proteomic analysis of the liver in dairy cows in spring and hot summer was performed using a label-free method. In total, 127 differentially expressed proteins were identified; most of the upregulated proteins were involved in protein metabolic processes and responses to stimuli, whereas most of the downregulated proteins were related to oxidation–reduction. Pathway analysis indicated that 3 upregulated heat stress proteins (HSP90α, HSP90β, and endoplasmin) were enriched in the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, whereas several downregulated NADH dehydrogenase proteins were involved in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. The protein–protein interaction network indicated that several upregulated HSPs (HSP90α, HSP90β, and GRP78) were involved in more interactions than other proteins and were thus considered as central hub nodes. Our findings provide novel insights into the physiological adaption of liver function in lactating dairy cows to natural high temperature.     

Gaussian and linear deconvolution of LC-MS/MS chromatograms of the eight aminobutyric acid isomers

Isomeric molecules present a challenge for analytical resolution and quantification, even with MS-based detection. The eight aminobutyric acid (ABA) isomers are of interest for their various biological activities, particularly γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the d- and l-isomers of β-aminoisobutyric acid (β-AIBA; BAIBA). This study aimed to investigate LC-MS/MS-based resolution of these ABA isomers as their Marfey's (Mar) reagent derivatives. HPLC was able to separate three Mar-ABA isomers l-β-ABA (l-BABA), and l- and d-α-ABA (AABA) completely, with three isomers (GABA, and d/l-BAIBA) in one chromatographic cluster, and two isomers (α-AIBA (AAIBA) and d-BABA) in a second cluster. Partially separated cluster components were deconvoluted using Gaussian peak fitting except for GABA and d-BAIBA. MS/MS detection of Marfey's derivatized ABA isomers provided six MS/MS fragments, with substantially different intensity profiles between structural isomers. This allowed linear deconvolution of ABA isomer peaks. Combining HPLC separation with linear and Gaussian deconvolution allowed resolution of all eight ABA isomers. Application to human serum found a substantial level of l-AABA (13 μM), an intermediate level of l-BAIBA (0.8 μM), and low but detectable levels (<0.2 μM) of GABA, l-BABA, AAIBA, d-BAIBA, and d-AABA. This approach should be useful for LC-MS/MS deconvolution of other challenging groups of isomeric molecules.     

Subunit mass analysis for monitoring antibody oxidation

Methionine oxidation is a common posttranslational modification (PTM) of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Oxidation can reduce the in-vivo half-life, efficacy and stability of the product. Peptide mapping is commonly used to monitor the levels of oxidation, but this is a relatively time-consuming method. A high-throughput, automated subunit mass analysis method was developed to monitor antibody methionine oxidation. In this method, samples were treated with IdeS, EndoS and dithiothreitol to generate three individual IgG subunits (light chain, Fd’ and single chain Fc). These subunits were analyzed by reversed phase-ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with an online quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer and the levels of oxidation on each subunit were quantitated based on the deconvoluted mass spectra using the UNIFI software. The oxidation results obtained by subunit mass analysis correlated well with the results obtained by peptide mapping. Method qualification demonstrated that this subunit method had excellent repeatability and intermediate precision. In addition, UNIFI software used in this application allows automated data acquisition and processing, which makes this method suitable for high-throughput process monitoring and product characterization. Finally, subunit mass analysis revealed the different patterns of Fc methionine oxidation induced by chemical and photo stress, which makes it attractive for investigating the root cause of oxidation.