宏基因组来源耐Mn2+、热稳定细菌漆酶的分子克隆及酶学特性

【背景】漆酶和锰过氧化物酶(Manganese peroxidase,Mnp)是木质素降解的主要酶,二者有协同效应。Mnp活性依赖于Mn~(2+),而Mn~(2+)是大多数漆酶的抑制剂。【目的】获得耐Mn~(2+)的细菌漆酶用于木质素降解。【方法】构建许昌市某污水河污泥宏基因组文库,通过活性筛选获得细菌漆酶基因lac1542。使用大肠杆菌异源表达Lac1542,研究纯化后的重组蛋白酶学性质并进一步检测了含Lac1542复合酶系降解木质素能力。【结果】测序结果显示lac1542编码一个含513个氨基酸的蛋白。以ABTS为底物Lac1542最适反应pH为4.0,在pH 3.0-6.5范围内酶活性稳定。最适反应温度是75°C,在70°C以下酶活性稳定;100 mmol/L的Mn~(2+)仍能提高酶的活性。动力学参数研究发现,该酶的最适底物顺序为:ABTS丁香醛联氮儿茶酚2,6-DMP愈创木酚。Lac1542/Mnp复合酶系对木质素降解率为47.8%,比单独使用Mnp木质素降解率(22.4%)提高25.4%。Lac1542/Mnp/灰盖鬼伞过氧化物酶(Coprinus cinereus Peroxidase,CIP)复合酶系木质素降解高达71.5%,比Mnp/CIP酶系木质素降解率(48.9%)提高22.6%,加入Lac1542后的复合酶系能明显提高木质素的降解率。【结论】Lac1542的可溶性表达、耐受高浓度Mn~(2+)、热稳定性使得Lac1542可以替代一些经典的真菌漆酶应用于制浆、造纸、纤维素乙醇生产、染料脱色等工业。     

宏基因组克隆——微生物活性物质筛选的新途径*

在现有技术条件下自然界存在的微生物95%以上未能培养,采用传统的分离培养筛选的途径寻找新的微生物生物活性物质受到局限;宏基因组是特定小生境中全部微小生物遗传物质的总和,直接抽提环境样品中的总DNA,利用适宜的载体克隆到替代宿主细胞中构建宏基因组文库,通过外源基因赋予宿主细胞的新性状或基于某些已知DNA序列筛选,寻找新的生物活性物质或基因,极大地扩展了微生物资源的利用空间,增加了获得新的生物活性物质的机会。     

Expanding functional spaces of enzymes by utilizing whole genome treasure for library construction

A huge database resulted from whole genome sequencings has provided a possibility of new information that is likely to extent the scope and thus changes the way of approach for the functional assigning of putative open reading frames annotated by whole genome sequence analyses. These are mainly realized by ease, one-step identification of putative genes using genomics or proteomics tools. A major challenge remained in biotechnology may translate these informations into better ways to screen or select a gene as a representative sequence. Further attempts to mine the related whole genes or partial DNA fragments from whole genome treasure, and then the incorporation of these sequences into a representative template, will result in the use of genetic information that can be translated into functional proteins or allowed the generation of new lineages as a valuable pool. Such screens enable rapid biochemical analysis and easy isolation of the target activity, thereby accelerating the screening of novel enzymes from the expanded library with related sequences. Information-based PCR amplification of whole genes and reconstitution of functional DNA fragments will provide a platform for expanding the functional spaces of potential enzymes, especially when used mixed- and metagenome as gene resources.     

Improved soluble expression of the gene encoding amylolytic enzyme Amo45 by fusion with the mobile-loop-region of co-chaperonin GroES in Escherichia coli

Abstract

The gene encoding the amylolytic enzyme Amo45, originating from a metagenomic project, was retrieved by a consensus primer-based approach for glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 57 enzymes. Family 57 contains mainly uncharacterized proteins similar to archaeal thermoactive amylopullulanases. For characterization of these family members soluble, active enzymes have to be produced in sufficient amounts. Heterologous expression of amo45 in E.coli resulted in low yields of protein, most of which was found in inclusion bodies. To improve protein production and to increase the amount of soluble protein, two different modifications of the gene were applied. The first was fusion to an N-terminal His-tag sequence which increased the yield of protein, but still resulted in high amounts of inclusion bodies. Co-expression with chaperones enhanced the amount of soluble protein 4-fold. An alternative modification was the attachment of a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of the mobile-loop of the co-chaperonin GroES of E.coli. This sequence improved the soluble protein production 5-fold compared to His₆-Amo45 and additional expression of chaperones was unnecessary.     

The world within: Quantifying the determinants and outcomes of a host's microbiome

The fungal, bacterial, and viral microbial communities embedded as endosymbionts within all free-living organisms are extremely diverse and encode the vast majority of genes in the biosphere. Microbes in a human, for example, account for 100 times more genes than their host; similar results are emerging for virtually all free-living organisms. Disease is the best studied host–microbe interaction, but endosymbiotic microbial populations and communities also are responsible for critical functions in their hosts including nutrient uptake (plants), reduction in inflammatory responses (animals), digestion (animals), anti-herbivore defenses (plants), and pathogen resistance. In spite of the tremendous diversity and functional importance of the microbial biome to free-living organisms, we have little predictive understanding of the biotic and abiotic factors controlling within-host microbial community composition or the spatial scales at which anthropogenic changes affect host and microbial community interactions and functions. Current research suggests that anthropogenic changes to nutrient supply and food web composition can affect biological systems at scales ranging from individuals to continents. However, while current studies are clarifying the effects of some of these drivers on the structure and functioning of ecosystems, we have far less knowledge of their effects on microbial communities residing within hosts. Given the accelerating progress in metagenome studies, we are poised to make rapid advances in understanding the determinants and effects of within-host microbial communities.     

Metagenomics and biological ontology

Metagenomics is an emerging microbial systems science that is based on the large-scale analysis of the DNA of microbial communities in their natural environments. Studies of metagenomes are revealing the vast scope of biodiversity in a wide range of environments, as well as new functional capacities of individual cells and communities, and the complex evolutionary relationships between them. Our examination of this science focuses on the ontological implications of these studies of metagenomes and metaorganisms, and what they mean for common sense and philosophical understandings of multicellularity, individuality and organism. We show how metagenomics requires us to think in different ways about what human beings are and what their relation to the microbial world is. Metagenomics could also transform the way in which evolutionary processes are understood, with the most basic relationship between cells from both similar and different organisms being far more cooperative and less antagonistic than is widely assumed. In addition to raising fundamental questions about biological ontology, metagenomics generates possibilities for powerful technologies addressed to issues of climate, health and conservation. We conclude with reflections about process-oriented versus entity-oriented analysis in light of current trends towards systems approaches.     

Cloning and identification of novel cellulase genes from uncultured microorganisms in rabbit cecum and characterization of the expressed cellulases

A metagenomic cosmid library was prepared in Escherichia coli from DNA extracted from the contents of rabbit cecum and screened for cellulase activities. Eleven independent clones expressing cellulase activities (four endo-β-1,4-glucanases and seven β-glucosidases) were isolated. Subcloning and sequencing analysis of these clones identified 11 cellulase genes; the encoded products of which shared less than 50% identities and 70% similarities to cellulases in the databases. All four endo-β-1,4-glucanases and all seven β-glucosidases, respectively, belonged to glycosyl hydrolase family 5 (GHF 5) and family 3 (GHF 3) and formed two separate branches in the phylogenetic tree. Ten of the 11 cloned cellulases exhibited highest activities at pH 5.5 ∼ 7.0 and 40 ∼ 55°C, a condition similar to that in the rabbit cecum. All the four endo-β-1,4-glucanases could hydrolyze a wide range of β-1,4-, β-1,4/β-1,3- or β-1,3/β-1,6-linked polysaccharides. One endo-β-1, 4-glucanase gene, umcel5G, was overexpressed in E. coli, and the purified recombinant enzyme was characterized in detail. The enzymes cloned in this work represented at least some of the cellulases operating efficiently in the rabbit cecum. This work provides the first snapshot on the cellulases produced by bacteria in rabbit cecum.     

Ecogenomic characterization of widespread,closely-related SAR11 clades of the freshwater genus “Candidatus Fonsibacter” and proposal of Ca. Fonsibacter lacus sp. nov

The ubiquitous alpha-proteobacteria of the order “Candidatus Pelagibacterales” (SAR11) are highly abundant in aquatic environments, and among them, members of the monophyletic lineage LD12 (also known as SAR11 clade IIIb) are specifically found in lacustrine ecosystems. Clade IIIb bacteria are some of the most prominent members of freshwater environments, but little is known about their biology due to the lack of genome representatives. Only recently, the first non-marine isolate was cultured and described as “Candidatus Fonsibacter ubiquis”. Here, we expand the collection of freshwater IIIb representatives and describe a new IIIb species of the genus “Ca. Fonsibacter”. Specifically, we assembled a collection of 67 freshwater metagenomic datasets from the interconnected lakes of the Chattahoochee River basin (GA, USA) and obtained nearly complete metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) representing 5 distinct IIIb subclades, roughly equivalent to species based on genomic standards, including the previously described “Ca. F. ubiquis”. Genomic comparisons between members of the IIIb species revealed high similarity in gene content. However, when comparing their abundance profiles in the Chattahoochee basin and various aquatic environments, differences in temporal and spatial distributions among the distinct species were observed implying niche differentiation might be underlying the coexistence of the highly functionally similar representatives. The name Ca. Fonsibacter lacus sp. nov. is proposed for the most abundant and widespread species in the Chattahoochee River basin and various freshwater ecosystems.     

Biochemical and structural features of a novel cyclodextrinase from cow rumen metagenome

A novel enzyme, RA.04, belonging to the alpha-amylase family was obtained after expression of metagenomic DNA from rumen fluid (Ferrer et al.: Environ. Microbiol. 2005, 7, 1996-2010). The purified RA.04 has a tetrameric structure (280 kDa) and exhibited maximum activity (5000 U/mg protein) at 70 degrees C and was active within an unusually broad pH range from 5.5 to 9.0. It maintained 80% activity at pH 5.0 and 9.5 and 75 degrees C. The enzyme hydrolyzed alpha-D-(1,4) bonds 13-fold faster than alpha-D-(1,6) bonds to yield maltose and glucose as the main products, and it exhibited transglycosylation activity. Its preferred substrates, in the descending order, were maltooligosaccharides (C3-C7), cyclomaltoheptaose (beta-CD), cyclomaltohexaose (alpha-CD), cyclomaltooctaose (gamma-CD), soluble starch, amylose, pullulan and amylopectin. The biochemical properties and amino acid sequence alignments suggested that this enzyme is a cyclomaltodextrinase. However, despite the similarity in the catalytic module (with Glu359 and Asp331 being the catalytic nucleophile and substrate-binding residues, respectively), the enzyme bears a shorter N-terminal domain that may keep the active site more accessible for both starch and pullulan, compared to the other known CDases. Moreover, RA.04 lacks the well-conserved N-terminal Trp responsible for the substrate preference typical of CDases/MAases/PNases, suggesting a new residue is implicated in the preference for cyclic maltooligosaccharides. This study has demonstrated the usefulness of a metagenomic approach to gain novel debranching enzymes, important for the bread/food industries, from microbial environments with a high rate of plant polymer turnover, exemplified by the cow rumen.     

Development of the SeqCode: A proposed nomenclatural code for uncultivated prokaryotes with DNA sequences as type

Over the last fifteen years, genomics has become fully integrated into prokaryotic systematics. The genomes of most type strains have been sequenced, genome sequence similarity is widely used for delineation of species, and phylogenomic methods are commonly used for classification of higher taxonomic ranks. Additionally, environmental genomics has revealed a vast diversity of as-yet-uncultivated taxa. In response to these developments, a new code of nomenclature, the Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes Described from Sequence Data (SeqCode), has been developed over the last two years to allow naming of Archaea and Bacteria using DNA sequences as the nomenclatural types. The SeqCode also allows naming of cultured organisms, including fastidious prokaryotes that cannot be deposited into culture collections. Several simplifications relative to the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP) are implemented to make nomenclature more accessible, easier to apply and more readily communicated. By simplifying nomenclature with the goal of a unified classification, inclusive of both cultured and uncultured taxa, the SeqCode will facilitate the naming of taxa in every biome on Earth, encourage the isolation and characterization of as-yet-uncultivated taxa, and promote synergies between the ecological, environmental, physiological, biochemical, and molecular biological disciplines to more fully describe prokaryotes.