地中海拟无枝酸杆菌甲基丙二酰CoA变位酶和消旋酶的纯化及性质

采用原生质体裂解方法确定甲基丙二酰CoA变位酶(MCM)和消旋酶(MCR)均是胞浆内酶。各经过四步纯化得到电泳纯酶。纯化MCM酶的比活力为12.84u/mg,纯化倍数为528,酶活回收为60％,纯化的MCM酶服从典型的米氏底物饱和曲线,对琥珀酰CoA和辅酶B_(12)的K_m值分别为9.723#mol/L和0.1277#mol/L。经SephadexG-150测定MCM分子量约为134.000±2000,SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳显示两条分子量分别为67000和65000的蛋白带,说明该酶由两个大小不等亚基组成。吸收光谱测定每摩尔纯化全酶含两摩尔辅酶B_(12)。纯化MCR酶比活力为2.305u/mg,纯化倍数96,酶活回收46.7％。MCR酶由两个分子量均为17500的亚基组成。MCR酶活性能被二价金属离子Cu²⁺、Co²⁺、Mg²⁺、Mn²⁺和Fe²⁺所促进。两酶的酶学性质和其他生物来源的MCM、MCR酶明显相似。     

Regulation of L-alanine-initiated germination ofBacillus subtilis spores by alanine racemase

Summary Germination ofBacillus subtilis spores was initiated by L-Ala and competitively inhibited by D-Ala, suggesting the presence of an alanine receptor. The spores showed alanine racemase activity in the spore coat. To investigate the role of alanine racemase (L D) on germination, net racemase activity was determined using diphenylamine as a germination inhibitor and germination was measured using D-penicillamine as a racemase inhibitor. Apparent affinity of L-Ala to the germinant receptor was more than 1000 times higher than that to the racemase. Germination increased in the presence of D-penicillamine, when the concentration of L-Ala was low and that of spores was high. Racemase activity was optimal at 65°C at pH 9.0 and germination at 43°C at pH 7.2. Under unfavorable growth conditions such as high population of spores in limited nutrients, high temperature and high pH, spore alanine racemase converted the germinant actively to the inhibitor and this conversion may regulate germination for survival of the population.     

The presence of two serine racemases in Streptomyces garyphalus,a d-cycloserine producer

Two serine racemases (I and II) were isolated from Streptomyces garyphalus. Serine racemase I (molecular weight 93,000) was purified to a single band in an analytical electrofocusing system. Serine racemase II (molecular weight 73,000) was partially purified. Both enzymes used pyridoxal-5-phosphate as cofactor. Besides serine the enzymes utilized alanine as substrate but no other amino acid tested. The K _m values of l-alanine and l-serine for enzyme I were 111 mM and 35 mM respectively. Enzyme I was not inhibited by d-cycloserine but by hydroxylamine. Both substances inhibited enzyme II. The serine racemases may be involved in the biosynthesis of d-cycloserine in S. garyphalus.     

In silico and pharmacological screenings identify novel serine racemase inhibitors

d-Serine is a coagonist of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor and its biosynthesis is catalyzed by serine racemase (SR). The overactivation of the NMDA receptor has been implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, strokes, and epileptic seizures, thus, the inhibitors of SR have potential against these pathological states. Here, we have developed novel inhibitors of SR by in silico screening and in vitro enzyme assay. The newly developed inhibitors have lower IC₅₀ value comparing with that of malonate, one of the standard SR inhibitor. The structural features of novel inhibitors suggest the importance of central amide structure having a phenoxy substituent in their structure for the SR inhibitory activity. The present findings suggest the importance and rational development of new drugs for diseases of NMDAR overactivation.     

Decreased levels of free d-aspartic acid in the forebrain of serine racemase (Srr) knock-out mice

d-Serine, an endogenous co-agonist of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is synthesized from l-serine by serine racemase (SRR). A previous study of Srr knockout (Srr-KO) mice showed that levels of d-serine in forebrain regions, such as frontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum, but not cerebellum, of mutant mice are significantly lower than those of wild-type (WT) mice, suggesting that SRR is responsible for d-serine production in the forebrain. In this study, we attempted to determine whether SRR affects the level of other amino acids in brain tissue. We found that tissue levels of d-aspartic acid in the forebrains (frontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum) of Srr-KO mice were significantly lower than in WT mice, whereas levels of d-aspartic acid in the cerebellum were not altered. Levels of d-alanine, l-alanine, l-aspartic acid, taurine, asparagine, arginine, threonine, γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) and methionine, remained the same in frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum and cerebellum of WT and mutant mice. Furthermore, no differences in d-aspartate oxidase (DDO) activity were detected in the forebrains of WT and Srr-KO mice. These results suggest that SRR and/or d-serine may be involved in the production of d-aspartic acid in mouse forebrains, although further detailed studies will be necessary to confirm this finding.     

Molecular Cloning and Expression of the hyu Genes from Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ 3912, Responsible for the Conversion of 5-Substituted Hydantoins to α-Amino Acids,in Escherichia coli

A DNA fragment from Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ 3912, containing the genes responsible for the conversion of 5-substituted-hydantoins to α-amino acids, was cloned in Escherichia coli and sequenced. Seven open reading frames (hyuP, hyuA, hyuH, hyuC, ORF1, ORF2, and ORF3) were identified on the 7.5 kb fragment. The deduced amino acid sequence encoded by the hyuA gene included the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the hydantoin racemase from M. liquefaciens AJ 3912. The hyuA, hyuH, and hyuC genes were heterologously expressed in E. coli; their presence corresponded with the detection of hydantoin racemase, hydantoinase, and N-carbamoyl α-amino acid amido hydrolase enzymatic activities respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences of hyuP were similar to those of the allantoin (5-ureido-hydantoin) permease from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, suggesting that hyuP protein might function as a hydantoin transporter.     

不同D/L单体比γ-聚谷氨酸的合成与调控

γ-聚谷氨酸(γ-PGA)是由L-谷氨酸和/或D-谷氨酸聚合而成的一种聚氨基酸,广泛应用于化妆品、医药等领域.高聚物单体的立体构型会影响产品性质和应用,因此调控γ-PGA中D-谷氨酸/L-谷氨酸单体比(D/L单体比)具有重要意义.前期以谷氨酸棒杆菌为底盘,表达来自于地衣芽孢杆菌的γ-PGA合成酶,合成以L-Glu(97...     

Knockout of the alanine racemase gene in Lactobacillus plantarum results in septation defects and cell wall perforation

A stable mutant of Lactobacillus plantarum deficient in alanine racemase (Alr) was constructed by two successive homologous recombination steps. When the mutant was supplemented with D-alanine, growth and viability were unaffected. Surprisingly, deprivation of d-alanine during exponential growth did not result in a rapid and extensive lysis as observed in Alr-deficient strains of Escherichia coli or Bacillus subtilis. Rather, the starved mutant cells underwent a growth arrest and were gradually affected in viability with a decrease in colony forming units over 99% in less than 24 h. Additionally, fluorescent techniques demonstrated a loss of cell envelope integrity in the starved cells. Prolonged d-alanine starvation resulted in cells with an aberrant morphology. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed an increase in cell length, deficiencies in septum formation, thinning of the cell envelope and perforation of the cell wall in the septum region. We discuss the involvement of peptidoglycan hydrolases in these phenotypic defects in the context of the crucial role played by D-alanine in peptidoglycan biosynthesis and teichoic acids substitution.     

Purification and properties of alanine racemase from crayfish Procambarus clarkii

Fresh water crayfish Procambarus clarkii is known to accumulate d-alanine remarkably in muscle after seawater acclimation, accompanied by an increase in alanine racemase activity. We have purified alanine racemase from crayfish muscle to homogeneity. The enzyme is a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 58 kDa. It is highly specific to alanine and does not racemize l-serine, l-aspartate, l-glutamate, l-valine and l-arginine. The enzyme shows the highest activity at pH 9.0 in the conversion of l- to d-alanine and at pH 8.5 in the reverse conversion. Properties such as amino acid sequence, quaternary structure, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependency, pH-dependency and kinetic parameters seem to be distinct from those of the microbial alanine racemases. Various salts including NaCl at concentrations around seawater level were potently inhibitory for the activity in both of l- to -d and d- to -l direction.     

Synthesis of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">dl</Emphasis>-tryptophan by modified broad specificity amino acid racemase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas putida</Emphasis> IFO 12996

Broad specificity amino acid racemase (E.C. 5.1.1.10) from Pseudomonas putida IFO 12996 (BAR) is a unique racemase because of its broad substrate specificity. BAR has been considered as a possible catalyst which directly converts inexpensive l-amino acids to dl-amino acid racemates. The gene encoding BAR was cloned to utilize BAR for the synthesis of d-amino acids, especially d-Trp which is an important intermediate of pharmaceuticals. The substrate specificity of cloned BAR covered all of the standard amino acids; however, the activity toward Trp was low. Then, we performed random mutagenesis on bar to obtain mutant BAR derivatives with high activity for Trp. Five positive mutants were isolated after the two-step screening of the randomly mutated BAR. After the determination of the amino acid substitutions in these mutants, it was suggested that the substitutions at Y396 and I384 increased the Trp specific racemization activity and the racemization activity for overall amino acids, respectively. Among the positive mutants, I384M mutant BAR showed the highest activity for Trp. l-Trp (20 mM) was successfully racemized, and the proportion of d-Trp was reached 43% using I384M mutant BAR, while wild-type BAR racemized only 6% of initial l-Trp.