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Biochemical and kinetic properties are of special interest for the specific applications of α-amylases in industrial sectors such as textile industries, detergents, biofuels and food among others. Therefore, protein engineering is currently directed towards a continuous demand to improve the properties of amylases and thus meet the specific characteristics for various industrial sectors. In the present work, modular protein engineering was performed to improve the biochemical and kinetic properties of AmyJ33r an α-amylase isolated from Bacillus siamensis JJC33M consisting of five domains, A, B, C, D and E (SBD) (Montor-Antonio et al. in 3 Biotech 7:336, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-017-0954-8 ). AmyJ33r is not active on native starch, only showing activity on gelatinized starch. At the C-terminal, AmyJ33r has a starch binding domain (SBD, domain E) belonging to the CBM26 family. In this study, four truncated versions were constructed and expressed in E. coli (AmyJ33-AB, AmyJ33-ABC, AmyJ33-ABCD, and SBD) to determine the role of the A, B, C, D, and E domains in the biochemical behavior of AmyJ33r on starch. Biochemical and kinetic characterization of the truncated versions showed that domain C is essential for catalysis; domain D improved enzyme activity at alkaline pH values, is also involved negatively in thermostability at 40, 50, and 60 °C and its presence favored the production of maltooligosaccharides with a higher degree of polymerization (DP4). E domain have interaction with raw starch, also the deletion of E domain (SBD) favors the affinity for the substrate while the deletion of D domain increased enzyme k

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of aspirin on epithelial HPV16-transformed cells and its anti-tumor effects, in an experimental HPV 16 positive tumor model. Design: The design of the study is experimental (in vitro and in vivo). Participants/Materials, Setting, and Methods: SiHa and BMK-16/myc cells were treated with aspirin and cell proliferation was determined by MTT; Caspase-Glo 3/7 Assay was used to determine apoptosis. The tumor-bearing mice group was treated with 50 mg/gr/day of aspirin (orally) during 30 days and the antitumor effect was determined. Results: Here we provide evidence that aspirin has a negative effect on proliferation and induces apoptosis in the human (SiHa) and murine (BMK-16/myc) HPV16-cells. Furthermore, aspirin showed inhibition of tumor growth, and in mice treated with aspirin prior to implantation of tumor cells, the tumor growth was delayed. Also, the effect of aspirin increased survival in tumor-bearing mice and in mice pre-treated with aspirin. Limitations: It is necessary to carry out in vitro and in vivo studies of the molecular mechanisms involved in the effects of aspirin on tumor cells. Conclusion: Aspirin showed antiproliferative effects in tumor cells and inhibited tumor progression and could be effective as a chemopreventive agent. Thus, aspirin deserves further exploration for the treatment of cervical cancer and other neoplasms.

BACKGROUND Single-cell oils obtained from oleaginous microorganisms by using lignocellulosic waste hydrolysates are an alternative for producing biodiesel. AIMS To isolate a yeast strain able to produce lipids from centrifuged nejayote (CN), hydrolyzed nejayote solids (HNS) and hydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse (HSB). METHODS In order to identify the yeasts recovered, 26S ribosomal DNA was sequenced. The metabolic profile was assessed by using API20C AUX strips. The nutritional characterization of CN, HNS and HSB was performed by quantifying reducing sugars, total carbohydrates, starch, protein and total nitrogen. The biomass and lipid production ability were evaluated by performing growth kinetics of Clavispora lusitaniae Hi2 in combined culture media. RESULTS Six oleaginous yeast strains were isolated and identified, selecting C. lusitaniae Hi2 to study its lipids production by using nejayote. The C. lusitaniae Hi2 strain can use glucose, xylose, arabinose, galactose and cellobiose as carbon sources. Cultures of C. lusitaniae Hi2 presented the best biomass (5.6±0.28 g/L) and lipid production (0.99±0.09 g/L) at 20 h of incubation with the CN:HNS media in the 25:75 and 50:50 ratios, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The use of CN, HNS and HSB for the growth of C. lusitaniae Hi2 is an option to take advantage of these agro-industrial residues and generate compounds of biotechnological interest.

The mechanisms of signal transduction by interferon-tau (IFN-τ) are widely known during the gestation of ruminants. In trophoblast cells, IFN-τ involves the activation of the JAK-STAT pathway, and it can have effects on other cell types, such as tumor cells. Here we report that the HPV16-positive BMK-16/myc cell treated with ovine IFN-τ, results in the activation of the canonical JAK-STAT and non-canonical JAK-STAT pathway. The MAPK signaling pathway was activated, we detected the proteins MEK1, MEK2, Raf1, STAT3, STA4, STAT5 and STAT6. Moreover, IFN-τ induced the expression of MHC Class I, MX and IP10 in the tumor cells and this response may be associated with the viral replication and with the anti-proliferative and the immunoregulatory effects of IFN-τ.

This study analyzed the thermostability and effect of calcium ions on the enzymatic activity of α-amylase produced by Bacillus licheniformis strain LB04 isolated from Espinazo Hot springs in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The enzyme was immobilized by entrapment on agar-agarose beads, with an entrapment yield of 19.9%. The identification of the bacteria was carried out using 16s rDNA sequencing. The enzyme was purified through ion exchange chromatography (IEX) in a DEAE-Sephadex column, revealing a protein with a molecular weight of ≈130 kDa. The enzyme was stable at pH 3.0 and heat stable up to 80 °C. However, the optimum conditions were reached at 65 °C and pH 3.0, with a specific activity of 1851.7 U mg−1 ± 1.3. The agar-agarose immobilized α-amylase had a hydrolytic activity nearly 25% higher when compared to the free enzyme. This study provides critical information for the understanding of the enzymatic profile of B. licheniformis strain LB04 and the potential application of the microorganisms at an industrial level, specifically in the food industry.

Single-cell oils obtained from oleaginous microorganisms by using lignocellulosic waste hydrolysates are an alternative for producing biodiesel.To isolate a yeast strain able to produce lipids from centrifuged nejayote (CN), hydrolyzed nejayote solids (HNS) and hydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse (HSB).In order to identify the yeasts recovered, 26S ribosomal DNA was sequenced. The metabolic profile was assessed by using API20C AUX strips. The nutritional characterization of CN, HNS and HSB was performed by quantifying reducing sugars, total carbohydrates, starch, protein and total nitrogen. The biomass and lipid production ability were evaluated by performing growth kinetics of Clavispora lusitaniae Hi2 in combined culture media.Six oleaginous yeast strains were isolated and identified, selecting C. lusitaniae Hi2 to study its lipids production by using nejayote. The C. lusitaniae Hi2 strain can use glucose, xylose, arabinose, galactose and cellobiose as carbon sources. Cultures of C. lusitaniae Hi2 presented the best biomass (5.6±0.28 g/L) and lipid production (0.99±0.09 g/L) at 20 h of incubation with the CN:HNS media in the 25:75 and 50:50 ratios, respectively.The use of CN, HNS and HSB for the growth of C. lusitaniae Hi2 is an option to take advantage of these agro-industrial residues and generate compounds of biotechnological interest.

The objective of this study was to delay the rate and extent of gastric destabilization of emulsions using composite particle-particle layers at the O/W interface. Pickering emulsions (20 wt% oil) were prepared using lactoferrin nanogel particles (LFN, Dh = 100 nm) (1 wt%) or a composite layer of LFN and inulin nanoparticles, latter was enzymatically synthetized by inulosucrase IslA from Leuconostoc citreum (INP) (Dh = 116 ± 1 nm) (1 wt% LFN 3 wt% INP). The hypothesis was that creating a secondary layer of biopolymeric particles might act as a barrier to pepsin to access the underlying proteinaceous particles. Droplet size, microscopy (optical and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)), ζ-potential and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) were used to understand the colloidal fate of these Pickering emulsions in an in vitro gastric model (pH 3, 37 ○C, pepsin). The ζ-potential measurements and TEM images confirmed that LFN and INP were at the O/W interface, owing to the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged LFN (+29.3 ± 0.7 mV) and INP (−10 ± 1.8 mV) at both neutral and gastric pH. The SDS-PAGE results revealed that adsorbed LFN was less prone to pepsinolysis as compared to a typical protein monolayer at the interface. Presence of INP further decreased the rate and degree of hydrolysis of the LFN (>65% intact protein remaining after 60 min of digestion) by acting as a steric barrier to the diffusion of pepsin and inhibited droplet coalescence. Thus, composite particle-particle layers (LFN + INP) at droplet surface shows potential for rational designing of gastric-stable food and pharmaceutical applications.

In this work we communicate the heterologous expression of a laccase from Coriolopsis gallica in Pichia pastoris . This enzyme has been reported to efficiently degrade a variety of pollutants such as industrial dyes. The expression strategy included using a previously reported modified α-factor preproleader for enhanced secretion and p AOX1 , a methanol-responsive promoter. Methanol concentration, copper salts concentration and temperature were varied in order to enhance laccase expression in this heterologous system. A volumetric activity of 250 U/L was achieved after 12-day culture in Fernbach flasks. The protein was recovered from the supernatant and purified, obtaining a preparation with 90% electrophoretic purity. The catalytic constants of the recombinant enzyme are almost identical to the fungal enzyme, thus rendering this system a useful tool for protein engineering of laccase from C. gallica .

Inulin has interesting physicochemical and functional properties, and therefore a wide range of applications in the food and medical industries. It has gained great traction due to its ability to form nanoparticles and its possible application as nanovehicle for drug delivery. In this work, we demonstrated that the enzymatically-synthesized high molecular weight (HMW) inulin forms stable spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of 112 ± 5 nm. The self-assemblage of HMW inulin nanoparticles is carried out during enzymatic synthesis of the polymer, and become detectable after a certain critical aggregation concentration (CAC) is reached. Both, the CAC and nanoparticle size are influenced by the reaction temperature. These nanoparticles are not toxic for peripheral blood mononuclear cells, at concentrations below 200 μg/mL; no significant prebiotic potential was detected in cultures of 13 probiotic strains. This work contributes to a better understanding of the formation of HMW inulin nanoparticles and their biological properties.

Background Pichia pastoris (syn. Komagataella phaffii) is one of the most highly utilized eukaryotic expression systems for the production of heterologous glycoproteins, being able to perform both N- and O-mannosylation. In this study, we present the expression in P. pastoris of an O-mannosylated recombinant version of the 38 kDa glycolipoprotein PstS-1 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), that is similar in primary structure to the native secreted protein. Results The recombinant PstS-1 (rPstS-1) was produced without the native lipidation signal. Glycoprotein expression was under the control of the methanol-inducible promoter pAOX1, with secretion being directed by the α-mating factor secretion signal. Production of rPstS-1 was carried out in baffled shake flasks (BSFs) and controlled bioreactors. A production up to ~ 46 mg/L of the recombinant protein was achieved in both the BSFs and the bioreactors. The recombinant protein was recovered from the supernatant and purified in three steps, achieving a preparation with 98% electrophoretic purity. The primary and secondary structures of the recombinant protein were characterized, as well as its O-mannosylation pattern. Furthermore, a cross-reactivity analysis using serum antibodies from patients with active tuberculosis demonstrated recognition of the recombinant glycoprotein, indirectly indicating the similarity between the recombinant PstS-1 and the native protein from Mtb. Conclusions rPstS-1 (98.9% sequence identity, O-mannosylated, and without tags) was produced and secreted by P. pastoris, demonstrating that this yeast is a useful cell factory that could also be used to produce other glycosylated Mtb antigens. The rPstS-1 could be used as a tool for studying the role of this molecule during Mtb infection, and to develop and improve vaccines or kits based on the recombinant protein for serodiagnosis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12934-019-1059-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Levansucrases (LSs) synthesize levan, a β2-6-linked fructose polymer, by successively transferring the fructosyl moiety from sucrose to a growing acceptor molecule. Elucidation of the levan polymerization mechanism is important for using LSs in the production of size-defined products for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries. For a deeper understanding of the levan synthesis reaction, we determined the crystallographic structure of Bacillus subtilis LS (SacB) in complex with a levan-type fructooligosaccharide and utilized site-directed mutagenesis to identify residues involved in substrate binding. The presence of a levanhexaose molecule in the central catalytic cavity allowed us to identify five substrate-binding subsites (−1, +1, +2, +3, and +4). Mutants affecting residues belonging to the identified acceptor subsites showed similar substrate affinity (Km) values to the wildtype (WT) Km value but had a lower turnover number and transfructosylation/hydrolysis ratio. Of importance, compared with the WT, the variants progressively yielded smaller-sized low-molecular-weight levans, as the affected subsites that were closer to the catalytic site, but without affecting their ability to synthesized high-molecular-weight levans. Furthermore, an additional oligosaccharide-binding site 20 Å away from the catalytic pocket was identified, and its potential participation in the elongation mechanism is discussed. Our results clarify, for the first time, the interaction of the enzyme with an acceptor/product oligosaccharide and elucidate the molecular basis of the nonprocessive levan elongation mechanism of LSs.

Aim In this study, we describe the isolation of a gene encoding a novel β-fructofuranosidase from Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis ATCC 15697, and the characterization of the enzyme, the second one found in this strain, significantly different in primary sequence to the already reported bifidobacterial β-fructofuranosidases. Methods and Results The gene, found through genome-mining was expressed in Escherichia coli C41(DE3). The recombinant enzyme (B.longum_l1) has a molecular weight of 75 kDa, with optimal activity at 50°C, pH 6·0–6·5, and a remarkable stability with a half-life of 75·5 h at 50°C. B.longum_l1 has a wide specificity for fructans, hydrolysing all substrates through an exo-type mechanism, including Oligofructose P95 (β2-1 fructooligosaccharides (FOS), DP 2-8), Raftilose Synergy 1(β2-1 FOS & inulin, DP 2-60), Raftiline HP (inulin, DP 2-60), bacterial inulin (3000 kDa) and levan (8·3 & 3500 kDa), Agave fructans (mixed fructans, DP 3-29) and levan-type FOS (β2-6 FOS, DP 2-8), with the highest relative activity and turnover number found for levan-type FOS. The apparent affinity of the enzyme for levan-type FOS and Oligofructose P95 was found to be 9·2 and 4·6 mmol l−1 (Km) with a specific activity of 908 and 725 μmol min−1 mg−1 of protein (k2), respectively, more than twice the activity for sucrose. Conclusion B.longum_l1 is a wide substrate specificity enzyme, which may contribute to the competitiveness and persistence of this strain in the colon. Significance and Impact of the Study The bifidobacterial β-fructofuranosidase activity was evaluated with a wide variety of substrates including noncommercial fructans, such as levan-type and mixed agave fructans. Its activity on these substrates certainly strengthens their commercial prebiotic character and contributes to the understanding of bifidobacteria stimulation by structurally diverse fructans.

Two levan distributions are produced typically by Bacillus subtilis levansucrase (SacB): a high-molecular weight (HMW) levan with an average molecular weight of 2300 kDa, and a low-molecular weight (LMW) levan with 7.2 kDa. Previous results have demonstrated how reaction conditions modulate levan molecular weight distribution. Here we demonstrate that the SacB enzyme is able to perform two mechanisms: a processive mechanism for the synthesis of HMW levan and a non-processive mechanism for the synthesis of LMW levan. Furthermore, the effect of enzyme and substrate concentration on the elongation mechanism was studied. While a negligible effect of substrate concentration was observed, we found that SacB elongation mechanism is determined by enzyme concentration. A high concentration of enzyme is required to synthesize LMW levan, involving the sequential formation of a wide variety of intermediate size levan oligosaccharides with a degree of polymerization (DP) up to ∼70. In contrast, an HMW levan distribution is synthesized through a processive mechanism producing oligosaccharides with DP

Leuconostoc citreum CW28 was isolated from pozol, a Mayan fermented corn beverage. This strain produces a cell-associated inulosucrase, the first described in bacteria. Its draft genome sequence, announced here, has an estimated size of 1.98 Mb and harbors 1,915 coding genes, 12 rRNAs, 68 tRNAs, 17 putative pseudogenes, and 1 putative phage.

AmyJ33, an α-amylase isolated from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JJC33M, has been characterized as a non-metalloenzyme that hydrolyzes raw starch. In this work, the gene that codifies for AmyJ33 was isolated and cloned. The recombinant α-amylase (AmyJ33r) produced had a molecular weight of 72 kDa, 25 kDa higher than the native α-amylase (AmyJ33). Our results suggest that the C-terminal was processed in a different way in the native and the recombinant enzyme causing the difference observed in the molecular weight. Additionally, the enzyme activity, specificity and biochemical behavior were affected by this larger C-terminal extra region in AmyJ33r, since the enzyme lost the ability to hydrolyze raw starch compared to the native but increased its thermal stability and pH stability, and modified the profile of activity toward alkaline pH. It is suggested that the catalytic domain in recombinant enzyme, AmyJ33r, could be interfered or blocked by the amino acids involved in the C-terminal additional region producing changes in the enzyme properties.

AmyJ33, an α-amylase isolated from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JJC33M, has been characterized as a non-metalloenzyme that hydrolyzes raw starch. In this work, the gene that codifies for AmyJ33 was isolated and cloned. The recombinant α-amylase (AmyJ33r) produced had a molecular weight of 72 kDa, 25 kDa higher than the native α-amylase (AmyJ33). Our results suggest that the C-terminal was processed in a different way in the native and the recombinant enzyme causing the difference observed in the molecular weight. Additionally, the enzyme activity, specificity and biochemical behavior were affected by this larger C-terminal extra region in AmyJ33r, since the enzyme lost the ability to hydrolyze raw starch compared to the native but increased its thermal stability and pH stability, and modified the profile of activity toward alkaline pH. It is suggested that the catalytic domain in recombinant enzyme, AmyJ33r, could be interfered or blocked by the amino acids involved in the C-terminal additional region producing changes in the enzyme properties.

Aims: This work describes the isolation and characterization of two new alkaliphilic micro-organisms present in nejayote. Methods and Results: Samples of fresh industrial nejayote were plated on nejayote medium and incubated for 4 days at 37°C. Isolates were identified based on morphological and physiological characteristics, as well as 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Two gram-positive strains, NJY2 and NJY4, able to hydrolyse starch, xylan, and gelatin were isolated from nejayote. Comparative sequence analysis of 16S rDNA and phylogenetic studies indicate that the micro-organisms studied were closely related to members of the Bacillus flexus species. The strains were identified as facultative alkaliphilic salt tolerant bacteria. Isolate NJY2 produced cell associated phenolic acid esterases, able to release ferulic acid from nixtamalised corn bran and ethyl and methyl esters. Conclusions: The isolated strains of B. flexus NJY2 and NJY4 showed important physiological properties to produce high-value molecules from agroindustrial by-products. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first report about the isolation of alkaliphilic micro-organisms from nejayote and the first report of phenolic acid esterases synthesised by alkaliphiles. The new alkaliphilic micro-organisms have potential application in the treatment and transformation of tortilla industry residues.

In contrast to the hydrolysis of reserve carbohydrates in most plant-derived alcoholic beverage processes carried out with enzymes, agave fructans in tequila production have traditionally been transformed to fermentable sugars through acid thermal hydrolysis. Experiments at the bench scale demonstrated that the extraction and hydrolysis of agave fructans can be carried out continuously using commercial inulinases in a countercurrent extraction process with shredded agave fibers. Difficulties in the temperature control of large extraction diffusers did not allow the scaling up of this procedure. Nevertheless, batch enzymatic hydrolysis of agave extracts obtained in diffusers operating at 60 and 90 degrees C was studied at the laboratory and industrial levels. The effects of the enzymatic process on some tequila congeners were studied, demonstrating that although a short thermal treatment is essential for the development of tequila's organoleptic characteristics, the fructan hydrolysis can be performed with enzymes without major modifications in the flavor or aroma, as determined by a plant sensory panel and corroborated by the analysis of tequila congeners.

Levansucrases (LS) are fructosyltransferases (FTFs) belonging to family 68 of glycoside hydrolases (GH68) using sucrose as substrate to synthesize levan, a fructose polymer. From a multiple sequence analysis of GH68 family proteins, nine residues were selected and their role in acceptor and product specificity, as well as in biochemical Bacillus subtilis LS properties, was investigated. A product specificity modification was obtained with mutants Y429N and R433A that no longer produce levan but exclusively oligosaccharides. An effect of the mutation S164A was observed on enzyme stability and kinetic behavior; this mutation also induces a levan activation effect that enhances the reaction rate. We report the crystallographic structure of this mutant and found that S164 is an important residue to maintain the nucleophile position in the active site. We also found evidence of the important role of Y429 in acceptor specificity: this is a key residue coordinating the sucrose position in the catalytic domain-binding pocket. Some of these mutations resulted in LS with a broad range of specificities and new biochemical properties.

dsrP, a gene that encodes a cell-associated dextransucrase produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides IBT-PQ, was isolated, sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli. From sequence analysis, seven repeat units in the N-terminal region were found, as well as five cell wall binding repeats in the C-terminal region. A model of the C-terminal domain of dextransucrase was built based on the solenoid structure of the cell wall binding domain already described in LytA. By experiments involving direct interactions of the enzyme with L. mesenteroides cells, as well as among the cells and the single C-terminal domain expressed in E. coli, evidence was obtained concerning the anchoring function of this region in cell-associated dextransucrase, a function which may be independent of its capacity to bind dextran.

A full-length cDNA encoding for 1-SST in Agave tequilana Weber var. azul. was isolated, cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The heterologous protein, with a molecular mass of 75 kDa, shows identity with different plant fructosyltransferases and invertases, which belong to the glycoside hydrolase 32 family. When sucrose was used as substrate, only the transference products 1-kestose and glucose were identified, while from 1-kestose, nystose and fructose were obtained as transference and hydrolysis products respectively, with sucrose as a secondary product. The enzyme has a low turnover number (260 min−1) at 30 °C, with optimal stability at 25 °C and pH 5.5. In order to identify the probable residues involved in the active site, a three-dimensional model was built using the fructan 1-exohydrolase IIa from Cichorium intybus (PDB entry 1st8) as template. This is the first report concerning cloning and expression of an Agave fructosyltransferase.

Background IslA4 is a truncated single domain protein derived from the inulosucrase IslA, which is a multidomain fructosyltransferase produced by Leuconostoc citreum. IslA4 can synthesize high molecular weight inulin from sucrose, with a residual sucrose hydrolytic activity. IslA4 has been reported to retain the product specificity of the multidomain enzyme. Results Screening experiments to evaluate the influence of the reactions conditions, especially the sucrose and enzyme concentrations, on IslA4 product specificity revealed that high sucrose concentrations shifted the specificity of the reaction towards fructooligosaccharides (FOS) synthesis, which almost eliminated inulin synthesis and led to a considerable reduction in sucrose hydrolysis. Reactions with low IslA4 activity and a high sucrose activity allowed for high levels of FOS synthesis, where 70% sucrose was used for transfer reactions, with 65% corresponding to transfructosylation for the synthesis of FOS. Conclusions Domain truncation together with the selection of the appropriate reaction conditions resulted in the synthesis of various FOS, which were produced as the main transferase products of inulosucrase (IslA4). These results therefore demonstrate that bacterial fructosyltransferase could be used for the synthesis of inulin-type FOS.

Agave plants have been part of human food and rituals since Mesoamerican civilizations and are now the raw material of distilled spirit beverages like tequila and mezcal. Nevertheless, they are also a natural source of fructans, known as agavins that may be considered the functional components of both traditional products such as aguamiel and pulque, and neutraceuticals for the formulation of functional products. In this chapter the structure, biosynthesis and nutritional properties of agave fructans are reviewed, as well as the main unit operations involved in new processing alternatives. Finally the market potential for agavins is discussed.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces the biosurfactants rhamnolipids and 3-(3-hydroxyalkanoyloxy)alkanoic acids (HAAs). In this study, we report the production of one family of rhamnolipids, specifically the monorhamnolipids, and of HAAs in a recombinant Escherichia coli strain expressing P. aeruginosa rhlAB operon. We found that the availability in E. coli of dTDP-L: -rhamnose, a substrate of RhlB, restricts the production of monorhamnolipids in E. coli. We present evidence showing that HAAs and the fatty acid dimer moiety of rhamnolipids are the product of RhlA enzymatic activity. Furthermore, we found that in the recombinant E. coli, these compounds have the same chain length of the fatty acid dimer moiety as those produced by P. aeruginosa. These data suggest that it is RhlAB specificity, and not the hydroxyfatty acid relative abundance in the bacterium, that determines the profile of the fatty acid moiety of rhamnolipids and HAAs. The rhamnolipids level produced in recombinant E. coli expressing rhlAB is lower than the P. aeruginosa level and much higher than those reported by others in E. coli, showing that this metabolic engineering strategy lead to an increased rhamnolipids production in this heterologous host.

We have studied the possible use of radiochromic dye films (RCF) as heavy charged particle dosemeters. We present the results of irradiating two commercial RCF (GafChromic HD-810 and MD-55-1) with 1.5, 2.9 and 4.4 MeV protons, 1.4, 2.8, 4.7, 5.9, 6.8 MeV 4He ions and 8.5 and 12.4 MeV 12C ions, at proton doses from about 1 Gy up to 3 kGy, helium ions doses from 3 Gy to 5 kGy and carbon ion doses from 30 Gy to 20 kGy. The films were scanned and digitized using commercial equipment. For a given particle, the response per unit dose at different energies indicates an energy dependence of the sensitivity, which is discussed. Comparison was made for the use of a standard spectrophotometer to obtain optical density readings versus a white light scanner.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen capable of producing a wide variety of virulence factors, including extracellular rhamnolipids and lipopolysaccharide. Rhamnolipids are tenso-active glycolipids containing one (mono-rhamnolipid) or two (di-rhamnolipid) L-rhamnose molecules. Rhamnosyltransferase 1 (RhlAB) catalyses the synthesis of mono-rhamnolipid from dTDP-L-rhamnose and beta-hydroxydecanoyl-beta-hydroxydecanoate, whereas di-rhamnolipid is produced from mono-rhamnolipid and dTDP-L-rhamnose. We report here the molecular characterization of rhlC, a gene encoding the rhamnosyltransferase involved in di-rhamnolipid (L-rhamnose-L-rhamnose-beta-hydroxydecanoyl-beta-hydroxydecanoate) production in P. aeruginosa. RhlC is a protein consisting of 325 amino acids with a molecular mass of 35.9 kDa. It contains consensus motifs that are found in other glycosyltransferases involved in the transfer of L-rhamnose to nascent polymer chains. To verify the biological function of RhlC, a chromosomal mutant, RTII-2, was generated by insertional mutagenesis and allelic replacement. This mutant was unable to produce di-rhamnolipid, whereas mono-rhamnolipid was unaffected. In contrast, a null rhlA mutant (PAO1-rhlA) was incapable of producing both mono- and di-rhamnolipid. Complementation of mutant RTII-2 with plasmid pRTII-26 containing rhlC restored the level of di-rhamnolipid production in the recombinant to a level similar to that of the wild-type strain PAO1. The rhlC gene was located in an operon with an upstream gene (PA1131) of unknown function. A sigma54-type promoter for the PA1131-rhlC operon was identified, and a single transcriptional start site was mapped. Expression of the PA1131-rhlC operon was dependent on the P. aeruginosa rhl quorum-sensing system, and a well-conserved lux box was identified in the promoter region. The genetic regulation of rhlC by RpoN and RhlR was in agreement with the observed increasing RhlC rhamnosyltransferase activity during the stationary phase of growth. This is the first report of a rhamnosyltransferase gene responsible for the biosynthesis of di-rhamnolipid.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces exoproducts correlated with its pathogenicity. One of these virulence-associated traits is the surfactant rhamnolipid. The production of alginate and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are also of importance for P. aeruginosa virulence. The product of the algC gene (which is involved in alginate production through its phosphomannomutase activity and in LPS synthesis through its phosphoglucomutase activity) participates in rhamnolipid production, presumably catalyzing the first step in the deoxy-thymidine-diphospho-L-rhamnose (dTDP-L-rhamnose) pathway, the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate. Other structural alg genes, encoded in the alg operon, are not involved in rhamnolipid nor LPS production. These results show that the AlgC protein plays a central role in the production of the three P. aeruginosa virulence-associated saccharides: alginate, LPS and rhamnolipid.

Fructansucrases (FSs), including levansucrases and inulosucrases, are enzymes that synthesize fructose polymers from sucrose by the direct transfer of the fructosyl moiety to a growing polymer chain. These enzymes, particularly the single domain fructansucrases, also possess an important hydrolytic activity, which may account for as much as 70 to 80% of substrate conversion, depending on reaction conditions. Here, we report the construction of four chimeric levansucrases from SacB, a single domain levansucrase produced by Bacillus subtilis . Based on observations derived from the effect of domain deletion in both multidomain fructansucrases and glucansucrases, we attached different extensions to SacB. These extensions included the transitional domain and complete C-terminal domain of Leuconostoc citreum inulosucrase (IslA), Leuconostoc mesenteroides levansucrase (LevC), and a L. mesenteroides glucansucrase (DsrP). It was found that in some cases the hydrolytic activity was reduced to less than 10% of substrate conversion; however, all of the constructs were as stable as SacB. This shift in enzyme specificity was observed even when the SacB catalytic domain was extended only with the transitional region found in multidomain FSs. Specific kinetic analysis revealed that this change in specificity of the SacB chimeric constructs was derived from a 5-fold increase in the transfructosylation k cat and not from a reduction of the hydrolytic k cat , which remained constant.

Pentachlorophenol is the most toxic and recalcitrant chlorophenol because both aspects are directly proportional to the halogenation degree. Biological and abiotic pentachlorophenol degradation generates p-chloranil, which in neutral to lightly alkaline environmental conditions is hydrolyzed to chloranilic acid that present a violet-reddish coloration in aqueous solution. Several genes of the degradation pathway, cadR-cadCDX, as well as other uncharacterized genes (ORF5 and 6), were isolated from a chloranilic acid degrading bacterium, Pseudomonas putida strain TQ07. The disruption by random mutagenesis of the cadR and cadC genes in TQ07 resulted in a growth deficiency in the presence of chloranilic acid, indicating that these genes are essential for TQ07 growth with chloranilic acid as the sole carbon source. Complementation assays demonstrated that a transposon insertion in mutant CAD82 (cadC) had a polar effect on other genes contained in cosmid pLG3562. These results suggest that at least one of these genes, cadD and cadX, also takes part in chloranilic acid degradation. Based on molecular modeling and function prediction, we strongly suggest that CadC is a pyrone dicarboxylic acid hydrolase and CadD is an aldolase enzyme like dihydrodipicolinate synthase. The results of this study allowed us to propose a novel pathway that offers hypotheses on chloranilic acid degradation (an abiotic by-product of pentachlorophenol) by means of a very clear phenotype that is narrowly related to the capability of Pseudomonas putida strain TQ07 to degrade this benzoquinone.

A controlled acid thermal hydrolysis process of fructans from agave (Agave tequilana Weber var. azul) was designed to produce a mixture of functional prebiotic fructooligosaccharides and sweetening power. Despite its highly branched structure, first-order kinetic behaviour with respect to substrate concentration was found with an activation energy of 95 kJ/mol, similar to the value found for other linear fructans such as chicory inulin. Fructose equivalent (FE) an analogous parameter to dextrose equivalent (DE) used in the starch industry was introduced to characterise fructan hydrolysis; maximum oligosaccharide production was observed when fructose equivalent (FE) reached 27–48 with a structural profile analysed by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography HPAEC-PAD. After hydrolysis, glucose and fructose may be eliminated through a biological purification step involving the addition of Pichia pastoris cells, which selectively consume these sugars but are unable to metabolise fructooligosaccharides.

Levansucrase catalyzes the synthesis of fructose polymers through the transfer of fructosyl units from sucrose to a growing fructan chain. Levanase activity of Bacillus subtilis levansucrase has been described since the very first publications dealing with the mechanism of levan synthesis. However, there is a lack of qualitative and quantitative evidence regarding the importance of the intrinsic levan hydrolysis of B. subtilis levansucrase and its role in the levan synthesis process. Particularly, little attention has been paid to the long-term hydrolysis products, including its participation in the final levan molecules distribution. Here, we explored the hydrolytic and transferase activity of the B. subtilis levansucrase (SacB) when levans produced by the same enzyme are used as substrate. We found that levan is hydrolyzed through a first order exo-type mechanism, which is limited to a conversion extent of around 30% when all polymer molecules reach a structure no longer suitable to SacB hydrolysis. To characterize the reaction, Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) was employed and the evolution of the hydrolysis products profile followed by HPLC, GPC and HPAEC-PAD. The ITC measurements revealed a second step, taking place at the end of the reaction, most probably resulting from disproportionation of accumulated fructo-oligosaccharides. As levanase, levansucrase may use levan as substrate and, through a fructosyl-enzyme complex, behave as a hydrolytic enzyme or as a transferase, as demonstrated when glucose and fructose are added as acceptors. These reactions result in a wide variety of oligosaccharides that are also suitable acceptors for fructo-oligosaccharide synthesis. Moreover, we demonstrate that SacB in the presence of levan and glucose, through blastose and sucrose synthesis, results in the same fructooligosaccharides profile as that observed in sucrose reactions. We conclude that SacB has an intrinsic levanase activity that contributes to the final levan profile in reactions with sucrose as substrate.

Glycosyltransferases produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides ATCC 8293 (equivalent to NRRL B-1118) were identified. Two glucansucrases and one fructansucrases were observed in batch culture while levC and levL genes, corresponding to two fructansucrases, were isolated from information obtained from the released draft sequence of this Leuconostoc strain genome and cloned in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzymes were shown to be fructansucrases producing a polymer identified by NMR as levan, confirming our recent report stating that these are also mosaic levansucrases bearing structural features of glucansucrases in the amino and carboxy terminal regions, as is also the case of inulosucrase (IslA) from Leuconostoc citreum CW28 and levansucrase (LevS) from L. mesenteroides NRRL B-512F. The recombinant levansucrase LevC was purified and characterized in terms of pH, temperature, and kinetic properties. The enzyme exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetic properties with a K(m) = 27.3 mM and a k(cat) = 282.9 s(-1). This levansucrase behaves mainly as a transferase as only 30% of the substrate is hydrolyzed in a wide range of sucrose concentrations, with higher hydrolytic activities at low substrate concentrations. With this report we experimentally confirm the unusual structural pattern displayed by fructansucrases present in Leuconostoc species that group as a novel sub family of fructansucrases.

The gene coding for inulosucrase in Leuconostoc citreum CW28, islA , was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli . The recombinant enzyme catalyzed inulin synthesis from sucrose like the wild-type enzyme. Inulosucrase presents an unusual structure: its N-terminal region is similar to the variable region of glucosyltransferases, its catalytic domain is similar to fructosyltransferases from various microorganisms, and its C-terminal domain presents similarity to the glucan binding domain from alternansucrase, a glucosyltransferase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-1355. From sequence comparison, it was found that this fructosyltransferase is a natural chimeric enzyme resulting from the substitution of the catalytic domain of alternansucrase by a fructosyltransferase. Two different forms of the islA gene truncated in the C-terminal glucan binding domain were successfully expressed in E. coli and retained their ability to synthesize inulin but lost thermal stability. This is the first report of an inulosucrase bearing structural features of both glucosyltransferases and fructosyltransferases.

Glycoside hydrolase family 32 (GH32) harbors hydrolyzing and transglycosylating enzymes that are highly homologous in their primary structure. Eight amino acids dispersed along the sequence correlated with either hydrolase or glycosyltransferase activity. These were mutated in onion vacuolar invertase (acINV) according to the residue in festuca sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase (saSST) and vice versa. acINV(W440Y) doubles transferase capacity. Reciprocally, saSST(C223N) and saSST(F362Y) double hydrolysis. SaSST(N425S) shows a hydrolyzing activity three to four times its transferase activity. Interestingly, modeling acINV and saSST according to the 3D structure of crystallized GH32 enzymes indicates that mutations saSST(N425S), acINV(W440Y), and the previously reported acINV(W161Y) reside very close together at the surface in the entrance of the active-site pocket. Residues in- and outside the sucrose-binding box determine hydrolase and transferase capabilities of GH32 enzymes. Modeling suggests that residues dispersed along the sequence identify a location for acceptor-substrate binding in the 3D structure of fructosyltransferases. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11103-008-9404-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The response of commercial radiochromic dye films exposed to 0.7, 1.5 and 3.0 MeV protons, in the dose interval between 1−103 Gy, has been studied. The response of the plastics (MD-55 and HD-810 from Gafchromic) to the radiation was evaluated by digitalizing and analyzing the films with commercial computer systems. Curves of response as a function of dose show an approximately linear behaviour followed by saturation. The response in the lower dose interval suggests a possible use of these methods in heavy charged particle medical applications. To verify consistency with the traditional spectrophotometer reading procedure, the films were also irradiated and evaluated with 60Co gamma rays.

The TL response of CaF 2 :Tm to 0.7 MeV protons, 5.3 MeV α particles and 120 MeV 12 C ions has been investigated. Maximum fluences were typically 10 10 - 10 11 cm -2 . Deconvolution techniques were applied to separate the glow curve into its component peaks. In all cases, the area of peak 3 showed a linear response as a function of fluence, for all the fluences studied, while peaks 5 and 6 followed a linear-supralinear behaviour. The departure from linearity occurs at high doses, above 10 2 Gy. Concerning the dependence of the glow curve on type and energy of the incident radiation, the sensitivities of peaks 3 and 5 were studied as compared to the response to equal doses of gamma rays. The results, as a function of LET, follow the same general systematics observed previously by other authprs. However, the quantitative comparison suggests that the linear energy transfer may not be the parameter which unifies all the observations.