Search

BackgroundRhodococci are industrially important soil-dwelling Gram-positive bacteria that are well known for both nitrile hydrolysis and oxidative metabolism of aromatics.Rhodococcus rhodochrousATCC BAA-870 is capable of metabolising a wide range of aliphatic and aromatic nitriles and amides. The genome of the organism was sequenced and analysed in order to better understand this whole cell biocatalyst.ResultsThe genome ofR. rhodochrousATCC BAA-870 is the firstRhodococcusgenome fully sequenced using Nanopore sequencing. The circular genome contains 5.9 megabase pairs (Mbp) and includes a 0.53 Mbp linear plasmid, that together encode 7548 predicted protein sequences according to BASys annotation, and 5535 predicted protein sequences according to RAST annotation. The genome contains numerous oxidoreductases, 15 identified antibiotic and secondary metabolite gene clusters, several terpene and nonribosomal peptide synthetase clusters, as well as 6 putative clusters of unknown type. The 0.53 Mbp plasmid encodes 677 predicted genes and contains the nitrile converting gene cluster, including a nitrilase, a low molecular weight nitrile hydratase, and an enantioselective amidase.Although there are fewer biotechnologically relevant enzymes compared to those found in rhodococci with larger genomes, such as the well-knownRhodococcus jostiiRHA1, the abundance of transporters in combination with the myriad of enzymes found in strain BAA-870 might make it more suitable for use in industrially relevant processes than other rhodococci.ConclusionsThe sequence and comprehensive description of theR. rhodochrousATCC BAA-870 genome will facilitate the additional exploitation of rhodococci for biotechnological applications, as well as enable further characterisation of this model organism. The genome encodes a wide range of enzymes, many with unknown substrate specificities supporting potential applications in biotechnology, including nitrilases, nitrile hydratase, monooxygenases, cytochrome P450s, reductases, proteases, lipases, and transaminases.

Additional file 1: SuppInfo Frederick et al. BAA-870 genome. Table S1. All sequenced Rhodococcus strains (353) according to the NCBI database (accessed 13/03/2019). Table S2. All complete sequenced Rhodococcus species ranked by release date according to the NCBI Genome database (accessed 11/03/2019). Table S3. Whole genome distance statistics between Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 and two closely matched strains. Table S4. Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 protein function breakdown based on BASys annotation COG classifications.

Additional file 1: SuppInfo Frederick et al. BAA-870 genome. Table S1. All sequenced Rhodococcus strains (353) according to the NCBI database (accessed 13/03/2019). Table S2. All complete sequenced Rhodococcus species ranked by release date according to the NCBI Genome database (accessed 11/03/2019). Table S3. Whole genome distance statistics between Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 and two closely matched strains. Table S4. Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 protein function breakdown based on BASys annotation COG classifications.

Background Rhodococci are industrially important soil-dwelling Gram-positive bacteria that are well known for both nitrile hydrolysis and oxidative metabolism of aromatics. Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 is capable of metabolising a wide range of aliphatic and aromatic nitriles and amides. The genome of the organism was sequenced and analysed in order to better understand this whole cell biocatalyst. Results The genome of R. rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 is the first Rhodococcus genome fully sequenced using Nanopore sequencing. The circular genome contains 5.9 megabase pairs (Mbp) and includes a 0.53 Mbp linear plasmid, that together encode 7548 predicted protein sequences according to BASys annotation, and 5535 predicted protein sequences according to RAST annotation. The genome contains numerous oxidoreductases, 15 identified antibiotic and secondary metabolite gene clusters, several terpene and nonribosomal peptide synthetase clusters, as well as 6 putative clusters of unknown type. The 0.53 Mbp plasmid encodes 677 predicted genes and contains the nitrile converting gene cluster, including a nitrilase, a low molecular weight nitrile hydratase, and an enantioselective amidase. Although there are fewer biotechnologically relevant enzymes compared to those found in rhodococci with larger genomes, such as the well-known Rhodococcus jostii RHA1, the abundance of transporters in combination with the myriad of enzymes found in strain BAA-870 might make it more suitable for use in industrially relevant processes than other rhodococci. Conclusions The sequence and comprehensive description of the R. rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 genome will facilitate the additional exploitation of rhodococci for biotechnological applications, as well as enable further characterisation of this model organism. The genome encodes a wide range of enzymes, many with unknown substrate specificities supporting potential applications in biotechnology, including nitrilases, nitrile hydratase, monooxygenases, cytochrome P450s, reductases, proteases, lipases, and transaminases.

Background Rhodococci are industrially important soil-dwelling Gram-positive bacteria that are well known for both nitrile hydrolysis and oxidative metabolism of aromatics. Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 is capable of metabolising a wide range of aliphatic and aromatic nitriles and amides. The expressed nitrilase, nitrile hydratase and amidase activities have shown stereoselective preferences for beta-substituted nitrile compounds. The genome of the organism was sequenced and analysed in order to better understand this whole cell biocatalyst. Results The genome of R. rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 is the first Rhodococcus genome fully sequenced using Nanopore sequencing. The circular genome contains 5.9 megabase pairs (Mbp) and includes a 0.53 Mbp linear plasmid, that together encode 7548 predicted protein sequences according to BASys annotation, and 5535 predicted protein sequences according to RAST annotation. The genome contains numerous oxidoreductases, 15 identified antibiotic and secondary metabolite gene clusters, and several terpene and nonribosomal peptide synthetase clusters, as well as 6 putative clusters of unknown type. The 0.53 Mbp plasmid encodes 677 predicted genes and contains the nitrile converting gene cluster. Based on COG functional categories of proteins using RAST annotation, the main distributions of predicted annotated genes belong to known subsystems encoding amino acids and derivatives (19.7%), carbohydrates (13.4%), fatty acids, lipids and isoprenoids (12.2%), and cofactors, vitamins, prosthetic groups and pigments (9.4%). However, 74% of RAST annotated genes are not assigned clear functional roles within known metabolic pathways, and 38% of genes are annotated as hypothetical. BASys annotation predicts that 55% of annotated genes have an unknown function. The R. rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 genome contains one possible CRISPR, identified by CRISPRCasFinder. Conclusions The sequence and comprehensive description of the R. rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870 genome will facilitate the additional exploitation of rhodococci for biotechnological applications, as well as enable further characterisation of this model organism. The genome encodes a wide range of enzymes, many with unknown substrate specificities supporting potential applications in biotechnology, including monooxygenases, cytochrome P450s, reductases, proteases, lipases, and transaminases. The capacity of this strain to hydrolyse nitriles resides upon a plasmid, containing a nitrilase, a low molecular weight nitrile hydratase, and an enantioselective amidase.

Ruminant digestive tract microbes hydrolyse plant biomass, and the application of metagenomic techniques can provide good coverage of their glycosyl hydrolase enzymes. A metagenomic library of circa 70,000 fosmids was constructed from bacterial DNA isolated from bovine rumen and subsequently screened for cellulose hydrolysing activities on a CMC agar medium. Two clones were selected based on large clearance zones on the CMC agar plates. Following nucleotide sequencing, translational analysis and homology searches, two cellulase encoding genes (cel5A and cel5B) belonging to the glycosyl hydrolyse family 5 were identified. Both genes encoded pre-proteins of about 62 kDa, containing signal leader peptides which could be cleaved to form mature proteins of about 60 kDa. Biochemical characterisation revealed that both enzymes showed alkaline pH optima of 9.0 and the temperature optima of 65 °C. Substrate specificity profiling of the two enzymes using 1,4-β-D-cello- and xylo-oligosaccharides revealed preference for longer oligosaccharides (n ≥ 3) for both enzymes, suggesting that they are endo-cellulases/xylanases. The bifunctional properties of the two identified enzymes render them potentially useful in degrading the β-1,4 bonds of both the cellulose and hemicellulose polymers.

Mutation and immobilization techniques were applied to uridine phosphorylase (UP) from Escherichia coli in order to enhance its thermal stability and hence productivity in a biocatalytic reaction. UP was evolved by iterative saturation mutagenesis. Compared to the wild type enzyme, which had a temperature optimum of 40 °C and a half-life of 9.89 h at 60 °C, the selected mutant had a temperature optimum of 60 °C and a half-life of 17.3 h at 60 °C. Self-immobilization of the native UP as a Spherezyme showed a 3.3 fold increase in thermostability while immobilized mutant enzyme showed a 4.4 fold increase in thermostability when compared to native UP. Combining UP with the purine nucleoside phosphorylase from Bacillus halodurans allows for synthesis of 5-methyluridine (a pharmaceutical intermediate) from guanosine and thymine in a one-pot transglycosylation reaction. Replacing the wild type UP with the mutant allowed for an increase in reaction temperature to 65 °C and increased the reaction productivity from 10 to 31 g l−1 h−1.

Copyright: 2010 Informa Healthcare. This is the author's pre print version. The definitive version is published in Biocatalysis and Biotransformation, Vol. 28(4), pp 245–253

A purine nucleoside phosphorylase from the alkaliphile Bacillus halodurans Alk36 was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme was purified fivefold by membrane filtration and ion exchange. The purified enzyme had a V (max) of 2.03 x 10(-9) s (-1) and a K (m) of 206 microM on guanosine. The optimal pH range was between 5.7 and 8.4 with a maximum at pH 7.0. The optimal temperature for activity was 70 degrees C and the enzyme had a half life at 60 degrees C of 20.8 h.

Aims: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the application of environmental sample pre-enrichment to access novel carboxylesterases from environmental genomes, along with subsequent heterologous expression and characterization of the discovered enzyme(s). Methods and Results: A positive recombinant clone (UVCL29), conferring an esterase phenotype was identified from a shotgun gene library. The complete sequence of the 3AE0 kb DNA insert from the pUVCL29 recombinant plasmid was obtained using primer-walking strategies. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed a complete 945 bp open reading frame (ORF1). Translational analysis of the ORF1 showed a protein of 314 amino acids (named EstAM) with a predicted molecular weight of 34 kDa. EstAM’s primary structure showed a classical (‐G‐D‐S‐A‐G‐) motif, corresponding with the generally conserved (G‐x‐S‐x‐G) esterase signature motif. Identity searches indicated that EstAM has high sequence similarity with esterases from family IV. EstAM was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli in a biologically active form. Partial purification was achieved using a one-step Pro-PurTM IMAC column. Biochemical characterization revealed that EstAM has a temperature optimum of 40� C. Conclusion: Based on its substrate profile, EstAM was classified as a carboxylesterase because of its preference for short p-nitrophenyl ester substrates. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study is a demonstration of the successful application of environmental sample pre-enrichment technology in accessing novel esterases from a mining environment.

Termites depend on intestinal fauna for digestion of lignocellulose, but the variations in gut bacterial diversity between termites species is poorly characterised. Bacterial diversities from the third proctodeal hindgut segments (P3, the paunch) of the grass and sugarcane feeding Trinervitermes trinervoides (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) termites were compared using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequence analysis. A total of 2274 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified from the sugarcane feeding termites at 99% sequence identity, and 2943 OTUs were identified from the grass feeding termites. The bacterial communities in both termites were dominated by Spirochaetes of the genusTreponema. The Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes were more represented in the hindgut of the sugarcane feeding termite, whereas Acidobacteria and Firmicutes were more represented in the grass feeding termite. The Fibrobacteres had a slight correlatation with a woody diet. Planctomycetes and Acidobacteria correlated with sugarcane and grass, respectively, and were the key distinguishing bacterial functional groups between these termites of the same species. Termite hindgut bacterial diversity did not cluster according to diet but termite phylogeny; this suggests diet was not the main determinant of microbial diversity. Key words: Termite hindgut, 16S rRNA gene, pyrosequencing, bacterial diversity, substrate preference.

Heat shock protein 40s (Hsp40s) and heat shock protein 70s (Hsp70s) form chaperone partnerships that are key components of cellular chaperone networks involved in facilitating the correct folding of a broad range of client proteins. While the Hsp40 family of proteins is highly diverse with multiple forms occurring in any particular cell or compartment, all its members are characterized by a J domain that directs their interaction with a partner Hsp70. Specific Hsp40–Hsp70 chaperone partnerships have been identified that are dedicated to the correct folding of distinct subsets of client proteins. The elucidation of the mechanism by which these specific Hsp40–Hsp70 partnerships are formed will greatly enhance our understanding of the way in which chaperone pathways are integrated into finely regulated protein folding networks. From in silico analyses, domain swapping and rational protein engineering experiments, evidence has accumulated that indicates that J domains contain key specificity determinants. This review will critically discuss the current understanding of the structural features of J domains that determine the specificity of interaction between Hsp40 proteins and their partner Hsp70s. We also propose a model in which the J domain is able to integrate specificity and chaperone activity.

Molecular chaperones are integral components of the cellular machinery involved in ensuring correct protein folding and the continued maintenance of protein structure. An understanding of these ubiquitous molecules is key to finding cures to protein misfolding diseases such as Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jacob diseases. In addition, further understanding of chaperones will enhance our comprehension of the way the body copes with the environmental stresses that humans encounter daily. Our laboratory and our collaborators specialize in the production and characterization of chaperones from a wide variety of sources in order to gain a fuller understanding of how chaperones function in the cell. In this review, we primarily use the Hsp70/Hsp40 chaperone pair as an example to discuss recent advances in technology and reductions in cost that lend themselves to chaperone purification from both native and recombinant sources. Common assays to assess purified chaperone activity are also discussed.

Molecular chaperones of the heat shock protein 70 family (Hsp70; also called DnaK in prokaryotes) play an important role in the folding and functioning of cellular protein machinery. The dnaK gene from the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens RUOR was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction and the DnaK protein (Agt DnaK) was over-produced as a His-tagged protein in Escherichia coli. The Agt DnaK amino acid sequence was 96% identical to the A. tumefaciens C58 DnaK sequence and 65% identical to the E. coli DnaK sequence. Agt DnaK was shown to be able to functionally replace E. coli DnaK in vivo using complementation assays with an E. coli dnaK756 mutant strain and a dnaK52 deletion strain. Over-production and purification of Agt DnaK was successful, and allowed for further characterization of the protein. Kinetic analysis of the basal ATPase activity of purified Agt DnaK revealed a Vmax of 1.3 nmol phosphate released per minute per milligram DnaK, and a Km of 62 microM ATP. Thus, this is the first study to provide both in vivo and in vitro evidence that Agt DnaK has the properties of a molecular chaperone of the Hsp70 family.

Prokaryotic DnaJ and DnaK, homologous to the eukaryotic 40 and 70kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp40 and Hsp70) respectively, play an important role as molecular chaperones in assisted protein folding under both normal and stressed conditions. DnaJ-like proteins are defined by the presence of a 70 amino acid domain termed the J domain, similar to the initial 73 amino acids of the Escherichia coli protein DnaJ. The J domain comprises four alpha-helices and a loop region containing the invariant tripeptide of histidine, proline and aspartic acid (HPD motif). This motif and Helix II have been shown previously to be important for the interaction with partner Hsp70s. Conserved amino acid residues present in the J domain were identified, and substitutions of these residues were performed to examine their effect on the in vivo functioning of the J domain of Agrobacterium tumefaciens DnaJ. Three conserved, charged residues, and three conserved, hydrophobic residues, in addition to the HPD motif, were shown to be important for the correct functioning of A. tumefaciens DnaJ. These included Arg26 located on Helix II, Arg63 and Asp59 located on Helix IV, Tyr7 and Leu10 located on Helix I, and Leu57 located on Helix III. This study has identified charged and hydrophobic residues on all the structural elements of the J domain that were critical to the structure and function of DnaJ, and in particular shown that Helix IV may have an important role in the structure and function of DnaJs in general.

Recently, the homolog of yeast protein Sec63p was identified in dog pancreas microsomes. This pancreatic DnaJ-like protein was shown to be an abundant protein, interacting with both the Sec61p complex and lumenal DnaK-like proteins, such as BiP. The pancreatic endoplasmic reticulum contains a second DnaJ-like membrane protein, which had been termed Mtj1p in mouse. Mtj1p is present in pancreatic microsomes at a lower concentration than Sec63p but has a higher affinity for BiP. In addition to a lumenal J-domain, Mtj1p contains a single transmembrane domain and a cytosolic domain which is in close contact with translating ribosomes and appears to have the ability to modulate translation. The interaction with ribosomes involves a highly charged region within the cytosolic domain of Mtj1p. We propose that Mtj1p represents a novel type of co-chaperone, mediating transmembrane recruitment of DnaK-like chaperones to ribosomes and, possibly, transmembrane signaling between ribosomes and DnaK-like chaperones of the endoplasmic reticulum.

This is a corrigendum for the article of the same title, published in The EMBO Journal (2002) 21 (2958-2967)

DnaJ-like proteins are defined by the presence of an approximately 73 amino acid region termed the J domain. This region bears similarity to the initial 73 amino acids of the Escherichia coli protein DnaJ. Although the structures of the J domains of E coli DnaJ and human heat shock protein 40 have been solved using nuclear magnetic resonance, no detailed analysis of the amino acid conservation among the J domains of the various DnaJ-like proteins has yet been attempted. A multiple alignment of 223 J domain sequences was performed, and the levels of amino acid conservation at each position were established. It was found that the levels of sequence conservation were particularly high in 'true' DnaJ homologues (ie, those that share full domain conservation with DnaJ) and decreased substantially in those J domains in DnaJ-like proteins that contained no additional similarity to DnaJ outside their J domain. Residues were also identified that could be important for stabilizing the J domain and for mediating the interaction with heat shock protein 70.