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The excellent selectivity of the mevalonate kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation of mevalonate simplifies lengthy multi-step routes to (R)-mevalonate-5-phosphate to a one-step biocatalytic reaction, because the phosphate group can be transferred directly and without any additional reaction steps involving introduction and removal of protecting groups. By adjusting the required reaction time for complete conversion, the kinetic resolution of racemic mevalolactone can be easily used for the preparation of (S)-mevalonate and (R)-mevalonate-5-phosphate. A new recombinant mevalonate kinase has been prepared by the expression of the mevalonate kinase gene from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis in Escherichia coli and by the subsequent purification. Direct quantitative 31P-NMR kinetic analysis has been utilized to characterize the enantioselectivity of the mevalonate kinase. This method is useful for determining the biocatalyst's utility for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure (R)-mevalonate-5-phosphate as well as for biocatalytic process development.

The gene coding for xylose isomerase from the thermophilic bacterium Fervidobacterium gondwanense was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The produced xylose isomerase (XylA), which closely resembles counterparts from Thermotoga maritima and T. neapolitana, was purified and characterized. It is optimally active at 70 degrees C, pH 7.3, with a specific activity of 15.0 U/mg for the interconversion of glucose to fructose. When compared with T. maritima XylA at 85 degrees C, a higher catalytic efficiency was observed. Divalent metal ions Co2+ and Mg2+ were found to enhance the thermostability.

Two conjugative plasmids (CPs) were isolated and characterized from the same ‘Sulfolobus islandicus’ strain, SOG2/4. The plasmids were separated from each other and transferred intoSulfolobus solfataricus. One has a high copy number and is not stable (pSOG1) whereas the other has a low copy number and is stably maintained (pSOG2). Plasmid pSOG2 is the firstSulfolobusCP found to have these characteristics. The genomes of both pSOG plasmids have been sequenced and were compared to each other and the availableSulfolobusCPs. Interestingly, apart from a very well-conserved core, 70 % of the pSOG1 and pSOG2 genomes is largely different and composed of a mixture of genes that often resemble counterparts in previously describedSulfolobusCPs. However, about 20 % of the predicted genes do not have known homologues, not even in other CPs. Unlike pSOG1, pSOG2 does not contain a gene for the highly conserved PlrA protein nor for obvious homologues of partitioning proteins. Unlike pNOB8 and pKEF9, both pSOG plasmids lack the so-called clustered regularly interspaced short palindrome repeats (CRISPRs). The sites of recombination between the two genomes can be explained by the presence of recombination motifs previously identified in otherSulfolobusCPs. Like otherSulfolobusCPs, the pSOG plasmids possess a gene encoding an integrase of the tyrosine recombinase family. This integrase probably mediates plasmid site-specific integration into the host chromosome at the highly conserved tRNAGluloci.

Structure-forming fibrous proteins like keratins, gelatins and collagens are degraded only by a few proteases as their tight packing limits access to the potential cleavage sites. To understand the keratin degradation in detail, we describe the first crystal structure of a keratin-degrading enzyme (keratinase), fervidolysin, from Fervidobacterium pennivorans as an immature form with propeptide (PD)-bound. The 1.7 Angstrom resolution crystal structure shows that the protease is composed of four domains: a catalytic domain (CD), two P-sandwich domains (SDs), and the PD domain. A structural alignment shows a distant relationship between the PD-CD substructure of fervidolysin and pro-subtilisin E. Tight binding of PD to the remaining part of the protease is mediated by hydrogen bonds along the domain surfaces and around the active cleft, and by the clamps to SD1 and SD2. The crystal structure of this multi-domain protein fervidolysin provides insights into proenzyme activation and the role of non-catalytic domains, suggesting a functional relationship to the fibronectin (FN)-like domains of the human promatrix metalloprotease-2 (proMMP-2) that degrades the fibrous polymeric substrate gelatin. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Paracoccus denitrificans strains with mutations in the genes encoding the cytochrome c 550 , c 552 , or c 1 and in combinations of these genes were constructed, and their growth characteristics were determined. Each mutant was able to grow heterotrophically with succinate as the carbon and free-energy source, although their specific growth rates and maximum cell numbers fell variably behind those of the wild type. Maximum cell numbers and rates of growth were also reduced when these strains were grown with methylamine as the sole free-energy source, with the triple cytochrome c mutant failing to grow on this substrate. Under anaerobic conditions in the presence of nitrate, none of the mutant strains lacking the cytochrome bc 1 complex reduced nitrite, which is cytotoxic and accumulated in the medium. The cytochrome c 550 -deficient mutant did denitrify provided copper was present. The cytochrome c 552 mutation had no apparent effect on the denitrifying potential of the mutant cells. The studies show that the cytochromes c have multiple tasks in electron transfer. The cytochrome bc 1 complex is the electron acceptor of the Q-pool and of amicyanin. It is also the electron donor to cytochromes c 550 and c 552 and to the cbb 3 -type oxidase. Cytochrome c 552 is an electron acceptor both of the cytochrome bc 1 complex and of amicyanin, as well as a dedicated electron donor to the aa 3 -type oxidase. Cytochrome c 550 can accept electrons from the cytochrome bc 1 complex and from amicyanin, whereas it is also the electron donor to both cytochrome c oxidases and to at least the nitrite reductase during denitrification. Deletion of the c -type cytochromes also affected the concentrations of remaining cytochromes c , suggesting that the organism is plastic in that it adjusts its infrastructure in response to signals derived from changed electron transfer routes.

The gene encoding a short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase, AdhA, has been identified in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, as part of an operon that encodes two glycosyl hydrolases, the beta-glucosidase CelB and the endoglucanase LamA. The adhA gene was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli, and AdhA was subsequently purified to homogeneity. The quaternary structure of AdhA is a dimer of identical 26-kDa subunits. AdhA is an NADPH-dependent oxidoreductase that converts alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes/ketones and vice versa, with a rather broad substrate specificity. Maximal specific activities were observed with 2-pentanol (46 U x mg(-1)) and pyruvaldehyde (32 U x mg(-1)) in the oxidative and reductive reaction, respectively. AdhA has an optimal activity at 90 degrees C, at which temperature it has a half life of 22.5 h. The expression of the adhA gene in P. furiosus was demonstrated by activity measurements and immunoblot analysis of cell extracts. A role of this novel type of archaeal alcohol dehydrogenase in carbohydrate fermentation is discussed.

Pentameric ligand gated ion-channels, or Cys-loop receptors, mediate rapid chemical transmission of signals. This superfamily of allosteric transmembrane proteins includes the nicotinic acetylcholine (nAChR), serotonin 5-HT3, gamma-aminobutyric-acid (GABAA and GABAC) and glycine receptors. Biochemical and electrophysiological information on the prototypic nAChRs is abundant but structural data at atomic resolution have been missing. Here we present the crystal structure of molluscan acetylcholine-binding protein (AChBP), a structural and functional homologue of the amino-terminal ligand-binding domain of an nAChR alpha-subunit. In the AChBP homopentamer, the protomers have an immunoglobulin-like topology. Ligand-binding sites are located at each of five subunit interfaces and contain residues contributed by biochemically determined 'loops' A to F. The subunit interfaces are highly variable within the ion-channel family, whereas the conserved residues stabilize the protomer fold. This AChBP structure is relevant for the development of drugs against, for example, Alzheimer's disease and nicotine addiction.

An a-glucosidase activity (EC 3.2.1.20) isolated from Sulfolobus solfataricus strain MT-4 was characterised and found of interest at industrial level in the saccharification step of hydrolysis process of starch. The gene encoding for the enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). with a yield of 87.5 U/g of wet biomass. The recombinant cytosolic enzyme was purified to homogeneity with a rapid purification procedure employing only steps of selective and progressive thermal precipitations with a final yield of 75.4% and a purification of 14.5-fold. The properties of this thermophilic a-glucosidase were compared with those of the a-glucosidase of a commercial preparation from Aspergillus niger used in the starch processing.

The original strategy used in the Sulfolobus solfataricus genome project was to sequence non overlapping, or minimally overlapping, cosmid or lambda inserts without constructing a physical map. However, after only about two thirds of the genome sequence was completed, this approach became counter-productive because there was a high sequence bias in the cosmid and lambda libraries. Therefore, a new approach was devised for linking the sequenced regions which may be generally applicable. BAC libraries were constructed and terminal sequences of the clones were determined and used for both end mapping and PCR screening. The PCR approaches included a novel chromosome walking method termed "paired-PCR". 21 gaps were filled by BAC end sequence analyses and 6 gaps were filled by PCR including three large ones by paired-PCR. The complete map revealed that 0.9 Mb remained to be sequenced and 34 BAC clones were selected for walking over small gaps and preparing template libraries for larger ones. It is concluded that an optimal strategy for sequencing microorganism genomes involves construction of a high-resolution physical map by BAC end analyses, PCR screening and paired-PCR chromosome walking after about half the genome sequence has been accumulated.

Pyrococcus furiosus uses a modified Embden-Meyerhof pathway involving two ADP-dependent kinases. Using the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the previously purified ADP-dependent glucokinase, the corresponding gene as well as a related open reading frame were detected in the genome of P. furiosus. Both genes were successfully cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, yielding highly thermoactive ADP-dependent glucokinase and phosphofructokinase. The deduced amino acid sequences of both kinases were 21.1% identical but did not reveal significant homology with those of other known sugar kinases. The ADP-dependent phosphofructokinase was purified and characterized. The oxygen-stable protein had a native molecular mass of approximately 180 kDa and was composed of four identical 52-kDa subunits. It had a specific activity of 88 units/mg at 50 degrees C and a pH optimum of 6.5. As phosphoryl group donor, ADP could be replaced by GDP, ATP, and GTP to a limited extent. The K(m) values for fructose 6-phosphate and ADP were 2.3 and 0.11 mM, respectively. The phosphofructokinase did not catalyze the reverse reaction, nor was it regulated by any of the known allosteric modulators of ATP-dependent phosphofructokinases. ATP and AMP were identified as competitive inhibitors of the phosphofructokinase, raising the K(m) for ADP to 0.34 and 0.41 mM, respectively.

The fermentative conversion of glucose in anaerobic hyperthermophilic Archaea is a variant of the classical Embden-Meyerhof pathway found in Bacteria and Eukarya. A major difference of the archaeal glycolytic pathway concerns the conversion of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. In the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, this reaction is catalyzed by an unique enzyme, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate ferredoxin oxidoreductase (GAPOR). Here, we report the isolation, characterization, and transcriptional analysis of the GAPOR-encoding gene. GAPOR is related to a family of ferredoxin-dependent tungsten enzymes in (hyper)thermophilic Archaea and, in addition, to a hypothetical protein in Escherichia coli. Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis of the purified P. furiosus GAPOR protein confirms the anticipated involvement of tungsten in catalysis. During glycolysis in P. furiosus, GAPOR gene expression is induced, whereas the activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is repressed. It is discussed that this unprecedented unidirectional reaction couple in the pyrococcal glycolysis and gluconeogenesis gives rise to a novel site of glycolytic regulation that might be widespread among Archaea.

We report here the first molecular characterization of an endo-beta-1,3-glucanase from an archaeon. Pyrococcus furiosus is a hyperthermophilic archaeon that is capable of saccharolytic growth. The isolated lamA gene encodes an extracellular enzyme that shares homology with both endo-beta-1,3- and endo-beta-1,3-1,4-glucanases of the glycosyl hydrolase family 16. After deletion of the N-terminal leader sequence, a lamA fragment encoding an active endo-beta-1,3-glucanase was overexpressed in Escherichia coli using the T7-expression system. The purified P. furiosus endoglucanase has highest hydrolytic activity on the beta-1,3-glucose polymer laminarin and has some hydrolytic activity on the beta-1,3-1,4 glucose polymers lichenan and barley beta-glucan. The enzyme is the most thermostable endo-beta-1,3-glucanase described up to now; it has optimal activity at 100-105 degrees C. In the predicted active site of glycosyl hydrolases of family 16 that show predominantly endo-beta-1,3-glucanase activity, an additional methionine residue is present. Deletion of this methionine did not change the substrate specificity of the endoglucanase, but it did cause a severe reduction in its catalytic activity, suggesting a structural role of this residue in constituting the active site. High performance liquid chromatography analysis showed in vitro hydrolysis of laminarin by the endo-beta-1,3-glucanase proceeds more efficiently in combination with an exo-beta-glycosidase from P. furiosus (CelB). This most probably reflects the physiological role of these enzymes: cooperation during growth of P. furiosus on beta-glucans.

The Paracoccus denitrificans fnrP gene encoding a homologue of the Escherichia coli FNR protein was localized upstream of the gene cluster that encodes the high-affinity cbb3-type oxidase. FnrP harbours the invariant cysteine residues that are supposed to be the ligands of the redox-sensitive [4Fe-4S] cluster in FNR. NNR, another FNR-like transcriptional regulator in P. denitrificans, does not. Analysis of FnrP and NNR single and double mutants revealed that the two regulators each exert exclusive control on the expression of a discrete set of target genes. In FnrP mutants, the expression of cytochrome c peroxidase was blocked, that of membrane-bound nitrate reductase and the cbb3-type oxidase was significantly reduced, whilst the activity of the bb3-type quinol oxidase was increased. The amounts of the nitrite and nitric oxide reductases in these FnrP mutants were the same as in the wild type. NNR mutants, on the other hand, were disturbed exclusively in the concentrations of nitrite reductase and nitric oxide reductase. An FnrP.NNR double mutant combined the phenotypes of the single mutant strains. In all three mutants, the concentrations and/or activities of the aa3-type oxidase, cytochrome C550, cytochrome C552, and nitrous oxide reductase equalled those in the wild type. As the FNR boxes in front of the FnrP- and NNR-regulated genes are highly similar to or even identical to each other, the absence of cross-talk between the regulation by FnrP and NNR implies that as yet unidentified factors are important in the control. It is proposed that the redox state of an intracellular redox couple other than the oxygen/water couple is one of the factors that modulates the activity of FnrP.

The taxonomy of Paracoccus denitrificans and related bacteria is discussed. Evidence is given which shows that the physiological differences between P. denitrificans and Thiosphaera pantotropha are less fundamental than previously thought. A proposal to consider a species P. pantotropha is mentioned. The properties of the denitrifying enzymes and the genes involved in their formation in P. denitrificans is discussed. The synthesis of the membrane-bound-nitrate reductase is regulated by FNR, that of the nitrite- and nitric oxide reductase by NNR. Evidence is given that FNR acts as a redox sensor rather than an oxygen sensor. The occurrence of aerobic denitrification and coupled heterotrophic nitrification-denitrification in the original strain of Thiosphaera pantotropha are explained by a limiting respiratory activity which activates FNR. Aerobic denitrification leads to a lower growth yield and an increase in mumax in batch culture when a limiting respiratory activity is assumed and when excess substrate is present. Coupled heterotrophic nitrification-denitrification gives a smaller increase in mumax and a more drastic reduction in yield. Both processes are thus advantageous to the organism. In a chemostat with limiting substrate these processes are disadvantageous. T. pantotropha has lost the ability for aerobic denitrification during extended cultivation. Possibly the substrate concentration was limiting during extended cultivation giving a selective advantage to variants which have lost these properties. The calculations predict that P. denitrificans should be able to grow chemolithotrophically with hydroxylamine.

Small RNA (sRNA) molecules in bacteria play key roles in the regulation of gene expression, in controlling protein functionality, and in guiding defense against invading DNA. sRNAs involved in transcription regulation are divided in a cis - and a trans -encoded class. cis -Encoded sRNAs are encoded by the same genomic locus as their target mRNA, residing either on the transcript they regulate (riboswitches), or derived from the opposite strand (antisense sRNAs). trans -Encoded sRNAs are encoded elsewhere on the genome and require the RNA chaperone Hfq for exerting their function. Other sRNAs regulate nucleic acid-binding proteins by mimicking the nucleic acid sequence and structure, leading to sequestration of the protein. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) RNAs (crRNAs) represent yet another class of sRNA that serves as a guide in defense against invading nucleic acids, such as viruses and conjugative plasmids. In addition, prokaryotic Argonaute has recently been proposed to function in antiviral or anti-plasmid defense that is guided by small nucleic acids. In this article, the function and molecular mechanism of the different classes of sRNAs are reviewed.

The genes that encode the hc-type nitric-oxide reductase from Paracoccus denitrificans have been identified. They are part of a cluster of six genes (norCBQDEF) and are found near the gene cluster that encodes the cd1-type nitrite reductase, which was identified earlier [de Boer, A. P. N., Reijnders, W. N. M., Kuenen, J. G., Stouthamer, A. H. & van Spanning, R. J. M. (1994) Isolation, sequencing and mutational analysis of a gene cluster involved in nitrite reduction in Paracoccus denitrificans, Antonie Leeu wenhoek 66, 111-127]. norC and norB encode the cytochrome-c-containing subunit II and cytochrome b-containing subunit I of nitric-oxide reductase (NO reductase), respectively. norQ encodes a protein with an ATP-binding motif and has high similarity to NirQ from Pseudomonas stutzeri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and CbbQ from Pseudomonas hydrogenothermophila. norE encodes a protein with five putative transmembrane alpha-helices and has similarity to CoxIII, the third subunit of the aa3-type cytochrome-c oxidases. norF encodes a small protein with two putative transmembrane alpha-helices. Mutagenesis of norC, norB, norQ and norD resulted in cells unable to grow anaerobically. Nitrite reductase and NO reductase (with succinate or ascorbate as substrates) and nitrous oxide reductase (with succinate as substrate) activities were not detected in these mutant strains. Nitrite extrusion was detected in the medium, indicating that nitrate reductase was active. The norQ and norD mutant strains retained about 16% and 23% of the wild-type level of NorC, respectively. The norE and norF mutant strains had specific growth rates and NorC contents similar to those of the wild-type strain, but had reduced NOR and NIR activities, indicating that their gene products are involved in regulation of enzyme activity. Mutant strains containing the norCBQDEF region on the broad-host-range vector pEG400 were able to grow anaerobically, although at a lower specific growth rate and with lower NOR activity compared with the wild-type strain.

Cytochrome c-550 of Thiobacillus versutus functions as an electron transfer protein in a chain of redox proteins that enables T. versutus to grow on methylamine. It is a single-heme protein of 134 residues, related to mitochondrial cytochrome c. Cytochrome c-550, as well as several other bacterial c2-type cytochromes, contain a C-terminal extension of 13-16 amino acids of unknown function, compared to mitochondrial cytochrome c. NMR experiments were performed to obtain structural and dynamic information on the protein in solution. For this purpose, T. versutus cytochrome c-550 was labeled with 15N and 13C using 13C-methanol grown Paracoccus denitrificans as a host for heterologous expression. NMR assignments were obtained for the 1H, 15N, and 13C nuclei in the backbone and the beta-positions of the protein and the secondary structure was determined. 15N-relaxation studies were performed to characterize the dynamic properties of the protein. The results indicate that the main part of T. versutus ferrocytochrome c-550 exists in solution as a rigid, well-ordered molecule with a secondary structure that is very similar to that of P. denitrificans cytochrome c-550, as observed in crystals. The C-terminal extension, however, is unstructured and highly mobile. The possible origin and function of the extension are discussed.

Among aerobic prokaryotes, many different terminal oxidase complexes have been described. Sequence comparison has revealed that the aa3-type cytochrome c oxidase and the bo3-type quinol oxidase are variations on the same theme: the heme-copper oxidase. A third member of this family has recently been recognized: the cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidase. Here we give an overview, and report that nitric oxide (NO) reductase, a bc-type cytochrome involved in denitrification, shares important features with these terminal oxidases as well. Tentative structural, functional and evolutionary implications are discussed.

The LrpA transcriptional regulator from Pyrococcus furiosus, a member of the leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) family, has been crystallized by the hanging-drop method of vapour diffusion using ammonium sulfate as the precipitant. The crystals belong to the tetragonal system and are in space group I4(1)22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 104.5, c = 245.1 A. Consideration of the values of V(M) and possible packing of the molecules within the cell suggest that the asymmetric unit contains a dimer. Examination of the behaviour of the protein on gel-filtration columns and analysis of the self-rotation function suggests that the molecule is an octamer in solution at around pH 5. Determination of the structure of this protein will provide insights into the mechanisms responsible for DNA-protein recognition at high temperature and into how the regulatory properties of the Lrp family are modified by the presence or absence of effector molecules.

We present evidence that, in contrast to plasmids from other hyperthermophilic archaea, which are in the relaxed to positively supercoiled state, plasmid pGS5 (2.8 kb) from Archaeoglobus profundus is negatively supercoiled. This might be due to the presence of a gyrase introducing negative supercoils, since gyrase genes are present in the genome of its close relative A. fulgidus, and suggests that gyrase activity predominates over reverse gyrase whenever the two topoisomerases coexist in cells. Previous topological analyses of native plasmids from hyperthermophiles belonging to the two major phylogenetic lineages within the domain Archaea revealed a relaxed to positively supercoiled state of DNA (1, 2, 10). This was in contrast to the negatively supercoiled state of DNA in all mesophiles, including mesophilic archaea (1). The strains investigated in those studies were members of the orders Sulfolobales and Thermococcales, representing the two major archaeal kingdoms, Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota, respectively. All of them possessed reverse gyrase, a topoisomerase specific for hyperthermophiles that is able to introduce positive DNA supercoils (5). Therefore, reverse gyrase appeared responsible for this peculiar topological state. Accordingly, the idea that DNA was stabilized in organisms living at very high temperatures by an overall linking excess seemed to be supported (6). However, this hypothesis was called into question when plasmid pRQ7 from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima was found to be negatively supercoiled (7). In addition to reverse gyrase, T. maritima possesses DNA gyrase, a typical bacterial topoisomerase that introduces negative supercoils into DNA and is responsible for the negative supercoiling of pRQ7 (7). Two alternative possibilities could be then considered to explain the different plasmid topologies in hyperthermophiles. Either gyrase activity dominates whenever both reverse gyrase and gyrase are present in the cell, maintaining an overall DNA negative supercoiling, or, alternatively, the relaxed to positively supercoiled plasmid topology could be a taxonomic characteristic specific to hyperthermophilic archaea. The discovery of pGS5, a plasmid of 2,802 bp in the sulfate-reducing hyperthermophilic archaeon Archaeoglobus profundus (G. Erauso et al., unpublished data), allowed us to test which possibility was correct since the complete genome sequence of the closely related species Archaeoglobus fulgidus revealed the existence of genes encoding both gyrase and reverse gyrase (9). A. profundus strain AV18 was obtained from the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSM 5631) and cultivated under strict anaerobic conditions in a standard medium (Erauso et al., unpublished) consisting of a basal salt solution (containing, per liter, 20 g of NaCl ,3go f MgCl2 z 6H2 O, 4go f Na 2SO4, 0.5 g of KCl, 0.25 g of NH4Cl, 0.15 g of CaCl2 z 2H2O, and 0.14 g of K2HPO4 )p lus 1m l of a trace element solution (containing, per liter, 100 mg of Na2WO4 z 2H2O and 100 mg of NaSeO3 z 2H2O) buffered to pH 6.8 with 4go fpiperazine-N-N9-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid) (PIPES) sodium salt and supplemented wit h1go fyeast extract (Difco) an d4go fsodium acetate. Resazurine (1 mg liter 21 ) was used as a redox indicator, and Na2S z 9H2O was

Introduction The enzymes which comprise the prokaryotic and eukaryotic respiratory chains are typically membrane-bound multi-subunit complexes. In mitochondria they tend to be more complex protein conglomerates than in bacteria. In both eubacteria and archaebacteria respiratory enzymes seem to contain only the functional cores of their eukaryotic sisters. In the simplest cases they may have only a single subunit but still retain at least a part of the relevant catalytic function [ 1,2]. The archaetype of this family is the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidiase (1.9.3.1) or cytochrome aa3, which has, depending on the species, from seven to thirteen different subunits, contains two haem A groups and two redox-active copper ions, and functions as a redox-linked proton pump [3-51. Many bacteria have a similar cytochrome aa, but this has only three or four subunits [4, 61. Different types of terminal oxidases, many of which are known to have subunits homologous to those in the mitochondrial enzyme but which contain different prosthetic groups, are frequently found in bacteria [6-81. This short review will focus on these bacterial quinol and cytochrome c oxidases.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents that biocatalysis is gradually taking over from chemical catalysis in many industrial applications. Enzymes are environmentally friendly, biodegradable, efficient, and low cost in terms of resource requirements; they provide benefits compared with traditional chemical approaches in various industrial processes. In many instances, however, natural enzymes do not perform optimally in a particular unnatural process and can be unsuitable for large-scale industrial applications. Reflecting their participation in complex metabolic networks inside living cells, enzymes are often inhibited by their own substrates or products, either of which may severely limit the productivity of an industrial biocatalytic process. During natural evolution, enzymes are optimized and often highly specialized for certain biological functions within the context of a living organism. In contrast, biotechnology needs enzymes that have (1) a high activity over longer periods of time, (2) a high stability under harsh physical and chemical conditions, and (3) a high specificity and selectivity that does allow the enzyme to generate efficiently specific products that are not necessarily present in nature. The literature contains a large number of studies in which enzymes have been improved by rational or random approaches. It has been shown that both approaches have strengths, but also weaknesses. Rationale-based engineering requires a high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) model and insight into the structure–function relationships of the biocatalyst of interest. Laboratory evolution requires the ability to screen large libraries; when major adjustments are desired, the leap in sequence space may be too big to bridge.

Archaea are prokaryotes that evolved in parallel with bacteria. Since the discovery of the distinct status of the Archaea, extensive physiological and biochemical research has been conducted to elucidate the molecular basis of their remarkable lifestyle and their unique biology. Here, we discuss how in-depth comparative genomics has been used to improve the annotation of archaeal genomes. Combined with experimental verification, bioinformatic analysis contributes to the ongoing discovery of novel metabolic conversions and control mechanisms, and as such to a better understanding of the intriguing biology of the Archaea.

The structural characteristics and the activity of a hyperthermophilic endoglucanase were investigated upon adsorption. Silica (hydrophilic) and Teflon (hydrophobic) surfaces were selected for the study. The materials were specially designed so that the interaction of the particles with light was negligible, and the enzyme conformation in the adsorbed state was monitored in situ. The adsorption isotherms were determined, and the adsorbed endoglucanase was studied using a number of spectroscopic techniques, enzymatic activity tests, and dynamic light scattering. Experiments were performed at pH values below, at, and above the isoelectric point of the enzyme. It was shown that the enzyme adsorbed on the hydrophobic surface of Teflon with higher affinity as compared to the hydrophilic silica nanoparticles. In all cases, adsorption was followed by (slight) changes in the secondary structure resulting in decreased β-structural content. The changes were more profound upon adsorption on Teflon. The adsorbed enzyme remained active in the adsorbed state in spite of the structural changes induced when interacting with the surfaces.

Pyrococcus furiosus laminarinase (LamA, PF0076) is an endo-glycosidase that hydrolyzes β-1,3-gluco-oligosaccharides, but not β-1,4-gluco-oligosaccharides. We studied the specificity of LamA towards small saccharides by using 4-methylumbelliferyl β-glucosides with different linkages. Besides endo-activity, wild-type LamA has some exo-activity, and catalyzes the hydrolysis of mixed-linked oligosaccharides (Glcβ4Glcβ3Glcβ-MU (Glc = glucosyl, MU = 4-methylumbelliferyl)) with both β-1,4 and β-1,3 specificities. The LamA mutant E170A had severely reduced hydrolytic activity, which is consistent with Glu170 being the catalytic nucleophile. The E170A mutant was active as a glycosynthase, catalyzing the condensation of α-laminaribiosyl fluoride to different acceptors. The best condensation yields were found at pH 6.5 and 50 °C, but did not exceed 30%. Depending on the acceptor, the synthase generated either a β-1,3 or a β-1,4 linkage.

The gene encoding a short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase, AdhA, has been identified in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, as part of an operon that encodes two glycosyl hydrolases, the beta-glucosidase CelB and the endoglucanase LamA. The adhA gene was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli, and AdhA was subsequently purified to homogeneity. The quaternary structure of AdhA is a dimer of identical 26-kDa subunits. AdhA is an NADPH-dependent oxidoreductase that converts alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes/ketones and vice versa, with a rather broad substrate specificity. Maximal specific activities were observed with 2-pentanol (46 U x mg(-1)) and pyruvaldehyde (32 U x mg(-1)) in the oxidative and reductive reaction, respectively. AdhA has an optimal activity at 90 degrees C, at which temperature it has a half life of 22.5 h. The expression of the adhA gene in P. furiosus was demonstrated by activity measurements and immunoblot analysis of cell extracts. A role of this novel type of archaeal alcohol dehydrogenase in carbohydrate fermentation is discussed.

Publisher Summary One of the key enzymes of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus involved in growth on B-linked sugars is the inducible B-glucosidase (CelB). CelB from P. furiosus serves as a very suitable model glycosylhydrolase to study substrate specificity as well as adaptations of stability and activity to extreme temperatures. Stable production in E. coli and an efficient purification protocol allow for simple and rapid preparation of pure wildtype and mutant CelB enzymes. This chapter an presents an overview of the state of the art on this hyperthermostable enzyme, protocols for heterologous production and enzyme purification, and development and application of a directed evolution procedure that has resulted in the isolation and characterization of an active site mutant.

Publisher Summary Currently several serine proteases have been purified from hyperthermophiles with a variety of approaches and characterized at the enzyme and, in most cases also the gene level. Those that are genetically characterized all belong to the subtilisin-like family of serine proteases, also known as “subtilases.” Moreover, a variety of homologs of subtilases can be detected in the present databases of sequenced genomes of hyperthermophiles. The first of these serine proteases to be characterized at the enzyme and gene level has been pyrolysin from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus , which is the most thermostable protease to date and retains half of its activity after boiling for several hours. A characteristic feature of pyrolysin and other proteases is the fact that these enzymes are substrates of their proteolytic activity and degrade themselves in a process termed autoproteolysis. This has for a long time hampered the purification of pyrolysin and prevented its further characterization at the molecular level. This chapter discusses the procedures for the biochemical and genetic characterization of pyrolysin and other related thermostable serine proteases and the prediction of their properties by homology comparisons, database searches, and molecular modelling.

Publisher Summary ADP-dependent glucokinase and phosphofructokinase were demonstrated for the first time by Kengen et al . in the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus . This anaerobic archaeon grows optimally at 100° by fermenting sugar polymers and polypeptides to mainly acetate and alanine. The catabolism of sugars, such as starch, laminarin, maltose, or cellobiose, has been investigated in detail and has led to the discovery of novel type Embden–Meyerhof pathway, involving several enzymatic steps that are different from the classical ones. In addition to ADP-dependent kinases, the pathway involves a one-step, ferredoxin-dependent conversion of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate to 3-phosphoglycerate instead of the conventional two-step, NAD-dependent and ATP-generating conversion. Furthermore, a remarkable AMP-dependent, ATP-generating pyruvate kinase has been described, which is different from the normal ADP-dependent pyruvate kinase. Moreover, the available P. furiosus genome sequence shows that for several other glycolytic enzymes, no homologous sequences can be identified, suggesting that these enzymes may be different from the classical ones as well. This chapter describes the procedures for assay and purification of both kinases and the cloning and expression of their genes.

The substrate specificity of the beta-glucosidase (CelB) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, a family 1 glycosyl hydrolase, has been studied at a molecular level. Following crystallization and X-ray diffraction of this enzyme, a 3.3 A resolution structural model has been obtained by molecular replacement. CelB shows a homo-tetramer configuration, with subunits having a typical (betaalpha)(8)-barrel fold. Its active site has been compared to the one of the previously determined 6-phospho-beta-glycosidase (LacG) from the mesophilic bacterium Lactococcus lactis. The overall design of the substrate binding pocket is very well conserved, with the exception of three residues that have been identified as a phosphate binding site in LacG. To verify the structural model and alter its substrate specificity, these three residues have been introduced at the corresponding positions in CelB (E417S, M424K, F426Y) in different combinations: single, double, and triple mutants. Characterization of the purified mutant CelB enzyme revealed that F426Y resulted in an increased affinity for galactosides, whereas M424K gave rise to a shifted pH optimum (from 5.0 to 6.0). Analysis of E417S revealed a 5-fold and a 3-fold increase of the efficiency of hydrolyzing o-nitrophenol-beta-D-galactopyranoside-6-phosphate, in the single and triple mutants, respectively. In contrast, their activity on nonphosphorylated sugars was largely reduced (30-300-fold). The residue at position E417 in CelB seems to be the determining factor for the difference in substrate specificity between the two types of family 1 glycosidases.

The hyperthermophilic archaea are a group of phylogenetically related microorganisms which by definition grow optimally at or above 80°C, with a maximal growth temperature of 90°C or higher (5). The majority of these are strictly anaerobic heterotrophs, most of which are obligately dependent upon the reduction of elemental sulfur (S0) to H2S. A limited number of facultative S0-reducing species are able to grow in the absence of S0 by means of an alternative fermentative-type metabolism. An example of this type of organism is Pyrococcus furiosus, which grows optimally at 100°C, with a temperature maximum of 105°C, by the fermentation of peptides and various carbohydrates, including starch, glycogen, β-glucans, cellobiose, and maltose (12). In addition, pyruvate can also be utilized as a carbon and energy source (9, 33). P. furiosus utilizes a modified Embden-Meyerhof pathway for the catabolism of sugars, which involves a pair of unprecedented ADP-dependent kinases (glucokinase and phosphofructokinase) and a unique glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (18, 26, 35, 37). The main products produced during the fermentation of sugars include acetate, CO2, H2, and alanine (19). During growth on either peptides or carbohydrates, reduced ferredoxin is generated (1, 20). Regeneration of oxidized ferredoxin is assumed to be accomplished by three mechanisms: either by S0 reduction to H2S, by proton reduction to H2, or by the formation of alanine. The third alternative, formation of alanine, is found when P. furiosus is grown in the absence of S0. In addition to acetate, a significant amount of alanine is excreted into the medium (19, 33). The amount of alanine produced varies, with an increase in the H2 partial pressure resulting in an increase in the amount of alanine produced. The transamination of pyruvate with glutamate by the action of an alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT) was detected in cell extracts of P. furiosus (19). Furthermore, this activity was shown to be affected by both the partial pressure of hydrogen as well as the available carbon source, suggesting some form of regulation. Glutamate must be replenished through the action of the NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). However, there is some controversy concerning the exact role of GDH in the metabolism, since it has been proposed to serve an anabolic role (7, 27), as well as a catabolic role (32). Interestingly, the activity of the GDH reacted similarly to that of AlaAT under the same growth conditions, further suggesting some coordinated regulation of these enzymes (19). The necessary NADPH can be generated by the transfer of reducing equivalents from reduced ferredoxin to NADP+ by the ferredoxin:NADP oxidoreductase activity of the sulfide dehydrogenase. These initial findings suggest that P. furiosus is able to shift its metabolism in response to its environment and in particular the redox potential of the available terminal electron acceptor. In addition to P. furiosus, l-alanine production has been detected in the related archeaon Thermococcus profundus (21), as well as the hyperthermophilic bacteria belonging to the order of the Thermotogales (31). Pyrococcus and Thermococcus are considered to be one of the deepest branches in the domain of the Archaea, with Thermotogales being one of the deepest branches within the domain Bacteria. Based on this finding, it has been proposed that alanine production from sugar fermentation can be regarded as an ancestral metabolic characteristic (31). However, l-alanine production has also been reported during the fermentation of sugars under anaerobic conditions for the intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia (11) and a moderately thermophilic Clostridium species (28), suggesting that this pathway may be more common among the three domains than previously thought. Moreover, homoalanine fermentation was recently established by metabolic engineering in a lactic acid bacterium, indicating that this pathway may function as an electron sink in a wide range of organisms (16). Further analysis of this pathway may provide insight into not only the biology of these organisms, but also the evolution of fermentative metabolism.

The sequence of a 281-kbp contig from the crenarchaeote Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 was determined and analysed. Notable features in this region include 29 ribosomal protein genes, 12 tRNA genes (four of which contain archaeal-type introns), operons encoding enzymes of histidine biosynthesis, pyrimidine biosynthesis, and arginine biosynthesis, an ATPase operon, numerous genes for enzymes of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, and six insertion sequences. The content and organization of this contig are compared with sequences from crenarchaeotes, euryarchaeotes, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Key words: Archaea, Sulfolobus Genome Project, comparative genomics, bioinformatics.

To characterize the expression and possible regulation of reductive dehalogenation in halorespiring bacteria, a 11.5-kb genomic fragment containing the o -chlorophenol reductive dehalogenase-encoding cprBA genes of the gram-positive bacterium Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans was subjected to detailed molecular characterization. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of eight designated genes with the order cprTKZEBACD and with the same polarity except for cprT . The deduced cprC and cprK gene products belong to the NirI/NosR and CRP-FNR families of transcription regulatory proteins, respectively. CprD and CprE are predicted to be molecular chaperones of the GroEL type, whereas cprT may encode a homologue of the trigger factor folding catalysts. Northern blot analysis, reverse transcriptase PCR, and primer extension analysis were used to elucidate the transcriptional organization and regulation of the cpr gene cluster. Results indicated halorespiration-specific transcriptional induction of the monocistronic cprT gene and the biscistronic cprBA and cprZE genes. Occasional read-through at cprC gives rise to a tetracistronic cprBACD transcript. Transcription of cprBA was induced 15-fold upon addition of the o -chlorophenolic substrate 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid within 30 min with concomitant induction of dehalogenation activity. Putative regulatory protein binding motifs that to some extent resemble the FNR box were identified in the cprT-cprK and cprK-cprZ intergenic regions and the promoter at cprB , suggesting a role for FNR-like CprK in the control of expression of the cprTKZEBACD genes.

The beta-glucosidase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus (CelB) is the most thermostable and thermoactive family 1 glycosylhydrolase described to date. To obtain more insight in the molecular determinants of adaptations to high temperatures and study the possibility of optimizing low-temperature activity of a hyperthermostable enzyme, we generated a library of random CelB mutants in Escherichia coli. This library was screened for increased activity on p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside at room temperature. Multiple CelB variants were identified with up to 3-fold increased rates of hydrolysis of this aryl glucoside, and 10 of them were characterized in detail. Amino acid substitutions were identified in the active-site region, at subunit interfaces, at the enzyme surface, and buried in the interior of the monomers. Characterization of the mutants revealed that the increase in low-temperature activity was achieved in different ways, including altered substrate specificity and increased flexibility by an apparent overall destabilization of the enzyme. Kinetic characterization of the active-site mutants showed that in all cases the catalytic efficiency at 20 degrees C on p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucose, as well as on the disaccharide cellobiose, was increased up to 2-fold. In most cases, this was achieved at the expense of beta-galactosidase activity at 20 degrees C and total catalytic efficiency at 90 degrees C. Substrate specificity was found to be affected by many of the observed amino acid substitutions, of which only some are located in the vicinity of the active site. The largest effect on substrate specificity was observed with the CelB variant N415S that showed a 7.5-fold increase in the ratio of p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside/p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyra noside hydrolysis. This asparagine at position 415 is predicted to interact with active-site residues that stabilize the hydroxyl group at the C4 position of the substrate, the conformation of which is equatorial in glucose-containing substrates and axial in galactose-containing substrates.

ortho-Chlorophenol reductive dehalogenase of the halorespiring Gram-positive Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans was purified 90-fold to apparent homogeneity. The purified dehalogenase catalyzed the reductive removal of a halogen atom from the ortho position of 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenylacetate, 2-chlorophenol, 2,3-dichlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,6-dichlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, and 2-bromo-4-chlorophenol with reduced methyl viologen as electron donor. The dechlorination of 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenylacetate was catalyzed by the enzyme at a Vmax of 28 units/mg protein and a Km of 20 microM. The pH and temperature optimum were 8.2 and 52 degrees C, respectively. EPR analysis indicated one [4Fe-4S] cluster (midpoint redox potential (Em) = -440 mV), one [3Fe-4S] cluster (Em = +70 mV), and one cobalamin per 48-kDa monomer. The Co(I)/Co(II) transition had an Em of -370 mV. Via a reversed genetic approach based on the N-terminal sequence, the corresponding gene was isolated from a D. dehalogenans genomic library, cloned, and sequenced. This revealed the presence of two closely linked genes: (i) cprA, encoding the o-chlorophenol reductive dehalogenase, which contains a twin-arginine type signal sequence that is processed in the purified enzyme; (ii) cprB, coding for an integral membrane protein that could act as a membrane anchor of the dehalogenase. This first biochemical and molecular characterization of a chlorophenol reductive dehalogenase has revealed structural resemblance with haloalkene reductive dehalogenases.

The role of an 18-residue ion-pair network, that is present in the glutamate dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, in conferring stability to other, less stable homologous enzymes, has been studied by introducing four new charged amino acid residues into the subunit interface of glutamate dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima. These two GDHs are 55 % identical in amino acid sequence, differ greatly in thermo-activity and stability and derive from microbes with different phylogenetic positions. Amino acid substitutions were introduced as single mutations as well as in several combinations. Elucidation of the crystal structure of the quadruple mutant S128R/T158E/N117R/S160E T. maritima glutamate dehydrogenase showed that all anticipated ion-pairs are formed and that a 16-residue ion-pair network is present. Enlargement of existing networks by single amino acid substitutions unexpectedly resulted in a decrease in resistance towards thermal inactivation and thermal denaturation. However, combination of destabilizing single mutations in most cases restored stability, indicating the need for balanced charges at subunit interfaces and high cooperativity between the different members of the network. Combination of the three destabilizing mutations in triple mutant S128R/T158E/N117R resulted in an enzyme with a 30 minutes longer half-life of inactivation at 85 degrees C, a 3 degrees C higher temperature optimum for catalysis, and a 0.5 degrees C higher apparent melting temperature than that of wild-type glutamate dehydrogenase. These findings confirm the hypothesis that large ion-pair networks do indeed stabilize enzymes from hyperthermophilic organisms.

To allow for the molecular analysis of halorespiration by the strictly anaerobic gram-positive bacterium Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans , halorespiration-deficient mutants were selected and characterized following insertional mutagenesis by the conjugative transposon Tn 916 . To facilitate rapid screening of transconjugants, a highly efficient method for the growth of single colonies on solidified medium has been developed. A streptomycin-resistant mutant of D. dehalogenans was isolated and mated with Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 carrying Tn 916 . Insertion of one or two copies of Tn 916 into the chromosome of D. dehalogenans was observed. From a total of 2,500 transconjugants, 24 halorespiration-deficient mutants were selected based upon their inability to use 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid as an electron acceptor. Physiological characterization led to the definition of three phenotypic classes of mutants that differed in their ability to use the additional terminal electron acceptors nitrate and fumarate. The activities of hydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase were determined, and the transposon insertion sites in selected mutants representing the different classes were analyzed on the sequence level following amplification by inverse PCR. The results of the molecular characterization as well as the pleiotropic phenotypes of most mutants indicate that genes coding for common elements shared by the different respiratory chains present in the versatile D. dehalogenans have been disrupted.

The genetic organization, expression, and regulation of the celB locus of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus were analyzed. This locus includes the celB gene, which codes for an intracellular β-glucosidase, and a divergently orientated gene cluster, adhA-adhB-lamA , which codes for two alcohol dehydrogenases and an extracellular β-1,3-endoglucanase that is transcribed as a polycistronic messenger (the lamA operon). During growth of P. furiosus on either the β-1,4-linked glucose dimer cellobiose or the β-1,3-linked glucose polymer laminarin, the activities of both β-glucosidase and endoglucanase were increased at least fivefold compared with levels during growth on maltose or pyruvate. Northern blot analysis revealed an enhanced transcription of both the celB gene and the lamA operon in the presence of these glucose-containing substrates. The in vivo and in vitro transcription initiation sites of both the celB gene and the lamA operon were identified 25 nucleotides downstream of conserved TATA box motifs. A number of repeating sequences have been recognized in the celB-adhA intergenic region, some of which might be part of a transcriptional regulator-binding site.

The sequences of a number of archaeal genomes have recently been completed, and many more are expected shortly. Consequently, the research of Archaea in general and hyperthermophiles in particular has entered a new phase, with many exciting discoveries to be expected. The wealth of sequence information has already led, and will continue to lead to the identification of many enzymes with unique properties, some of which have potential for industrial applications. Subsequent functional genomics will help reveal fundamental matters such as details concerning the genetic, biochemical and physiological adaptation of extremophiles, and hence give insight into their genomic evolution, polypeptide structure-function relations, and metabolic regulation. In order to optimally exploit many unique features that are now emerging, the development of genetic systems for hyperthermophilic Archaea is an absolute requirement. Such systems would allow the application of this class of Archaea as so-called “cell factories”: (i) expression of certain archaeal enzymes for which no suitable conventional (mesophilic bacterial or eukaryal) systems are available, (ii) selection for thermostable variants of potentially interesting enzymes from mesophilic origin, and (iii) the development of in vivo production systems by metabolic engineering. An overview is given of recent insight in the molecular biology of hyperthermophilic Archaea, as well as of a number of promising developments that should result in the generation of suitable genetic systems in the near future.

Comparison of the recently determined three-dimensional structures of several glutamate dehydrogenases allowed for the identification of a five-residue ion-pair network in the hinge region of Pyrococcus furiosus glutamate dehydrogenase (melting temperature 113 degrees C), that is not present in the homologous glutamate dehydrogenase from Thermotoga maritima (melting temperature 93 degrees C). In order to study the role of this ion-pair network, we introduced it into the T. maritima enzyme using a site-directed mutagenesis approach. The resulting T. maritima glutamate dehydrogenases N97D, G376 K and N97D/G376 K as well as the wild-type enzyme were overproduced in Escherichia coli and subsequently purified. Elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of the double mutant N97D/G376 K at 3.0 A, showed that the designed ion-pair interactions were indeed formed. Moreover, because of interactions with an additional charged residue, a six-residue network is present in this double mutant. Melting temperatures of the mutant enzymes N97D, G376 K and N97D/G376 K, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry, did not differ significantly from that of the wild-type enzyme. Identical transition midpoints in guanidinium chloride-induced denaturation experiments were found for the wild-type and all mutant enzymes. Thermal inactivation at 85 degrees C occured more than twofold faster for all mutant enzymes than for the wild-type glutamate dehydrogenase. At temperatures of 65 degrees C and higher, the wild-type and the three mutant enzymes showed identical specific activities. However, at 58 degrees C the specific activity of N97D/G376 K and G376 K was found to be significantly higher than that of the wild-type and N97D enzymes. These results suggest that the engineered ion-pair interactions in the hinge region do not affect the stability towards temperature or guanidinium chloride-induced denaturation but rather affect the specific activity of the enzyme and the temperature at which it functions optimally.