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12 p.-12 fig.-1 tab., Fungal laccases can play an important role as biocatalysts in organic chemistry to replace chemical synthesis. In a previous work we synthesized conductive polyaniline using a high-redox potential laccase from our collection of recombinant fungal variants. Still, the oxidation of aniline is hindered by the reaction conditions (low pH and presence of anionic surfactants). Thus, we tackle here the directed evolution of the enzyme assisted by computational simulation aiming at improving aniline oxidation at the required polymerization conditions while maintaining the enzyme's substrate promiscuity. Simultaneously, its secretion by the host used for the engineering (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was enhanced. Then, the improved laccase variant was overproduced in the industrial host Aspergillus oryzae and assayed for one-pot synthesis of polyaniline and naphtol-derived dyes whose textile dyeing properties were verified in an industrial environment. Finally, modification of its C-terminal tail further enhanced laccase stability by flexibilization of the region. The resulting biocatalyst displays noticeable stability at high temperature and extreme pH while shows improved k(cat) values on the different substrates tested. Moreover, it is remarkably produced in S. cerevisiae at rates not formerly reported in the literature. These facts, together with the overexpression in A. oryzae opens new scenarios for its further development and application., This work has been funded by the INDOX EU project (KBBE- 2013-7-613549), the Spanish projects BIO2017-86559-R and CTQ2016-79138-R and the BBI JU project WoodZymes (H2020-BBI-JU-792070). We acknowledge support of the publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Publication Support Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI).

13 p.-7 fig.-2 tab, Fungal laccases have great potential as biocatalysts oxidizing a variety of aromatic compounds using oxygen as co-substrate. Here, the crystal structure of 7D5 laccase (PDB 6H5Y), developed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and overproduced in Aspergillus oryzae, is compared with that of the wild type produced by basidiomycete PM1 (Coriolopsis sp.), PDB 5ANH. SAXS showed both enzymes form monomers in solution, 7D5 laccase with a more oblate geometric structure due to heavier and more heterogeneous glycosylation. The enzyme presents superior catalytic constants towards all tested substrates, with no significant change in optimal pH or redox potential. It shows noticeable high catalytic efficiency with ABTS and dimethyl-4-phenylenediamine, 7 and 32 times better than the wild type, respectively. Computational simulations demonstrated a more favorable binding and electron transfer from the substrate to the T1 copper due to the introduced mutations. PM1 laccase is exceptionally stable to thermal inactivation (t1/2 70 °C = 1.2 h). Yet, both enzymes display outstanding structural robustness at high temperature. They keep folded during 2 h at 100 °C though, thereafter, 7D5 laccase unfolds faster. Rigidification of certain loops due to the mutations added on the protein surface would diminish the capability to absorb temperature fluctuations leading to earlier protein unfolding., This work has been funded by the INDOX EU project (KBBE-2013-7-613549), the Spanish projects BIO2017-86559-R and CTQ2016-79138-R, the BBI JU project WoodZymes (H2020-BBI-JU-792070), the H2020-iNEXT grant numbers 1676 and ISCIII.

The attractiveness of lipases as industrial biocatalysts underlines the importance of understanding their molecular action in detail, helping future efforts to improve performance and applicability. Lipases represent a special class of carboxyl ester hydrolases, which act on long-chained water insoluble acyl-glycerols at the water-lipid interface. This heterogeneous catalysis makes it very difficult to monitor the structural changes taking place in the enzyme during activation in its preferred milieu. In this review, we cover recent developments toward a deeper understanding of the interfacial activation phenomenon of lipases and discuss a selection of biophysical methods suitable for studying lipase activation. For many lipases, such as that from Thermomyces lanuginosus, a structural domain called the “lid” is directly involved in the activation process. This has been shown through alteration of the lid-residue composition using rational design. The resulting lid-mutants have highlighted the lid's role in governing enzymatic activity and interfacial activation. Moreover, a recently developed fluorescence-based technique called the Tryptophan Induced Quenching method has proved to enable the direct measurement of lipase activation in water-ethanol mixtures, and thus represents an intriguing method to gain further insight into the structural movements taking place at the water-lipid interface. Practical applications: Lipases are important industrial biocatalysts widely used in industrial applications including detergent, leather, paper, fuel, fine chemicals, baking, cosmetics, and food. Knowledge of structural changes of lipase upon activation and identification of the amino acids involved in lipase activation is crucial for design of new variants with improved or new properties. Rational design of the lid-region in lipases has an interesting potential for optimization of lipase function and adapting them to different environments. In order to leverage on the design of new lipase variants and their altered function, methods that enable direct measurement of lipase action directly in solution, in real time, are desired. In this context, fluorescence based methods have shown great potential and provides interesting perspectives for probing the delicate movements occurring in lipases upon activation. Interfacial activation of lipases and the lid movements studied by rational design, fluorescence quenching methods, and solvent effect – polarity driven activation.

Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TlL) and related lipases become activated in low-polarity environments that exist at the water-lipid interface where a structural change of the "lid" region occurs. In this work, we have investigated the activation of TlL (Lipase_W89) and certain lid mutants, containing either a single positive charge mutation, E87K (Lipase_K87_W89), within the lid region or a lid residue composition of both lipase and esterase character (Hybrid_W89) as a function of solvent polarity. Activation differences between the variants and TlL were studied by a combination of biophysical and theoretical methods. To investigate the structural changes taking place in the lid region upon lipase activation, we used a fluorescence-based method measuring the efficiency of Trp89 in the lid to quench the fluorescence of a bimane molecule attached in front (C255) and behind (C61) the lid. These structural changes were compared to the enzymatic activity of each variant at the water-substrate interface and to theoretical calculations of the energies associated with lid opening as a function of the dielectric constant (e) of the environment. Our results show that the lid in Lipase_K87_W89 undergoes a pronounced structural transition toward an open conformation around e = 50, whereas only small changes are detected for Lipase_W89 ascribed to the stabilizing effect of the positive charge mutation on the open lid conformation. Interestingly, Hybrid_W89, with the same charge as Lipase_W89, shows a stabilization of the open lid even more pronounced at high solvent polarities than that of Lipase_K87_W89, allowing activation at e < 80. This is further indicated by measurement of the lipase activity for each variant showing that Hybrid_W89 is more quickly activated at the water-lipid interface of a true, natural substrate. Combined, we show that a correlation exists between structural changes and enzymatic activities detected on one hand and theoretical calculations on lid opening energies on the other. These results highlight the key role that the lid plays in determining the polarity-dependent activation of lipases.

Phytases hydrolyse phytate (myo-inositol hexakisphosphate), the principal form of phosphate stored in plant seeds to produce phosphate and lower phosphorylated myo-inositols. They are used extensively in the feed industry, and have been characterised biochemically and structurally with a number of structures in the PDB. They are divided into four distinct families: histidine acid phosphatases (HAP), β-propeller phytases, cysteine phosphatases and purple acid phosphatases and also split into three enzyme classes, the 3-, 5- and 6-phytases, depending on the position of the first phosphate in the inositol ring to be removed. We report identification, cloning, purification and 3D structures of 6-phytases from two bacteria, Hafnia alvei and Yersinia kristensenii, together with their pH optima, thermal stability, and degradation profiles for phytate. An important result is the structure of the H. alvei enzyme in complex with the substrate analogue myo-inositol hexakissulphate. In contrast to the only previous structure of a ligand-bound 6-phytase, where the 3-phosphate was unexpectedly in the catalytic site, in the H. alvei complex the expected scissile 6-phosphate (sulphate in the inhibitor) is placed in the catalytic site.

Triacylglycerol hydrolases (EC 3.1.1.3) are thought to become activated when they encounter the water-lipid interface causing a "lid" region to move and expose the catalytic site. Here, we tested this idea by looking for lid movements in Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TL lipase), and in variants with a mutated lid region of esterase (Esterase) and esterase/lipase (Hybrid) character. To measure lid movements, we employed the tryptophan-induced quenching (TrIQ) fluorescence method to measure how effectively a Trp residue on the lid of these mutants (at position 87 or 89) could quench a fluorescent probe (bimane) placed at nearby site 255 on the protein. To test if lid movement is induced when the enzyme detects a lower-polarity environment (such as at the water-lipid interface), we performed these studies in solvents with different dielectric constants (e). The results show that lid movement is highly dependent on the particular lid residue composition and solvent polarity. The data suggest that in aqueous solution (e = 80), the Esterase lid is in an "open" conformation, whereas for the TL lipase and Hybrid, the lid remains "closed". At lower solvent polarities (e < 46), the lid region for all of the mutants is more "open". Interestingly, these behaviors mirror the structural changes thought to take place upon activation of the enzyme at the water-lipid interface. Together, these results support the idea that lipases are more active in low-polarity solvents because the lid adopts an "open" conformation and indicate that relatively small conformational changes in the lid region play a key role in the activation mechanism of these enzymes.

It is shown by rational site-directed mutagenesis of the lid region in Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase that it is possible to generate lipase variants with attractive features, e.g., high lipase activity, fast activation at the lipid interface, ability to act on water-soluble substrates, and enhanced calcium independence. The rational design was based on the lid residue composition in Aspergillus niger ferulic acid esterase (FAEA). Five constructs included lipase variants containing the full FAEA lid, a FAEA-like lid, an intermediate lid of FAEA and TlL character, and the entire lid region from Aspergillus terreus lipase (AtL). To investigate an altered activation mechanism for each variant compared to that of TlL, a combination of activity- and spectroscopic-based measurements were applied. The engineered variant with a lid from AtL displayed interfacial activation comparable to that of TlL, whereas variants with FAEA lid character showed interfacial activation independence with pronounced activity toward pNP-acetate and pNP-butyrate below the critical micelle concentration. For variants with lipase and esterase character, lipase activity measurements further indicated a faster activation at the lipid interface. Relative to their activity toward pNP-ester substrates in calcium-rich buffer, all lid variants retained between 15 and 100% activity in buffer containing 5 mM EDTA whereas TlL activity was reduced to less than 2%, demonstrating the lid's central role in governing calcium dependency. For FAEA-like lid variants, accessible hydrophobic surface area measurements showed an approximate 10-fold increase in the level of binding of extrinsic fluorophores to the protein surface relative to that of TlL accompanied by a blue shift in emission indicative of an open lid in aqueous solution. Together, these studies report on the successful alteration of the activation mechanism in TlL by rational design creating novel lipases with new, intriguing functionalities.

Here, we present a lipase mutant containing a biochemical switch allowing a controlled opening and closing of the lid independent of the environment. The closed form of the TlL mutant shows low binding to hydrophobic surfaces compared to the binding observed after activating the controlled switch inducing lid-opening. We directly show that lipid binding of this mutant is connected to an open lid conformation demonstrating the impact of the exposed amino acid residues and their participation in binding at the water-lipid interface. The switch was created by introducing two cysteine residues into the protein backbone at sites 86 and 255. The crystal structure of the mutant shows the successful formation of a disulfide bond between C86 and C255 which causes strained closure of the lid-domain. Control of enzymatic activity and binding was demonstrated on substrate emulsions and natural lipid layers. The locked form displayed low enzymatic activity (~10%) compared to wild-type. Upon release of the lock, enzymatic activity was fully restored. Only 10% binding to natural lipid substrates was observed for the locked lipase compared to wild-type, but binding was restored upon adding reducing agent. QCM-D measurements revealed a seven-fold increase in binding rate for the unlocked lipase. The TlL_locked mutant shows structural changes across the protein important for understanding the mechanism of lid-opening and closing. Our experimental results reveal sites of interest for future mutagenesis studies aimed at altering the activation mechanism of TlL and create perspectives for generating tunable lipases that activate under controlled conditions.

Four Humicola insolens Cel7B glycoside hydrolase mutants have been evaluated for the coupling of lactosyl fluoride on O -allyl N I -acetyl-2 II -azido-β-chitobioside. Double mutants Cel7B E197A H209A and Cel7B E197A H209G preferentially catalyze the formation of a β-(1→4) linkage between the two disaccharides, while single mutant Cel7B E197A and triple mutant Cel7B E197A H209A A211T produce predominantly the β-(1→3)-linked tetrasaccharide. This result constitutes the first report of the modulation of the regioselectivity through site-directed mutagenesis for an endoglycosynthase.

Phospholipids are present in all living organisms. They are a major component of all biological membranes, along with glycolipids and cholesterol. Enzymes aimed at modifying phospholipids, namely, phospholipases, are consequently widespread in nature, playing very diverse roles from aggression in snake venom to signal transduction and digestion in humans. In this review, we give a general overview of phospholipases A1, A2, C and D from a sequence and structural perspective and their industrial application. The use of phospholipases in industrial processes has grown hand-in-hand with our ability to clone and express the genes in microbial hosts with commercially attractive amounts. Further, the use in industrial processes is increasing by optimizing the enzymes by protein engineering. Here, we give a perspective on the work done to date to express phospholipases in heterologous hosts and the efforts to optimize them by protein engineering. We will draw attention to the industrial processes where phospholipases play a key role and show how the use of a phospholipase for oil degumming leads to substantial environmental benefits. This illustrates a very general trend: the use of enzymes as an alternative to chemical processes to make products often provides a cleaner solution for the industrial processes. In a world with great demands on non-polluting, energy saving technical solutions--white biotechnology is a strong alternative.

This thesis describes the study of lipase–lipid interactions of the triglyceride lipase Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase, TLL, by use of site-directed chemical labeling and biological spectroscopy. Several single-cysteine variants of TLL were produced, and labeled with probes containing either an affinity-, a fluorescence- or a spin-label functionality. A combined reduction- and labeling protocol was elaborated for the TLL single-cysteine variants, which were found to be prematurely oxidized during production. A diagnostic dot-blot method based on biotin-avidin interactions was established for the detection of free thiols in recombinant proteins. This method has a picomole detection limit and was found accurate in free thiol quantitation. Unilamellar phospholipid vesicles consisting of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol (POPG) or of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidyl-choline (POPC) were produced as stable, well-defined lipid interfaces, to which TLL is known to bind with high affinity. The binding orientation of TLL was investigated, employing eleven spin-labeled TLL single-cysteine variants with the point-mutations positioned around the protein surface. Spin-relaxation enhancement was induced by the spin-relaxation agent chromium(III) oxalate (Crox), and a novel ESR-method for measuring the interactions of nitroxide spin-labels at low-microwave amplitudes was established. This method requires only standard ESR-instrumentation and is optimal for surface-exposed spin-labels. The interactions of TLL spin-labels with Crox in the aqueous phase were studied by ESR spectroscopy, while spin-label interactions with the lipid phase were analyzed by fluorescence quenching of dansyl-labeled vesicles. In addition, ESR-data was employed in conjunction with electrostatic potential-based modeling to dock TLL on the membrane of small POPG vesicles. This afforded information on the detailed molecular orientation of TLL at the lipid–water interface. TLL was found to bind on 50-nm–diameter POPG vesicles in an activated form with the active-site entrance and the proximal part of the lid oriented against the lipid membrane. On 100 nm POPG vesicles and 50 nm POPC vesicles, TLL was oriented with the active site facing away from the membrane, corresponding to approximately a 180-degree–rotation about TLL’s vertical axis. There was no deep penetration of TLL residues in the lipid membranes, but TLL was found to associate closer to the negatively charged POPG-surface, than that of the zwitterionic POPC. TLL was also able to bind to two vesicles simultaneously, as revealed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between fluorescent labeled vesicles. The experimental data obtained provided insights into the interfacial behaviour of a triglyceride lipase.

Binding properties of the native Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (Tll), the inactive mutant of Tll (S146A; active Ser146 mutated to Ala), and the non-glycosylated mutant of Tll (N33Q) were determined using fluorescence spectroscopy. Tll, S146A mutant and N33Q mutant show significant different binding behavior to phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) liposomes. Generally, weaker association of lipase molecules is observed to PC liposomes than to PG liposomes. Strong lipase–lipid interactions are observed for the S146A mutant, which is less pronounced for Tll and the N33Q variant. Addition of fatty acid to PG liposomes reduces significantly the binding affinity of the lipases. This effect is less pronounced in fatty acid/PC liposomes. Although the catalytic activity of the N33Q mutant is comparable to Tll, the non-glycosylated variant shows generally lower binding affinity to PC or PG matrix than Tll. Addition of the substrate analog benzene boronic acid (BBA) increases the binding affinity of the S146A and N33Q mutants, while only small changes are observed for Tll suggesting that the dynamics of the active site lid influences the binding affinity and that the flexibility of the loop region 33–48 might contribute to the activation of the lipase.

In this study we have tested a number of lipases, lipase variants and cutinases for ferulic acid esterase activity, using ferulic acid ethyl ester as substrate. It was shown that Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TLL), Candida antartica lipase A, Candida antartica lipase B, Rhizomucor miehei lipase and Fusarium oxysporum lipase have no significant ferulic acid esterase activity. Thirteen variants of TLL were constructed based on a model of Aspergillus niger ferulic acid esterase A (FAE-A). Activity assay using ferulic acid ethyl ester as substrate gave, for FAE-A, 112 U/mg=112 μmol ferulic acid released per min per mg enzyme. Two of the variants of TLL had significant ferulic acid esterase activity, TLLv1 (7 U/mg) and TLLv10 (20 U/mg). Both these variants contain the mutation F113Y that seems to be essential for ferulic acid esterase activity. In addition to lipase activity, three cutinases showed ferulic acid esterase activity, Aspergillus oryzae cutinase (5 U/mg), Fusarium solani pisi cutinase (13 U/mg), Humicola insolence cutinase (20 U/mg).

Thirteen single-cysteine mutants of the 33 kDa fungal triacylglycerol lipase Thermomyces (formerly Humicola) lanuginosa lipase (TLL, EC 3.1.1.3) were produced and characterized for the purpose of site-directed chemical modification with spectroscopic reporter groups. All cysteine mutants were found to be predominantly blocked by oxidation to disulfides with endogenous cysteine during production. The fraction of lipase molecules with free sulfhydryl groups was analyzed by labeling with N-biotinylaminoethyl methanethiosulfonate, followed by a novel dot-blot method based on biotin-streptavidin interactions. A non-invasive method for the reduction of the introduced cysteine was elaborated for this protein containing three native disulfide bridges. The site-specifically reduced TLL mutants were then labeled with the sulfhydryl-specific reagents 2-(5-dimethylaminonaphth-1-ylsulfonamido)ethyl methanethiosulfonate or (1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-Δ3-pyrroline-3-methyl) methanethiosulfonate, and studied by fluorescence and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy.Key words: lipase, cysteine mutant, selective reduction, chemical modification, methanethiosulfonate.

The binding of Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase and its mutants [TLL(S146A), TLL(W89L), TLL(W117F, W221H, W260H)] to the mixed micelles of cis-parinaric acid/sodium taurodeoxycholate at pH 5.0 led to the quenching of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence emission (300–380 nm) and to a simultaneous increase in the cis-parinaric acid fluorescence emission (380–500 nm). These findings were used to characterize the Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase/cis-parinaric acid interactions occurring in the presence of sodium taurodeoxycholate. The fluorescence resonance energy transfer and Stern–Volmer quenching constant values obtained were correlated with the accessibility of the tryptophan residues to the cis-parinaric acid and with the lid opening ability of Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (and its mutants). TLL(S146A) was found to have the highest fluorescence resonance energy transfer. In addition, a TLL(S146A)/oleic acid complex was crystallised and its three-dimensional structure was solved. Surprisingly, two possible binding modes (sn-1 and antisn1) were found to exist between oleic acid and the catalytic cleft of the open conformation of TLL(S146A). Both binding modes involved an interaction with tryptophan 89 of the lipase lid, in agreement with fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments. As a consequence, we concluded that TLL(S146A) mutant is not an appropriate substitute for the wild-type Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase for mimicking the interaction between the wild-type enzyme and lipids.

AT Martínez et al... 16 páginas.-- 5 figuras.-- 62 referencias.-Artículo de acceso abierto con licencia Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs, Most industrial enzymes are hydrolases, such as glycosidases and esterases. However, oxidoreductases have an unexploited potential for substituting harsh (and scarcely selective) chemical processes. A group of basidiomycetes are the only organisms degrading the aromatic lignin polymer, enabling the subsequent use of plant polysaccharides. Therefore, these fungi and their ligninolytic peroxidases are the biocatalysts of choice for industrial delignification and oxidative biotransformations of aromatic and other organic compounds. The latter also include oxygenation reactions, which are catalyzed with high regio/stereo selectivity by fungal peroxygenases. In search for novel and more robust peroxidases/peroxygenases, basidiomycetes from unexplored habitats were screened, and hundreds of genes identified in basidiomycete genomes (in collaboration with the DOE JGI). The most interesting genes were heterologously expressed, and the corresponding enzymes structurally-functionally characterized. The information obtained enabled us to improve the enzyme operational and catalytic properties by directed mutagenesis. However, the structural-functional relationships explaining some desirable properties are not established yet and, therefore, their introduction was addressed by ‘non-rational’ directed evolution. Then, over 100 oxidative biotransformations were analyzed. Among them, it is noteworthy to mention the regio/stereo selective hydroxylation of long/short-chain alkanes (a chemically challenging reaction), epoxidation of alkenes, and production of hydroxy-fatty acids. Concerning aromatic oxygenations, the regioselective hydroxylation of flavonoids, and stereoselective hydroxylation/epoxidation of alkyl/alkenyl-benzenes were among the most remarkable reactions, together with enzymatic hydroxylation of benzene (as an alternative for harsh chemical process). Finally, peroxidases and peroxygenases also showed a potential as delignification biocatalysts and in the decolorization of contaminant dyes from textile industries, This work was funded by the PEROXICATS European project (KBBE-2010-4-265397), and by the BIO2011-26694, AGL2011-25379 and BIO2010-19697 projects of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO). Thee work conducted by the US DOE JGI is supported by the O ce of Science of the US DOE under contract number DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Detergent (pentaoxyethylene octyl ether, C(8)E(5))-induced conformational changes of Humicola lanuginosa lipase (HLL) were investigated by stationary and time-resolved fluorescence intensity and anisotropy measurements. Activation of HLL is characterized by opening of a surface loop (the "lid") residing directly over the enzyme active site. The interaction of HLL with C(8)E(5) increases fluorescence intensities, prolongs fluorescence lifetimes, and decreases the values of steady-state anisotropy, residual anisotropy, and the short rotational correlation time. Based on these data, we propose the following model. Already below critical micellar concentration (CMC) the detergent can intercalate into the active site accommodating cleft, while the lid remains closed. Occupation of the cleft by C(8)E(5) also blocks the entry of the monomeric substrate, and inhibition of catalytic activity at [C(8)E(5)] less than or equal to CMC is evident. At a threshold concentration close to CMC the cooperativity of the hydrophobicity-driven binding of C(8)E(5) to the lipase increases because of an increase in the number of C(8)E(5) molecules present in the premicellar nucleates on the hydrophobic surface of HLL. These aggregates contacting the lipase should have long enough residence times to allow the lid to open completely and expose the hydrophobic cleft. Concomitantly, the cleft becomes filled with C(8)E(5) and the "open" conformation of HLL becomes stable.

Protein solubility is a fundamental parameter in biology and biotechnology. In the present study we have constructed and analyzed five mutants of Coprinus cinereus peroxidase (CIP) with 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 N-glycosylation sites. All mutants contain Man(x)(GlcNAc)(2) glycans. The peroxidase activity was the same for wild-type CIP and all the glycosylation mutants when measured with the large substrate 2,2'-azino-bis(-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid). The solubility of the five CIP mutants showed a linear dependence on the number of carbohydrate residues attached to the protein in buffered solution of both ammonium sulfate (AMS) and acetone, increasing in AMS and decreasing in acetone. Moreover, the change in free energy of solvation appears to be a constant, though with opposite signs in these solvents, giving DeltaDeltaG degrees (sol)=-0.32+/-0.05 kJ/mol per carbohydrate residue in 2.0 M AMS, a value previously obtained comparing ordinary and deglycosylated horseradish peroxidase, and 0. 37+/-0.10 kJ/mol in 60 v/v% acetone.

Resonance Raman and electronic absorption spectra obtained at various pH values for the Fe3+ form of distal F54 mutants of Coprinus cinereus peroxidase are reported, together with the Fe2+ form and fluoride and imidazole adducts at pH 6.0, 5.0, and 10.5, respectively. The distal phenylalanine residue has been replaced by the small aliphatic residues glycine and valine and the hydrogen-bonding aromatic residues tyrosine and tryptophan (F54G, -V, -Y, and -W, respectively). These mutations resulted in transitions between ferric high-spin five-coordinate and six-coordinate forms, and caused a decrease of the pKa of the alkaline transition together with a higher tendency for unfolding. The mutations also alter the ability of the proteins to bind fluoride in such a way that those that are six-coordinate at pH 5.0 bind more strongly than both wild-type CIP and F54Y which are five-coordinate at this pH value. The data provide evidence that the architecture of the distal pocket of CIP is altered by the mutations. Direct evidence is provided that the distal phenylalanine plays an important role in controlling the conjugation between the vinyl double bonds and the porphyrin macrocycle, as indicated by the reorientation of the vinyl groups upon mutation of phenylalanine with the small aliphatic side chains of glycine and valine residues. Furthermore, it appears that the presence of the hydrogen-bonding tyrosine or tryptophan in the cavity increases the pKa of the distal histidine for protonation compared with that of wild-type CIP.

The Coprinus cinereus (CiP) heme peroxidase was subjected to multiple rounds of directed evolution in an effort to produce a mutant suitable for use as a dye-transfer inhibitor in laundry detergent. The wild-type peroxidase is rapidly inactivated under laundry conditions due to the high pH (10.5), high temperature (50 degrees C), and high peroxide concentration (5-10 mM). Peroxidase mutants were initially generated using two parallel approaches: site-directed mutagenesis based on structure-function considerations, and error-prone PCR to create random mutations. Mutants were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and screened for improved stability by measuring residual activity after incubation under conditions mimicking those in a washing machine. Manually combining mutations from the site-directed and random approaches led to a mutant with 110 times the thermal stability and 2.8 times the oxidative stability of wild-type CiP. In the final two rounds, mutants were randomly recombined by using the efficient yeast homologous recombination system to shuffle point mutations among a large number of parents. This in vivo shuffling led to the most dramatic improvements in oxidative stability, yielding a mutant with 174 times the thermal stability and 100 times the oxidative stability of wild-type CiP.

Noter i marginen

We have investigated the binding properties of and dynamics in Humicola lanuginosa lipase (Hll) and the inactive mutant S146A (active Ser146 substituted with Ala) using fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, respectively. Hll and S146A show significantly different binding behavior for phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) liposomes. Generally, higher binding affinity is observed for Hll than the S146A mutant. Furthermore, depending on the matrix, the addition of the transition state analogue benzene boronic acid increases the binding affinity of S146A, whereas only small changes are observed for Hll suggesting that the active site lid in the latter opens more easily and hence more lipase molecules are bound to the liposomes. These observations are in agreement with molecular dynamics simulations and subsequent essential dynamics analyses. The results reveal that the hinges of the active site lid are more flexible in the wild-type Hll than in S146A. In contrast, larger fluctuations are observed in the middle region of the active site loop in S146A than in Hll. These findings reveal that the single mutation (S146A) of the active site serine leads to substantial conformational alterations in the H. lanuginosa lipase and different binding affinities.

18 p.-7 fig.-1 tab., Polyaniline is a conductive polymer with distinctive optical and electrical properties. Its enzymatic synthesis is an environmentally friendly alternative to the use of harsh oxidants and extremely acidic conditions. 7D5L, a high-redox potential laccase developed in our lab, is the biocatalyst of choice for the synthesis of green polyaniline (emeraldine salt) due to its superior ability to oxidize aniline and kinetic stability at the required polymerization conditions (pH 3 and presence of anionic surfactants) as compared with other fungal laccases.Doses as low as 7.6 nM of 7D5L catalyze the polymerization of 15 mM aniline (in 24 h, room temperature, 7% yield) in the presence of different anionic surfactants used as doping templates to provide linear and water-soluble polymers. Aniline polymerization was monitored by the increase of the polaron absorption band at 800 nm (typical for emeraldine salt). Best polymerization results were obtained with 5 mM sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) as template. At fixed conditions (15 mM aniline and 5mM SDBS), polymerization rates obtained with 7D5L were 2.5-fold the rates obtained with commercial Trametes villosa laccase. Moreover, polyaniline yield was notably boosted to 75% by rising 7D5L amount to 0.15 μM, obtaining 1g of green polyaniline in 1L-reaction volume. The green polymer obtained with the selected system (7D5L/SDBS) holds excellent electrochemical and electro-conductive properties displayed in water-dispersible nanofibers,which is advantageous for the nanomaterial to be readily cast into uniform films for different applications., This work was funded by INDOX (KBBE-2013-7-613549) European project and NOESIS (BIO2014-56388-R) Spanish national project.

Four conserved disulfide bonds and N-linked and O-linked glycans of extracellular fungal peroxidases have been identified from studies of a lignin and a manganese peroxidase from Trametes versicolor, and from Coprinus cinereus peroxidase (CIP) and recombinant C. cinereus peroxidase (rCIP) expressed in Aspergillus oryzae. The eight cysteine residues are linked 1-3, 2-7, 4-5 and 6-8, and are located differently from the four conserved disulfide bridges present in the homologous plant peroxidases. CIP and rCIP were identical in their, glycosylation pattern, although the extent of glycan chain heterogeneity depended on the fermentation batch. CIP and rCIP have one N-linked glycan composed only of GlcNAc and Man at residue Asn142, and two O-linked glycans near the C-terminus. The major glycoform consists of single Man residues at Thr331 and at Ser338. T. versicolor lignin isoperoxidase TvLP10 contains a single N-linked glycan composed of (GlcNAc)(2)Man(5) bound to Asn103, whereas (GlcNAc)(2)Man(3) was found in T. versicolor manganese isoperoxidase TvMP2 at the same position. In addition, mass spectrometry of the C-terminal peptide of TvMP2 indicated the presence of five Man residues in O-linked glycans. No phosphate was found in these fungal peroxidases. (Less)

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to characterise and compare wild-type fungal and recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase (CIP) and three mutants in which Gly156 and/or Asn157 was replaced by Phe. Analysis of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectra of recombinant CIP was undertaken for comparison with the fungal enzyme and in order to establish a meaningful basis for solution studies of CIP mutants. Proton resonance assignments of haem and haem-linked residues obtained for the cyanide-ligated form of recombinant CIP revealed a high degree of spectral similarity with those of lignin and manganese-dependent peroxidases and extend previously reported NMR data for fungal CIP. The three mutants examined by NMR spectroscopy comprised site-specific substitutions made to a region of the structure believed to form part of the peroxidase haem group access channel for substrate and ligand molecules. Proton resonances of the aromatic side-chains of Phe156 and Phe157 were found to have similar spectral characteristics to those of two phenylalanine residues known to be involved in the binding of aromatic donor molecules to the plant peroxidase, horseradish peroxidase isoenzyme C. The results are discussed in the context of complementary reactivity studies on the mutants in order to develop a more detailed understanding of aromatic donor molecule binding to fungal and plant peroxidases.

Induction of β-galactosidase from high copy-number plasmids was found to reduce the synthesis of other cellular proteins in Escherichia coli. The reduction depends on the protein in question and on the induction level of the β-galactosidase. It could be observed transiently within one minute after induction and in some cases also during steady-state induction. Our interpretation is that the concentration of the free ribosomal subunits decreases after induction, leading to an increased competition among the individual ribosome binding sites for ribosomes. The immediate reduction in the synthesis rate of individual proteins after induction of β-galactosidase was used as an assay to measure in vivo the efficiency of a ribosome binding site. These efficiencies were compared to the calculated affinities between the ribosome binding site of specific mRNA species and the 3′ end of 16S RNA. For several mRNAs with similar Shine-Dalgarno sequences, the sensitivity to competition differed twofold. Our results show, that both transiently during induction of lacZ and also at very high steady-state expression levels, the expression from reporter genes, including the lacZ gene itself, does not reflect the levels of the mRNAs in a simple way.

Humicola insolens mutant Cel7B E197A is a powerful endo -glycosynthase displaying an acceptor substrate specificity restricted to β- d -glucosyl, β- d -xylosyl, β- d -mannosyl and β- d -glucosaminyl in +1 subsite. Our aim was to extend this substrate specificity to β- d - N -acetylglucosaminyl, in order to get access to a wider array of oligosaccharidic structures obtained through glycosynthase assisted synthesis. In a first approach a trisaccharide bearing a β- d - N -acetylglucosaminyl residue was docked at the +1 subsite of H. insolens Cel7B, indicating that the mutation of only one residue, His209, could lead to the expected wider acceptor specificity. Three H. insolens Cel7B glycosynthase mutants (H209A, H209G and H209A/A211T) were produced and expressed in Aspergillus oryzae . In parallel, sequence alignment investigations showed that several cellulases from family GH7 display an alanine residue instead of histidine at position 209. Amongst them, Trichoderma reesei Cel7B, an endoglucanase sharing the highest degree of sequence identity with Humicola Cel7B, was found to naturally accept a β- d - N -acetylglucosaminyl residue at +1 subsite. The T. reesei Cel7B mutant nucleophile E196A was produced and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae , and its activity as glycosynthase, together with the H. insolens glycosynthase mutants, was evaluated toward various glycosidic acceptors.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of arabinoxylan is an important prerequisite for the utilization of hemicellulose for ethanol fermentation or for making the low calorie sweetener xylitol by catalytic hydrogenation of the generated xylose. This study focus on cloning and characterization of two industrial relevant beta-xylosidases (1,4-beta-D-xylan xylohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.37) from Talaromyces emersonii (betaXTE) and Trichoderma reesei (betaXTR) and a comparison of these in relation to hemicellulose hydrolysis using an industrial relevant substrate. Both beta-xylosidases were expressed in A. oryzae and subsequently purified. During the enzymatic hydrolysis of xylobiose, the reaction product of both enzymes was found to be beta-D-xylose proving that the hydrolysis is proceeding via a retaining reaction mechanism. Based on sequence similarities and glycosyl hydrolases family membership, the active site residues of betaXTE and betaXTR are predicted to be Asp 242 and Glu 441, and Asp 264 and Glu 464, respectively. The involvement in catalysis of these carboxyls was examined by modification using the carbodiimide-nucleophile procedure resulting in a complete inactivation of both enzymes. The degree of xylose release from vinasse, an ethanol fermentation by-product, by betaXTE and betaXTR was 12.1% and 7.7%, respectively. Using the beta-xylosidases in combination with the multicomponent enzyme product Ultraflo L, resulted in 41.9% and 40.8% release of xylose, respectively indicating a strong synergistic effect between the exo-acting beta-xylosidases and the endo-1,4-beta-xylanases and alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase in Ultraflo L. There seems to be no measurable differences between the two beta-xylosidases when used in this specific application despite the differences in specific activity and kinetic properties.

Click chemistry is used to construct a novel lipase-BSA hetero-dimer, in which the latter protein acts as a foot enabling the anchoring of the enzyme onto the surface for single enzyme studies.

A simple and versatile method for the preparation of functional enzyme-gold nanoparticle conjugates using "click" chemistry has been developed. In a copper-catalyzed 1,2,3-triazole cycloaddition, an acetylene-functionalized Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase has been attached to azide-functionalized water-soluble gold nanoparticles under retention of enzymatic activity. The products have been characterized by gel electrophoresis and a fluorometric lipase activity assay. It is estimated that the equivalent of approximately seven fully active lipase molecules are attached to each nanoparticle.

The mechanism of allosteric activation of alpha-amylase by chloride has been studied through structural and kinetic experiments focusing on the chloride-dependent N298S variant of human pancreatic alpha-amylase (HPA) and a chloride-independent TAKA-amylase. Kinetic analysis of the HPA variant clearly demonstrates the pronounced activating effect of chloride ion binding on reaction rates and its effect on the pH-dependence of catalysis. Structural alterations observed in the N298S variant upon chloride ion binding suggest that the chloride ion plays a variety of roles that serve to promote catalysis. One of these is having a strong influence on the positioning of the acid/base catalyst residue E233. Absence of chloride ion results in multiple conformations for this residue and unexpected enzymatic products. Chloride ion and N298 also appear to stabilize a helical region of polypeptide chain from which projects the flexible substrate binding loop unique to chloride-dependent alpha-amylases. This structural feature also serves to properly orient the catalytically essential residue D300. Comparative analyses show that the chloride-independent alpha-amylases compensate for the absence of bound chloride by substituting a hydrophobic core, altering the manner in which substrate interactions are made and shifting the placement of N298. These evolutionary differences presumably arise in response to alternative operating environments or the advantage gained in a particular product profile. Attempts to engineer chloride-dependence into the chloride-independent TAKA-amylase point out the complexity of this system, and the fact that a multitude of factors play a role in binding chloride ion in the chloride-dependent alpha-amylases.

Numerous techniques have been developed over the last two decades to change characteristics of proteins, and with these techniques it has become feasible to customize proteins for specific commercial and environmental applications. For instance, a fungal lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus has been improved to increase its performance in detergent solutions (Borch et al., 1998). The same lipase has been changed into a phospholipase that can be applied in bread making to generate emulsifiers from the lipids present in the dough, eliminating the need to add emulsifiers (Bojsen et al., 1998). This chapter will provide a general overview of the advances within artificial molecular evolution. It will focus on the in vitro and in vivo procedures that have been applied to fungal proteins, some techniques having been developed specifically for filamentous fungi. Finally, thoughts on the future direction of artificial evolution of fungal proteins will be offered.

The binding orientation of the interfacially activated Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TLL, EC 3.1.1.3) on phospholipid vesicles was investigated using site-directed spin labeling and electron spin resonance (ESR) relaxation spectroscopy. Eleven TLL single-cysteine mutants, each with the mutation positioned at the surface of the enzyme, were selectively spin labeled with the nitroxide reagent (1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-Delta(3)-pyrroline-3-methyl) methanethiosulfonate. These were studied together with small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) consisting of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol (POPG), to which TLL has previously been shown to bind in a catalytically active form [Cajal, Y., et al. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 413-423]. The orientation of TLL with respect to the lipid membrane was investigated using a water-soluble spin relaxation agent, chromium(III) oxalate (Crox), and a recently developed ESR relaxation technique [Lin, Y., et al. (1998) Science 279, 1925-1929], here modified to low microwave amplitude (

The structure of the peroxidase from Coprinus cinereus (CiP) has been determined in three different space groups and crystalline environments. Two of these are of the recombinant glycosylated form (rCiP), which crystallized in space groups P2(1)2(1)2(1) and C2. The third crystal form was obtained from a variant of CiP in which the glycosylation sites have been removed (rCiPON). It crystallizes in space group P2(1) with beta approximately 90 degrees; the structure was determined from room-temperature data and low-temperature data obtained from twinned crystals. Two independent molecules of CiP related by non-crystallographic symmetry are contained in the three crystal forms. The packing in the two structures of the glycosylated form of rCiP is closely related, but differs from the packing in the unglycosylated rCiPON. A database search based on small-molecule porphinato iron (III) complexes has been performed and related to observations of the spin states and coordination numbers of the iron ion. The room-temperature structures of CiP and one structure of the almost identical peroxidase from Arthromyces ramosus (ARP) have been used to identify 66 conserved water molecules and to assign a structural role to most of them.

The binding of Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase and its mutants [TLL(S146A), TLL(W89L), TLL(W117F, W221H, W260H)] to the mixed micelles of cis-parinaric acid/sodium taurodeoxycholate at pH 5.0 led to the quenching of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence emission (300-380 nm) and to a simultaneous increase in the cis-parinaric acid fluorescence emission (380-500 nm). These findings were used to characterize the Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase/cis-parinaric acid interactions occurring in the presence of sodium taurodeoxycholate. The fluorescence resonance energy transfer and Stern-Volmer quenching constant values obtained were correlated with the accessibility of the tryptophan residues to the cis-parinaric acid and with the lid opening ability of Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (and its mutants). TLL(S146A) was found to have the highest fluorescence resonance energy transfer. In addition, a TLL(S146A)/oleic acid complex was crystallised and its three-dimensional structure was solved. Surprisingly, two possible binding modes (sn-1 and antisn1) were found to exist between oleic acid and the catalytic cleft of the open conformation of TLL(S146A). Both binding modes involved an interaction with tryptophan 89 of the lipase lid, in agreement with fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments. As a consequence, we concluded that TLL(S146A) mutant is not an appropriate substitute for the wild-type Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase for mimicking the interaction between the wild-type enzyme and lipids.

Crystals suitable for an X-ray diffraction investigation have been obtained of recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase expressed in Aspergillus oryzae . The crystals were grown by the hanging drop method with polyethylene glycol 6000 as the precipitant. A pH range from 6·2 to 8·0 and CaCl 2 or MgCl 2 present at a concentration of 0·35 M were essential for the crystal growth. A metastable monoclinic modification can be obtained under certain conditions, and with variations in temperature they are transformed into a stable orthorhombic modification. With CaCl 2 as the additive, the unit cell dimensions were a = 74·9 A, b = 76·8 A and c = 128·2 A. With two peroxidase molecules per asymmetric unit, the solvent content is 49% (v/v). In the diffraction pattern, the reflections Okl are systematically very weak for k = 2 n + 1. Combined with an analysis of the Patterson function, this showed that the two independent molecules are related by the pseudo-translational symmetry 0·29a+0·5b. The possible space groups are P 2 1 2 1 2 1 or P 2 1 22 1 because of this pseudosymmetry. The crystals diffract to a resolution of 2·9 A.

Three variants of the Candida antarctica B lipase have been constructed and characterized. The variant containing the T103G mutation, which introduces the consensus sequence G-X-S-X-G found in most other known lipases, shows an increased thermostability but retains only half the specific activity of the native enzyme. Also in ester synthesis the activity is lowered but the specificity and enantioselectivity remains unchanged. The W104H mutant, in which more space is introduced into the active site, has more dramatically changed properties. Both the thermostability and the specific activity are slightly reduced but the activity and specificity in ester synthesis is highly different from the native enzyme. In general, the activity is very low and the enantioselectivity is, furthermore, highly reduced. Finally, the mutation M72L was introduced to increase the oxidation stability of the enzyme. This variant did exhibit an increased resistance towards oxidation but the thermostability was, unfortunately, also reduced.

The impact of disulfide bonds on protein stability goes beyond simple equilibrium thermodynamics effects associated with the conformational entropy of the unfolded state. Indeed, disulfide crosslinks may play a role in the prevention of dysfunctional association and strongly affect the rates of irreversible enzyme inactivation, highly relevant in biotechnological applications. While these kinetic-stability effects remain poorly understood, by analogy with proposed mechanisms for processes of protein aggregation and fibrillogenesis, we propose that they may be determined by the properties of sparsely-populated, partially-unfolded intermediates. Here we report the successful design, on the basis of high temperature molecular-dynamics simulations, of six thermodynamically and kinetically stabilized variants of phytase from Citrobacter braakii (a biotechnologically important enzyme) with one, two or three engineered disulfides. Activity measurements and 3D crystal structure determination demonstrate that the engineered crosslinks do not cause dramatic alterations in the native structure. The inactivation kinetics for all the variants displays a strongly non-Arrhenius temperature dependence, with the time-scale for the irreversible denaturation process reaching a minimum at a given temperature within the range of the denaturation transition. We show this striking feature to be a signature of a key role played by a partially unfolded, intermediate state/ensemble. Energetic and mutational analyses confirm that the intermediate is highly unfolded (akin to a proposed critical intermediate in the misfolding of the prion protein), a result that explains the observed kinetic stabilization. Our results provide a rationale for the kinetic-stability consequences of disulfide-crosslink engineering and an experimental methodology to arrive at energetic/structural descriptions of the sparsely populated and elusive intermediates that play key roles in irreversible protein denaturation., This work was supported by grants BIO2009-09562, CSD2009-00088 from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, and FEDER Funds (JMS-R).

At your direction, Diversa worked with the authors of the mini-review and agreed on language for a corrigendum as follows

17 páginas.-- 13 figuras.-- 104 referencias.-- . Supplementary data associated with this article can be found in the online version, at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2017.06.003, Fungi produce heme-containing peroxidases and peroxygenases, flavin-containing oxidases and dehydrogenases, and different copper-containing oxidoreductases involved in the biodegradation of lignin and other recalcitrant compounds. Heme peroxidases comprise the classical ligninolytic peroxidases and the new dye-decolorizing peroxidases, while heme peroxygenases belong to a still largely unexplored superfamily of heme-thiolate proteins. Nevertheless, basidiomycete unspecific peroxygenases have the highest biotechnological interest due to their ability to catalyze a variety of regio- and stereo-selective monooxygenation reactions with H2O2 as the source of oxygen and final electron acceptor. Flavo-oxidases are involved in both lignin and cellulose decay generating H2O2 that activates peroxidases and generates hydroxyl radical. The group of copper oxidoreductases also includes other H2O2 generating enzymes - copper-radical oxidases - together with classical laccases that are the oxidoreductases with the largest number of reported applications to date. However, the recently described lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases have attracted the highest attention among copper oxidoreductases, since they are capable of oxidatively breaking down crystalline cellulose, the disintegration of which is still a major bottleneck in lignocellulose biorefineries, along with lignin degradation. Interestingly, some flavin-containing dehydrogenases also play a key role in cellulose breakdown by directly/indirectly “fueling” electrons for polysaccharide monooxygenase activation. Many of the above oxidoreductases have been engineered, combining rational and computational design with directed evolution, to attain the selectivity, catalytic efficiency and stability properties required for their industrial utilization. Indeed, using ad hoc software and current computational capabilities, it is now possible to predict substrate access to the active site in biophysical simulations, and electron transfer efficiency in biochemical simulations, reducing in orders of magnitude the time of experimental work in oxidoreductase screening and engineering. What has been set out above is illustrated by a series of remarkable oxyfunctionalization and oxidation reactions developed in the frame of an intersectorial and multidisciplinary European RTD project. The optimized reactions include enzymatic synthesis of 1-naphthol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, drug metabolites, furandicarboxylic acid, indigo and other dyes, and conductive polyaniline, terminal oxygenation of alkanes, biomass delignification and lignin oxidation, among others. These successful case stories demonstrate the unexploited potential of oxidoreductases in medium and large-scale biotransformations., This work has been funded by the INDOX European project (KBBE-2013-7-613549), together with the BIO2014-56388-R and AGL2014-53730-R projects of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) co-financed by FEDER funds, and the BBI JU project EnzOx2 (H2020-BBI-PPP-2015-2-720297). The work conducted by the US DOE JGI was supported by the Office of Science of the US DOE under contract number DE-AC02-05CH11231.