Purification and characterization of proteins in multifloral honey from kelulut bee (stingless bee)

The kelulut bee (Meliponini) is a subfamily of stingless bees that produce honey. A total of 89 species out of a total of 500 species of kelulut bees are known to originate from the Indo-Australian region. Kelulut bees do not have quality standards so they still refer to the Codex and EU Directive which basically only applied for Apis honey. The Codex and EU Directive are formed by several psychochemical parameters, one of it is diastase activity. Diastase activity in kelulut honey is known not to meet existing standards or even undetectable. Therefore, this study aimed to explore proteins inside kelulut honey and investigate the possibility of using a specific protein as a biomarker to differentiate honey produced by kelulut bee from other honey. This research can also be considered as an initial step to optimize the exploration of protein in kelulut honey. This research is divided into two sections which are the preliminary research and the research expansion. From preliminary section, glucose dehydrogenase enzyme (GDH) was found to be present inside Tetragonula spp honey. A further examination of GDH enzyme was made in four kelulut bee honeys namely Tetragonula leaviceps, T. biroi, Heterotrigona itama, and Geniotrigona thoracica. The preliminary research has five stages that are exactly the as expansion research section except it didn't include GDH activity measurement. The research includes seven main stages. First honeys were dialyzed to remove the sugar content followed by centrifugation. The samples were then purified using liquid chromatography with anion exchanger column. The molecular weight of proteins was analysed by SDS-PAGE method. The GDH activity was measured using spectrophotometer followed by qualitative analysis using LC-MS/MS. The peptide sequences resulted from LC-MS/MS were then matched with Uniprot to identify the unknow protein. The results showed that only T. biroi and T. laeviceps had GDH enzyme activity of 0,1891 U/mL and 0,1652-1,579 U/mL, respectively. Bands from both species were also qualitatively identified as GDH. With these results, it can be concluded that the GDH enzyme cannot be used as a biomarker to distinguish the kelulut honey.

Drug metabolite synthesis by immobilized human FMO3 and whole cell catalysts

Background

Sufficient reference standards of drug metabolites are required in the drug discovery and development process. However, such drug standards are often expensive or not commercially available. Chemical synthesis of drug metabolite is often difficulty due to the highly regio- and stereo-chemically demanding. The present work aims to construct stable and efficient biocatalysts for the generation of drug metabolites in vitro.

Result

In this work, using benzydamine as a model drug, two easy-to-perform approaches (whole cell catalysis and enzyme immobilization) were investigated for the synthesis of FMO3-generated drug metabolites. The whole cell catalysis was carried out by using cell suspensions of E. coli JM109 harboring FMO3 and E. coli BL21 harboring GDH (glucose dehydrogenase), giving 1.2 g/L benzydamine N-oxide within 9 h under the optimized conditions. While for another approach, two HisTrap HP columns respectively carrying His₆-GDH and His₆-FMO3 were connected in series used for the biocatalysis. In this case, 0.47 g/L benzydamine N-oxide was generated within 2.5 h under the optimized conditions. In addition, FMO3 immobilization at the C-terminal (membrane anchor region) significantly improved its enzymatic thermostability by more than 10 times. Moreover, the high efficiency of these two biocatalytic approaches was also confirmed by the N-oxidation of tamoxifen.

Conclusions

The results presented in this work provides new possibilities for the drug-metabolizing enzymes-mediated biocatalysis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12934-019-1189-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Improvement in the thermal stability of Mucor prainii-derived FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenase via protein chimerization

FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (FAD-GDH, EC 1.1.5.9) is an enzyme utilized industrially in glucose sensors. Previously, FAD-GDH isolated from Mucor prainii (MpGDH) was demonstrated to have high substrate specificity for glucose. However, MpGDH displays poor thermostability and is inactivated after incubation at 45 °C for only 15 min, which prevents its use in industrial applications, especially in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems. Therefore, in this study, a chimeric MpGDH (Mr144-297) was engineered from the glucose-specific MpGDH and the highly thermostable FAD-GDH obtained from Mucor sp. RD056860 (MrdGDH). Mr144-297 demonstrated significantly higher heat resistance, with stability at even 55 °C. In addition, Mr144-297 maintained both high affinity and accurate substrate specificity for D-glucose. Furthermore, eight mutation sites that contributed to improved thermal stability and increased productivity in Escherichia coli were identified. Collectively, chimerization of FAD-GDHs can be an effective method for the construction of an FAD-GDH with greater stability, and the chimeric FAD-GDH described herein could be adapted for use in continuous glucose monitoring sensors.

Immobilization of recombinant Escherichia coli whole cells harboring xylose reductase and glucose dehydrogenase for xylitol production from xylose mother liquor

In this study, recombinant E. coli BL21(DE3)/pCDFDuet-1-XR-GDH harboring xylose reductase (XR) and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) were immobilized and applied for the production of xylitol from xylose mother liquor (XML). Various immobilization methods were screened and the cross-linking approach with diatomite and polyetherimide as the raw materials and glutaraldehyde as the cross-linking agent was the optimal one, and the recovery activity reached of 80.3% after immobilization. The half-life of immobilized cells was 1.52 times to that of free cells. Batch experiments showed that the enzyme activity of immobilized cells remained 70.5% of the initial activity after 10 batches and the space-time yield of xylitol reached of 11.5 g/(L h). The production of xylitol from xylose mother liquor by immobilized E. coli cells containing xylose reductase and glucose dehydrogenase was reported for the first time, which paved a foundation for industrial production of xylitol from waste xylose mother liquor.

Glucose and arabinose dependent mineral phosphate solubilization and its succinate-mediated catabolite repression in Rhizobium sp. RM and RS

Rhizobium sp. RM and RS are Vigna radiata root nodule isolates with the ability to solubilize tricalcium phosphate and rock phosphate under 50 mM Tris-Cl buffering conditions. Rhizobium sp. RM and RS were unique as they could produce two different organic acids, gluconic acid and oxalic acid using glucose and arabinose, respectively, which are two of the most prominent sugars present in the rhizospheric soil. However, P solubilization in these isolates was repressed in the presence of succinate resembling the phenomenon of catabolite repression. RM and RS produced 24 mM and 20 mM gluconic acid in presence of glucose which was repressed to 10 mM and 8 mM, respectively, in glucose + succinate conditions. Similarly, RM and RS produced 28 mM and 23 mM oxalic acid in arabinose containing media which was repressed to 9 mM and 8 mM, respectively, in the presence of arabinose + succinate. Results of enzyme activities indicated 66% repression of quinoprotein glucose dehydrogenase in glucose + succinate compared to glucose grown cells and 84% repression of glyoxylate oxidase in arabinose + succinate compared to arabinose grown cells. This is perhaps the first report on mechanism of P solubilization in rhizobia through utilization of two different sugars, glucose and arabinose and its repression by succinate. Succinate-mediated catabolite repression of arabinose is the unique aspect of this study.

Efficient chiral synthesis by Saccharomyces cerevisiae spore encapsulation of Candida parapsilosis Glu228Ser/(S)-carbonyl reductase II and Bacillus sp. YX-1 glucose dehydrogenase in organic solvents

BACKGROUND

Saccharomyces cerevisiae AN120 osw2∆ spores were used as a host with good resistance to unfavorable environment. This work was undertaken to develop a new yeast spore-encapsulation of Candida parapsilosis Glu228Ser/(S)-carbonyl reductase II and Bacillus sp. YX-1 glucose dehydrogenase for efficient chiral synthesis in organic solvents.

RESULTS

The spore microencapsulation of E228S/SCR II and GDH in S. cerevisiae AN120 osw2∆ catalyzed (R)-phenylethanol in a good yield with an excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99%) within 4 h. It presented good resistance and catalytic functions under extreme temperature and pH conditions. The encapsulation produced several chiral products with over 70% yield and over 99% enantioselectivity in ethyl acetate after being recycled for 4-6 times. It increased substrate concentration over threefold and reduced the reaction time two to threefolds compared to the recombinant Escherichia coli containing E228S and glucose dehydrogenase.

CONCLUSIONS

This work first described sustainable enantioselective synthesis without exogenous cofactors in organic solvents using yeast spore-microencapsulation of coupled alcohol dehydrogenases.

Designer fungus FAD glucose dehydrogenase capable of direct electron transfer

Fungi-derived flavin adenine dinucleotide glucose dehydrogenases (FADGDHs) are currently the most popular and advanced enzymes for self-monitoring of blood glucose sensors; however, the achievement of direct electron transfer (DET) with FADGDHs is difficult. In this study, a designer FADGDH was constructed by fusing Aspergillus flavus derived FADGDH (AfGDH) and a Phanerochaete chrisosporium CDH (PcCDH)-derived heme b-binding cytochrome domain to develop a novel FADGDH that is capable of direct electron transfer with an electrode. A structural prediction suggested that the heme in the CDH may exist in proximity to the FAD of AfGDH if the heme b-binding cytochrome domain is fused to the AfGDH N-terminal region. Spectroscopic observations of recombinantly produced designer FADGDH confirmed the intramolecular electron transfer between FAD and the heme. A decrease in pH and the presence of a divalent cation improved the intramolecular electron transfer. An enzyme electrode with the immobilized designer FADGDH showed an increase in current immediately after the addition of glucose in a glucose concentration-dependent manner, whereas those with wild-type AfGDH did not show an increase in current. Therefore, the designer FADGDH was confirmed to be a novel GDH that possesses electrode DET ability. The difference in the surface electrostatic potentials of AfGDH and the catalytic domain of PcCDH might be why their intramolecular electron transfer ability is inferior to that of CDH. These relevant and consistent findings provide us with a novel strategic approach for the improvement of the DET properties of designer FADGDH. (241 words).

Engineered fungus derived FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenase with acquired ability to utilize hexaammineruthenium(III) as an electron acceptor

Fungal FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenases (FADGDHs) are considered to be superior enzymes for glucose sensor strips because of their insensitivity to oxygen and maltose. One highly desirable mediator for enzyme sensor strips is hexaammineruthenium(III) chloride because of its low redox potential and high storage stability. However, in contrast to glucose oxidase (GOx), fungal FADGDH cannot utilize hexaammineruthenium(III) as electron acceptor. Based on strategic structure comparison between FADGDH and GOx, we constructed a mutant of Aspergillus flavus-derived FADGDH, capable of utilizing hexaammineruthenium(III) as electron acceptor: AfGDH-H403D. In AfGDH-H403D, a negative charge introduced at the pathway-entrance leading to the FAD attracts the positively charged hexaammineruthenium(III) and guides it into the pathway. The corresponding amino acid in wild-type GOx is negatively charged, which explains the ability of GOx to utilize hexaammineruthenium(III) as electron acceptor. Electrochemical measurements showed a response current of 46.0 μA for 10 mM glucose with AfGDH-H403D and hexaammineruthenium(III), similar to that with wild-type AfGDH and ferricyanide (47.8 μA). Therefore, AfGDH-H403D is suitable for constructing enzyme electrode strips with hexaammineruthenium(III) chloride as sole mediator. Utilization of this new, improved fungal FADGDH should lead to the development of sensor strips for blood glucose monitoring with increased accuracy and less stringent packing requirements.

Multiplicity of enzymatic functions in the CAZy AA3 family

The CAZy auxiliary activity family 3 (AA3) comprises enzymes from the glucose-methanol-choline (GMC) family of oxidoreductases, which assist the activity of other AA family enzymes via their reaction products or support the action of glycoside hydrolases in lignocellulose degradation. The AA3 family is further divided into four subfamilies, which include cellobiose dehydrogenase, glucose oxidoreductases, aryl-alcohol oxidase, alcohol (methanol) oxidase, and pyranose oxidoreductases. These different enzymes catalyze a wide variety of redox reactions with respect to substrates and co-substrates. The common feature of AA3 family members is the formation of key metabolites such as H2O2 or hydroquinones, which are required by other AA enzymes. The multiplicity of enzymatic functions in the AA3 family is reflected by the multigenicity of AA3 genes in fungi, which also depends on their lifestyle. We provide an overview of the phylogenetic, molecular, and catalytic properties of AA3 enzymes and discuss their interactions with other carbohydrate-active enzymes.

Dawson-type polyoxometalate nanoclusters confined in a carbon nanotube matrix as efficient redox mediators for enzymatic glucose biofuel cell anodes and glucose biosensors

Two new inorganic-organic hybrid materials based on heteropolyoxometalates (POMs): (C₄H₁₀N)₆[P₂Mo₁₈O₆₂]·4H₂O (P₂Mo₁₈) and (C₆H₈NO)₄[H₂P₂W₁₈O₆₂]·6H₂O (P₂W₁₈) are reported as mediators for electron transfer between FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (FAD-GDH) and a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) matrix for glucose biofuel cell and biosensor applications. These polyoxometalates were chosen due to their promising redox behavior in a potential range for mediated electron transfer with the glucose oxidizing enzyme, FAD-GDH. P₂Mo₁₈ and P₂W₁₈ were immobilized on 1-pyrenemethylamine (PMA) functionalized MWCNT deposits. After immobilization of FAD-GDH, the P₂W₁₈-modified MWCNT electrode demonstrated mediated electron transfer and provided a catalytic current density of 0.34 mA cm^-2 at 0.2 V vs SCE with an open circuit potential (OCP) of -0.08 V vs SCE. A 10-fold increase in catalytic current to 4.7 mA cm^-2 at 0.2 V vs SCE and a slightly lower OCP of -0.10 V vs SCE was observed for an equivalent electrode modified with P₂Mo₁₈.The apparent superiority of P₂Mo₁₈ is related, at least in part, to its improved incorporation in the MWCNT matrix compared to P₂W₁₈. Both POM-modified bioanodes showed exceptional stabilities with 45% of their initial performances remaining after 15 days. The mediated electron transfer capacities of the POMs were also evaluated in a glucose sensor setup and showed very satisfying performances for glucose detection, including a sensitivity of 0.198 mA mol L^-1 cm^-2, a satisfying linear range between 1 mmol L^-1 and 20 mmol L^-1, and good reproducibility for the P₂Mo₁₈ electrode.

Efficient synthesis of a (S)-fluoxetine intermediate using carbonyl reductase coupled with glucose dehydrogenase

(S)-3-chloro-1-phenyl-1-propanol ((S)-CPPO) is an important chiral intermediate predominantly used in the synthesis of the chiral side chain of (S)-fluoxetine. In this study, carbonyl reductase (CBR) from Novosphingobium aromaticivorans was successfully expressed in recombinant E. coli. The enzymatic activity of the recombinant CBR was significantly increased to 1875 U/mL in the fed-batch fermentation in a 10 L fermenter and recombinant CBR was then purified and characterized. By regenerating NADH with glucose dehydrogenase, 100 g/L 3-chloro-1-phenyl-1-propanone (3-CPP) was successfully converted to (S)-CPPO with a conversion of 100% and ee value of 99.6% after 12 h at 30 °C in PBS buffer (pH 7.0), which are the highest reported to date for the bio-production of (S)-CPPO and presented great potential for green production of (S)-CPPO at industrial scale.

FAD-Dependent Glucose Dehydrogenase Immobilization and Mediation Within a Naphthoquinone Redox Polymer

Electrochemically-active polymers (redox polymers) are useful tools for simultaneous immobilization and electron transfer of enzymes at electrode surfaces, which also serve to increase the localized concentration of the biocatalyst. The properties of the employed redox couple must be compatible with the target biocatalyst from both an electrochemical (potential) and biochemical standpoint. This chapter details the synthesis of a naphthoquinone-functionalized redox polymer (NQ-LPEI) that is used to immobilize and electronically communicate with flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (FAD-GDH), yielding an enzymatic bioanode that is able to deliver large catalytic current densities for glucose oxidation at a relatively low associated potential.

Jinggangmycin-suppressed reproduction in the small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus (Fallen), is mediated by glucose dehydrogenase (GDH)

The small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus (Fallen), is a serious pest insect of rice, wheat, and maize in China. SBPH not only sucks plant sap but also transmits plant disease viruses, causing serious damage. These viruses include rice striped virus disease (RSV disease), black streaked dwarf, and maize rough disease virus. SBPH outbreaks are related to the overuse of pesticides in China. Some pesticides, such as triazophos, stimulate the reproduction of SBPH, but an antibiotic fungicide jinggangmycin (JGM) suppresses its reproduction. However, mechanisms of decreased reproduction of SBPH induced by JGM remain unclear. The present findings show that JGM suppressed reproduction of SBPH (↓approximately 35.7%) and resulted in the down-regulated expression of glucose dehydrogenase (GDH). GDH-silenced control females (control+dsGDH) show that the number of eggs laid was reduced by 48.6% compared to control females. Biochemical tests show that the total lipid and fatty acid contents in JGM-treated and control+dsGDH females decreased significantly. Thus, we propose that the suppression of reproduction in SBPH induced by JGM is mediated by GDH via metabolic pathways.

Effects of N-/C-Terminal Extra Tags on the Optimal Reaction Conditions, Activity, and Quaternary Structure of Bacillus thuringiensis Glucose 1-Dehydrogenase

Glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) is an oxidoreductase enzyme and is used as a biocatalyst to regenerate NAD(P)H in reductase-mediated chiral synthesis reactions. In this study, the glucose 1-dehydrogenase B gene (gdhB) was cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, and wild-type (GDH-BT^WT) and His-tagged (GDH-BT^N-His, GDH-BT^C-His) enzymes were produced in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). All enzymes were produced in the soluble forms from E. coli. GDH-BT^WT and GDH-BT^N-His showed high specific enzymatic activities of 6.6 U/mg and 5.5 U/mg, respectively, whereas GDH-BT^C-His showed a very low specific enzymatic activity of 0.020 U/mg. These results suggest that the intact C-terminal carboxyl group is important for GDH-BT activity. GDH-BT^WT was stable up to 65°C, whereas GDH-BT^N-His and GDH-BT^C-His were stable up to 45°C. Gel permeation chromatography showed that GDH-BT^WT is a dimer, whereas GDH-BT^N-His and GDH-BT^C-His are monomeric. These results suggest that the intact N- and C-termini are required for GDH-BT to maintain thermostability and to form its dimer structure. The homology model of the GDH-BT^WT single subunit was constructed based on the crystal structure of Bacillus megaterium GDH (PDB ID 3AY6), showing that GDH-BT^WT has a Rossmann fold structure with its N- and C-termini located on the subunit surface, which suggests that His-tagging affected the native dimer structure. GDH-BT^WT and GDH-BT^N-His regenerated NADPH in a yeast reductase-mediated chiral synthesis reaction, suggesting that these enzymes can be used as catalysts in fine-chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Metabolic engineering of Gluconobacter oxydans 621H for increased biomass yield

The obligatory aerobic acetic acid bacterium Gluconobacter oxydans incompletely oxidizes carbon sources regio- and stereoselectively in the periplasm and therefore is used industrially for oxidative biotransformations, e. g., in vitamin C production. However, it has a very low biomass yield as the oxidized products largely remain in the medium and cannot be used for anabolism. Cytoplasmic carbon metabolism occurs via the pentose phosphate pathway and the Entner-Doudoroff pathway, whereas glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle are incomplete. Acetate is formed as an end product via pyruvate decarboxylase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. In order to increase the biomass yield from glucose, we sequentially replaced (i) gdhS encoding the cytoplasmic NADP-dependent glucose dehydrogenase by the Acetobacter pasteurianus sdhCDABE genes for succinate dehydrogenase and the flavinylation factor SdhE (strain IK001), (ii) pdc encoding pyruvate decarboxylase by a second ndh gene encoding a type II NADH dehydrogenase (strain IK002.1), and (iii) gdhM encoding the membrane-bound PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase by sucCD from Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus encoding succinyl-CoA synthetase (strain IK003.1). Analysis of the strains under controlled cultivation conditions in bioreactors revealed for IK003.1 that neither gluconate nor 2-ketogluconate was formed, but some 5-ketogluconate. Acetate formation was eliminated, and comparable amounts of pyruvate were formed instead. CO₂ formation by IK003.1 was more than doubled compared to the reference strain. Growth of IK003.1 was retarded, but the biomass yield of this strain was raised by 60%. IK003.1 serves as suitable host for oxidative biotransformations and for further metabolic engineering.

Enzymatic synthesis of an ezetimibe intermediate using carbonyl reductase coupled with glucose dehydrogenase in an aqueous-organic solvent system

(4S)-3-[(5S)-5-(4-Fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxypentanoyl]-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one ((S)-ET-5) is an important chiral intermediate in the synthesis of chiral side chain of ezetimibe. Recombinant Escherichia coli expressing carbonyl reductase (CBR) was successfully constructed in this study. The total E. coli biomass and the specific activity of recombinant CBR in 5L fermenter culture were 10.9gDCWL^-1 and 14900.3Ug^-1DCW, respectively. The dual-enzyme coupled biocatalytic process in an aqueous-organic biphasic solvent system was first constructed using p-xylene as the optimal organic phase under optimized reaction conditions, and 150gL^-1 (4S)-3-[5-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,5-dioxophentyl]-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one (ET-4) was successfully converted to (S)-ET-5 with a conversion of 99.1% and diastereomeric excess of 99% after 24-h, which are the highest values reported to date for the production of (S)-ET-5.

Tricalcium phosphate solubilization and nitrogen fixation by newly isolated Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyticus CKMV1 from rhizosphere of Valeriana jatamansi and its growth promotional effect

Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyticus strain CKMV1 was isolated from rhizosphere of Valeriana jatamansi and possessed multiple plant growth promoting traits like production of phosphate solubilization (260 mg/L), nitrogen fixation (202.91 nmol ethylene mL⁻¹ h⁻¹), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (8.1 μg/mL), siderophores (61.60%), HCN (hydrogen cyanide) production and antifungal activity. We investigated the ability of isolate CKMV1 to solubilize insoluble P via mechanism of organic acid production. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) study showed that isolate CKMV1 produced mainly gluconic (1.34%) and oxalic acids. However, genetic evidences for nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization by organic acid production have been reported first time for A. aneurinilyticus strain CKMV1. A unique combination of glucose dehydrogenase (gdh) gene and pyrroloquinoline quinone synthase (pqq) gene, a cofactor of gdh involved in phosphate solubilization has been elucidated. Nitrogenase (nif H) gene for nitrogen fixation was reported from A. aneurinilyticus. It was notable that isolate CKMV1 exhibited highest antifungal against Sclerotium rolfsii (93.58%) followed by Fusarium oxysporum (64.3%), Dematophora necatrix (52.71%), Rhizoctonia solani (91.58%), Alternaria sp. (71.08%) and Phytophthora sp. (71.37%). Remarkable increase was observed in seed germination (27.07%), shoot length (42.33%), root length (52.6%), shoot dry weight (62.01%) and root dry weight (45.7%) along with NPK (0.74, 0.36, 1.82%) content of tomato under net house condition. Isolate CKMV1 possessed traits related to plant growth promotion, therefore, could be a potential candidate for the development of biofertiliser or biocontrol agent and this is the first study to include the Aneurinibacillus as PGPR.

Carbonyl reductase identification and development of whole-cell biotransformation for highly efficient synthesis of (R)-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] ethanol

Background

(R)-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] ethanol [(R)-3,5-BTPE] is a valuable chiral intermediate for Aprepitant (Emend) and Fosaprepitant (Ivemend). Biocatalyzed asymmetric reduction is a preferred approach to synthesize highly optically active (R)-3,5-BTPE. However, the product concentration and productivity of reported (R)-3,5-BTPE synthetic processes remain unsatisfied.

Results

A NADPH-dependent carbonyl reductase from Lactobacillus kefir (LkCR) was discovered by genome mining for reduction of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl) acetophenone (3,5-BTAP) into (R)-3,5-BTPE with excellent enantioselectivity. In order to synthesize (R)-3,5-BTPE efficiently, LkCR was coexpressed with glucose dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis (BsGDH) for NADPH regeneration in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells, and the optimal recombinant strain produced 250.3 g/L (R)-3,5-BTPE with 99.9% ee but an unsatisfied productivity of 5.21 g/(L h). Then, four different linker peptides were used for the fusion expression of LkCR and BsGDH in E. coli to regulate catalytic efficiency of the enzymes and improved NADPH-recycling efficiency. Using the best strain (E. coli/pET-BsGDH-ER/K(10 nm)-LkCR), up to 297.3 g/L (R)-3,5-BTPE with enantiopurity >99.9% ee was produced via reduction of as much as 1.2 M of substrate with a 96.7% yield and productivity of 29.7 g/(L h).

Conclusions

Recombinant E. coli/pET-BsGDH-ER/K(10 nm)-LkCR was developed for the bioreduction of 3,5-BTAP to (R)-3,5-BTPE, offered the best results in terms of high product concentration and productivity, demonstrating its great potential in industrial manufacturing of (R)-3,5-BTPE.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-016-0585-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Development of an electrochemical detection system for measuring DNA methylation levels using methyl CpG-binding protein and glucose dehydrogenase-fused zinc finger protein

DNA methylation level at a certain gene region is considered as a new type of biomarker for diagnosis and its miniaturized and rapid detection system is required for diagnosis. Here we have developed a simple electrochemical detection system for DNA methylation using methyl CpG-binding domain (MBD) and a glucose dehydrogenase (GDH)-fused zinc finger protein. This analytical system consists of three steps: (1) methylated DNA collection by MBD, (2) PCR amplification of a target genomic region among collected methylated DNA, and (3) electrochemical detection of the PCR products using a GDH-fused zinc finger protein. With this system, we have successfully measured the methylation levels at the promoter region of the androgen receptor gene in 10⁶ copies of genomic DNA extracted from PC3 and TSU-PR1 cancer cell lines. Since no sequence analysis or enzymatic digestion is required for this detection system, DNA methylation levels can be measured within 3h with a simple procedure.

Photoamperometric flow injection analysis of glucose based on dehydrogenase modified quantum dots-carbon nanotube nanocomposite electrode

In this work, a core-shell quantum dot (QD, ZnS-CdS) was electrodeposited onto multiwalled carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode (ZnS-CdS/MWCNT/GCE) and following glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) was immobilized onto QD modified electrode. The proposed electrode (GDH/ZnS-CdS/MWCNT/GCE) was effectively used for the photoelectrochemical biosensing of glucose in flow injection analysis (FIA) system using a home-made flow cell. Results from cyclic voltammetric and FI amperometric measurements have revealed that GDH/ZnS-CdS/MWCNT/GCE is capable of signaling photoelectrocatalytic activity toward NADH when the surface of enzyme modified electrode was irradiated with a light source (250W Halogen lamp). Thus, photoelectrochemical biosensing of glucose was monitored by recording current-time curve of enzymatically produced NADH at optimized conditions. The biosensor response was found linear over the range 0.010-2.0mM glucose with detection limits of 6.0 and 4.0μM for amperometric and photoamperometric methods, respectively. The relative standard deviations (n=5) for 0.5mM glucose were 5.8% and 3.8% for photoamperometric and amperometric results, respectively. The photoelectrochemical biosensor was successfully applied to the real samples. The results with this biosensor showed good selectivity, repeatability and sensitivity for monitoring glucose in amperometric and photoamperometric FIA studies.

An Fe-S cluster in the conserved Cys-rich region in the catalytic subunit of FAD-dependent dehydrogenase complexes

Several bacterial flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-harboring dehydrogenase complexes comprise three distinct subunits: a catalytic subunit with FAD, a cytochrome c subunit containing three hemes, and a small subunit. Owing to the cytochrome c subunit, these dehydrogenase complexes have the potential to transfer electrons directly to an electrode. Despite various electrochemical applications and engineering studies of FAD-dependent dehydrogenase complexes, the intra/inter-molecular electron transfer pathway has not yet been revealed. In this study, we focused on the conserved Cys-rich region in the catalytic subunits using the catalytic subunit of FAD dependent glucose dehydrogenase complex (FADGDH) as a model, and site-directed mutagenesis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) were performed. By co-expressing a hitch-hiker protein (γ-subunit) and a catalytic subunit (α-subunit), FADGDH γα complexes were prepared, and the properties of the catalytic subunit of both wild type and mutant FADGDHs were investigated. Substitution of the conserved Cys residues with Ser resulted in the loss of dye-mediated glucose dehydrogenase activity. ICP-AEM and EPR analyses of the wild-type FADGDH catalytic subunit revealed the presence of a 3Fe-4S-type iron-sulfur cluster, whereas none of the Ser-substituted mutants showed the EPR spectrum characteristic for this cluster. The results suggested that three Cys residues in the Cys-rich region constitute an iron-sulfur cluster that may play an important role in the electron transfer from FAD (intra-molecular) to the multi-heme cytochrome c subunit (inter-molecular) electron transfer pathway. These features appear to be conserved in the other three-subunit dehydrogenases having an FAD cofactor.

Biofuel cell backpacked insect and its application to wireless sensing

This study investigated an enzymatic biofuel cell (BFC) which can be backpacked by cockroaches. The BFC generates electric power from trehalose in insect hemolymph by the trehalase and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) reaction systems which dehydrogenate β-glucose obtained by hydrolyzing trehalose. First, an insect-mountable BFC (imBFC) was designed and fabricated with a 3D printer. The electrochemical reaction of anode-modified poly-L-lysine, vitamin K3, diaphorase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, GDH and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) in the imBFC was evaluated and an oxidation current of 1.18 mAcm(-2) (at +0.6 V vs. Ag|AgCl) was observed. Then, the performance of the imBFC was evaluated and a maximum power output of 333 μW (285 μW cm(-)(2)) (at 0.5 V) was obtained. Furthermore, driving of both an LED device and a wireless temperature and humidity sensor device were powered by the imBFC. These results indicate that the imBFC has sufficient potential as a battery for novel ubiquitous robots such as insect cyborgs.

Evaluation of Glucose Dehydrogenase and Pyrroloquinoline Quinine (pqq) Mutagenesis that Renders Functional Inadequacies in Host Plants

The rhizospheric zone abutting plant roots usually clutches a wealth of microbes. In the recent past, enormous genetic resources have been excavated with potential applications in host plant interaction and ancillary aspects. Two Pseudomonas strains were isolated and identified through 16S rRNA and rpoD sequence analyses as P. fluorescens QAU67 and P. putida QAU90. Initial biochemical characterization and their root-colonizing traits indicated their potential role in plant growth promotion. Such aerobic systems, involved in gluconic acid production and phosphate solubilization, essentially require the pyrroloquinoline quinine (PQQ)- dependent glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) in the genome. The PCR screening and amplification of GDH and PQQ and subsequent induction of mutagenesis characterized their possible role as antioxidants as well as in growth promotion, as probed in vitro in lettuce and in vivo in rice, bean, and tomato plants. The results showed significant differences (p < or = 0.05) in parameters of plant height, fresh weight, and dry weight, etc., deciphering a clear and in fact complementary role of GDH and PQQ in plant growth promotion. Our study not only provides direct evidence of the in vivo role of GDH and PQQ in host plants but also reveals their functional inadequacy in the event of mutation at either of these loci.

Novel glucose dehydrogenase from Mucor prainii: Purification, characterization, molecular cloning and gene expression in Aspergillus sojae

Glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) is of interest for its potential applications in the field of glucose sensors. To improve the performance of glucose sensors, GDH is required to have strict substrate specificity. A novel flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent GDH was isolated from Mucor prainii NISL0103 and its enzymatic properties were characterized. This FAD-dependent GDH (MpGDH) exhibited high specificity toward glucose. High specificity for glucose was also observed even in the presence of saccharides such as maltose, galactose and xylose. The molecular masses of the glycoforms of GDH ranged from 90 to 130 kDa. After deglycosylation, a single 80 kDa band was observed. The gene encoding MpGDH was cloned and expressed in Aspergillus sojae. The apparent kcat and Km values of recombinant enzyme for glucose were found to be 749.7 s(-1) and 28.3 mM, respectively. The results indicated that the characteristics of MpGDH were suitable for assaying blood glucose levels.

Evaluation of accuracy of FAD-GDH- and mutant Q-GDH-based blood glucose monitors in multi-patient populations

BACKGROUND

Glucose dehydrogenases have been highly promoted to high-accuracy blood glucose (BG) monitors. The flavin adenine dinucleotide glucose dehydrogenase (FAD-GDH) and mutant variant of quinoprotein glucose dehydrogenase (Mut. Q-GDH) are widely used in high-performance BG monitors for multi-patient use. Therefore we conducted accuracy evaluation of the GDH monitors, FAD-GDH-based GM700 and Mut. Q-GDH-based Performa.

METHODS

Different patients were enrolled: patients with and without diabetes, patients receiving respiratory therapies, hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, and neonates. The accuracy evaluation of FAD-GDH- and Mut. Q-GDH-based monitors referred to ISO 15197:2013 which applies new criteria for the minion accuracy requirements: more than 95% of the blood glucose readings shall fall within ±15mg/dL of the reference method at glucose concentration <100mg/dL and within ±15% of the reference method at glucose concentration ≥100mg/dL. Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate the 2 GDH monitors as well.

RESULTS

Bland-Altman plots visualized excellent precision of the BG monitors. The 95% limit agreement of overall results for the FAD-GDH-based monitors was within ±12% and that for the Mut. Q-GDH-based monitors was from -10 to +17%. Both BG monitors met the accuracy requirements of ISO 15197:2013. The FAD-GDH-based monitor performed better with neonates and patients with and without diabetes, and the Mut. Q-GDH-based monitor performed better with HD and PD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Analytical results prove that the GDH-based monitors tolerate a broad BG concentration range, are oxygen independent, have BG specificity, and have minimal interference from hematocrit. The GDH-based monitors are reliable for multi-patient use.