Purification and cloning of a thermostable manganese catalase from a thermophilic bacterium

Looking into a highly thermostable and efficient recombinant manganese-catalase from Geobacillusthermopakistaniensis

Catalases, heme or non-heme, are catalysts that decompose hydrogen peroxide. Among them, non-heme or manganese-catalases have been studied from limited organisms. We report here heterologous production of a manganese-catalase, Cat-II_Gt, previously annotated as a hypothetical protein, from a thermophilic bacterium Geobacillus thermopakistaniensis. Recombinant Cat-II_Gt, produced as inactive inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli, was solubilized and refolded into a soluble and highly active form. Sequence homology, absorption spectra, resistance to sodium azide inhibition and activation by Mn²⁺ indicated that it was a manganese-catalase. Metal analysis revealed the presence of ∼2 Mn²⁺ and ∼2 Ca²⁺ per subunit of Cat-II_Gt. Recombinant Cat-II_Gt exhibited highest activity at pH 10.0 and 70°C. The enzyme was highly active with a specific activity of 40,529 μmol min^-1 mg^-1. The apparent K_m and k_cat values were 75 mM and 1.5 × 10⁴ s^-1 subunit^-1, respectively. Recombinant Cat-II_Gt was highly thermostable with a half-life of 30 min at 100°C. The structural attributes of Cat-II_Gt, including the metal and substrate binding residues, were predicted by homology modeling and molecular docking studies. High activity and thermostability and alkaline nature make Cat-II_Gt a potential candidate for textile and paper processing industries.

Structural and functional analyses of a novel manganese-catalase from Bacillus subtilis R5

Catalases catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Limited reports are available on characterization of manganese-catalases. We describe here molecular cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of a putative manganese-catalase gene from mesophilic bacterium, Bacillus subtilis R5. The gene product, Cat_Bsu, produced as a soluble protein, was purified to apparent homogeneity and biochemically characterized. The absorption spectra and nonsignificant inhibition by sodium azide indicated that it is a manganese-catalase. The protein was in homohexameric form in solution, with a subunit molecular weight of 30 kDa, containing ~2 Mn²⁺ and ~1 Ca²⁺ per subunit. Cat_Bsu showed highest activity at pH 8.0 and 55 °C. It was found to be highly active with a specific activity of 25,290 μmol min^-1 mg^-1 and apparent K_m and k_cat values of 98 mM and 1.27 × 10⁴ s^-1 subunit^-1, respectively. Although from a mesophilic source, it exhibited a half-life of 2 h at 80 °C. Furthermore, the active site and metal binding residues in Cat_Bsu were predicted by homology modelling and molecular docking. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first characterization of a manganese-catalase from genus Bacillus.

Gazing into the remarkable world of non-heme catalases through the window of the cyanobacterial Mn-catalase 'KatB'

Catalases, enzymes that decompose H₂O₂, are broadly categorized as heme catalases or non-heme catalases. The non-heme catalases are also known as Mn-catalases as they have Mn atoms in their active sites. However, unlike the well characterized heme-catalases, the study of Mn-catalases has gained importance only in the last few years. The filamentous, heterocystous, N₂-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120, shows the presence of two Mn-catalases, KatA and KatB, but lacks heme catalases. Of the two Mn-catalases, KatB, which is induced by salt/desiccation, plays a major role in overcoming salinity/oxidative stress. In this mini review, we have summarized the recent advances made in the field of Mn-catalases, particularly KatB, and have interpreted these results in the larger context of stress physiology. These aspects bring to the fore the distinctive biochemical/structural properties of Mn-catalases and furthermore highlight the in vivo importance of these enzymes in adapting to oxidative stresses.

Isolation of lactic acid bacteria exhibiting high scavenging activity for environmental hydrogen peroxide from fermented foods and its two scavenging enzymes for hydrogen peroxide

To obtain lactic acid bacteria that scavenge environmental hydrogen peroxide, we developed a specialized enrichment medium and successfully isolated Pediococcus pentosaceus Be1 strain from a fermented food. This strain showed vigorous environmental hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity over a wide range of hydrogen peroxide concentrations. High Mn-catalase and NADH peroxidase activities were found in the cell-free extract of the P. pentosaceus Be1 strain, and these two hydrogen peroxide scavenging enzymes were purified from the cell-free extract of the strain. Mn-catalase has been purified from several microorganisms by several researchers, and the NADH peroxidase was first purified from the original strain in this report. After cloning the genes of the Mn-catalase and the NADH peroxidase, the deduced amino acid sequences were compared with those of known related enzymes.

Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of a Novel Thermophilic Monofunctional Catalase from Geobacillus sp. CHB1

Catalases are widely used in many scientific areas. A catalase gene (Kat) from Geobacillus sp. CHB1 encoding a monofunctional catalase was cloned and recombinant expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli), which was the first time to clone and express this type of catalase of genus Geobacillus strains as far as we know. This Kat gene was 1,467 bp in length and encoded a catalase with 488 amino acid residuals, which is only 81% similar to the previously studied Bacillus sp. catalase in terms of amino acid sequence. Recombinant catalase was highly soluble in E. coli and made up 30% of the total E. coli protein. Fermentation broth of the recombinant E. coli showed a high catalase activity level up to 35,831 U/mL which was only lower than recombinant Bacillus sp. WSHDZ-01 among the reported catalase production strains. The purified recombinant catalase had a specific activity of 40,526 U/mg and K m of 51.1 mM. The optimal reaction temperature of this recombinant enzyme was 60°C to 70°C, and it exhibited high activity over a wide range of reaction temperatures, ranging from 10°C to 90°C. The enzyme retained 94.7% of its residual activity after incubation at 60°C for 1 hour. High yield and excellent thermophilic properties are valuable features for this catalase in industrial applications.

Synthesis, characterization, and reactivity studies of a water-soluble bis(alkoxo)(carboxylato)-bridged diMn(III) complex modeling the active site in catalase

A new diMn(III) complex, Na[Mn2(5-SO3-salpentO)(μ-OAc)(μ-OMe)(H2O)]·4H2O, where 5-SO3-salpentOH = 1,5-bis(5-sulphonatosalicylidenamino)pentan-3-ol, has been prepared and characterized. ESI-mass spectrometry, paramagnetic (1)H NMR, EPR and UV-visible spectroscopic studies on freshly prepared solutions of the complex in methanol and 9 : 1 methanol-water mixtures showed that the compound retains the triply bridged bis(μ-alkoxo)(μ-acetato)Mn2(3+) core in solution. In the 9 : 1 methanol-water mixture, slow substitution of acetate by water molecules took place, and after one month, the doubly bridged diMn(III) complex, [Mn2(5-SO3-salpentO)(μ-OMe)(H2O)3]·5H2O, formed and could be characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. In methanolic or aqueous basic media, acetate shifts from a bridging to a terminal coordination mode, affording the highly stable [Mn2(5-SO3-salpentO)(μ-OMe)(OAc)](-) anion. The efficiency of the complex in disproportionating H2O2 depends on the solvent and correlates with the stability of the complex (towards metal dissociation) in each medium: basic buffer > aqueous base > water. The buffer preserves the integrity of the catalyst and the rate of O2 evolution remains essentially constant after successive additions of excess of H2O2. Turnovers as high as 3000 mol H2O2 per mol of catalyst, without significant decomposition and with an efficiency of k(cat)/K(M) = 1028 M(-1) s(-1), were measured for the complex in aqueous buffers of pH 11. Kinetic and spectroscopic results suggest a catalytic cycle that runs between Mn(III)2 and Mn(IV)2 oxidation states, which is consistent with the low redox potential observed for the Mn(III)2/Mn(III)Mn(IV) couple of the catalyst in basic medium.

Alkali- and Halo-tolerant Catalase fromHalomonassp. SK1: Overexpression inEscherichia coli, Purification, Characterization, and Genetic Modification

A catalase gene, ohktA, from an alkali- and halo-tolerant bacterium, Halomonas sp. SK1, on the pKK223-3, was expressed in the catalase-lacking Escherichia coli strain UM2. Highly purified catalase showing a single band on SDS-PAGE was obtained by two liquid chromatography steps on DEAE-Toyopear1 and Chelating-Sepharose Fast Flow. The enzyme, oHktA, shows high catalase activity with a pH optimum at 10, and the activity was stable in 4 M KC1. This enzyme is thermo-sensitive, showing a significant loss of activity within 5 minutes at 37 degrees C. To modify the stability of the catalase, the addition of domain II of the heat stable Mn catalase from Thermus thermophilus to the C-terminus was made. When coexpressed with a chaperone (PhFKBP29) gene product, peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase, from a thermophilic bacterium, a chimeric catalase was produced in the soluble fraction. The stability of this catalase in the range of 37 degrees -45 degrees C was improved and it was stable for more than 1 h at 37 degrees C.

Oxidative stress management in the filamentous, heterocystous, diazotrophic cyanobacterium, Anabaena PCC7120

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are inevitably generated as by-products of respiratory/photosynthetic electron transport in oxygenic photoautotrophs. Unless effectively scavenged, these ROS can damage all cellular components. The filamentous, heterocystous, nitrogen-fixing strains of the cyanobacterium, Anabaena, serve as naturally abundant contributors of nitrogen biofertilizers in tropical rice paddy fields. Anabaena strains are known to tolerate several abiotic stresses, such as heat, UV, gamma radiation, desiccation, etc., that are known to generate ROS. ROS are detoxified by specific antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutases (SOD), catalases and peroxiredoxins. The genome of Anabaena PCC7120 encodes two SODs, two catalases and seven peroxiredoxins, indicating the presence of an elaborate antioxidant enzymatic machinery to defend its cellular components from ROS. This article summarizes recent findings and depicts important perspectives in oxidative stress management in Anabaena PCC7120.

Mn-catalase (Alr0998) protects the photosynthetic, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC7120 from oxidative stress

Role of the non-haem, manganese catalase (Mn-catalase) in oxidative stress tolerance is unknown in cyanobacteria. The ORF alr0998 from the Anabaena PCC7120, which encodes a putative Mn-catalase, was constitutively overexpressed in Anabaena PCC7120 to generate a recombinant strain, AnKat(+). The Alr0998 protein could be immunodetected in AnKat(+) cells and zymographic analysis showed a distinct thermostable catalase activity in the cytosol of AnKat(+) cells but not in the wild-type Anabaena PCC7120. The observed catalase activity was insensitive to inhibition by azide indicating that Alr0998 protein is indeed a Mn-catalase. In response to oxidative stress, the AnKat(+) showed reduced levels of intracellular ROS which was also corroborated by decreased production of an oxidative stress-inducible 2-Cys-Prx protein. Treatment of wild-type Anabaena PCC7120 with H(2)O(2) caused (i) RNA degradation in vivo, (ii) severe reduction of photosynthetic pigments and CO(2) fixation, (iii) fragmentation and lysis of filaments and (iv) loss of viability. In contrast, the AnKat(+) strain was protected from all the aforesaid deleterious effect under oxidative stress. This is the first report on protection of an organism from oxidative stress by overexpression of a Mn-catalase.

Protection of Bacillus pumilus spores by catalases

Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032, isolated at spacecraft assembly facilities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is difficult to kill by the sterilization method of choice, which uses liquid or vapor hydrogen peroxide. We identified two manganese catalases, YjqC and BPUM_1305, in spore protein extracts of several B. pumilus strains by using PAGE and mass spectrometric analyses. While the BPUM_1305 catalase was present in six of the B. pumilus strains tested, YjqC was not detected in ATCC 7061 and BG-B79. Furthermore, both catalases were localized in the spore coat layer along with laccase and superoxide dismutase. Although the initial catalase activity in ATCC 7061 spores was higher, it was less stable over time than the SAFR-032 enzyme. We propose that synergistic activity of YjqC and BPUM_1305, along with other coat oxidoreductases, contributes to the enhanced resistance of B. pumilus spores to hydrogen peroxide. We observed that the product of the catalase reaction, gaseous oxygen, forms expanding vesicles on the spore surface, affecting the mechanical integrity of the coat layer, resulting in aggregation of the spores. The accumulation of oxygen gas and aggregations may play a crucial role in limiting further exposure of Bacilli spore surfaces to hydrogen peroxide or other toxic chemicals when water is present.

Why do bacteria use so many enzymes to scavenge hydrogen peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) is continuously formed by the autoxidation of redox enzymes in aerobic cells, and it also enters from the environment, where it can be generated both by chemical processes and by the deliberate actions of competing organisms. Because H(2)O(2) is acutely toxic, bacteria elaborate scavenging enzymes to keep its intracellular concentration at nanomolar levels. Mutants that lack such enzymes grow poorly, suffer from high rates of mutagenesis, or even die. In order to understand how bacteria cope with oxidative stress, it is important to identify the key enzymes involved in H(2)O(2) degradation. Catalases and NADH peroxidase (Ahp) are primary scavengers in many bacteria, and their activities and physiological impacts have been unambiguously demonstrated through phenotypic analysis and through direct measurements of H(2)O(2) clearance in vivo. Yet a wide variety of additional enzymes have been proposed to serve similar roles: thiol peroxidase, bacterioferritin comigratory protein, glutathione peroxidase, cytochrome c peroxidase, and rubrerythrins. Each of these enzymes can degrade H(2)O(2) in vitro, but their contributions in vivo remain unclear. In this review we examine the genetic, genomic, regulatory, and biochemical evidence that each of these is a bonafide scavenger of H(2)O(2) in the cell. We also consider possible reasons that bacteria might require multiple enzymes to catalyze this process, including differences in substrate specificity, compartmentalization, cofactor requirements, kinetic optima, and enzyme stability. It is hoped that the resolution of these issues will lead to an understanding of stress resistance that is more accurate and perceptive.

Thermus thermophilus as a cell factory for the production of a thermophilic Mn-dependent catalase which fails to be synthesized in an active form in Escherichia coli

Thermostable Mn-dependent catalases are promising enzymes in biotechnological applications as H(2)O(2)-detoxifying systems. We cloned the genes encoding Mn-dependent catalases from Thermus thermophilus HB27 and HB8 and a less thermostable mutant carrying two amino acid replacements (M129V and E293G). When the wild-type and mutant genes were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, unmodified or six-His-tagged proteins of the expected size were overproduced as inactive proteins. Several attempts to obtain active forms or to activate the overproduced proteins were unsuccessful, even when soluble and thermostable proteins were used. Therefore, a requirement for a Thermus-specific activation factor was suggested. To overcome this problem, the Mn-dependent catalase genes were overexpressed directly in T. thermophilus under the control of the Pnar promoter. This promoter belongs to a respiratory nitrate reductase from of T. thermophilus HB8, whose transcription is activated by the combined action of nitrate and anoxia. Upon induction in T. thermophilus HB8, a 20- to 30-fold increase in catalase specific activity was observed, whereas a 90- to 110-fold increase was detected when the laboratory strain T. thermophilus HB27::nar was used as the host. The thermostability of the overproduced wild-type catalase was identical to that previously reported for the native enzyme, whereas decreased stability was detected for the mutant derivative. Therefore, our results validate the use of T. thermophilus as an alternative cell factory for the overproduction of thermophilic proteins that fail to be expressed in well-known mesophilic hosts.

Purification and characterization of a novel thermo-alkali-stable catalase from Thermus brockianus

A novel thermo-alkali-stable catalase from Thermus brockianus was purified and characterized. The protein was purified from a T. brockianus cell extract in a three-step procedure that resulted in 65-fold purification to a specific activity of 5300 U/mg. The enzyme consisted of four identical subunits of 42.5 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE and a total molecular mass measured by gel filtration of 178 kDa. The catalase was active over a temperature range from 30 to 94 degrees C and a pH range from 6 to 10, with optimum activity occurring at 90 degrees C and pH 8. At pH 8, the enzyme was extremely stable at elevated temperatures with half-lives of 330 h at 80 degrees C and 3 h at 90 degrees C. The enzyme also demonstrated excellent stability at 70 degrees C and alkaline pH with measured half-lives of 510 h and 360 h at pHs of 9 and 10, respectively. The enzyme had an unusual pyridine hemochrome spectrum and appears to utilize eight molecules of heme c per tetramer rather than protoheme IX present in the majority of catalases studied to date. The absorption spectrum suggested that the heme iron of the catalase was in a 6-coordinate low spin state rather than the typical 5-coordinate high spin state. A K(m) of 35.5 mM and a V(max) of 20.3 mM/min.mg protein for hydrogen peroxide was measured, and the enzyme was not inhibited by hydrogen peroxide at concentrations up to 450 mM. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by cyanide and the traditional catalase inhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole. The enzyme also showed no peroxidase activity to peroxidase substrates o-dianisidine and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), a trait of typical monofunctional catalases. However, unlike traditional monofunctional catalases, the T. brockianus catalase was easily reduced by dithionite, a characteristic of catalase-peroxidases. The above properties indicate that this catalase has potential for applications in industrial bleaching processes to remove residual hydrogen peroxide from process streams.

Emerging themes in manganese transport, biochemistry and pathogenesis in bacteria

Though an essential trace element, manganese is generally accorded little importance in biology other than as a cofactor for some free radical detoxifying enzymes and in the photosynthetic photosystem II. Only a handful of other Mn2+-dependent enzymes are known. Recent data, primarily in bacteria, suggest that Mn2+-dependent processes may have significantly greater physiological importance. Two major classes of prokaryotic Mn2+ uptake systems have now been described, one homologous to eukaryotic Nramp transporters and one a member of the ABC-type ATPase superfamily. Each is highly selective for Mn2+ over Fe2+ or other transition metal divalent cations, and each can accumulate millimolar amounts of intracellular Mn2+ even when environmental Mn2+ is scarce. In Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, simultaneous mutation of both types of transporter results in avirulence, implying that one or more Mn2+-dependent enzymes is essential for pathogenesis. This review summarizes current literature on Mn2+ transport, primarily in the Bacteria but with relevant comparisons to the Archaea and Eukaryota. Mn2+-dependent enzymes are then discussed along with some speculations as to their role(s) in cellular physiology, again primarily in Bacteria. It is of particular interest that most of the enzymes which interconvert phosphoglycerate, pyruvate, and oxaloacetate intermediates are either strictly Mn2+-dependent or highly stimulated by Mn2+. This suggests that Mn2+ may play an important role in central carbon metabolism. Further studies will be required, however, to determine whether these or other actions of Mn2+ within the cell are the relevant factors in pathogenesis.

Unique presence of a manganese catalase in a hyperthermophilic archaeon, Pyrobaculum calidifontis VA1

We had previously isolated a facultatively anaerobic hyperthermophilic archaeon, Pyrobaculum calidifontis strain VA1. Here, we found that strain VA1, when grown under aerobic conditions, harbors high catalase activity. The catalase was purified 91-fold from crude extracts and displayed a specific activity of 23,500 U/mg at 70 degrees C. The enzyme exhibited a K(m) value of 170 mM toward H(2)O(2) and a k(cat) value of 2.9 x 10(4) s(-1).subunit(-1) at 25 degrees C. Gel filtration chromatography indicated that the enzyme was a homotetramer with a subunit molecular mass of 33,450 Da. The purified catalase did not display the Soret band, which is an absorption band particular to heme enzymes. In contrast to typical heme catalases, the catalase was not strongly inhibited by sodium azide. Furthermore, with plasma emission spectroscopy, we found that the catalase did not contain iron but instead contained manganese. Our biochemical results indicated that the purified catalase was not a heme catalase but a manganese (nonheme) catalase, the first example in archaea. Intracellular catalase activity decreased when cells were grown anaerobically, while under aerobic conditions, an increase in activity was observed with the removal of thiosulfate from the medium, or addition of manganese. Based on the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein, we cloned and sequenced the catalase gene (kat(Pc)). The deduced amino acid sequence showed similarity with that of the manganese catalase from a thermophilic bacterium, Thermus sp. YS 8-13. Interestingly, in the complete archaeal genome sequences, no open reading frame has been assigned as a manganese catalase gene. Moreover, a homology search with the sequence of kat(Pc) revealed that no orthologue genes were present on the archaeal genomes, including those from the "aerobic" (hyper)thermophilic archaea Aeropyrum pernix, Sulfolobus solfataricus, and Sulfolobus tokodaii. Therefore, Kat(Pc) can be considered a rare example of a manganese catalase from archaea.

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of the manganese catalase gene from Thermoleophilum album NM

The manganese catalase gene (mnct) from Thermoleophilum album NM, a thermophilic bacterium, was cloned and its nucleotide sequence was analyzed. The gene consists of 885 bp (65.4% GC content) encoding 294 amino acids with a molecular mass of 32,500 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence shows similarities to those of Thermus species strain YS 8-13 (a thermophilic bacterium) and Bacillus halodurans (an alkaliphilic bacterium) with 61 and 54% identities, respectively.

Characterization of a heme-dependent catalase from Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus

Recently it was reported that methanogens of the genus Methanobrevibacter exhibit catalase activity. This was surprising, since Methanobrevibacter species belong to the order Methanobacteriales, which are known not to contain cytochromes and to lack the ability to synthesize heme. We report here that Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus strains AZ and DH1 contained catalase activity only when the growth medium was supplemented with hemin. The heme catalase was purified and characterized, and the encoding gene was cloned. The amino acid sequence of the catalase from the methanogens is most similar to that of Methanosarcina barkeri.

Identification of a non-haem catalase in Salmonella and its regulation by RpoS (sigmaS)

We report the identification and functional analysis of katN, a gene encoding a non-haem catalase of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium. katN, which is not present in Escherichia coli, is located between the yciGFE and yciD E. coli homologues in the Salmonella genome. Its predicted protein product has a molecular weight of 31 826 Da and is similar to the Mn-catalases of Lactobacillus plantarum and Thermus spp. Its product, KatN, was visualized as a 37 kDa protein in E. coli maxicells. A KatN recombinant protein, containing six histidine residues at its C-terminus, was purified, and its catalase activity was observed on a non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel. KatN was also visualized by catalase activity gel staining of bacterial cell extracts. Its expression was shown to be regulated by growth phase and rpoS. Northern blotting indicated that kat forms an operon with the upstream yciGFE genes. A putative rpoS-regulated promoter was identified upstream of yciG. Southern blotting revealed that katN is conserved within Salmonella serovars. katN homologues were found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia marcescens. A katN mutation did not appear to affect the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) response of Salmonella. However, the expression of katN increased the H2O2 resistance of unadapted cells in the exponential phase and of rpoS mutants in stationary phase. Thus, KatN may contribute to hydrogen peroxide resistance in Salmonella in certain environmental conditions.

The inorganic biochemistry of photosynthetic oxygen evolution/water oxidation

At the request of the organizer of this special edition, we have attempted to do several things in this manuscript: (1) we present a mini-review of recent, selected, works on the light-induced inorganic biogenesis (photoactivation), composition and structure of the inorganic core responsible for photosynthetic water oxidation; (2) we summarize a new proposal for the evolutionary origin of the water oxidation catalyst which postulates a key role for bicarbonate in formation of the inorganic core; (3) we summarize published studies and present new results on what has been learned from studies of 'inorganic mutants' in which the endogenous cofactors (Mn(n+), Ca2+, Cl-) are substituted; (4) the first DeltapH changes measured during the photoactivation process are reported and used to develop a model for the stepwise photo-assembly process; (5) a comparative analysis is given of data in the literature on the kinetics of substrate water exchange and peroxide binding/dismutation which support a mechanistic model for water oxidation in general; (6) we discuss alternative interpretations of data in the literature with a view to forecast new avenues where progress is needed.

Overproduction of Thermus sp. YS 8-13 manganese catalase in Escherichia coli production of soluble apoenzyme and in vitro formation of active holoenzyme

Overproduction of Thermus sp. YS 8-13 manganese catalase in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) was accomplished by introducing a derivative of pET-23a(+) containing a copy of the coding gene into the multicloning site. E. coli BL21(DE3)/pETMNCAT produced abundant quantities of manganese catalase as insoluble inclusion bodies. Regeneration of active catalase was achieved by denaturation in guanidine hydrochloride and subsequent dialysis in the presence of manganese ion. When the E. coli chaperone genes GroEL, GroES, DnaK, DnaJ and GrpE were coexpressed with manganese catalase, a significant fraction of the overproduced protein was partitioned into the soluble fraction. However, almost all of the soluble enzyme was isolated in a manganese-deficient apo form which could subsequently be converted into active holoenzyme by incubation with manganese ion at high temperatures. Further experiments on this apo catalase suggested that the structure of this protein was virtually identical to the active holoenzyme.

Purification and characterization of thermostable aspartase from Bacillus sp. YM55-1

A thermostable aspartase was purified from a thermophile Bacillus sp. YM55-1 and characterized in terms of activity and stability. The enzyme was isolated by a 5-min heat treatment at 75 degrees C in the presence of 11% (w/v) ammonium sulfate and 100 mM aspartate, followed by Q-Sepharose anion-exchange and AF-Red Toyopearl chromatographies. The native molecular weight of aspartase determined by gel filtration was about 200,000, and this enzyme was composed of four identical monomers with molecular weights of 51,000 determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Unlike Escherichia coli aspartase, the enzyme was not activated by the presence of magnesium ion at alkaline pH. At the optimum pH, the Km and Vmax were 28.5 mM and 700 units/mg at 30 degrees C and 32.0 mM and 2200 units/mg at 55 degrees C, respectively. The specific activity was four and three times higher than those of E. coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens enzymes at 30 degrees C, respectively. Eighty percent of the activity was retained after a 60-min incubation at 55 degrees C, and the enzyme was also resistant to chemical denaturants; 80% of the initial specific activity was detected in assay mixtures containing 1.0 M guanidine hydrochloride. The purified enzyme shared a high sequence homology in the N-terminal region with aspartases from other organisms.