Relative stability of recombinant versus native peroxidases from Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Recombinant Lignin Peroxidase with Superior Thermal Stability and Melanin Decolorization Efficiency in a Typical Human Skin-Mimicking Environment

Recently, the desire for a safe and effective method for skin whitening has been growing in the cosmetics industry. Commonly used tyrosinase-inhibiting chemical reagents exhibit side effects. Thus, recent studies have focused on performing melanin decolorization with enzymes as an alternative due to the low toxicity of enzymes and their ability to decolorize melanin selectively. Herein, 10 different isozymes were expressed as recombinant lignin peroxidases (LiPs) from Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PcLiPs), and PcLiP isozyme 4 (PcLiP04) was selected due to its high stability and activity at pH 5.5 and 37 °C, which is close to human skin conditions. In vitro melanin decolorization results indicated that PcLiP04 exhibited at least 2.9-fold higher efficiency than that of well-known lignin peroxidase (PcLiP01) in a typical human skin-mimicking environment. The interaction force between melanin films measured by a surface forces apparatus (SFA) revealed that the decolorization of melanin by PcLiP04 harbors a disrupted structure, possibly interrupting π-π stacking and/or hydrogen bonds. In addition, a 3D reconstructed human pigmented epidermis skin model showed a decrease in melanin area to 59.8% using PcLiP04, which suggests that PcLiP04 exhibits a strong potential for skin whitening.

Laccases and peroxidases: The smart, greener and futuristic biocatalytic tools to mitigate recalcitrant emerging pollutants

Various organic pollutants so-called emerging pollutants (EPs), including active residues from pharmaceuticals, pesticides, surfactants, hormones, and personal care products, are increasingly being detected in numerous environmental matrices including water. The persistence of these EPs can cause adverse ecological and human health effects even at very small concentrations in the range of micrograms per liter or lower, hence called micropollutants (MPs). The existence of EPs/MPs tends to be challenging to mitigate from the environment effectively. Unfortunately, most of them are not removed during the present-day treatment plants. So far, a range of treatment processes and degradation methods have been introduced and deployed against various EPs and/or MPs, such as ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and enzyme-based treatments coupled with membrane filtrations. To further strengthen the treatment processes and to overcome the EPs/MPs effective removal dilemma, numerous studies have revealed the applicability and notable biocatalytic potentialities of laccases and peroxidases to degrade different classes of organic pollutants. Exquisite selectivity and unique catalytic properties make these enzymes powerful biocatalytic candidates for bio-transforming an array of toxic contaminants to harmless entities. This review focuses on the use of laccases and peroxidases, such as soybean peroxidase (SBP), horseradish peroxidase (HRP), lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP), and chloroperoxidase (CPO) as a greener oxidation route towards efficient and effective removal or degradation of EPs/MPs.

Peroxidases-assisted removal of environmentally-related hazardous pollutants with reference to the reaction mechanisms of industrial dyes

Environmental protection is one of the most important challenges for the humankind. Increasing number of emerging pollutants resulting from industrial/human-made activities represents a serious menace to the ecological and environmental equilibrium. Industrial dyes, endocrine disrupters, pesticides, phenols and halogenated phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other xenobiotics are among the top priority environmental pollutants. Some classical remediation approaches including physical, chemical and biological are being employed, but are ineffective in cleaning the environment. Enzyme-catalyzed transformation reactions are gearing accelerating attention in this context as potential alternatives to classical chemical methods. Peroxidases are catalysts able to decontaminate an array of toxic compounds by a free radical mechanism resulting in oxidized or depolymerized products along with a significant toxicity reduction. Admittedly, enzymatic catalysis offers the hallmark of high chemo-, regio-, and enantioselectivity and superior catalytic efficiency under given reaction environment. Moreover, enzymes are considered more benign, socially acceptable and greener production routes since derived from the renewable and sustainable feedstock. Regardless of their versatility and potential use in environmental processes, several limitations, such as heterologous production, catalytic stability, and redox potential should be overcome to implement peroxidases at large-scale transformation and bio-elimination of recalcitrant pollutants. In this article, a critical review of the transformation of different types of hazardous pollutants by peroxidases, with special reference to the proposed reaction mechanisms of several dyes is presented. Following that major challenges for industrial and environmental applications of peroxidases are also discussed. Towards the end, the information is also given on miscellaneous applications of peroxidases, concluding remarks and outlook.

Fungi-Based Microbial Fuel Cells

Fungi are among the microorganisms able to generate electricity as a result of their metabolic processes. Throughout the last several years, a large number of papers on various microorganisms for current production in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been published; however, fungi still lack sufficient evaluation in this regard. In this review, we focus on fungi, paying special attention to their potential applicability to MFCs. Fungi used as anodic or cathodic catalysts, in different reactor configurations, with or without the addition of an exogenous mediator, are described. Contrary to bacteria, in which the mechanism of electron transfer is pretty well known, the mechanism of electron transfer in fungi-based MFCs has not been studied intensively. Thus, here we describe the main findings, which can be used as the starting point for future investigations. We show that fungi have the potential to act as electrogens or cathode catalysts, but MFCs based on bacteria–fungus interactions are especially interesting. The review presents the current state-of-the-art in the field of MFC systems exploiting fungi.

Unveiling the basis of alkaline stability of an evolved versatile peroxidase

A variant of high biotechnological interest (called 2-1B) was obtained by directed evolution of the Pleurotus eryngii VP (versatile peroxidase) expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae [García-Ruiz, González-Pérez, Ruiz-Dueñas, Martínez and Alcalde (2012) Biochem. J. 441, 487–498]. 2-1B shows seven mutations in the mature protein that resulted in improved functional expression, activity and thermostability, along with a remarkable stronger alkaline stability (it retains 60% of the initial activity after 120 h of incubation at pH 9 compared with complete inactivation of the native enzyme after only 1 h). The latter is highly demanded for biorefinery applications. In the present study we investigate the structural basis behind the enhanced alkaline stabilization of this evolved enzyme. In order to do this, several VP variants containing one or several of the mutations present in 2-1B were expressed in Escherichia coli, and their alkaline stability and biochemical properties were determined. In addition, the crystal structures of 2-1B and one of the intermediate variants were solved and carefully analysed, and molecular dynamics simulations were carried out. We concluded that the introduction of three basic residues in VP (Lys-37, Arg-39 and Arg-330) led to new connections between haem and helix B (where the distal histidine residue is located), and formation of new electrostatic interactions, that avoided the hexa-co-ordination of the haem iron. These new structural determinants stabilized the haem and its environment, helping to maintain the structural enzyme integrity (with penta-co-ordinated haem iron) under alkaline conditions. Moreover, the reinforcement of the solvent-exposed area around Gln-305 in the proximal side, prompted by the Q202L mutation, further enhanced the stability.

Improving the pH-stability of Versatile Peroxidase by Comparative Structural Analysis with a Naturally-Stable Manganese Peroxidase

Versatile peroxidase (VP) from the white-rot fungus Pleurotus eryngii is a high redox potential peroxidase of biotechnological interest able to oxidize a wide range of recalcitrant substrates including lignin, phenolic and non-phenolic aromatic compounds and dyes. However, the relatively low stability towards pH of this and other fungal peroxidases is a drawback for their industrial application. A strategy based on the comparative analysis of the crystal structures of VP and the highly pH-stable manganese peroxidase (MnP4) from Pleurotus ostreatus was followed to improve the VP pH stability. Several interactions, including hydrogen bonds and salt bridges, and charged residues exposed to the solvent were identified as putatively contributing to the pH stability of MnP4. The eight amino acid residues responsible for these interactions and seven surface basic residues were introduced into VP by directed mutagenesis. Furthermore, two cysteines were also included to explore the effect of an extra disulfide bond stabilizing the distal Ca²⁺ region. Three of the four designed variants were crystallized and new interactions were confirmed, being correlated with the observed improvement in pH stability. The extra hydrogen bonds and salt bridges stabilized the heme pocket at acidic and neutral pH as revealed by UV-visible spectroscopy. They led to a VP variant that retained a significant percentage of the initial activity at both pH 3.5 (61% after 24 h) and pH 7 (55% after 120 h) compared with the native enzyme, which was almost completely inactivated. The introduction of extra solvent-exposed basic residues and an additional disulfide bond into the above variant further improved the stability at acidic pH (85% residual activity at pH 3.5 after 24 h when introduced separately, and 64% at pH 3 when introduced together). The analysis of the results provides a rational explanation to the pH stability improvement achieved.

Ancestral amino acid substitution improves the thermal stability of recombinant lignin-peroxidase from white-rot fungi, Phanerochaete chrysosporium strain UAMH 3641

Stabilizing enzymes from mesophiles of industrial interest is one of the greatest challenges of protein engineering. The ancestral mutation method, which introduces inferred ancestral residues into a target enzyme, has previously been developed and used to improve the thermostability of thermophilic enzymes. In this report, we studied the ancestral mutation method to improve the chemical and thermal stabilities of Phanerochaete chrysosporium lignin peroxidase (LiP), a mesophilic fungal enzyme. A fungal ancestral LiP sequence was inferred using a phylogenetic tree comprising Basidiomycota and Ascomycota fungal peroxidase sequences. Eleven mutant enzymes containing ancestral residues were designed, heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Several of these ancestral mutants showed higher thermal stabilities and increased specific activities and/or kcat/KM than those of wild-type LiP.

Kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of the functional properties of a hybrid versatile peroxidase using isothermal titration calorimetry: Insight into manganese peroxidase activation and lignin peroxidase inhibition

Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was developed for measuring lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP) activities of versatile peroxidase (VP) from Bjerkandera adusta. Developing an ITC approach provided an alternative to colorimetric methods that enabled reaction kinetics to be accurately determined. Although VP from Bjerkandera adjusta is a hybrid enzyme, specific conditions of [Mn+2] and pH were defined that limited activity to either LiP or MnP activities, or enabled both to be active simultaneously. MnP activity was found to be more efficient than LiP activity, with activity increasing with increasing concentrations of Mn+2. These properties of MnP were explained by a second metal binding site involved in homotropic substrate (Mn+2) activation. The activation of MnP was also accompanied by a decrease in both activation energy and substrate (Mn) affinity, reflecting a flexible enzyme structure. In contrast to MnP activity, LiP activity was inhibited by high dye (substrate) concentrations arising from uncompetitive substrate inhibition caused by substrate binding to a site distinct from the catalytic site. Our study provides a new level of understanding about the mechanism of substrate regulation of catalysis in VP from B. adjusta, providing insight into a class of enzyme, hybrid class II peroxidases, for which little experimental data is available.

The role of catalase-peroxidase secreted by Magnaporthe oryzae during early infection of rice cells

The biological role of a secretory catalase of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae was studied. The internal amino acid sequences of the partially purified catalase in the culture filtrate enabled us to identify its encoding gene as a catalase-peroxidase gene, CPXB, among four putative genes for catalase or catalase-peroxidase in M. oryzae. Knockout of the gene drastically reduced the level of catalase activity in the culture filtrate and supernatant of conidial suspension (SCS), and increased the sensitivity to exogenously added H₂O₂ compared with control strains, suggesting that CPXB is the major gene encoding the secretory catalase and confers resistance to H₂O₂ in hyphae. In the mutant, the rate of appressoria that induced accumulation of H₂O₂ in epidermal cells of the leaf sheath increased and infection at early stages was delayed; however, the formation of lesions in the leaf blade was not affected compared with the control strain. These phenotypes were complimented by reintroducing the putative coding regions of CPXB driven by a constitutive promoter. These results suggest that CPXB plays a role in fungal defense against H₂O₂ accumulated in epidermal cells of rice at the early stage of infection but not in pathogenicity of M. oryzae.

Characterization of phenanthrene degradation by strain polyporus sp. S133

Polyporus sp. S133, a fungus collected from contaminated soil, was used to degrade phenanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, in a mineral salt broth liquid culture. A maximal degradation rate (92%) was obtained when Polyporus sp. S133 was cultured for 30 days with agitation at 120 r/min, as compared to 44% degradation in non-agitated cultures. Furthermore, the degradation was affected by the addition of surfactants. Tween 80 was the most suitable surfactant for the degradation of phenanthrene by Polyporus sp. S133. The degradation rate increased as the amount of Tween 80 added increased. The rate in agitated cultures was about 2 times that in non-agitated cultures. The mechanism of degradation was determined through the identification of metabolites; 9,10-phenanthrenequinone, 2,2'-diphenic acid, phthalic acid, and protocatechuic acid. Several enzymes (manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, laccase, 1,2-dioxygenase and 2,3-dioxygenase) produced by Polyporus sp. S133 were detected during the incubation. The highest level of activity was shown by 1,2-dioxygenase (187.4 U/L) after 20 days of culture.

Biodegradation of chrysene, an aromatic hydrocarbon by Polyporus sp. S133 in liquid medium

Polyporus sp. S133, a fungus collected from contaminated-soil was used to degrade chrysene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in a mineral salt broth (MSB) liquid culture. Maximal degradation rate of chrysene (65%) was obtained when Polyporus sp. S133 was incubated in the cultures supplemented with polypeptone (10%) for 30 days under agitation of 120 rpm, as compared to just 24% degradation rate in non-agitated culture. Furthermore, the degradation of chrysene was affected by the addition of carbon and nitrogen sources as well as kind of surfactants. The degradation rate was increased with increase in added amount of carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The degradation rate in agitated cultures was enhanced about 2 times higher than that in non-agitated cultures. The degradation mechanism of chrysene by Polyporus sp. S133 was determined through identification of several metabolites; chrysenequinone, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, phthalic acid, salicylic acid, protocatechuic acid, gentisic acid, and catechol. Several enzymes (manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, laccase, 1,2-dioxygenase and 2,3-dioxygenase) produced by Polyporus sp. S133 were detected during the incubation. The highest enzyme activity was shown by 1,2-dioxygenase (237.5 U l(-1)) after 20 days of incubation.

Expression of soluble versatile peroxidase of Bjerkandera adusta in Escherichia coli

Versatile peroxidase from white rot fungus Bjerkandera adusta was over-expressed in a soluble form in Escherichia coli. In the constructed enzyme model based on the selected gene from B. adusta, the active sites for oxidation of Mn(2+) ions and for oxidation of aromatic substrates were identified, both characteristic for versatile peroxidase. For over-expression of the recombinant enzyme different host strains, media formulations, growth temperatures, and fusion partners were tested. With the bacterial strain BL21(DE3)pLysS cultivated at 25 degrees C in auto-induction medium and presence of heme, a soluble peroxidase with incorporated heme and activity against different substrates was obtained. By exploiting an appropriate expression system and providing suitable culture conditions, the recombinant fungal peroxidases in soluble form can be produced in bacteria.

Novel peroxidases of Marasmius scorodonius degrade beta-carotene

Two extracellular enzymes (MsP1 and MsP2) capable of efficient beta-carotene degradation were purified from culture supernatants of the basidiomycete Marasmius scorodonius (garlic mushroom). Under native conditions, the enzymes exhibited molecular masses of approximately 150 and approximately 120 kDa, respectively. SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometric data suggested a composition of two identical subunits for both enzymes. Biochemical characterisation of the purified proteins showed isoelectric points of 3.7 and 3.5, and the presence of heme groups in the active enzymes. Partial amino acid sequences were derived from N-terminal Edman degradation and from mass spectrometric ab initio sequencing of internal peptides. cDNAs of 1,604 to 1,923 bp, containing open reading frames (ORF) of 508 to 513 amino acids, respectively, were cloned from a cDNA library of M. scorodonius. These data suggest glycosylation degrees of approximately 23% for MsP1 and 8% for MsP2. Databank homology searches revealed sequence homologies of MsP1 and MsP2 to unusual peroxidases of the fungi Thanatephorus cucumeris (DyP) and Termitomyces albuminosus (TAP).

Exclusive overproduction of recombinant versatile peroxidase MnP2 by genetically modified white rot fungus, Pleurotus ostreatus

By combining a homologous recombinant gene expression system and optimization of the culture conditions, hyper overproduction of Pleurtous ostreatus MnP2 was achieved. Genetically modified P. ostreatus strains with the recombinant mnp2 sequence under the control of sdi1 expression signals, were subjected to agitated culture using media supplemented with wheat bran or its hot-water extract. The best result, whereby 7300 U/l of MnP was produced by a recombinant strain TM2-18, indicated that more than 30-fold overproduction of the recombinant MnP2 compared to the previous result was achieved. On the other hand, no MnP activity was detected for the wild-type strain under the same conditions. Accumulation of the recombinant, but not endogenous, mnp2 transcripts was demonstrated in reverse-transcription PCR experiments. These results indicated that the recombinant MnP2 was exclusively expressed by the recombinant strain. Purified recombinant MnP2 showed almost identical properties to native MnP2 in electrophoresis, spectroscopic and kinetic analyses, including determination of K(m) and V(max) values for Mn(II), H(2)O(2) and veratryl alcohol. Moreover, the recombinant MnP2 directly oxidized a high-molecularweight substrate RNase A in the absence of redox mediators, as does native MnP2. The homologous overproduction system will provide a plat form for exclusive production of mutant or variant peroxidases with a desired property in basidiomycete.

Comparison of different fungal enzymes for bleaching high-quality paper pulps

Wild and recombinant hydrolases and oxidoreductases with a potential interest for environmentally sound bleaching of high-quality paper pulp (from flax) were incorporated into a totally chlorine free (TCF) sequence that also included a peroxide stage. The ability of feruloyl esterase (from Aspergillus niger) and Mn2+-oxidizing peroxidases (from Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Pleurotus eryngii) to decrease the final lignin content of flax pulp was shown. Laccase from Pycnoporus cinnabarinus (without mediator) also caused a slight improvement of pulp brightness that was increased in the presence of aryl-alcohol oxidase. However, the best results were obtained when the laccase treatment was performed in the presence of a mediator, 1-hydroxybenzotriazol (HBT), enabling strong delignification of pulps. The enzymatic removal of lignin resulted in high-final brightness values that are difficult to attain by chemical bleaching of this type of pulp. A partial inactivation of laccase by HBT was observed but this negative effect was strongly reduced in the presence of pulp. The good results obtained with the same laccase expressed in A. niger at bioreactor scale, revealed the feasibility of using recombinant laccase for bleaching high-quality non-wood pulps in the presence of a mediator.

Role of H164 in a unique dye-decolorizing heme peroxidase DyP

The expression system of a unique dye-decolorizing peroxidase DyP in Escherichia coli has been constructed. The molecular mass of the expressed DyP (eDyP) is 47kDa, indicating no any modification with saccharides. The characteristics of eDyP were almost the same as those of native DyP from a fungus Thanatephorus cucumeris Dec 1 and recombinant DyP with Aspergillus oryzae except thermostability. As H164 was suggested to be the proximal histidine based on the preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of DyP, the site-directed mutations H164A and H166A (residue near H164) were introduced into the gene encoding DyP. The specific activity and RZ value of the purified H164A were 1.52U/mg and 0.11, respectively, which were 99.8% and 95% lower than those of eDyP, respectively. On the contrary, those of H166A were not different from those of eDyP. Therefore, H164 was confirmed to be the proximal histidine.

NMR study of manganese(II) binding by a new versatile peroxidase from the white-rot fungus Pleurotus eryngii

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to characterize the versatile peroxidase from Pleurotus eryngii, both in the resting state and in the cyanide-inhibited form. The assignment of most of the hyperfine-shifted resonances has been achieved by two-dimensional NMR, allowing the comparison of the present system with other ligninolytic peroxidases. This information has enabled a detailed analysis of the interaction of the enzyme with one of its reducing substrates, Mn(II). Furthermore, comparison with the data collected on a mutant in the putative Mn(II) binding site, and an analysis of the enzyme kinetic properties, shed light on the factors affecting the function of this novel peroxidase.

Monosaccharide composition and properties of a deglycosylated turnip peroxidase isozyme

A neutral peroxidase isozyme (TP) purified from turnip (Brassica napus L. var. purple top white globe) was partially deglycosylated, using chemical and enzymatic treatment. A 32% carbohydrate removal was achieved by exposing TP to a mixture of PNGase F, O-glycosidase, NANase, GALase III and HEXase I, while m-periodate treatment removed about 88% of TP carbohydrate moiety. The glycoprotein fraction of the TP contained a relatively high mannose and fucose content (37 and 31%, w/w, respectively), 16% (w/w) galactose, and 15% (w/w) GlcNAc. Thus, the carbohydrate moiety was classified as a hybrid type. Partially deglycosylated TP had reduced activity (by 50-85%), was more susceptible to proteolysis, and showed a slight decrease in thermostability compared to the native enzyme. Circular dichroism studies strongly suggested that although the carbohydrate moiety of TP did not influence the conformation of the polypeptide backbone, its presence considerably enhanced protein conformational stability toward heat. Removal of oligosaccharide chains from TP caused a decrease in K(m) and V(max) for hydrogen peroxide. Native and chemically deglycosylated TP were similarly immunodetected by rabbit polyclonal antibodies raised against TP. The results suggest that the carbohydrate moiety of TP is important for peroxidase activity and stability.

Fungal peroxidases: molecular aspects and applications

Peroxidases are oxidoreductases that utilize hydrogen peroxide to catalyze oxidative reactions. A large number of peroxidases have been identified in fungal species and are being characterized at the molecular level. In this manuscript we review the current knowledge on the molecular aspects of this type of enzymes. We present an overview of the research efforts undertaken in deciphering the structural basis of the catalytic properties of fungal peroxidases and discuss molecular genetics and protein homology aspects of this enzyme class. Finally, we summarize the potential biotechnological applications of these enzymes and evaluate recent advances on their expression in heterologous systems for production purposes.

Engineering of the H2O2-binding pocket region of a recombinant manganese peroxidase to be resistant to H2O2

The manganese peroxidase produced by Phanerochaete chrysosporium, which catalyzes the oxidation of Mn(2+) to Mn(3+), is easily inactivated by the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) presented in the reaction. We attempted to increase H2O2 resistance by the conformational stabilization around the H2O2-binding pocket. Based on its structural model, engineering of oxidizable Met273 located near the pocket to a non-oxidizable Leu showed a great improvement. Furthermore, after treatment at 1 mM H2O2 where the wild-type is completely inactivated, full activity can be retained by engineering the Asn81, which might have conformational changes due to the environment of the pocket, to a non-bulky and non-oxidizable Ser.

Isoenzyme multiplicity and characterization of recombinant manganese peroxidases from Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Phanerochaete chrysosporium

We expressed cDNAs coding for manganese peroxidases (MnPs) from the basidiomycetes Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (MnP1) and Phanerochaete chrysosporium (H4) under control of the alpha-amylase promoter from Aspergillus oryzae in Aspergillus nidulans. The recombinant proteins (rMnP1 and rH4) were expressed at similar levels and had molecular masses, both before and after deglycosylation, that were the same as those described for the MnPs isolated from the corresponding parental strains. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) analysis of rH4 revealed several isoforms with pIs between 4.83 and 4.06, and one of these pIs coincided with the pI described for H4 isolated from P. chrysosporium (pI 4.6). IEF of rMnP1 resolved four isoenzymes with pIs between 3.45 and 3.15, and the pattern closely resembled the pattern observed with MnPs isolated from C. subvermispora grown in solid-state cultures. We compared the abilities of recombinant MnPs to use various substrates and found that rH4 could oxidize o-dianisidine and p-anisidine without externally added manganese, a property not previously reported for this MnP isoenzyme from P. chrysosporium.

Heterologous Expression of a Thermostable Manganese Peroxidase from Dichomitus squalens in Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Dichomitus squalens belongs to a group of white-rot fungi which express manganese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase but do not express lignin peroxidase (LiP). To facilitate structure/function studies of MnP from D. squalens, we heterologously expressed the enzyme in the well-studied basidiomycete, Phanerochaete chrysosporium. The glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (gpd) promoter of P. chrysosporium was fused to the coding region of the mnp2 gene of D. squalens, 5 bp upstream of the translation start site, and placed in a vector containing the ural gene as a selectable marker. Purified recombinant protein (rDsMnP) was similar in kinetic and spectral characteristics to both the wild-type MnPs from D. squalens and P. chrysosporium (PcMnP). The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the rDsMnP was determined and was identical to the predicted sequence. Cleavage of the propeptide followed a conserved amino acid motif (A-A-P-S/T) in both rDsMnP and PcMnP. However, the protein from D. squalens was considerably more thermostable than its P. chrysosporium homolog with half-lives 15- to 40-fold longer at 55 degrees C. As previously demonstrated for PcMnP, addition of exogenous MnII and CdII conferred additional thermal stability to rDsMnP. However, unlike PcMnP, ZnII also confers some additional thermal stability to rDsMnP at 55 degrees C. Some differences in the metal-specific effects on thermal stability of rDsMnP at 65 degrees C were noted.

Studies on the production of fungal peroxidases in Aspergillus niger

To get insight into the limiting factors existing for the efficient production of fungal peroxidase in filamentous fungi, the expression of the Phanerochaete chrysosporium lignin peroxidase H8 (lipA) and manganese peroxidase (MnP) H4 (mnp1) genes in Aspergillus niger has been studied. For this purpose, a protease-deficient A. niger strain and different expression cassettes have been used. Northern blotting experiments indicated high steady-state mRNA levels for the recombinant genes. Manganese peroxidase was secreted into the culture medium as an active protein. The recombinant protein showed specific activity and a spectrum profile similar to those of the native enzyme, was correctly processed at its N terminus, and had a slightly lower mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Recombinant MnP production could be increased up to 100 mg/liter upon hemoglobin supplementation of the culture medium. Lignin peroxidase was also secreted into the extracellular medium, although the protein was not active, presumably due to incorrect processing of the secreted enzyme. Expression of the lipA and mnp1 genes fused to the A. niger glucoamylase gene did not result in improved production yields.

Substrate specificity of lignin peroxidase and a S168W variant of manganese peroxidase

Lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP) are structurally similar heme-containing enzymes secreted by white-rot fungi. Unlike MnP, which is only specific for Mn(2+), LiP has broad substrate specificity, but it is not known if this versatility is due to multiple substrate-binding sites. We report here that a S168W variant of MnP from Phanerochaete chrysosporium not only retained full Mn(2+) oxidase activity, but also, unlike native or recombinant MnP, oxidized a multitude of LiP substrates, including small molecule and polymeric substrates. The kinetics of oxidation of most nonpolymeric substrates by the MnP variant and LiP were similar. The stoichiometries for veratryl alcohol oxidation by these two enzymes were identical. Some readily oxidizable substrates, such as guaiacol and ferrocyanide, were oxidized by MnP S168W and LiP both specifically and nonspecifically while recombinant MnP oxidized these substrates only nonspecifically. The functional similarities between this MnP variant and LiP provide evidence for the broad substrate specificity of a single oxidation site near the surface tryptophan.