Expression of CotA laccase in Pichia pastoris and its electrocatalytic sensing application for hydrogen peroxide

A Bioinspired Single-Atom Fe Nanozyme with Excellent Laccase-Like Activity for Efficient Aflatoxin B1 Removal

The applications of natural laccases are greatly restricted because of their drawbacks like poor biostability, high costs, and low recovery efficiency. M/NC single atom nanozymes (M/NC SAzymes) are presenting as great substitutes due to their superior enzyme-like activity, excellent selectivity and high stability. In this work, inspired by the catalytic active center of natural enzyme, a biomimetic Fe/NC SAzyme (Fe-SAzyme) with O2-Fe-N4 coordination is successfully developed, exhibiting excellent laccase-like activity. Compared with their natural counterpart, Fe-SAzyme has shown superior catalytic efficiency and excellent stability under a wide range of pH (3.0-9.0), temperature (4-80 °C) and NaCl strength (0-300 mm). Interestingly, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the high catalytic performance is attributed to the activation of O2 by O2-Fe-N4 sites, which weakened the O─O bonds in the oxygen-to-water oxidation pathway. Furthermore, Fe-SAzyme is successfully applied for efficient aflatoxin B1 removal based on its robust laccase-like catalytic activity. This work provides a strategy for the rational design of laccase-like SAzymes, and the proposed catalytic mechanism will help to understand the coordination environment effect of SAzymes on laccase-like catalytic processes.

Heterologous expression, purification, and characterization of thermo- and alkali-tolerant laccase-like multicopper oxidase from Bacillus mojavensis TH309 and determination of its antibiotic removal potential

Laccases or laccase-like multicopper oxidases have great potential in bioremediation to oxidase phenolic or non-phenolic substrates. However, their inability to maintain stability in harsh environmental conditions and against non-substrate compounds is one of the main reasons for their limited use. The gene (mco) encoding multicopper oxidase from Bacillus mojavensis TH309 were cloned into pET14b( +), expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified as histidine tagged enzyme (BmLMCO). The molecular weight of the enzyme was about 60 kDa. The enzyme exhibited laccase-like activity toward 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP), syringaldazine (SGZ), and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS). The highest enzyme activity was recorded at 80 °C and pH 8. BmLMCO showed a half-life of ~ 305, 99, 50, 46, 36, and 20 min at 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 °C, respectively. It retained more than 60% of its activity after pre-incubation in the range of pH 5-12 for 60 min. The enzyme activity significantly increased in the presence of 1 mM of Cu2+. Moreover, BmLMCO tolerated various chemicals and showed excellent compatibility with organic solvents. The Michaelis constant (Km) and the maximum velocity (Vmax) values of BmLMCO were 0.98 mM and 93.45 µmol/min, respectively, with 2,6-DMP as the substrate. BmLMCO reduced the antibacterial activity of cefprozil, gentamycin, and erythromycin by 72.3 ± 1.5%, 79.6 ± 6.4%, and 19.7 ± 4.1%, respectively. This is the first revealing shows the recombinant production of laccase-like multicopper oxidase from any B. mojavensis strains, its biochemical properties, and potential for use in bioremediation.

An Inferred Ancestral CotA Laccase with Improved Expression and Kinetic Efficiency

Laccases are widely used in industrial production due to their broad substrate availability and environmentally friendly nature. However, the pursuit of laccases with superior stability and increased heterogeneous expression to meet industry demands appears to be an ongoing challenge. To address this challenge, we resurrected five ancestral sequences of laccase BsCotA and their homologues. All five variants were successfully expressed in soluble and functional forms with improved expression levels in Escherichia coli. Among the five variants, three exhibited higher catalytic rates, thermal stabilities, and acidic stabilities. Notably, AncCotA2, the best-performing variant, displayed a k_cat/K_M of 7.5 × 10⁵ M^-1·s^-1, 5.2-fold higher than that of the wild-type BsCotA, an improved thermo- and acidic stability, and better dye decolorization ability. This study provides a laccase variant with high application potential and presents a new starting point for future enzyme engineering.

Enhancing the expression of recombinant small laccase in Pichia pastoris by a double promoter system and application in antibiotics degradation

Low-expression levels remain a challenge in the quest to use the small laccase (rSLAC) as a viable catalyst. In this study, a recombinant Pichia pastoris strain (rSLAC-GAP-AOX) producing rSLAC under both AOX and GAP promoters (located in two different plasmids) was generated and cultivated in the presence of methanol and mixed feed (methanol:glycerol). Induction with methanol resulted in a maximum laccase activity of 1200 U/L for rSLAC-GAP-AOX which was approximately 2.4-fold higher than rSLAC-AOX and 5.1-fold higher than rSLAC-GAP. The addition of methanol:glycerol in a stoichiometric ratio of 9:1 consistently improved biomass and led to a 1.5-fold increase in rSLAC production as compared to induction with methanol alone. The rSLAC removed 95% of 5 mg/L ciprofloxacin (CIP) and 99% of 100 mg/L tetracycline (TC) in the presence of a mediator. Removal of TC resulted in complete elimination of antibacterial activity while up to 48% reduction in antibacterial activity was observed when CIP was removed. Overall, the present study highlights the effectiveness of a double promoter system in enhancing SLAC production.

Efficient decolorization of recalcitrant dyes at neutral/alkaline pH by a new bacterial laccase-mediator system

Laccases and laccase-mediator systems (LMS) are versatile catalysts that can oxidize a broad range of substrates coupled to the sole reduction of dioxygen to water. They possess many biotechnological applications in paper, textile, and food industries, bioethanol production, organic synthesis, detection and degradation of pollutants, and biofuel cell development. In particular, bacterial laccases are getting relevance due to their activity in a wide range of pH and temperature and their robustness under harsh conditions. However, the enzyme and the redox mediator's availability and costs limit their large-scale commercial use. Here we demonstrate that β-(10-phenothiazyl)-propionic acid can be used as an efficient and low-cost redox mediator for decolorizing synthetic dyes by the recombinant laccase SilA from Streptomyces ipomoeae produced in E. coli. This new LMS can decolorize more than 80% indigo carmine and malachite green in 1 h at pH = 8.0 and 2 h in tap water (pH = 6.8). Furthermore, it decolorized more than 40% of anthraquinone dye remazol brilliant blue R and 80% of azo dye xylidine ponceau in 5 h at 50 °C, pH 8.0. It supported at least 3 decolorization cycles without losing activity, representing an attractive candidate for a cost-effective and environmentally friendly LMS functional at neutral to alkaline pH.

An alkaline thermostable laccase from termite gut associated strain of Bacillus stratosphericus

Laccase, an important oxidoreductase, is widely distributed in various organisms. Termites are known to decompose lignocellulose efficiently with the aid of gut microorganisms. However, few laccases have been characterized from termite or its gut microbes. We aimed to screen the strain capable of degrading lignocellulose from fungus-growing termites. In this study, Bacillus stratosphericus BCMC2 with lignocellulolytic activity was firstly isolated from the hindgut of fungus-growing termite Macrotermes barneyi. The laccase gene (BaCotA) was cloned both from the BCMC2 strain and termite intestinal metagenomic DNA. BaCotA was overexpressed in E. coli, and the recombinant BaCotA showed high specific activity (554.1 U/mg). BaCotA was thermostable with an optimum temperature of 70 °C, pH 5.0. Furthermore, BaCotA was resistant to alkali and organic solvents. The enzyme remained more than 70% residual activity at pH 8.0 for 120 min; and the organic solvents such as methanol, ethanol and acetone (10%) had no inhibitory effect on laccase activity. Additionally, BaCotA exhibited efficient decolorization ability towards indigo and crystal violet. The multiple enzymatic properties suggested the presented laccase as a potential candidate for industrial applications. Moreover, this study highlighted that termite intestine is a good resource for either new strains or enzymes.

CotA laccase, a novel aflatoxin oxidase from Bacillus licheniformis, transforms aflatoxin B1 to aflatoxin Q1 and epi-aflatoxin Q1

In the present study, the CotA protein from Bacillus licheniformis ANSB821 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Apart from the laccase activities, we found that the recombinant CotA could effectively oxidize aflatoxin B1 in the absence of redox mediators. The Km, Kcat and Vmax values of the recombinant CotA towards aflatoxin B1 were 60.62 μM, 0.03 s-1 and 10.08 μg min-1 mg-1, respectively. CotA-mediated aflatoxin B1 degradation products were purified and identified to be aflatoxin Q1 and epi-aflatoxin Q1. The treatment of human liver cells L-02 with aflatoxin Q1 and epi-aflatoxin Q1 did not suppress cell viability and induce apoptosis. Molecular docking simulation revealed that hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interaction played an important role in aflatoxin B1-CotA stability. These findings in the current study are promising for a possible application of CotA as a novel aflatoxin oxidase in degrading AFB1 in food.

Enhanced catalytic efficiency of CotA-laccase by DNA shuffling

Bacterial CotA-laccases exhibit higher activity in alkaline pH and salt concentration conditions compared to laccases from white-rot fungi. They are considered as green catalysts in decolorizing of industrial dyes. However, CotA-laccases are limited due to the low yield and catalytic efficiency as the spore-bound nature of CotA. A DNA shuffling strategy was applied to generate a random mutation library. To improve laccase activities, a mutant (T232P/Q367R 5E29) with two amino acid substitutions was identified. The catalytic efficiency of mutant 5E29 was 1.21 fold higher compared with that of the wild-type. The Km and k_cat values of 5E29 for SGZ were of 20.3 ± 1.3 µM and 7.6 ± 2.7 s^-1. The thermal stability was a slight enhancement. Indigo Carmine and Congo red were efficiently decolorized by using this mutant at pH 9.0. These results provide that 5E29 CotA-laccase is a good candidate for biotechnology applications under alkaline condition, with an effective decolorization capability.

Application of eukaryotic and prokaryotic laccases in biosensor and biofuel cells: recent advances and electrochemical aspects

Laccases exhibit a wide range of applications, especially in the electrochemical field, where they are regarded as a potential biotic component. Laccase-based biosensors have immense practical applications in the food, environmental, and medical fields. The application of laccases as biocathodes in enzymatic biofuel cells has promising potential in the preparation of implantable equipment. Extensive studies have been directed towards the potential role of fungal laccases as biotic components of electrochemical equipment. In contrast, the potential of prokaryotic laccases in electrochemistry has been not fully understood. However, there has been recent and rapid progress in the discovery and characterization of new types of prokaryotic laccases. In this review, we have comprehensively discussed the application of different sources of laccases as a biocatalytic component in various fields of application. Further, we described the potential of different types of laccases in bioelectrochemical applications.

Activity enhancement of CotA laccase by hydrophilic engineering, histidine tag optimization and static culture

CotA protein from Bacillus subtilis is of laccase activity. The solubility of recombinant CotA is low, which hinders its application. In this study, histidine tag position optimization and hydrophilic engineering were applied to increase the yield and activity of CotA protein. The results showed that the protein yield of CotA with his tag at C-terminal (CH6-CotA) was four times of that of NH6-CotA (His tag at N-terminal). Then, 23 single mutants were constructed by substitutions of hydrophobic residues with hydrophilic amino acids. Among them, the protein yield of the mutant F207Y was increased by 30%; the catalytic activity (kcat/Km) of V403T and P455S was two and three times higher than that of CH6-CotA, respectively. Finally, triple mutant F2071Y/V403T/P455S with C-terminal his-tag (CH6-TSY) was constructed. When the proteins were expressed in microanaerobic condition, the activities of mutants CH6-P455S and CH6-TSY were enhanced about 48- and 42-folds compared to that of NH6-CotA in non-static culture.

Secretory expression of recombinant small laccase from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) in Pichia pastoris

This work reports for the first time the secretory expression of the small laccase (SLAC) from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) in Pichia pastoris. Using an AOX1 promoter and α factor as a secretion signal, the recombinant P. pastoris harbouring the laccase gene (rSLAC) produced high titres of extracellular laccase (500 ± 10 U/l), which were further increased seven fold by pre-incubation at 80 °C for 30 min. The enzyme (∼38 kDa) had an optimum activity at 80 °C, but optimum pH varied with substrate used. K_m values for ABTS, SGZ and 2,6-DMP were 142.85 μM, 10 μM and 54.55 μM and the corresponding k_cat values were 60.6 s^-1, 25.36 s^-1 and 27.84 s^-1, respectively. The t_1/2 values of the rSLAC at 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C were 60 h, 32 h and 10 h, respectively. The enzyme deactivation energy (E_d) was 117.275 kJ/mol while ΔG, ΔH and ΔS for thermal inactivation of the rSLAC were all positive. The rSLAC decolourised more than 90% of Brilliant Blue G and Trypan Blue dye in 6 h without the addition of a mediator. High titres of SLAC expressed in P. pastoris enhance its potential for various industrial applications.

Magnetic Ganoderma lucidum spore microspheres: A novel material to immobilize CotA multicopper oxidase for dye decolorization

In this study, hollow microspheres were obtained from Ganoderma lucidum spores. Then the hollow microspheres were loaded with Fe3O4 nanoparticles to prepare novel magnetic spore microspheres. TEM images and X-ray diffractometry demonstrated that the Fe3O4 nanoparticles were incorporated throughout the spore microsphere. CotA multicopper oxidase was chosen as biomacromolecule to study the loading ability of the magnetic spore microspheres. The combination of the CotA enzyme with the microsphere was observed by laser scanning confocal microscope. The loaded amount of CotA on the microspheres was 75mg/g when the CotA concentration was 1.2mg/mL and the activity recovery of the immobilized CotA was 81%. The magnetic microspheres loaded with CotA, which can be easily and quickly recovered by an external magnetic field, were used for dye decolorization. After 1h decolorization, 99% of the indigo carmine has been removed by 10mg microspheres. In addition, the immobilized CotA retained 75% of activity after 10 consecutive cycles, which indicated that the magnetic spore microspheres are good support material for immobilization of the enzyme.

Hydrogen Peroxide-Resistant CotA and YjqC of Bacillus altitudinis Spores Are a Promising Biocatalyst for Catalyzing Reduction of Sinapic Acid and Sinapine in Rapeseed Meal

For the more efficient detoxification of phenolic compounds, a promising avenue would be to develop a multi-enzyme biocatalyst comprising peroxidase, laccase and other oxidases. However, the development of this multi-enzyme biocatalyst is limited by the vulnerability of fungal laccases and peroxidases to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced inactivation. Therefore, H2O2-resistant peroxidase and laccase should be exploited. In this study, H2O2-stable CotA and YjqC were isolated from the outer coat of Bacillus altitudinis SYBC hb4 spores. In addition to the thermal and alkali stability of catalytic activity, CotA also exhibited a much higher H2O2 tolerance than fungal laccases from Trametes versicolor and Trametes trogii. YjqC is a sporulation-related manganese (Mn) catalase with striking peroxidase activity for sinapic acid (SA) and sinapine (SNP). In contrast to the typical heme-containing peroxidases, the peroxidase activity of YjqC was also highly resistant to inhibition by H2O2 and heat. CotA could also catalyze the oxidation of SA and SNP. CotA had a much higher affinity for SA than B. subtilis CotA. CotA and YjqC rendered from B. altitudinis spores had promising laccase and peroxidase activities for SA and SNP. Specifically, the B. altitudinis spores could be regarded as a multi-enzyme biocatalyst composed of CotA and YjqC. The B. altitudinis spores were efficient for catalyzing the degradation of SA and SNP in rapeseed meal. Moreover, efficiency of the spore-catalyzed degradation of SA and SNP was greatly improved by the presence of 15 mM H2O2. This effect was largely attributed to synergistic biocatalysis of the H2O2-resistant CotA and YjqC toward SA and SNP.