New groups of protein homologues in the α-amylase family GH57 closely related to α-glucan branching enzymes and 4-α-glucanotransferases

Architecture, Function, Regulation, and Evolution of α-Glucans Metabolic Enzymes in Prokaryotes

Bacteria have acquired sophisticated mechanisms for assembling and disassembling polysaccharides of different chemistry. α-d-Glucose homopolysaccharides, so-called α-glucans, are the most widespread polymers in nature being key components of microorganisms. Glycogen functions as an intracellular energy storage while some bacteria also produce extracellular assorted α-glucans. The classical bacterial glycogen metabolic pathway comprises the action of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and glycogen synthase, whereas extracellular α-glucans are mostly related to peripheral enzymes dependent on sucrose. An alternative pathway of glycogen biosynthesis, operating via a maltose 1-phosphate polymerizing enzyme, displays an essential wiring with the trehalose metabolism to interconvert disaccharides into polysaccharides. Furthermore, some bacteria show a connection of intracellular glycogen metabolism with the genesis of extracellular capsular α-glucans, revealing a relationship between the storage and structural function of these compounds. Altogether, the current picture shows that bacteria have evolved an intricate α-glucan metabolism that ultimately relies on the evolution of a specific enzymatic machinery. The structural landscape of these enzymes exposes a limited number of core catalytic folds handling many different chemical reactions. In this Review, we present a rationale to explain how the chemical diversity of α-glucans emerged from these systems, highlighting the underlying structural evolution of the enzymes driving α-glucan bacterial metabolism.

Acceptor dependent catalytic properties of GH57 4-α-glucanotransferase from Pyrococcus sp. ST04

The 4-α-glucanotransferase (4-α-GTase or amylomaltase) is an essential enzyme in maltodextrin metabolism. Generally, most bacterial 4-α-GTase is classified into glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 77. However, hyperthermophiles have unique 4-α-GTases belonging to GH family 57. These enzymes are the main amylolytic protein in hyperthermophiles, but their mode of action in maltooligosaccharide utilization is poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the catalytic properties of 4-α-GTase from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus sp. ST04 (PSGT) in the presence of maltooligosaccharides of various lengths. Unlike 4-α-GTases in GH family 77, GH family 57 PSGT produced maltotriose in the early stage of reaction and preferred maltose and maltotriose over glucose as the acceptor. The kinetic analysis showed that maltotriose had the lowest KM value, which increased amylose degradation activity by 18.3-fold. Structural models of PSGT based on molecular dynamic simulation revealed two aromatic amino acids interacting with the substrate at the +2 and +3 binding sites, and the mutational study demonstrated they play a critical role in maltotriose binding. These results clarify the mode of action in carbohydrate utilization and explain acceptor binding mechanism of GH57 family 4-α-GTases in hyperthermophilic archaea.

Production of Large-Ring Cyclodextrins by Amylomaltases

Amylomaltase is a well-known glucan transferase that can produce large ring cyclodextrins (LR-CDs) or so-called cycloamyloses via cyclization reaction. Amylomaltases have been found in several microorganisms and their optimum temperatures are generally around 60–70 °C for thermostable amylomaltases and 30–45 °C for the enzymes from mesophilic bacteria and plants. The optimum pHs for mesophilic amylomaltases are around pH 6.0–7.0, while the thermostable amylomaltases are generally active at more acidic conditions. Size of LR-CDs depends on the source of amylomaltases and the reaction conditions including pH, temperature, incubation time, and substrate. For example, in the case of amylomaltase from Corynebacterium glutamicum, LR-CD productions at alkaline pH or at a long incubation time favored products with a low degree of polymerization. In this review, we explore the synthesis of LR-CDs by amylomaltases, structural information of amylomaltases, as well as current applications of LR-CDs and amylomaltases.

Structural elements determining the transglycosylating activity of glycoside hydrolase family 57 glycogen branching enzymes

Glycoside hydrolase family 57 glycogen branching enzymes (GH57GBE) catalyze the formation of an α-1,6 glycosidic bond between α-1,4 linked glucooliogosaccharides. As an atypical family, a limited number of GH57GBEs have been biochemically characterized so far. This study aimed at acquiring a better understanding of the GH57GBE family by a systematic sequence-based bioinformatics analysis of almost 2500 gene sequences and determining the branching activity of several native and mutant GH57GBEs. A correlation was found in a very low or even no branching activity with the absence of a flexible loop, a tyrosine at the loop tip, and two β-strands.