1
|
Mori G, Liuzzi A, Ronda L, Di Palma M, Chegkazi MS, Bui S, Garcia-Maya M, Ragazzini J, Malatesta M, Della Monica E, Rivetti C, Antin PB, Bettati S, Steiner RA, Percudani R. Cysteine Enrichment Mediates Co-Option of Uricase in Reptilian Skin and Transition to Uricotelism. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad200. [PMID: 37695804 PMCID: PMC10517255 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Uric acid is the main means of nitrogen excretion in uricotelic vertebrates (birds and reptiles) and the end product of purine catabolism in humans and a few other mammals. While uricase is inactivated in mammals unable to degrade urate, the presence of orthologous genes without inactivating mutations in avian and reptilian genomes is unexplained. Here we show that the Gallus gallus gene we name cysteine-rich urate oxidase (CRUOX) encodes a functional protein representing a unique case of cysteine enrichment in the evolution of vertebrate orthologous genes. CRUOX retains the ability to catalyze urate oxidation to hydrogen peroxide and 5-hydroxyisourate (HIU), albeit with a 100-fold reduced efficiency. However, differently from all uricases hitherto characterized, it can also facilitate urate regeneration from HIU, a catalytic property that we propose depends on its enrichment in cysteine residues. X-ray structural analysis highlights differences in the active site compared to known orthologs and suggests a mechanism for cysteine-mediated self-aggregation under H2O2-oxidative conditions. Cysteine enrichment was concurrent with the transition to uricotelism and a shift in gene expression from the liver to the skin where CRUOX is co-expressed with β-keratins. Therefore, the loss of urate degradation in amniotes has followed opposite evolutionary trajectories: while uricase has been eliminated by pseudogenization in some mammals, it has been repurposed as a redox-sensitive enzyme in the reptilian skin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Mori
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Anastasia Liuzzi
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Luca Ronda
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Michele Di Palma
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Magda S Chegkazi
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Soi Bui
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mitla Garcia-Maya
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jasmine Ragazzini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Malatesta
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Emanuele Della Monica
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Claudio Rivetti
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Parker B Antin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - Stefano Bettati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Roberto A Steiner
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Riccardo Percudani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yan X, Hu W, Zhu YG, Liu QQ, Wang S, Liu HY, Zhu D, Lv ZH, Li LH, Yin YR. Cloning, Heterologous Expression, and Characterization of a Neutral Uricase from Arthrobacter sp. CSAJ-16 in Cangshan Mountain. Pol J Microbiol 2023; 72:277-283. [PMID: 37725900 PMCID: PMC10561068 DOI: 10.33073/pjm-2023-027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Uricase (or Urate oxidase), a key enzyme involved in purine metabolism, is commonly used in treating conditions such as gout, hyperuricemia, and tumor lysis syndrome. In this study, a uricase-producing strain (named CSAJ-16) was isolated from the soil sample of Cangshan Mountain, Yunnan Province, China. This strain was identified as Arthrobacter sp. CSAJ-16. Based on the gene sequence alignment, the uricase gene (named aruox) of Arthrobacter sp. CSAJ-16 was amplified and heterologously expressed. The recombinant uricase (ArUOX) was about 32 kDa. The optimal pH and temperature of ArUOX were pH 7 and 20°C, respectively. The ArUOX remained above 50% relative activity after incubation at 37°C for 100 min or at pH 6.0-8.6 for 24 h. Moreover, metal ions such as K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+ and Pb2+ can significantly enhance the activity of ArUOX (> 200%). These enzymatic properties indicate that ArUOX has potential applications in pharmaceutical enzymes and uric acid detection kits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yan
- College of Agriculture and Biological Science, Dali University, Dali, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Hu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun-Guo Zhu
- College of Agriculture and Biological Science, Dali University, Dali, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing-Qing Liu
- College of Agriculture and Biological Science, Dali University, Dali, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai Wang
- College of Agriculture and Biological Science, Dali University, Dali, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Yan Liu
- College of Agriculture and Biological Science, Dali University, Dali, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Zhu
- College of Agriculture and Biological Science, Dali University, Dali, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Hua Lv
- College of Agriculture and Biological Science, Dali University, Dali, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin-Hua Li
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi-Rui Yin
- College of Agriculture and Biological Science, Dali University, Dali, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jiao Y, Zhu Y, Zeng S, Wang S, Chen J, Zhou X, Ma G. Characterization of a novel marine microbial uricase from Priestia flexa and evaluation of the effects of CMCS conjugation on its enzymatic properties. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2022:1-11. [PMID: 36398928 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2022.2145611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
A novel uricase producing marine bacterium Priestia flexa alkaAU was isolated and identified. The 16S rDNA and the uricase coding gene were sequenced, analyzed and submitted to GenBank. The uricase from Priestia flexa alkaAU (PFU) was purified, determined to be 58.87 kDa, and conjugated with carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) by ionic gelation. CMCS conjugation had no effect on the optimum pH of PFU but decreased the optimum temperature by 10 °C. CMCS conjugation increased the specific activity of PFU by 53% at the human body temperature (37 °C) and small intestine's pH (pH 6.8). Uricase thermostabilizing ability of CMCS was significant in the range of 37-80 °C but not at lower temperatures. For improvement of the pH stability of PFU, CMCS was more effective at pHs 3-5 than pHs 6-11. CMCS increased the half-life of PFU against artificial intestinal fluid by 1.5 folds, which demonstrated the potential capability of CMCS-PFU for oral administration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- YuLiang Jiao
- School of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - YuYing Zhu
- School of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - ShuMin Zeng
- School of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - ShuFang Wang
- School of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Chen
- School of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - XiangHong Zhou
- School of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - GuiZhen Ma
- School of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|