Improved enantioselectivity of Candida rugosa lipase towards ketoprofen ethyl ester by a simple two-step treatment

Advances in Recombinant Lipases: Production, Engineering, Immobilization and Application in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Lipases are one of the most used enzymes in the pharmaceutical industry due to their efficiency in organic syntheses, mainly in the production of enantiopure drugs. From an industrial viewpoint, the selection of an efficient expression system and host for recombinant lipase production is highly important. The most used hosts are Escherichia coli and Komagataella phaffii (previously known as Pichia pastoris) and less often reported Bacillus and Aspergillus strains. The use of efficient expression systems to overproduce homologous or heterologous lipases often require the use of strong promoters and the co-expression of chaperones. Protein engineering techniques, including rational design and directed evolution, are the most reported strategies for improving lipase characteristics. Additionally, lipases can be immobilized in different supports that enable improved properties and enzyme reuse. Here, we review approaches for strain and protein engineering, immobilization and the application of lipases in the pharmaceutical industry.

Relevance and bio-catalytic strategies for the kinetic resolution of ketoprofen towards dexketoprofen

This review presents the most relevant investigations concerning the biocatalytic kinetic resolution of racemic ketoprofen to dexketoprofen for the last 22 years. The advantages related to the administration of the dex-enantiomer in terms of human health, the so called "chiral switch" in the pharmaceutical industry and the sustainability of biotransformations have been the driving forces to develop innovative technology to obtain dexketoprofen. In particular, the kinetic resolution of racemic ketoprofen through enantiomeric esterification and hydrolysis using lipases as biocatalysts are thoroughly revised and commented upon. In this context, the biocatalysts, acyl-acceptors (alcohols), reaction conditions, conversion, enantiomeric excess, and enantiomeric ratio among others are discussed. Moreover, the investigations concerning scaling up processes in order to obtain an optically pure enantiomer of the profen are presented. Finally, some guidelines about perspectives of the technology and research opportunities are given.

Enantioselectivity and catalysis improvements of Pseudomonas cepacia lipase with Tyr and Asp modification

A concise strategy to improve the p-nitrophenyl palmitate catalytic activity and enantioselectivity towards secondary alcohols of PcL is described.

A novel family VII esterase with industrial potential from compost metagenomic library

Background

Among the vast microbial genomic resources now available, most microbes are unculturable in the laboratory. A culture-independent metagenomic approach is a novel technique that circumvents this culture limitation. For the screening of novel lipolytic enzymes, a metagenomic library was constructed from compost, and the clone of estCS2 was selected for lipolytic properties on a tributyrin-containing medium.

Results

The estCS2 sequence encodes a protein of 570 amino acid residues, with a predicted molecular mass of 63 kDa, and based on amino acid identity it most closely matches (45%) the carboxylesterase from Haliangium ochraceum DSM 14365. EstCS2 belong to family VII, according to the lipolytic enzyme classification proposed by Arpigny and Jaeger, and it retains the catalytic triad Ser₂₄₅-Glu₃₆₃-His₄₆₆ that is typical of an α/β hydrolase. The Ser₂₄₅ residue in the catalytic triad of EstCS2 is located in the consensus active site motif GXSXG. The EstCS2 exhibits strong activity toward p-nitrophenyl caproate (C6), and it is stable up to 60°C with an optimal enzymatic activity at 55°C. The maximal activity is observed at pH 9, and it remains active between pH 6-10. EstCS2 shows remarkable stability in up to 50% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or dimethylformamide (DMF). The enzyme has the ability to cleave sterically hindered esters of tertiary alcohol, as well as to degrade polyurethanes, which are widely used in various industries.

Conclusions

The high stability of EstCS2 in organic solvents and its activity towards esters of ketoprofen and tertiary alcohols, and in polyurethane suggests that it has potential uses for many applications in biotransformation and bioremediation.

Role of bicontinuous microemulsion in the rapid enzymatic hydrolysis of (R,S)-ketoprofen ethyl ester in a micro-reactor

Bicontinuous microemulsion was employed as the medium for enzymatic hydrolysis of (R,S)-ketoprofen ethyl ester in the presence of esterase for the first time. In addition, a methodology for the separation of optically pure ketoprofen from the microemulsion system for analysis by gas chromatography was developed. Various factors influencing the enzymatic hydrolysis of (R,S)-ketoprofen ethyl ester such as temperature, enzyme concentration and reaction time were optimized experimentally. The enzymatic hydrolysis in a bicontinuous microemulsion system showed a final conversion of 84.6% after 50 h of reaction, while hydrolysis in Tris-HCl buffer solution resulted in only 26.9% conversion after 150 h without completing the reaction. A comparison of the rate of the enzymatic hydrolysis reaction with rates of reaction in other biphasic media revealed that the bicontinuous microemulsion system was faster and more advantageous. The extremely large interfacial area of the latter fluid likely facilitated the contact between the catalyst and the substrate. Because the enzyme applied was not selective, formation of (R)-ketoprofen was also observed. Therefore, application of an enzyme with higher selectivity would provide better results.

Differences in hydrolytic abilities of two crude lipases from Geotrichum candidum 4013

The fungus Geotrichum candidum 4013 produces two types of lipases (extracellular and cell-bound). Both enzymes were tested for their hydrolytic ability to p-nitrophenyl esters and compounds having a structure similar to the original substrate (triacylglycerols). Higher lipolytic activity of extracellular lipase was observed when triacylglycerols of medium- (C12) and long- (C18) chain fatty acids were used as substrates. Cell-bound lipase preferentially hydrolysed trimyristate (C14). The differences in the abilities of these two enzymes to hydrolyse p-nitrophenyl esters were observed as well. The order of extracellular lipase hydrolysis relation velocity was as follows: p-nitrophenyl decanoate > p-nitrophenyl caprylate > p-nitrophenyl laurate > p-nitrophenyl palmitate > p-nitrophenyl stearate. The cell-bound lipase indicates preference for p-nitrophenyl palmitate. The most striking differences in the ratios between the activity of both lipases (extracellular : cell-bound) towards different fatty acid methyl esters were 2.2 towards methyl hexanoate and 0.46 towards methyl stearate (C18). The Michaelis constant (K(m) ) and maximum reaction rate (V(max) ) for p-nitrophenyl palmitate hydrolysis of cell-bound lipase were significantly higher (K(m) 2.462 mM and V(max) 0.210 U/g/min) than those of extracellular lipase (K(m) 0.406 mM and V(max) 0.006 U/g/min).

Identification and characterization of a novel (S)-ketoprofen-specific esterase

A new (S)-ketoprofen specific esterase (EST-Y29) was identified from a metagenome library from environmental samples, which showed homologies with class C-beta lactamase, penicillin binding protein, and other lipases/esterases. In order to investigate the biochemical and biophysical properties, the recombinant protein was overexpressed, purified to homogeneity, and characterized. This EST-Y29 has high catalytic activity against p-nitrophenyl esters of short fatty acids (C(2) and C(4)) and alpha-naphthyl acetate with activation energy of 30.4 kJ/mol. We have further characterized EST-Y29 using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC).

Synthetic activity enhancement of membrane-bound lipase from Rhizopus chinensis by pretreatment with isooctane

The cell-bound lipase from Rhizopus chinensis CCTCC M201021 with high catalysis ability for ester synthesis was located as a membrane-bound lipase by the treatments of Yatalase firstly. In order to improve its synthetic activity in non-aqueous phase, the pretreatments of this enzyme with various organic solvents were investigated. The pretreatment with isooctane improved evidently the lipase synthetic activity, resulting in about 139% in relative synthetic activity and 115% in activity recovery. The morphological changes of mycelia caused by organic solvent pretreatments could influence the exposure of the membrane-bound enzyme from mycelia and the exhibition of the lipase activity. The pretreatment conditions with isooctane and acetone were further investigated, and the optimum effect was obtained by the isooctane pretreatment at 4 degrees C for 1 h, resulting in 156% in relative synthetic activity and 126% in activity recovery. When the pretreated lipases were employed as catalysts for the esterification production of ethyl hexanoate in heptane, higher initial reaction rate and higher final molar conversion were obtained using the lipase pretreated with isooctane, compared with the untreated lyophilized one. This result suggested that the pretreatment of the membrane-bound lipase with isooctane could be an effective method to substitute the lyophilization for preparing biocatalysts used in non-aqueous phase reactions.

Screening and characterization of a novel esterase from a metagenomic library

Metagenomes from various environmental soils were screened using alpha-naphthyl acetate and Fast Blue RR for a novel ester-hydrolyzing enzyme on Escherichia coli. Stepwise fragmentations and subcloning of the initial insert DNA (30-40 kb) using restriction enzymes selected to exclude already known esterases with subsequent screenings resulted in a positive clone with a 2.5-kb DNA fragment. The cloned sequence included an open reading frame consisting of 1089 bp, designated as est25, encoding a protein of 363 amino acids with a molecular mass of about 38.3 kDa. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed only moderate identity (< or = 48%) to the known esterases/lipases in the databases containing the conserved sequence motifs of esterases/lipases, such as HGGG (residues 124-127), GxSxG (residues 199-203), and the putative catalytic triad composed of Ser201, Asp303, and His333. Est25 was functionally overexpressed in a soluble form in E. coli with optimal activity at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C. The purified Est25 exhibited hydrolyzing activity toward p-nitrophenyl (NP)-fatty acyl esters with short-length acyl chains (< or = C6) with the highest activity toward p-NP-acetate (Km=1.0 mM and Vmax = 63.7 U/mg), but not with chain lengths > or = C8, demonstrating that Est25 is an esterase originated most likely from a mesophilic microorganism in soils. Est25 efficiently hydrolyzed (R,S)-ketoprofen ethyl ester with Km of 16.4 mM and Vmax of 59.1 U/mg with slight enantioselectivity toward (R)-ketoprofen ethyl ester. This study demonstrates that functional screening combined with the sequential uses of restriction enzymes to exclude already known enzymes is a useful approach for isolating novel enzymes from a metagenome.

Immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase on a pH-sensitive support for enantioselective hydrolysis of ketoprofen ester

Candida rugosa lipase (Lipase OF) was immobilized by covalent binding to a pH-sensitive support showing reversibly soluble-insoluble characteristics with pH change. The immobilized lipase could carry out the enantioselective hydrolysis of ketoprofen ester in a soluble form yet be recovered after precipitation by simply adjusting pH. Its activity and enantioselectivity for hydrolysis of 2-chloroethyl ester of ketoprofen were enhanced 1.5-fold and 8.7-fold compared with those of free lipase. After eight catalytic cycles, the immobilized enzyme was still 46% active and its enantioselectivity remained unchanged.

Kinetic resolution of ketoprofen ester catalyzed by lipase from a mutant of CBS 5791

A biotransformation process was developed for the production of (S)-ketoprofen by enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic ketoprofen ester using the mutant Trichosporon laibacchii strain CBS 5791. A satisfactory result was obtained, in which the E was 82.5, with an ee of 0.94 and a conversion of 0.47 under the optimum hydrolysis conditions [E is enantiomeric ratio, E=ln[1-X(1+ee)]/ln[1-X(1-ee)]; ee is enantiomeric excess, ee=(CS-CR)/(CS+CR): temperature of hydrolysis was 23 degrees C]. The medium used in biotransformation was a mixture of growth broth and biotransformation broth at a ratio of 1:9, the concentration of Tween 80 was 15 g/l, the time of hydrolysis, 72 h. These results are promising for further scale-up. Tween 80 significantly improved lipase enantioselectivity and activity at the optimum concentration.

Isolation and characterization of Acinetobacter sp. ES-1 excreting a lipase with high enantioselectivity for (S)-ketoprofen ethyl ester

A new Acinetobacter sp. ES-1, grown on triolein, tryptone and Triton X-100, excreted a lipase that hydrolyzed 10 mM (R,S)-ketoprofen ethyl ester into (S)-ketoprofen. The crude lipase had an activity of 10 U ml(-1) and, at 30 degrees C and pH 7 over 48 h, gave a conversion yield of 35% with an enantiomeric excess for the product 96%.

Construction and characterization of a recombinant esterase with high activity and enantioselectivity to (S)-ketoprofen ethyl ester

The ester-hydrolyzing enzyme families, including lipase and esterase, mediated a broad range of reactions and, thus, were able to act on a variety of ester compounds that are found naturally or exploited industrially. With the increasing demand for pharmacological use, attempts to produce an enantiomer (S)-ketoprofen from the corresponding ethyl ester have recently been proliferating, but information about the structure and function of related enzymes has not been reported to date in detail. Here, we reported the construction, expression, and one-step purification of a potential esterase in Escherichia coli with a hexahistidine tag at its N-terminus. The expression level of the enzyme was more than 20% of the total protein in E. coli, resulting in approximately 1.2mg of the purified proteins by an affinity resin, Ni-NTA, from a 0.2L of bacterial culture in a single step. As typical properties, its innate traits that revealed favorable reactions at alkaline pH and high activity to the triglycerides composed of short chain fatty acids (<C(6)) supported the enzyme to be an esterase. The enzyme was determined to be a monomer with a calculated molecular mass of 42 kDa and showed quite a high activity to rac-ketoprofen ethyl ester (27,000 U), with strict selectivity to (S)-enantiomer (>99% ee(p)). The small-scale conversion using the recombinant enzyme strongly suggested the enzyme to be useful for enzyme-mediated chiral resolution of (S)-ketoprofen.

Controlling lipase enantioselectivity for organic synthesis

Lipases are used frequently as chiral catalysts in the synthesis of various fine chemicals and intermediates. The increasing need of compounds with high stereochemical purity requires catalysts with an improved and controlled performance. This overview emphasizes some important aspects for the control of lipase enantioselectivity and some examples where the enantioselectivity has been altered or reversed are highlighted. However, in several of these cases the complete explanation for the altered or reversed enantioselectivity remains unclear and needs to be solved. Three different strategies (engineering of the reaction medium, the substrate molecule, and the enzyme) for exploring lipase enantioselectivity at a molecular level are discussed and summarized. These three different approaches represent powerful tools for understanding the molecular basis for lipase enantioselective catalysis and can guide the rational improvement and tailoring of catalyst performance. By combining approaches from chemistry and biology much is learnt about the most important parameters controlling lipase enantioselectivity for organic synthesis.