A rapid and specific method to screen environmental microorganisms for cephalosporin acylase activity

Molecular structure, vibrational spectroscopic, first order hyperpolarizability and HOMO-LUMO studies of 7-amino-8-oxo-3-vinyl-5-thia-1-azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid

The FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of 7-amino-8-oxo-3-vinyl-5-thia-1-azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid (7AVCA) were recorded in the region 4000-400 cm(-1) and 3500-10 cm(-1), respectively. Quantum chemical calculations of energies, geometrical structure and vibrational wavenumbers were carried out by ab initio HF and density functional theoretical methods invoking 6-311G(d,p) basis set. The differences between the observed and scaled wavenumber values of most of the fundamentals are very small. The electric dipole moment (μ) and the first order hyperpolarizability (β0) values have been computed quantum mechanically. The calculated results show that 7AVCA may have microscopic nonlinear optical (NLO) behavior with non-zero values. A detailed interpretation of the FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of 7AVCA is reported. The theoretical IR and Raman spectra of 7AVCA have also been constructed. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies show that the charge transfer occurs within the molecule.

Enzymatic Modifications of Cephalosporins by Cephalosporin Acylase and Other Enzymes

Semisynthetic cephalosporins are important antibacterials in clinical practice. Semisynthetic cephalosporins are manufactured by derivatizing 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7-ACA) and its desacetylated form. Microbial enzymes such as D-amino acid oxidase, glutaryl-7-ACA acylase and cephalosporin esterase are being used as biocatalysts for the conversion of cephalosporin C (CEPH-C) to 7-ACA and its desacetylated derivatives. Recent developments in the field of enzymatic modifications of cephalosporin with special emphasis on group of enzymes called as cephalosporin acylase is discussed in this review. Aspects related to screening methods, isolation and purification, immobilization, molecular cloning, gene structure and expression and protein engineering of cephalosporin acylases have been covered. Topics pertaining to enzymatic modifications of cephalosporin by D-amino acid oxidase, cephalosporin methoxylase and beta-lactamase are also covered.

Improving the activity and stability of GL-7-ACA acylase CA130 by site-directed mutagenesis

In the present study, glutaryl-7-amino cephalosporanic acid acylase from Pseudomonas sp. strain 130 (CA130) was mutated to improve its enzymatic activity and stability. Based on the crystal structure of CA130, two series of amino acid residues, one from those directly involved in catalytic function and another from those putatively involved in surface charge, were selected as targets for site-directed mutagenesis. In the first series of experiments, several key residues in the substrate-binding pocket were substituted, and the genes were expressed in Escherichia coli for activity screening. Two of the mutants constructed, Y151alphaF and Q50betaN, showed two- to threefold-increased catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)) compared to wild-type CA130. Their K(m) values were decreased by ca. 50%, and the k(cat) values increased to 14.4 and 16.9 s(-1), respectively. The ability of these mutants to hydrolyze adipoyl 6-amino penicillinic acid was also improved. In the second series of mutagenesis, several mutants with enhanced stabilities were identified. Among them, R121betaA and K198betaA had a 30 to 58% longer half-life than wild-type CA130, and K198betaA and D286betaA showed an alkaline shift of optimal pH by about 1.0 to 2.0 pH units. To construct an engineered enzyme with the properties of both increased activity and stability, the double mutant Q50betaN/K198betaA was expressed. This enzyme was purified and immobilized for catalytic analysis. The immobilized mutant enzyme showed a 34.2% increase in specific activity compared to the immobilized wild-type CA130.

Cloning, sequence analysis and expression of the gene encoding a novel wide-spectrum amidase belonging to the amidase signature superfamily fromAchromobacter xylosoxidans

Amidases are very important enzymes for industrial biocatalysis. We scored a novel amidase by screening the Achromobacter xylosoxidans gene library with cephalosporin analogous amides. The gene coding for the enzyme, designated ana, was cloned, sequenced and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Sequence analysis of ana showed it to be an amidase signature family member. Interestingly, we noted that almost all Ana homologous amidases are from human pathogens responsible for chronic lung infections. Knowing the genetic context of Ana and its homologous amidases, we suggest that they could be a part of transposon structure. Ana can efficiently hydrolyze a series of cephalosporin analogous amides, including amides with an aninine, p-nitro-aninine, and beta-naphthylamine moiety, while cephalosporin could not serve as its substrate.