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Cheng F, Sun KX, Gong XX, Peng W, Zhang HY, Liang XH, Xue YP, Zheng YG. Development of growth selection system and pocket engineering of d-amino acid oxidase to enhance selective deamination activity toward d-phosphinothricin. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:2893-2906. [PMID: 38822747 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28763] [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: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO)-catalyzed selective oxidative deamination is a very promising process for synthesizing l-amino acids including l-phosphinothricin (l-PPT, a high-efficiency and broad-spectrum herbicide). However, the wild-type DAAO's low activity toward unnatural substrates like d-phosphinothricin (d-PPT) hampers its application. Herein, a DAAO from Caenorhabditis elegans (CeDAAO) was screened and engineered to improve the catalytic potential on d-PPT. First, we designed a novel growth selection system, taking into account the intricate relationship between the growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and the catalytic mechanism of DAAO. The developed system was used for high-throughput screening of gene libraries, resulting in the discovery of a variant (M6) with significantly increased catalytic activity against d-PPT. The variant displays different catalytic properties on substrates with varying hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity. Analysis using Alphafold2 modeling and molecular dynamic simulations showed that the reason for the enhanced activity was the substrate-binding pocket with enlarged size and suitable charge distribution. Further QM/MM calculations revealed that the crucial factor for enhancing activity lies in reducing the initial energy barrier of the reductive half reaction. Finally, a comprehensive binding-model index to predict the enhanced activity of DAAO toward d-PPT, and an enzymatic deracemization approach was developed, enabling the efficient synthesis of l-PPT with remarkable efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ke-Xiang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Xiao Gong
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Peng
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hua-Yue Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xi-Hang Liang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ya-Ping Xue
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Guo Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Bioconversion and Biopurification of the Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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2
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Aspacio D, Zhang Y, Cui Y, Luu E, King E, Black WB, Perea S, Zhu Q, Wu Y, Luo R, Siegel JB, Li H. Shifting redox reaction equilibria on demand using an orthogonal redox cofactor. Nat Chem Biol 2024:10.1038/s41589-024-01702-5. [PMID: 39138383 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01702-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Nature's two redox cofactors, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+), are held at different reduction potentials, driving catabolism and anabolism in opposite directions. In biomanufacturing, there is a need to flexibly control redox reaction direction decoupled from catabolism and anabolism. We established nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN+) as a noncanonical cofactor orthogonal to NAD(P)+. Here we present the development of Nox Ortho, a reduced NMN+ (NMNH)-specific oxidase, that completes the toolkit to modulate NMNH:NMN+ ratio together with an NMN+-specific glucose dehydrogenase (GDH Ortho). The design principle discovered from Nox Ortho engineering and modeling is facilely translated onto six different enzymes to create NMN(H)-orthogonal biocatalysts with a consistent ~103-106-fold cofactor specificity switch from NAD(P)+ to NMN+. We assemble these enzymes to produce stereo-pure 2,3-butanediol in cell-free systems and in Escherichia coli, enabled by NMN(H)'s distinct redox ratio firmly set by its designated driving forces, decoupled from both NAD(H) and NADP(H).
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Aspacio
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Yulai Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Youtian Cui
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Emma Luu
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Edward King
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - William B Black
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sean Perea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Qiang Zhu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Yongxian Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Ray Luo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Justin B Siegel
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Han Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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3
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Ghimire N, Kim S, Park HH, Oh TJ. Structure, dimeric conformation, and coenzyme versatility of p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase from Arthrobacter sp. PAMC25564. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 274:133268. [PMID: 38944083 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133268] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
p-Hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PHBH) catalyzes the ortho-hydroxylation of 4-hydroxybenzoate (4-HB) to protocatechuate (PCA). PHBHs are commonly known as homodimers, and the prediction of pyridine nucleotide binding and specificity remains an ongoing focus in this field. Therefore, our study aimed to determine the dimerization interface in AspPHBH from Arthrobacter sp. PAMC25564 and identify the canonical pyridine nucleotide-binding residues, along with coenzyme specificity, through site-directed mutagenesis. The results confirm a functional dimeric assembly from a tetramer that appeared in the crystallographic asymmetric unit identical to that established in previous studies. Furthermore, AspPHBH exhibits coenzyme versatility, utilizing both NADH and NADPH, with a preference for NADH. Rational engineering experiments demonstrated that targeted mutations in coenzyme surrounding residues profoundly impact NADPH binding, leading to nearly abrogated enzymatic activity compared to that of NADH. R50, R273, and S166 emerged as significant residues for NAD(P)H binding, having a near-fatal impact on NADPH binding compared to NADH. Likewise, the E44 residue plays a critical role in determining coenzyme specificity. Overall, our findings contribute to the fundamental understanding of the determinants of PHBH's active dimeric conformation, coenzyme binding and specificity holding promise for biotechnological advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Ghimire
- Department of Life Science and Biochemical Engineering, Graduate School, SunMoon University, Asan 31460, Republic of Korea
| | - Subin Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea; Department of Global Innovative Drugs, Graduate School of Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ho Park
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea; Department of Global Innovative Drugs, Graduate School of Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea.
| | - Tae-Jin Oh
- Department of Life Science and Biochemical Engineering, Graduate School, SunMoon University, Asan 31460, Republic of Korea; Genome-based BioIT Convergence Institute, Asan 31460, Republic of Korea; Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Biotechnology, SunMoon University, Asan 31460, Republic of Korea.
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4
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Katsuki N, Masuo S, Nukui N, Minakawa H, Takaya N. Gallic acid fermentation by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli producing p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase from Hylemonella gracilis NS1. J GEN APPL MICROBIOL 2024; 69:301-308. [PMID: 37648467 DOI: 10.2323/jgam.2023.08.004] [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] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Plant-derived phenolic gallic acid (GA) is an important raw material for antioxidants and food additives. Efforts to ferment GA using microbial processes have aimed at minimizing production costs and environmental load using enzymes that hydroxylate p-hydroxybenzoate and protocatechuate (PCA). Here, we found a p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PobA) in the bacterium Hylemonella gracilis NS1 (HgPobA) with 1.5-fold more hydroxylation activity than that from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and thus converted PCA to GA more efficiently. The PCA hydroxylation activity of HgPobA was improved by introducing the amino acid substitutions L207V/Y393F or T302A/Y393F. These mutants had 2.9- and 3.7-fold lower Kmapp for PCA than wild-type HgPobA. An Escherichia coli strain that reinforces shikimate pathway metabolism and produces HgPobA when cultured for 60 h generated 0.27 g L-1 of GA. This is the first report of fermenting glucose to generate GA using a natural enzyme from the PobA family. The E. coli strain harboring the HgPobA L207V/Y393F mutant increased GA production to 0.56 g L-1. During the early stages of culture, GA was fermented at a 10-fold higher rate by a strain producing either HgPobA L207V/Y393F or T302A/Y393F compared with wild-type HgPobA, which agreed with the high kcatapp/Kmapp PCA values of this mutant. We enhanced a PobA isozyme and its PCA hydroxylating function to efficiently and cost-effectively ferment GA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Katsuki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba
| | - Shunsuke Masuo
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba
| | - Noriyuki Nukui
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba
| | - Hajime Minakawa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba
| | - Naoki Takaya
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba
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5
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Orsi E, Schada von Borzyskowski L, Noack S, Nikel PI, Lindner SN. Automated in vivo enzyme engineering accelerates biocatalyst optimization. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3447. [PMID: 38658554 PMCID: PMC11043082 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46574-4] [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: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Achieving cost-competitive bio-based processes requires development of stable and selective biocatalysts. Their realization through in vitro enzyme characterization and engineering is mostly low throughput and labor-intensive. Therefore, strategies for increasing throughput while diminishing manual labor are gaining momentum, such as in vivo screening and evolution campaigns. Computational tools like machine learning further support enzyme engineering efforts by widening the explorable design space. Here, we propose an integrated solution to enzyme engineering challenges whereby ML-guided, automated workflows (including library generation, implementation of hypermutation systems, adapted laboratory evolution, and in vivo growth-coupled selection) could be realized to accelerate pipelines towards superior biocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Orsi
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Stephan Noack
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Pablo I Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Steffen N Lindner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
- Department of Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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6
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Li C, Gao X, Li H, Wang T, Lu F, Qin H. Growth-Coupled Evolutionary Pressure Improving Epimerases for D-Allulose Biosynthesis Using a Biosensor-Assisted In Vivo Selection Platform. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2306478. [PMID: 38308132 PMCID: PMC11005681 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Fast screening strategies that enable high-throughput evaluation and identification of desired variants from diversified enzyme libraries are crucial to tailoring biocatalysts for the synthesis of D-allulose, which is currently limited by the poor catalytic performance of ketose 3-epimerases (KEases). Here, the study designs a minimally equipment-dependent, high-throughput, and growth-coupled in vivo screening platform founded on a redesigned D-allulose-dependent biosensor system. The genetic elements modulating regulator PsiR expression levels undergo systematic optimization to improve the growth-responsive dynamic range of the biosensor, which presents ≈30-fold facilitated growth optical density with a high signal-to-noise ratio (1.52 to 0.05) toward D-allulose concentrations from 0 to 100 mm. Structural analysis and evolutionary conservation analysis of Agrobacterium sp. SUL3 D-allulose 3-epimerase (ADAE) reveal a highly conserved catalytic active site and variable hydrophobic pocket, which together regulate substrate recognition. Structure-guided rational design and directed evolution are implemented using the growth-coupled in vivo screening platform to reprogram ADAE, in which a mutant M42 (P38N/V102A/Y201L/S207N/I251R) is identified with a 6.28-fold enhancement of catalytic activity and significantly improved thermostability with a 2.5-fold increase of the half-life at 60 °C. The research demonstrates that biosensor-assisted growth-coupled evolutionary pressure combined with structure-guided rational design provides a universal route for engineering KEases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of EducationTianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial MicrobiologyNational Engineering Laboratory for Industrial EnzymesCollege of BiotechnologyTianjin University of Science and TechnologyTianjin300457P. R. China
| | - Xin Gao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of EducationTianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial MicrobiologyNational Engineering Laboratory for Industrial EnzymesCollege of BiotechnologyTianjin University of Science and TechnologyTianjin300457P. R. China
| | - Huimin Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of EducationTianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial MicrobiologyNational Engineering Laboratory for Industrial EnzymesCollege of BiotechnologyTianjin University of Science and TechnologyTianjin300457P. R. China
| | - Tong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of EducationTianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial MicrobiologyNational Engineering Laboratory for Industrial EnzymesCollege of BiotechnologyTianjin University of Science and TechnologyTianjin300457P. R. China
| | - Fuping Lu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of EducationTianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial MicrobiologyNational Engineering Laboratory for Industrial EnzymesCollege of BiotechnologyTianjin University of Science and TechnologyTianjin300457P. R. China
| | - Hui‐Min Qin
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of EducationTianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial MicrobiologyNational Engineering Laboratory for Industrial EnzymesCollege of BiotechnologyTianjin University of Science and TechnologyTianjin300457P. R. China
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7
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Shi T, Sun X, Yuan Q, Wang J, Shen X. Exploring the role of flavin-dependent monooxygenases in the biosynthesis of aromatic compounds. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2024; 17:46. [PMID: 38520003 PMCID: PMC10958861 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-024-02490-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Hydroxylated aromatic compounds exhibit exceptional biological activities. In the biosynthesis of these compounds, three types of hydroxylases are commonly employed: cytochrome P450 (CYP450), pterin-dependent monooxygenase (PDM), and flavin-dependent monooxygenase (FDM). Among these, FDM is a preferred choice due to its small molecular weight, stable expression in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic fermentation systems, and a relatively high concentration of necessary cofactors. However, the catalytic efficiency of many FDMs falls short of meeting the demands of large-scale production. Additionally, challenges arise from the limited availability of cofactors and compatibility issues among enzyme components. Recently, significant progress has been achieved in improving its catalytic efficiency, but have not yet detailed and informative viewed so far. Therefore, this review emphasizes the advancements in FDMs for the biosynthesis of hydroxylated aromatic compounds and presents a summary of three strategies aimed at enhancing their catalytic efficiency: (a) Developing efficient enzyme mutants through protein engineering; (b) enhancing the supply and rapid circulation of critical cofactors; (c) facilitating cofactors delivery for enhancing FDMs catalytic efficiency. Furthermore, the current challenges and further perspectives on improving catalytic efficiency of FDMs are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xinxiao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Qipeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
| | - Xiaolin Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China.
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8
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Katsuki N, Fukushima R, Doi Y, Masuo S, Arakawa T, Yamada C, Fushinobu S, Takaya N. Protocatechuate hydroxylase is a novel group A flavoprotein monooxygenase with a unique substrate recognition mechanism. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105508. [PMID: 38029967 PMCID: PMC10770758 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105508] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Para-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PHBH) is a group A flavoprotein monooxygenase that hydroxylates p-hydroxybenzoate to protocatechuate (PCA). Despite intensive studies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PaPobA), the catalytic reactions of extremely diverse putative PHBH isozymes remain unresolved. We analyzed the phylogenetic relationships of known and predicted PHBHs and identified eight divergent clades. Clade F contains a protein that lacks the critical amino acid residues required for PaPobA to generate PHBH activity. Among proteins in this clade, Xylophilus ampelinus PobA (XaPobA) preferred PCA as a substrate and is the first known natural PCA 5-hydroxylase (PCAH). Crystal structures and kinetic properties revealed similar mechanisms of substrate carboxy group recognition between XaPobA and PaPobA. The unique Ile75, Met72, Val199, Trp201, and Phe385 residues of XaPobA form the bottom of a hydrophobic cavity with a shape that complements the 3-and 4-hydroxy groups of PCA and its binding site configuration. An interaction between the δ-sulfur atom of Met210 and the aromatic ring of PCA is likely to stabilize XaPobA-PCA complexes. The 4-hydroxy group of PCA forms a hydrogen bond with the main chain carbonyl of Thr294. These modes of binding constitute a novel substrate recognition mechanism that PaPobA lacks. This mechanism characterizes XaPobA and sheds light on the diversity of catalytic mechanisms of PobA-type PHBHs and group A flavoprotein monooxygenases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Katsuki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Riku Fukushima
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Doi
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Masuo
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takatoshi Arakawa
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Chihaya Yamada
- School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shinya Fushinobu
- Department of Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Naoki Takaya
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
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9
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Li Z, Deng Y, Yang GY. Growth-coupled high throughput selection for directed enzyme evolution. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 68:108238. [PMID: 37619825 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108238] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Directed enzyme evolution has revolutionized the rapid development of enzymes with desired properties. However, the lack of a high-throughput method to identify the most suitable variants from a large pool of genetic diversity poses a major bottleneck. To overcome this challenge, growth-coupled in vivo high-throughput selection approaches (GCHTS) have emerged as a novel selection system for enzyme evolution. GCHTS links the survival of the host cell with the properties of the target protein, resulting in a screening system that is easily measurable and has a high throughput-scale limited only by transformation efficiency. This allows for the rapid identification of desired variants from a pool of >109 variants in each experiment. In recent years, GCHTS approaches have been extensively utilized in the directed evolution of multiple enzymes, demonstrating success in catalyzing non-native substrates, enhancing catalytic activity, and acquiring novel functions. This review introduces three main strategies employed to achieve GCHTS: the elimination of toxic compounds via desired variants, enabling host cells to thrive in hazardous conditions; the complementation of an auxotroph with desired variants, where essential genes for cell growth have been eliminated; and the control of the transcription or expression of a reporter gene related to host cell growth, regulated by the desired variants. Additionally, we highlighted the recent developments in the in vivo continuous evolution of enzyme technology, including phage-assisted continuous evolution (PACE) and orthogonal DNA Replication (OrthoRep). Furthermore, this review discusses the challenges and future prospects in the field of growth-coupled selection for protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengqun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yuting Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Guang-Yu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
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10
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Aspacio D, Zhang Y, Cui Y, King E, Black WB, Perea S, Luu E, Siegel JB, Li H. Shifting Redox Reaction Equilibria on Demand Using an Orthogonal Redox Cofactor. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.29.555398. [PMID: 37693387 PMCID: PMC10491207 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.29.555398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Natural metabolism relies on chemical compartmentalization of two redox cofactors, NAD+ and NADP+, to orchestrate life-essential redox reaction directions. However, in whole cells the reliance on these canonical cofactors limits flexible control of redox reaction direction as these reactions are permanently tied to catabolism or anabolism. In cell-free systems, NADP+ is too expensive in large scale. We have previously reported the use of nicotinamide mononucleotide, (NMN+) as a low-cost, noncanonical redox cofactor capable of specific electron delivery to diverse chemistries. Here, we present Nox Ortho, an NMNH-specific water-forming oxidase, that completes the toolkit to modulate NMNH/NMN+ ratio. This work uncovers an enzyme design principle that succeeds in parallel engineering of six butanediol dehydrogenases as NMN(H)-orthogonal biocatalysts consistently with a 103 - 106 -fold cofactor specificity switch from NAD(P)+ to NMN+. We combine these to produce chiral-pure 2,3-butanediol (Bdo) isomers without interference from NAD(H) or NADP(H) in vitro and in E. coli cells. We establish that NMN(H) can be held at a distinct redox ratio on demand, decoupled from both NAD(H) and NADP(H) redox ratios in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Aspacio
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Yulai Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Youtian Cui
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Edward King
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - William B. Black
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Sean Perea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Emma Luu
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Justin B. Siegel
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Han Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
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11
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Nonaka K, Osamura T, Takahashi F. A 4-hydroxybenzoate 3-hydroxylase mutant enables 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid production from glucose in Corynebacterium glutamicum. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:168. [PMID: 37644492 PMCID: PMC10466732 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02179-y] [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: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbial production of aromatic chemicals is an attractive method for obtaining high-performance materials from biomass resources. A non-proteinogenic amino acid, 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid (4,3-AHBA), is expected to be a precursor of highly functional polybenzoxazole polymers; however, methods for its microbial production have not been reported. In this study, we attempted to produce 4,3-AHBA from glucose by introducing 3-hydroxylation of 4-aminobenzoic acid (4-ABA) into the metabolic pathway of an industrially relevant bacterium, Corynebacterium glutamicum. RESULTS Six different 4-hydroxybenzoate 3-hydroxylases (PHBHs) were heterologously expressed in C. glutamicum strains, which were then screened for the production of 4,3-AHBA by culturing with glucose as a carbon source. The highest concentration of 4,3-AHBA was detected in the strain expressing PHBH from Caulobacter vibrioides (CvPHBH). A combination of site-directed mutagenesis in the active site and random mutagenesis via laccase-mediated colorimetric assay allowed us to obtain CvPHBH mutants that enhanced 4,3-AHBA productivity under deep-well plate culture conditions. The recombinant C. glutamicum strain expressing CvPHBHM106A/T294S and having an enhanced 4-ABA biosynthetic pathway produced 13.5 g/L (88 mM) 4,3-AHBA and 0.059 g/L (0.43 mM) precursor 4-ABA in fed-batch culture using a nutrient-rich medium. The culture of this strain in the chemically defined CGXII medium yielded 9.8 C-mol% of 4,3-AHBA from glucose, corresponding to 12.8% of the theoretical maximum yield (76.8 C-mol%) calculated using a genome-scale metabolic model of C. glutamicum. CONCLUSIONS Identification of PHBH mutants that could efficiently catalyze the 3-hydroxylation of 4-ABA in C. glutamicum allowed us to construct an artificial biosynthetic pathway capable of producing 4,3-AHBA on a gram-scale using glucose as the carbon source. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of enzyme-catalyzed regioselective hydroxylation of aromatic chemicals and to the diversification of biomass-derived precursors for high-performance materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoshiro Nonaka
- Biological Science Research, Kao Corporation, 1334 Minato, Wakayama, Wakayama, 640-8580, Japan.
| | - Tatsuya Osamura
- Biological Science Research, Kao Corporation, 1334 Minato, Wakayama, Wakayama, 640-8580, Japan
| | - Fumikazu Takahashi
- Biological Science Research, Kao Corporation, 1334 Minato, Wakayama, Wakayama, 640-8580, Japan
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12
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Nielsen JR, Weusthuis RA, Huang WE. Growth-coupled enzyme engineering through manipulation of redox cofactor regeneration. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 63:108102. [PMID: 36681133 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Enzymes need to be efficient, robust, and highly specific for their effective use in commercial bioproduction. These properties can be introduced using various enzyme engineering techniques, with random mutagenesis and directed evolution (DE) often being chosen when there is a lack of structural information -or mechanistic understanding- of the enzyme. The screening or selection step of DE is the limiting part of this process, since it must ideally be (ultra)-high throughput, specifically target the catalytic activity of the enzyme and have an accurately quantifiable metric for said activity. Growth-coupling selection strategies involve coupling a desired enzyme activity to cellular metabolism and therefore growth, where growth (rate) becomes the output metric. Redox cofactors (NAD+/NADH and NADP+/NADPH) have recently been identified as promising target molecules for growth coupling, owing to their essentiality for cellular metabolism and ubiquitous nature. Redox cofactor oxidation or reduction can be disrupted through metabolic engineering and the use of specific culturing conditions, rendering the cell inviable unless a 'rescue' reaction complements the imposed metabolic deficiency. Using this principle, enzyme variants displaying improved cofactor oxidation or reduction rates can be selected for through an increased growth rate of the cell. In recent years, several E. coli strains have been developed that are deficient in the oxidation or reduction of NAD+/NADH and NADP+/NADPH pairs, and of non-canonical redox cofactor pairs NMN+/NMNH and NCD+/NCDH, which provides researchers with a versatile toolbox of enzyme engineering platforms. A range of redox cofactor dependent enzymes have since been engineered using a variety of these strains, demonstrating the power of using this growth-coupling technique for enzyme engineering. This review aims to summarize the metabolic engineering involved in creating strains auxotrophic for the reduced or oxidized state of redox cofactors, and the resulting successes in using them for enzyme engineering. Perspectives on the unique features and potential future applications of this technique are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochem R Nielsen
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PJ, United Kingdom.
| | - Ruud A Weusthuis
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen 6700AA, the Netherlands.
| | - Wei E Huang
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PJ, United Kingdom.
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13
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A growth selection system for the directed evolution of amine-forming or converting enzymes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7458. [PMID: 36460668 PMCID: PMC9718777 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35228-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Fast screening of enzyme variants is crucial for tailoring biocatalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of non-natural chiral chemicals, such as amines. However, most existing screening methods either are limited by the throughput or require specialized equipment. Herein, we report a simple, high-throughput, low-equipment dependent, and generally applicable growth selection system for engineering amine-forming or converting enzymes and apply it to improve biocatalysts belonging to three different enzyme classes. This results in (i) an amine transaminase variant with 110-fold increased specific activity for the asymmetric synthesis of the chiral amine intermediate of Linagliptin; (ii) a 270-fold improved monoamine oxidase to prepare the chiral amine intermediate of Cinacalcet by deracemization; and (iii) an ammonia lyase variant with a 26-fold increased activity in the asymmetric synthesis of a non-natural amino acid. Our growth selection system is adaptable to different enzyme classes, varying levels of enzyme activities, and thus a flexible tool for various stages of an engineering campaign.
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14
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A high-throughput visual screening method for p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase to increase phenolic compounds biosynthesis. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2022; 15:43. [PMID: 35501924 PMCID: PMC9063093 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-022-02142-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Gallic acid (GA) and pyrogallol are phenolic hydroxyl compounds and have diverse biological activities. Microbial-based biosynthesis, as an ecofriendly method, has been used for GA and pyrogallol production. In GA and pyrogallol biosynthetic pathways, the low hydroxylation activity of p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PobA) towards 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3,4-DHBA) limited the high-level biosynthesis of GA and pyrogallol. Results This work reported a high activity PobA mutant (Y385F/T294A/V349A PobA) towards 3,4-DHBA. This mutant was screened out from a PobA random mutagenesis library through a novel naked eye visual screening method. In vitro enzyme assay showed this mutant has a kcat/Km of 0.059 μM−1 s−1 towards 3,4-DHBA, which was 4.92-fold higher than the reported mutant (Y385F/T294A PobA). Molecular docking simulation provided the possible catalytic mechanism explanation of the high activity mutant. Expression of this mutant in E. coli BW25113 (Fʹ) can generate 840 ± 23 mg/L GA from 1000 mg/L 3,4-DHBA. After that, this mutant was assembled into a de novo GA biosynthetic pathway. Subsequently, this pathway was introduced into a 3,4-DHBA-producing strain (E. coli BW25113 (Fʹ)ΔaroE) to achieve 301 ± 15 mg/L GA production from simple carbon sources. Similarly, assembling this mutant into a de novo pyrogallol biosynthetic pathway enabled 129 ± 15 mg/L pyrogallol production. Conclusions This work established an efficient screening method and generated a high activity PobA mutant. Assembling this mutant into de novo GA and pyrogallol biosynthetic pathways achieved the production of these two compounds from glucose. Besides, this mutant has great potential for the production of GA or pyrogallol derivatives. The screening method could be used for other GA biosynthesis-related enzymes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13068-022-02142-w.
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15
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King E, Maxel S, Zhang Y, Kenney KC, Cui Y, Luu E, Siegel JB, Weiss GA, Luo R, Li H. Orthogonal glycolytic pathway enables directed evolution of noncanonical cofactor oxidase. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7282. [PMID: 36435948 PMCID: PMC9701214 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35021-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Noncanonical cofactor biomimetics (NCBs) such as nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN+) provide enhanced scalability for biomanufacturing. However, engineering enzymes to accept NCBs is difficult. Here, we establish a growth selection platform to evolve enzymes to utilize NMN+-based reducing power. This is based on an orthogonal, NMN+-dependent glycolytic pathway in Escherichia coli which can be coupled to any reciprocal enzyme to recycle the ensuing reduced NMN+. With a throughput of >106 variants per iteration, the growth selection discovers a Lactobacillus pentosus NADH oxidase variant with ~10-fold increase in NMNH catalytic efficiency and enhanced activity for other NCBs. Molecular modeling and experimental validation suggest that instead of directly contacting NCBs, the mutations optimize the enzyme's global conformational dynamics to resemble the WT with the native cofactor bound. Restoring the enzyme's access to catalytically competent conformation states via deep navigation of protein sequence space with high-throughput evolution provides a universal route to engineer NCB-dependent enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward King
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Sarah Maxel
- Department Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Yulai Zhang
- Department Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Karissa C Kenney
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Youtian Cui
- Genome Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Emma Luu
- Genome Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Justin B Siegel
- Genome Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Medicine University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Gregory A Weiss
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ray Luo
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department Materials Science and Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Han Li
- Department Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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16
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Zhang L, King E, Black WB, Heckmann CM, Wolder A, Cui Y, Nicklen F, Siegel JB, Luo R, Paul CE, Li H. Directed evolution of phosphite dehydrogenase to cycle noncanonical redox cofactors via universal growth selection platform. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5021. [PMID: 36028482 PMCID: PMC9418148 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32727-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Noncanonical redox cofactors are attractive low-cost alternatives to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) (NAD(P)+) in biotransformation. However, engineering enzymes to utilize them is challenging. Here, we present a high-throughput directed evolution platform which couples cell growth to the in vivo cycling of a noncanonical cofactor, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN+). We achieve this by engineering the life-essential glutathione reductase in Escherichia coli to exclusively rely on the reduced NMN+ (NMNH). Using this system, we develop a phosphite dehydrogenase (PTDH) to cycle NMN+ with ~147-fold improved catalytic efficiency, which translates to an industrially viable total turnover number of ~45,000 in cell-free biotransformation without requiring high cofactor concentrations. Moreover, the PTDH variants also exhibit improved activity with another structurally deviant noncanonical cofactor, 1-benzylnicotinamide (BNA+), showcasing their broad applications. Structural modeling prediction reveals a general design principle where the mutations and the smaller, noncanonical cofactors together mimic the steric interactions of the larger, natural cofactors NAD(P)+.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyue Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Edward King
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - William B Black
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Christian M Heckmann
- Biocatalysis, Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Allison Wolder
- Biocatalysis, Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Youtian Cui
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Francis Nicklen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Justin B Siegel
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, 2700 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 2102, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, 451 Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Ray Luo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department Materials Science and Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Caroline E Paul
- Biocatalysis, Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Han Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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17
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A phosphite-based screening platform for identification of enzymes favoring nonnatural cofactors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12484. [PMID: 35864126 PMCID: PMC9304416 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16599-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Enzymes with dedicated cofactor preference are essential for advanced biocatalysis and biomanufacturing, especially when employing nonnatural nicotinamide cofactors in redox reactions. However, directed evolution of an enzyme to switch its cofactor preference is often hindered by the lack of efficient and affordable method for screening as the cofactor per se or the substrate can be prohibitively expensive. Here, we developed a growth-based selection platform to identify nonnatural cofactor-dependent oxidoreductase mutants. The growth of bacteria depended on the nicotinamide cytosine dinucleotide (NCD) mediated conversion of non-metabolizable phosphite into phosphate. The strain BW14329 lacking the ability to oxidize phosphite was suitable as host, and NCD-dependent phosphite dehydrogenase (Pdh*) is essential to the selection platform. Previously confirmed NCD synthetase with NCD synthesis capacity and NCD-dependent malic enzyme were successfully identified by using the platform. The feasibility of this strategy was successfully demonstrated using derived NCD-active malic enzyme as well as for the directed evolution of NCD synthetase in Escherichia coli. A phosphite-based screening platform was built for identification of enzymes favoring nonnatural cofactor NCD. In the future, once Pdh variants favoring other biomimetic or nonnatural cofactors are available this selection platform may be readily redesigned to attain new enzyme variants with anticipated cofactor preference, providing opportunities to further expand the chemical space of redox cofactors in chemical biology and synthetic biology.
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18
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Xie X, Ding D, Bai D, Zhu Y, Sun W, Sun Y, Zhang D. Melatonin biosynthesis pathways in nature and its production in engineered microorganisms. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2022; 7:544-553. [PMID: 35087957 PMCID: PMC8761603 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2021.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Melatonin is a biogenic amine that can be found in plants, animals and microorganism. The metabolic pathway of melatonin is different in various organisms, and biosynthetic endogenous melatonin acts as a molecular signal and antioxidant protection against external stress. Microbial synthesis pathways of melatonin are similar to those of animals but different from those of plants. At present, the method of using microorganism fermentation to produce melatonin is gradually prevailing, and exploring the biosynthetic pathway of melatonin to modify microorganism is becoming the mainstream, which has more advantages than traditional chemical synthesis. Here, we review recent advances in the synthesis, optimization of melatonin pathway. l-tryptophan is one of the two crucial precursors for the synthesis of melatonin, which can be produced through a four-step reaction. Enzymes involved in melatonin synthesis have low specificity and catalytic efficiency. Site-directed mutation, directed evolution or promotion of cofactor synthesis can enhance enzyme activity and increase the metabolic flow to promote microbial melatonin production. On the whole, the status and bottleneck of melatonin biosynthesis can be improved to a higher level, providing an effective reference for future microbial modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Xie
- Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, 116000, PR China
| | - Dongqin Ding
- Tianjin Institutes of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PR China
- Biodesign Center, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PR China
| | - Danyang Bai
- Tianjin Institutes of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PR China
- Biodesign Center, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PR China
| | - Yaru Zhu
- Tianjin Institutes of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PR China
- Biodesign Center, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PR China
| | - Wei Sun
- Tianjin University of science and technology, Tianjin, 300308, PR China
| | - Yumei Sun
- Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, 116000, PR China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Tianjin Institutes of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PR China
- Biodesign Center, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PR China
- Corresponding author. Tianjin Institutes of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PR China.
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19
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20
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Engineering synthetic auxotrophs for growth-coupled directed protein evolution. Trends Biotechnol 2022; 40:773-776. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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21
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Sellés Vidal L, Murray JW, Heap JT. Versatile selective evolutionary pressure using synthetic defect in universal metabolism. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6859. [PMID: 34824282 PMCID: PMC8616928 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27266-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The non-natural needs of industrial applications often require new or improved enzymes. The structures and properties of enzymes are difficult to predict or design de novo. Instead, semi-rational approaches mimicking evolution entail diversification of parent enzymes followed by evaluation of isolated variants. Artificial selection pressures coupling desired enzyme properties to cell growth could overcome this key bottleneck, but are usually narrow in scope. Here we show diverse enzymes using the ubiquitous cofactors nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) can substitute for defective NAD regeneration, representing a very broadly-applicable artificial selection. Inactivation of Escherichia coli genes required for anaerobic NAD regeneration causes a conditional growth defect. Cells are rescued by foreign enzymes connected to the metabolic network only via NAD or NADP, but only when their substrates are supplied. Using this principle, alcohol dehydrogenase, imine reductase and nitroreductase variants with desired selectivity modifications, and a high-performing isopropanol metabolic pathway, are isolated from libraries of millions of variants in single-round experiments with typical limited information to guide design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Sellés Vidal
- grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ UK ,grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | - James W. Murray
- grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | - John T. Heap
- grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ UK ,grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ UK ,grid.4563.40000 0004 1936 8868School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD UK
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22
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Maxel S, Saleh S, King E, Aspacio D, Zhang L, Luo R, Li H. Growth-Based, High-Throughput Selection for NADH Preference in an Oxygen-Dependent Biocatalyst. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:2359-2370. [PMID: 34469126 PMCID: PMC10362907 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cyclohexanone monooxygenases (CHMO) consume molecular oxygen and NADPH to catalyze the valuable oxidation of cyclic ketones. However, CHMO usage is restricted by poor stability and stringent specificity for NADPH. Efforts to engineer CHMO have been limited by the sensitivity of the enzyme to perturbations in conformational dynamics and long-range interactions that cannot be predicted. We demonstrate an aerobic, high-throughput growth selection platform in Escherichia coli for oxygenase evolution based on NADH redox balance. We applied this NADH-dependent selection to alter the cofactor specificity of CHMO to accept NADH, a less expensive cofactor than NADPH. We first identified the variant CHMO DTNP (S208D-K326T-K349N-L143P) with a ∼1200-fold relative cofactor specificity switch from NADPH to NADH compared to the wild type through semirational design. Molecular modeling suggests CHMO DTNP activity is driven by cooperative fine-tuning of cofactor contacts. Additional evolution of CHMO DTNP through random mutagenesis yielded the variant CHMO DTNPY with a ∼2900-fold relative specificity switch compared to the wild type afforded by an additional distal mutation, H163Y. These results highlight the difficulty in engineering functionally innovative variants from static models and rational designs, and the need for high throughput selection methods. Our introduced tools for oxygenase engineering accelerate the advancements of characteristics essential for industrial feasibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Maxel
- Departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Samer Saleh
- Departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Edward King
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Derek Aspacio
- Departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Linyue Zhang
- Departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Ray Luo
- Departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Han Li
- Departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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King E, Maxel S, Li H. Engineering natural and noncanonical nicotinamide cofactor-dependent enzymes: design principles and technology development. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 66:217-226. [PMID: 32956903 PMCID: PMC7744333 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Nicotinamide cofactors enable oxidoreductases to catalyze a myriad of important reactions in biomanufacturing. Decades of research has focused on optimizing enzymes which utilize natural nicotinamide cofactors, namely nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) (NAD(P)+). Recent findings reignite the interest in engineering enzymes to utilize noncanonical cofactors, the mimetics of NAD+ (mNADs), which exhibit superior industrial properties in vitro and enable specific electron delivery in vivo. We compare recent advances in engineering natural versus noncanonical cofactor-utilizing enzymes, discuss design principles discovered, and survey emerging high-throughput platforms beyond the traditional 96-well plate-based methods. Obtaining mNAD-dependent enzymes remains challenging with a limited toolkit. To this end, we highlight design principles and technologies which can potentially be translated from engineering natural to noncanonical cofactor-dependent enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward King
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Sarah Maxel
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Han Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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Maxel S, King E, Zhang Y, Luo R, Li H. Leveraging Oxidative Stress to Regulate Redox Balance-Based, In Vivo Growth Selections for Oxygenase Engineering. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:3124-3133. [PMID: 32966747 PMCID: PMC10441625 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Directed evolution methods based on high-throughput growth selection enable efficient discovery of enzymes with improved function in vivo. High-throughput selection is particularly useful when engineering oxygenases, which are sensitive to structural perturbations and prone to uncoupled activity. In this work, we combine the principle that reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by uncoupled oxygenase activity are detrimental to cell fitness with a redox balance-based growth selection method for oxygenase engineering that enables concurrent advancement in catalytic activity and coupling efficiency. As a proof-of-concept, we engineered P450-BM3 for degradation of acenaphthene (ACN), a recalcitrant environmental pollutant. Selection of site-saturation mutagenesis libraries in E. coli strain MX203 identified P450-BM3 variants GVQ-AL and GVQ-D222N, which have both improved coupling efficiency and catalytic activity compared to the starting variant. Computational modeling indicates that the discovered mutations cooperatively optimize binding pocket shape complementarity to ACN, and shift the protein's conformational dynamics to favor the lid-closed, catalytically competent state. We further demonstrated that the selective pressure on coupling efficiency can be tuned by modulating cellular ROS defense mechanisms.
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Maxel S, Zhang L, King E, Acosta AP, Luo R, Li H. In Vivo, High-Throughput Selection of Thermostable Cyclohexanone Monooxygenase (CHMO). Catalysts 2020; 10:935. [PMID: 37637965 PMCID: PMC10453637 DOI: 10.3390/catal10080935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclohexanone monooxygenase (CHMO) from Acinetobacter sp. NCIMB 9871 is characterized as having wide substrate versatility for the biooxidation of (cyclic) ketones into esters and lactones with high stereospecificity. Despite industrial potential, CHMO usage is restricted by poor thermostability. Limited high-throughput screening tools and challenges in rationally engineering thermostability have impeded CHMO engineering efforts. We demonstrate the application of an aerobic, high-throughput growth selection platform in Escherichia coli (strain MX203) for the discovery of thermostability enhancing mutations for CHMO. The selection employs growth for the easy readout of CHMO activity in vivo, by requiring nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-consuming enzymes to restore cellular redox balance. In the presence of the native substrate cyclohexanone, variant CHMO GV (A245G-A288V) was discovered from a random mutagenesis library screened at 42 °C. This variant retained native activity, exhibited ~4.4-fold improvement in residual activity after 30 °C incubation, and demonstrated ~5-fold higher cyclohexanone conversion at 37 °C compared to the wild type. Molecular modeling indicates that CHMO GV experiences more favorable residue packing and supports additional backbone hydrogen bonding. Further rational design resulted in CHMO A245G-A288V-T415C with improved thermostability at 45 °C. Our platform for oxygenase evolution enabled the rapid engineering of protein stability critical for industrial scalability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Maxel
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Linyue Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Edward King
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ana Paula Acosta
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ray Luo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Han Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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