Stereochemical features of the hydrolysis of 9,10-epoxystearic acid catalysed by plant and mammalian epoxide hydrolases

Structure of epoxide hydrolase 2 from Mangifera indica throws light on the substrate specificity determinants of plant epoxide hydrolases

Epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are a group of ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze hydrolysis of chemically reactive epoxides to yield corresponding dihydrodiols. Despite extensive studies on EHs from different clades, generic rules governing their substrate specificity determinants have remained elusive. Here, we present structural, biochemical and molecular dynamics simulation studies on MiEH2, a plant epoxide hydrolase from Mangifera indica. Comparative structure-function analysis of nine homologs of MiEH2, which include a few AlphaFold structural models, show that the two conserved tyrosines (MiEH2Y152 and MiEH2Y232) from the lid domain dissect substrate binding tunnel into two halves, forming substrate-binding-pocket one (BP1) and two (BP2). This compartmentalization offers diverse binding modes to their substrates, as exemplified by the binding of smaller aromatic substrates, such as styrene oxide (SO). Docking and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the linear epoxy fatty acid substrates predominantly occupy BP1, while the aromatic substrates can bind to either BP1 or BP2. Furthermore, SO preferentially binds to BP2, by stacking against catalytically important histidine (MiEH2H297) with the conserved lid tyrosines engaging its epoxide oxygen. Residue (MiEH2L263) next to the catalytic aspartate (MiEH2D262) modulates substrate binding modes. Thus, the divergent binding modes correlate with the differential affinities of the EHs for their substrates. Furthermore, long-range dynamical coupling between the lid and core domains critically influences substrate enantioselectivity in plant EHs.

Characterization of the Oxylipin Pattern and Other Fatty Acid Oxidation Products in Freshly Pressed and Stored Plant Oils

Enzymatic and nonenzymatic oxidation of linoleic (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) during pressing and storage of plant oils leads to a variety of oxylipins. We pressed oils from flaxseeds, rapeseeds, and sunflower seeds and analyzed the oxylipin pattern in freshly pressed oils. 9-/13-Hydro(pero)xy-LA/-ALA occurred in high concentration resulting probably from lipoxygenase-catalyzed reactions as well as autoxidation and photooxidation. However, in flaxseed and rapeseed oil, the highest concentrations were found for the terminal epoxy-ALA (15(16)-EpODE) and the hardly known 15-hydroxy-LA (15-HODE, 80 mg/100 g in flaxseed oil). Oils were stored for 6 months and the peroxide value (PV) as well as oxylipin and secondary volatile aldehyde concentrations were determined. While lipid peroxidation in flaxseed oil was surprisingly low, the oxylipin concentration and PV massively increased in rapeseed oil dependent on oxygen availability. Oxylipin concentrations correlated well with the PV, while secondary volatile aldehydes did not reflect the changes of oxylipins and PVs. The comprehensive analysis of hydroxy-, epoxy-, and dihydroxy-LA/-ALA reveals new and unique insights into the composition of plant oils and ongoing oxidation processes.

Dysfunctional peroxisomal lipid metabolisms and their ocular manifestations

Retina is rich in lipids and dyslipidemia causes retinal dysfunction and eye diseases. In retina, lipids are not only important membrane component in cells and organelles but also fuel substrates for energy production. However, our current knowledge of lipid processing in the retina are very limited. Peroxisomes play a critical role in lipid homeostasis and genetic disorders with peroxisomal dysfunction have different types of ocular complications. In this review, we focus on the role of peroxisomes in lipid metabolism, including degradation and detoxification of very-long-chain fatty acids, branched-chain fatty acids, dicarboxylic acids, reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, glyoxylate, and amino acids, as well as biosynthesis of docosahexaenoic acid, plasmalogen and bile acids. We also discuss the potential contributions of peroxisomal pathways to eye health and summarize the reported cases of ocular symptoms in patients with peroxisomal disorders, corresponding to each disrupted peroxisomal pathway. We also review the cross-talk between peroxisomes and other organelles such as lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria.

Structural diversity, biosynthesis, and function of plant falcarin-type polyacetylenic lipids

The polyacetylenic lipids falcarinol, falcarindiol, and associated derivatives, termed falcarins, have a widespread taxonomical distribution in the plant kingdom and have received increasing interest for their demonstrated health-promoting properties as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents. These fatty acid-derived compounds are also linked to plant pathogen resistance through their potent antimicrobial properties. Falcarin-type polyacetylenes, which contain two conjugated triple bonds, are derived from structural modifications of the common fatty acid oleic acid. In the past half century, much progress has been made in understanding the structural diversity of falcarins in the plant kingdom, whereas limited progress has been made on elucidating falcarin function in plant-pathogen interactions. More recently, an understanding of the biosynthetic machinery underlying falcarin biosynthesis has emerged. This review provides a concise summary of the current state of knowledge on falcarin structural diversity, biosynthesis, and plant defense properties. We also present major unanswered questions about falcarin biosynthesis and function.

Structure-function relationship between soluble epoxide hydrolases structure and their tunnel network

Enzymes with buried active sites maintain their catalytic function via a single tunnel or tunnel network. In this study we analyzed the functionality of soluble epoxide hydrolases (sEHs) tunnel network, by comparing the overall enzyme structure with the tunnel's shape and size. sEHs were divided into three groups based on their structure and the tunnel usage. The obtained results were compared with known substrate preferences of the studied enzymes, as well as reported in our other work evolutionary analyses data. The tunnel network architecture corresponded well with the evolutionary lineage of the source organism and large differences between enzymes were observed from long fragments insertions. This strategy can be used during protein re-engineering process for large changes introduction, whereas tunnel modification can be applied for fine-tuning of enzyme.

Maternal High-Fat Diet Programs Renal Peroxisomes and Activates NLRP3 Inflammasome-Mediated Pyroptosis in the Rat Fetus

PURPOSE

Maternal obesity impairs kidney development and function of the offspring and leads to a greater risk of kidney disease in adulthood. The present study aimed to investigate the link between peroxisomes, oxidative stress (OS), and inflammasomes in the fetal kidney of maternal obesity rats and to explore the potential therapeutic effects of the antioxidant pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ).

METHODS

Maternal obesity rats were developed by administration of a high fat diet plus supplementation with PQQ (40 mg/kg body weight) as a potential therapy. Renal histology was observed by Periodic Acid-Schiff staining. The expression profiles of peroxins, fatty acid β-oxidation enzymes, antioxidants, and the regulators of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome were analyzed in the kidneys and tubular epithelial cells (TECs) from near-term fetuses (embryonic day 20).

RESULTS

The present work revealed that: 1) a maternal high fat diet (MHF) led to higher blood pressure in adult offspring; 2) MHF led to downregulation of peroxisome markers PEX3 and 14 in fetal kidneys; 3) the antioxidant SOD2 and catalase were decreased, and oxidative stress marker Ephx2 was increased; 4) MHF-induced activation of the UPR pathway; 5) the KEAP1-NRF2 pathway was activated; 6) activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome led to secretion of pro-inflammation factors; 7) in TECs, the changes in PEXs and NLRP3 are similar to tissues, but UPR and NRF2 pathways showed opposite trends; 8) and the antioxidant PQQ alleviated maternal lipotoxicity by decreasing ROS levels and inhibiting activation of ER stress and inflammasome in fetal kidney.

CONCLUSION

A maternal high fat diet decreased the number of peroxisomes, subsequently activated OS and inflammasomes, resulting in pyroptosis and apoptosis in fetal kidney. The antioxidant PQQ served a protective role against the effects of lipotoxicity on kidney programming and, thus, is a potential candidate to prevent maternal obesity-induced renal programming.

Genomic evidence sheds light on the genetic mechanisms of musk secretion in muskrats

Adult male muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) has a pair of scent glands which secret musk to attract females during the breeding stage. The goal of the present study was to investigate the genetic mechanisms of musk secretion of muskrats at the whole genome level. Comparative genomics illustrated obvious expansion in 809 gene families, of which nine gene families played pivotal roles in steroid biosynthesis, possibly related to muskrat musk secretion. We identified 1112 positively selected genes (PSGs) in the muskrat, including estrogen receptor 1 (ER1), an important influencing factor to the weight and size of the scented glands of muskrats. HSD17B3, HSD17B4, CYP7B1 and CYP17B1, crucial to steroid hormone biosynthesis, were under strong positive selection in the muskrat, and phylogenetic analysis of HSD and CYP450 classes revealed high gene diversity. Functional enrichment revealed many pathways associated with musk secretion and/or growth and degeneration of scented gland significantly, such as peroxisome, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, apoptosis, and prostate cancer. Two muskrat-specific missense mutations (Pro237Thr and Ser297Ile) were detected in LIPC, which were reported to be involved cholesterol metabolic process. More importantly, the missense mutations discovered in LIPC were classified as deleterious by PolyPhen-2, possibly affecting the musk secretion of muskrats.

Active-Site Flexibility and Substrate Specificity in a Bacterial Virulence Factor: Crystallographic Snapshots of an Epoxide Hydrolase

Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes an epoxide hydrolase with catalytic activity that triggers degradation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and perturbs other host defense networks. Targets of this CFTR inhibitory factor (Cif) are largely unknown, but include an epoxy-fatty acid. In this class of signaling molecules, chirality can be an important determinant of physiological output and potency. Here we explore the active-site chemistry of this two-step α/β-hydrolase and its implications for an emerging class of virulence enzymes. In combination with hydrolysis data, crystal structures of 15 trapped hydroxyalkyl-enzyme intermediates reveal the stereochemical basis of Cif's substrate specificity, as well as its regioisomeric and enantiomeric preferences. The structures also reveal distinct sets of conformational changes that enable the active site to expand dramatically in two directions, accommodating a surprising array of potential physiological epoxide targets. These new substrates may contribute to Cif's diverse effects in vivo, and thus to the success of P. aeruginosa and other pathogens during infection.

A Caleosin-Like Protein with Peroxygenase Activity Mediates Aspergillus flavus Development, Aflatoxin Accumulation, and Seed Infection

Caleosins are a small family of calcium-binding proteins endowed with peroxygenase activity in plants. Caleosin-like genes are present in fungi; however, their functions have not been reported yet. In this work, we identify a plant caleosin-like protein in Aspergillus flavus that is highly expressed during the early stages of spore germination. A recombinant purified 32-kDa caleosin-like protein supported peroxygenase activities, including co-oxidation reactions and reduction of polyunsaturated fatty acid hydroperoxides. Deletion of the caleosin gene prevented fungal development. Alternatively, silencing of the gene led to the increased accumulation of endogenous polyunsaturated fatty acid hydroperoxides and antioxidant activities but to a reduction of fungal growth and conidium formation. Two key genes of the aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway, aflR and aflD, were downregulated in the strains in which A. flavus PXG (AfPXG) was silenced, leading to reduced aflatoxin B1 production in vitro. Application of caleosin/peroxygenase-derived oxylipins restored the wild-type phenotype in the strains in which AfPXG was silenced. PXG-deficient A. flavus strains were severely compromised in their capacity to infect maize seeds and to produce aflatoxin. Our results uncover a new branch of the fungal oxylipin pathway and may lead to the development of novel targets for controlling fungal disease.

Mammalian soluble epoxide hydrolase is identical to liver hepoxilin hydrolase

Hepoxilins are lipid signaling molecules derived from arachidonic acid through the 12-lipoxygenase pathway. These trans-epoxy hydroxy eicosanoids play a role in a variety of physiological processes, including inflammation, neurotransmission, and formation of skin barrier function. Mammalian hepoxilin hydrolase, partly purified from rat liver, has earlier been reported to degrade hepoxilins to trioxilins. Here, we report that hepoxilin hydrolysis in liver is mainly catalyzed by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH): i) purified mammalian sEH hydrolyses hepoxilin A₃ and B₃ with a V(max) of 0.4-2.5 μmol/mg/min; ii) the highly selective sEH inhibitors N-adamantyl-N'-cyclohexyl urea and 12-(3-adamantan-1-yl-ureido) dodecanoic acid greatly reduced hepoxilin hydrolysis in mouse liver preparations; iii) hepoxilin hydrolase activity was abolished in liver preparations from sEH(-/-) mice; and iv) liver homogenates of sEH(-/-) mice show elevated basal levels of hepoxilins but lowered levels of trioxilins compared with wild-type animals. We conclude that sEH is identical to previously reported hepoxilin hydrolase. This is of particular physiological relevance because sEH is emerging as a novel drug target due to its major role in the hydrolysis of important lipid signaling molecules such as epoxyeicosatrienoic acids. sEH inhibitors might have undesired side effects on hepoxilin signaling.

Epoxide-hydrolase-initiated hydrolysis/rearrangement cascade of a methylene-interrupted bis-epoxide yields chiral THF moieties without involvement of a "cyclase"

In contrast with electrophilic enzyme-catalysed cyclisations in terpenoid biosynthesis, cyclisations of tetrahydrofuran moieties found in several groups of natural products, such as annonaceous acetogenins, neurofurans and phytooxylipins, appear to proceed through a nucleophilic cascade mechanism starting from bis-epoxy fatty acid precursors. This hypothesis was verified by epoxide-hydrolase-catalysed hydrolytic ring-opening/cyclisation cascades starting from a methylene-interrupted meso-bis-epoxide model substrate, which furnished the corresponding THF products with excellent de and ee values. Molecular modelling showed that the points of enzyme attack were consistent with the stereospecificities of the enzymes, whereas the stereochemical courses of the cyclisation were solely governed by Baldwin's rules and did not invoke the involvements of a "cyclase".

Mammalian epoxide hydrolases in xenobiotic metabolism and signalling

Epoxide hydrolases catalyse the hydrolysis of electrophilic--and therefore potentially genotoxic--epoxides to the corresponding less reactive vicinal diols, which explains the classification of epoxide hydrolases as typical detoxifying enzymes. The best example is mammalian microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH)-an enzyme prone to detoxification-due to a high expression level in the liver, a broad substrate selectivity, as well as inducibility by foreign compounds. The mEH is capable of inactivating a large number of structurally different, highly reactive epoxides and hence is an important part of the enzymatic defence of our organism against adverse effects of foreign compounds. Furthermore, evidence is accumulating that mammalian epoxide hydrolases play physiological roles other than detoxification, particularly through involvement in signalling processes. This certainly holds true for soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) whose main function seems to be the turnover of lipid derived epoxides, which are signalling lipids with diverse functions in regulatory processes, such as control of blood pressure, inflammatory processes, cell proliferation and nociception. In recent years, the sEH has attracted attention as a promising target for pharmacological inhibition to treat hypertension and possibly other diseases. Recently, new hitherto uncharacterised epoxide hydrolases could be identified in mammals by genome analysis. The expression pattern and substrate selectivity of these new epoxide hydrolases suggests their participation in signalling processes rather than a role in detoxification. Taken together, epoxide hydrolases (1) play a central role in the detoxification of genotoxic epoxides and (2) have an important function in the regulation of physiological processes by the control of signalling molecules with an epoxide structure.

Catalysis of potato epoxide hydrolase, StEH1

The kinetic mechanism of epoxide hydrolase (EC 3.3.2.3) from potato, StEH1 (Solanum tuberosum epoxide hydrolase 1), was studied by presteady-state and steady-state kinetics as well as by pH dependence of activity. The specific activities towards the different enantiomers of TSO (trans-stilbene oxide) as substrate were 43 and 3 micromol x min(-1) x mg(-1) with the R,R- or S,S-isomers respectively. The enzyme was, however, enantioselective in favour of the S,S enantiomer due to a lower K(m) value. The pH dependences of kcat with R,R or S,S-TSO were also distinct and supposedly reflecting the pH dependences of the individual kinetic rates during substrate conversion. The rate-limiting step for TSO and cis- and trans-epoxystearate was shown by rapid kinetic measurements to be the hydrolysis of the alkylenzyme intermediate. Functional characterization of point mutants verified residues Asp105, Tyr154, Tyr235 and His300 as crucial for catalytic activity. All mutants displayed drastically decreased enzymatic activities during steady state. Presteady-state measurements revealed the base-deficient H300N (His300-->Asn) mutant to possess greatly reduced efficiencies in catalysis of both chemical steps (alkylation and hydrolysis).

Cloning, Functional Expression, and Characterization of CYP709C1, the First Sub-terminal Hydroxylase of Long Chain Fatty Acid in Plants

We cloned and characterized CYP709C1, a new plant cytochrome P450 belonging to the P450 family, that so far has no identified function except for clustering with a fatty acid metabolizing clade of P450 enzymes. We showed here that CYP709C1 is capable of hydroxylating fatty acids at the omega-1 and omega-2 positions. This work was performed after recoding and heterologous expression of a full-length cDNA isolated from a wheat cDNA library in an engineered yeast strain. Investigation on substrate specificity indicates that CYP709C1 metabolizes different fatty acids varying in their chain length (C12 to C18) and unsaturation. CYP709C1 is the first identified plant cytochrome P450 that can catalyze sub-terminal hydroxylation of C18 fatty acids. cis-9,10-Epoxystearic acid is metabolized with the highest efficiency, i.e. K((m)(app)) of 8 microM and V(max(app)) of 328 nmol/min/nmol P450. This, together with the fact that wheat possesses a microsomal peroxygenase able to synthesize this compound from oleic acid, strongly suggests that it is a physiological substrate. Hydroxylated fatty acids are implicated in plant defense events. We postulated that CYP709C1 could be involved in plant defense by producing such compounds. This receives support from the observation that (i) sub-terminal hydroxylation of 9,10-epoxystearic acid is induced (15-fold after 3 h) in microsomes of wheat seedlings treated with the stress hormone methyl jasmonate and (ii) CYP709C1 is enhanced at the transcriptional level by this treatment. CYP709C1 transcript also accumulated after treatment with a combination of the safener naphthalic acid anhydride and phenobarbital. This indicates a possible detoxifying function for CYP709C1 that we discussed.

Epoxide hydrolases: mechanisms, inhibitor designs, and biological roles

Organisms are exposed to epoxide-containing compounds from both exogenous and endogenous sources. In mammals, the hydration of these compounds by various epoxide hydrolases (EHs) can not only regulate their genotoxicity but also, for lipid-derived epoxides, their endogenous roles as chemical mediators. Recent findings suggest that the EHs as a family represent novel drug discovery targets for regulation of blood pressure, inflammation, cancer progression, and the onset of several other diseases. Knowledge of the EH mechanism provides a solid foundation for the rational design of inhibitors, and this review summarizes the current understanding of the catalytic mechanism of the EHs. Although the overall EH mechanism is now known, the molecular basis of substrate selectivity, possible allosteric regulation, and many fine details of the catalytic mechanism remain to be solved. Finally, recent development in the design of EH inhibitors and the EH biological role are discussed.

Soybean epoxide hydrolase: identification of the catalytic residues and probing of the reaction mechanism with secondary kinetic isotope effects

Soybean epoxide hydrolase catalyzes the oxirane ring opening of 9,10-epoxystearate via a two-step mechanism involving the formation of an alkylenzyme intermediate, which, in contrast to most epoxide hydrolases studied so far, was found to be the rate-limiting step. We have probed residues potentially involved in catalysis by site-directed mutagenesis. Mutation of His(320), a residue predicted from sequence analysis to belong to the catalytic triad of the enzyme, considerably slowed down the second half-reaction. This kinetic manipulation provoked an accumulation of the reaction intermediate, which could be trapped and characterized by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. As expected, mutation of Asp(126) totally abolished the activity of the enzyme from its crucial function as nucleophile involved in the formation of the alkylenzyme. In line with its role as the partner of His(320) in the "charge relay system," mutation of Asp(285) dramatically reduced the rate of catalysis. However, the mutant D285L still exhibited a very low residual activity, which, by structural analysis and mutagenesis, has been tentatively attributed to Glu(195), another acidic residue of the active site. Our studies have also confirmed the fundamental role of the conserved Tyr(175) and Tyr(255) residues, which are believed to activate the oxirane ring. Finally, we have determined the secondary tritium kinetic isotope effects on the epoxide opening step of 9,10-epoxystearate. The large observed values, i.e. (T)(V/K(m)) approximately 1.30, can be interpreted by the occurrence of a very late transition state in which the epoxide bond is broken before the nucleophilic attack by Asp(126) takes place.

Epoxide hydrolases: their roles and interactions with lipid metabolism

The epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are enzymes present in all living organisms, which transform epoxide containing lipids by the addition of water. In plants and animals, many of these lipid substrates have potent biologically activities, such as host defenses, control of development, regulation of inflammation and blood pressure. Thus the EHs have important and diverse biological roles with profound effects on the physiological state of the host organisms. Currently, seven distinct epoxide hydrolase sub-types are recognized in higher organisms. These include the plant soluble EHs, the mammalian soluble epoxide hydrolase, the hepoxilin hydrolase, leukotriene A4 hydrolase, the microsomal epoxide hydrolase, and the insect juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase. While our understanding of these enzymes has progressed at different rates, here we discuss the current state of knowledge for each of these enzymes, along with a distillation of our current understanding of their endogenous roles. By reviewing the entire enzyme class together, both commonalities and discrepancies in our understanding are highlighted and important directions for future research pertaining to these enzymes are indicated.

Cytochrome p450-dependent lipid metabolism in preovulatory follicles

Estrogen biosynthesis and proteolysis are both important processes involved in ovarian follicular development, which may be influenced by cytochrome P450 (CYP)-dependent fatty acid metabolites. However, CYP-dependent lipid metabolism has not been characterized with respect to follicular maturation in vivo. Therefore, follicular fluid was collected in the hours before and after the LH surge in pigs, and concentrations of epoxy, hydroxy, and dihydroxy lipids were measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Arachidonate oxidation and epoxyeicosatrienoic acid hydrolysis to dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DHETs) were also assessed in thecal and granulosa tissue fractions, and the expression of CYP epoxygenases was evaluated by immunoblots using available antisera. To evaluate soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) expression, the porcine sEH was cloned from ovarian tissue, expressed and purified for antibody generation. The follicular fluid oxylipin concentrations ranged from 1-150 nm depending on the compound and estrous stage. The follicular fluid concentrations of CYP-dependent oxylipins increased at estrus, as did sEH expression; however, significant changes in epoxides were not observed, and the 11,12-DHET peak was delayed. The ratio of 14,15-DHET:11,12-DHET across all samples correlated with the log of follicular fluid estradiol concentrations (P < 0.01). Epoxygenase activities were similar in theca and granulosa, varying little with follicular development, whereas the decline of a single CYP2J isoform at ovulation was observed by immunoblots. The sEH activity was higher in granulosa than in theca. Finally, the dynamic changes in follicular CYP-dependent arachidonic acid metabolites and their modulatory function in vascular models suggest roles for these metabolites in follicular maturation, which may include regulation of estradiol biosynthesis and preovulatory remodeling of the follicular wall that should be fully explored in future studies.

Sequence and structure of epoxide hydrolases: a systematic analysis

Epoxide hydrolases (EC 3.3.2.3) are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of epoxides to the corresponding vicinal diols. More than 100 epoxide hydrolases (EH) have been identified or predicted, and 3 structures are available. Although they catalyze the same chemical reaction, sequence similarity is low. To identify conserved regions, all EHs were aligned. Phylogenetic analysis identified 12 homologous families, which were grouped into 2 major superfamilies: the microsomal EH superfamily, which includes the homologous families of Mammalian, Insect, Fungal, and Bacterial EHs, and the cytosolic EH superfamily, which includes Mammalian, Plant, and Bacterial EHs. Bacterial EHs show a high sequence diversity. Based on structure comparison of three known structures from Agrobacterium radiobacter AD1 (cytosolic EH), Aspergillus niger (microsomal EH), Mus musculus (cytosolic EH), and multisequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis of 95 EHs, the modular architecture of this enzyme family was analyzed. Although core and cap domain are highly conserved, the structural differences between the EHs are restricted to only two loops: the NC-loop connecting the core and the cap and the cap-loop, which is inserted into the cap domain. EHs were assigned to either of three clusters based on loop length. By using this classification, core and cap region of all EHs, NC-loops and cap-loops of 78% and 89% of all EHs, respectively, could be modeled. Representative models are available from the Lipase Engineering Database, http://www.led.uni-stuttgart.de.

Brassica napus soluble epoxide hydrolase (BNSEH1)

Epoxide hydrolase (EC 3.3.2.3) in plants is involved in the metabolism of epoxy fatty acids and in mediating defence responses. We report the cloning of a full-length epoxide hydrolase cDNA (BNSEH1) from oilseed rape (Brassica napus) obtained by screening of a cDNA library prepared from methyl jasmonate induced leaf tissue, and the 5'-RACE technique. The cDNA encodes a soluble protein containing 318 amino acid residues. The identity on the protein level is 85% to an Arabidopsis soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) and 50-60% to sEHs cloned from other plants. A 5 x His tag was added to the N-terminus of the BNSEH1 and the construct was over-expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris. The recombinant protein was recovered at high levels after Ni-agarose chromatography of lysed cell extracts, had a molecular mass of 37 kDa on SDS/PAGE and cross-reacted on Western blots with antibodies raised to a sEH from Arabidopsis thaliana. BNSEH1 was shown to be a monomer by gel filtration analysis. The activity was low towards cis-stilbene oxide but much higher using trans-stilbene oxide as substrate with Vmax of 0.47 micro mol.min.mg-1, Km of 11 micro m and kcat of 0.3 s-1. The optimum temperature of the recombinant enzyme was 55 degrees C and the optimum pH 6-7 for trans-stilbene oxide hydrolysis. The isolation of BNSEH1 will facilitate metabolic engineering of epoxy fatty acid metabolism for functional studies of resistance and seed oil modification in this important oilcrop.