Purification, characterization and molecular cloning of tyrosinase from the cephalopod mollusk,Illex argentinus

Molecular characterization of a cation-dependent mannose-6-phosphate receptor gene in Crassostrea hongkongensis and its responsiveness in Vibrio alginolyticus infection

The cation-dependent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (CD-M6PR) is a P-type lectin that plays a crucial role in lysosomal enzyme transport, bacterial resistance, and viral entry. In this study, we cloned and analyzed the ORF of the CD-M6PR gene from Crassostrea hongkongensis and named it ChCD-M6PR. We analyzed the nucleotide and amino acid sequence of ChCD-M6PR, its tissue expression pattern and immune response to Vibrio alginolyticus. Our results showed that the ORF of ChCD-M6PR was 801 bp long and encoded a protein of 266 amino acids with a signal peptide at the N-terminus, as well as Man-6-P_recep, ATG27 and transmembrane structural domains. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Crassostrea hongkongensis shared the highest similarity with Crassostrea gigas in the terms of CD-M6PR. The ChCD-M6PR gene was found to be expressed in various tissues, with the highest expression observed in the hepatopancreas and the lowest in the hemocytes by the fluorescence quantitative PCR. Furthermore, the expression of ChCD-M6PR gene was significantly up-regulated for a short time in response to Vibrio alginolyticus infection in the gill and hemocytes, while it was down-regulated in the gonads. The expression patterns of ChCD-M6PR also varied in the other tissues. The 96 h cumulative mortality rate of Crassostrea hongkongensis infected with Vibrio alginolyticus after knockdown the ChCD-M6PR gene was significantly higher. Overall, our findings suggests that ChCD-M6PR plays a crucial role in the immune response of Crassostrea hongkongensis to Vibrio alginolyticus infection, and its tissue-specific expression patterns may be indicatitive of varied immune responses across tissues.

The In Vitro Potential of 1-(1H-indol-3-yl) Derivatives against Candida spp. and Aspergillus niger as Tyrosinase Inhibitors

Given the increased antimicrobial resistance, global effort is currently focused on the identification of novel compounds, both of natural and chemical origin. The present study reports on the antifungal potential of 1-(1H-indol-3-yl) derivatives, previously known as tyrosinase inhibitors. The effect of seven compounds (indicated as 3a-g) was determined against Candida albicans ATCC 10531, three clinical isolates of Candida albicans, two clinical isolates of Candida glabrata, two clinical isolates of Candida parapsilosis and Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404. The effect of these derivatives on tyrosinase enzymatic activity was also evaluated. Results showed a fungicidal activity of compounds 3b, 3c and 3e against all tested strains at concentrations ranging between 0.250 and 1 mg/mL. Furthermore, the association between 3c and fluconazole and between 3b and caspofungin showed a trend of indifference tending toward synergism. Compound 3c was also able to inhibit microbial tyrosinase up to ~28% at the concentration of 0.250 mg/mL. These data could help provide novel therapeutics for topical use to treat fungal infections and increase the potential effectiveness of the association between novel compounds and commercial antifungals in order to combat drug resistance.

Evolution of Biomineralization Genes in the Prismatic Layer of the Pen Shell Atrina pectinata

Molluscan shells are composed of calcium carbonates, with small amounts of extracellular matrices secreted from mantle epithelial cells. Many types of shell matrix proteins (SMPs) have been identified from molluscan shells or mantle cells. The pen shell Atrina pectinata (Pinnidae) has two different shell microstructures, the nacreous and prismatic layers. Nacreous and prismatic layer-specific matrix proteins have been reported in Pteriidae bivalves, but remain unclear in Pinnidae. We performed transcriptome analysis using the mantle cells of A. pectinata to screen the candidate transcripts involved in its prismatic layer formation. We found Asprich and nine highly conserved prismatic layer-specific SMPs encoding transcript in P. fucata, P. margaritifera, and P. maxima (Tyrosinase, Chitinase, EGF-like proteins, Fibronectin, valine-rich proteins, and prismatic uncharacterized shell protein 2 [PUSP2]) using molecular phylogenetic analysis or multiple alignment. We confirmed these genes were expressed in the epithelial cells of the mantle edge (outer surface of the outer fold) and the mantle pallium. Phylogenetic character mapping of these SMPs was used to infer a possible evolutionary scenario of them in Pteriomorphia. EGF-like proteins, Fibronectin, and valine-rich proteins encoding genes each evolved in the linage leading to four Pteriomorphia (Mytilidae, Pinnidae, Ostreidae, and Pteriidae), PUSP2 evolved in the linage leading to three Pteriomorphia families (Pinnidae, Ostreidae, and Pteriidae), and chitinase was independently evolved as SMPs in Mytilidae and in other Pteriomorphia (Pinnidae, Ostreidae, and Pteriidae). Our results provide a new dataset for A. pectinata SMP annotation, and a basis for understanding the evolution of prismatic layer formation in bivalves.

De novo assembly transcriptome analysis reveals the preliminary molecular mechanism of pigmentation in juveniles of the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria

Color plays a vital function in camouflage, sexual selection, immunity, and evolution. Mollusca possess vivid shell colors and pigmentation starts at the juvenile stage. The hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria is a widely cultivated bivalve of high economic value. To explore the molecular mechanism of pigmentation in juvenile clams, here, we performed RNA-Seq analysis on non-pigmented, white, and red M. mercenaria specimens. Clean reads were assembled into 358,285 transcripts and 149,234 unigenes, whose N50 lengths were 2107 bp and 1567 bp, respectively. Differentially expressed genes were identified and analyzed for KEGG enrichment. "Melanoma/Melanogenesis", "ABC transporters", and "Porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism" pathways appeared to be associated with pigmentation. Pathways related to carotenoid metabolism seemed to also play a vital role in pigmentation in juveniles. Our results provide new insights into the formation of shell color in juvenile hard clams.

The TYRP1-mediated protection of human tyrosinase activity does not involve stable interactions of tyrosinase domains

Tyrosinases are melanocyte-specific enzymes involved in melanin biosynthesis. Mutations in their genes cause oculocutaneous albinism associated with reduced or altered pigmentation of skin, hair, and eyes. Here, the recombinant human intra-melanosomal domains of tyrosinase, TYRtr (19-469), and tyrosinase-related protein 1, TYRP1tr (25-472), were studied in vitro to define their functional relationship. Proteins were expressed or coexpressed in whole Trichoplusia ni larvae and purified. Their associations were studied using gel filtration and sedimentation equilibrium methods. Protection of TYRtr was studied by measuring the kinetics of tyrosinase diphenol oxidase activity in the presence (1:1 and 1:20 molar ratios) or the absence of TYRP1tr for 10 hr under conditions mimicking melanosomal and ER pH values. Our data indicate that TYRtr incubation with excess TYRP1tr protects TYR, increasing its stability over time. However, this mechanism does not appear to involve the formation of stable hetero-oligomeric complexes to maintain the protective function.

Adhesive gland transcriptomics uncovers a diversity of genes involved in glue formation in marine tube-building polychaetes

Tube-building sabellariid polychaetes are hermatypic organisms capable of forming vast reefs in highly turbulent marine habitats. Sabellariid worms assemble their tube by gluing together siliceous and calcareous clastic particles using a polyelectrolytic biocement. Here, we performed transcriptomic analyses to investigate the genes that are differentially expressed in the parathorax region, which contains the adhesive gland and tissues, from the rest of the body. We found a large number of candidate genes to be involved in the composition and formation of biocement in two species: Sabellaria alveolata and Phragmatopoma caudata. Our results indicate that the glue is likely to be composed by a large diversity of cement-related proteins, including Poly(S), GY-rich, H-repeat and miscellaneous categories. However, sequences divergence and differences in expression profiles between S. alveolata and P. caudata of cement-related proteins may reflect adaptation to the type of substratum used to build their tube, and/or to their habitat (temperate vs tropical, amplitude of pH, salinity …). Related to the L-DOPA metabolic pathways and linked with the genes that were differentially expressed in the parathorax region, we found that tyrosinase and peroxidase gene families may have undergone independent expansion in the two Sabellariidae species investigated. Our data also reinforce the importance of protein modifications in cement formation. Altogether these new genomic resources help to identify novel transcripts encoding for cement-related proteins, but also important enzymes putatively involved in the chemistry of the adhesion process, such as kinases, and may correspond to new targets to develop biomimetic approaches.

STATEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE

The diversity of bioadhesives elaborated by marine invertebrates is a tremendous source of inspiration to develop biomimetic approaches for biomedical and technical applications. Recent studies on the adhesion system of mussel, barnacle and sea star had highlighted the usefulness of high-throughput RNA sequencing in accelerating the development of biomimetic adhesives. Adhesion in sandcastle worms, which involves catechol and phosphate chemistries, polyelectrolyte complexes, supramolecular architectures, and a coacervation process, is a useful model to develop multipurpose wet adhesives. Using transcriptomic tools, we have explored the diversity of genes encoding for structural and catalytic proteins involved in cement formation of two sandcastle worm species, Sabellaria alveolata and Phragmatopoma caudata. The important genomic resource generated should help to design novel "blue" adhesives.

Identification of conserved proteins from diverse shell matrix proteome in Crassostrea gigas: characterization of genetic bases regulating shell formation

The calcifying shell is an excellent model for studying biomineralization and evolution. However, the molecular mechanisms of shell formation are only beginning to be elucidated in Mollusca. It is known that shell matrix proteins (SMPs) play important roles in shell formation. With increasing data of shell matrix proteomes from various species, we carried out a BLASTp bioinformatics analysis using the shell matrix proteome from Crassostrea gigas against 443 SMPs from nine other species. The highly conserved tyrosinase and chitin related proteins were identified in bivalve. In addition, the relatively conserved proteins containing domains of carbonic anhydrase, Sushi, Von Willebrand factor type A, and chitin binding, were identified from all the ten species. Moreover, 25 genes encoding SMPs were annotated and characterized that are involved in CaCO3 crystallization and represent chitin related or ECM related proteins. Together, data from these analyses provide new knowledge underlying the molecular mechanism of shell formation in C.gigas, supporting a refined shell formation model including chitin and ECM-related proteins.

Ocean Acidification Affects Hemocyte Physiology in the Tanner Crab (Chionoecetes bairdi)

We used flow cytometry to determine if there would be a difference in hematology, selected immune functions, and hemocyte pH (pHi), under two different, future ocean acidification scenarios (pH = 7.50, 7.80) compared to current conditions (pH = 8.09) for Chionoecetes bairdi, Tanner crab. Hemocytes were analyzed after adult Tanner crabs were held for two years under continuous exposure to acidified ocean water. Total counts of hemocytes did not vary among control and experimental treatments; however, there were significantly greater number of dead, circulating hemocytes in crabs held at the lowest pH treatment. Phagocytosis of fluorescent microbeads by hemocytes was greatest at the lowest pH treatment. These results suggest that hemocytes were dying, likely by apoptosis, at a rate faster than upregulated phagocytosis was able to remove moribund cells from circulation at the lowest pH. Crab hemolymph pH (pHe) averaged 8.09 and did not vary among pH treatments. There was no significant difference in internal pH (pHi) within hyalinocytes among pH treatments and the mean pHi (7.26) was lower than the mean pHe. In contrast, there were significant differences among treatments in pHi of the semi-granular+granular cells. Control crabs had the highest mean semi-granular+granular pHi compared to the lowest pH treatment. As physiological hemocyte functions changed from ambient conditions, interactions with the number of eggs in the second clutch, percentage of viable eggs, and calcium concentration in the adult crab shell was observed. This suggested that the energetic costs of responding to ocean acidification and maintaining defense mechanisms in Tanner crab may divert energy from other physiological processes, such as reproduction.

Application of melanin-free ink as a new antioxidative gel enhancer in sardine surimi gel

BACKGROUND

The squid ink that is discarded as waste during processing can be effectively utilised as a gel enhancer in surimi gels, especially those prepared from dark-fleshed fish which have poor gel properties. It also acts as an antioxidant, inhibiting lipid oxidation. This investigation aimed to study the effect of melanin-free ink (MFI) from splendid squid (Loligo formosana) on properties and oxidative stability of surimi gel from sardine (Sardinella albella).

RESULTS

MFI (0-0.1 g kg(-1) surimi) increased the breaking force and deformation of sardine surimi gel in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The addition of MFI had no effect on whiteness of surimi gels (P > 0.05). The expressible moisture content of gels decreased as the levels of MFI increased (P < 0.05). Based on a microstructure study, gel added with MFI at a level of 0.08 g kg(-1) surimi was denser and finer than that of the control (without MFI). Surimi gels with MFI had lower peroxide values, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, nonanal and 2-decenal.

CONCLUSION

MFI could improve the properties of sardine surimi gel. Additionally, it was able to prevent lipid oxidation in surimi gels during refrigerated storage.

Cephalopod ink: production, chemistry, functions and applications

One of the most distinctive and defining features of coleoid cephalopods—squid, cuttlefish and octopus—is their inking behavior. Their ink, which is blackened by melanin, but also contains other constituents, has been used by humans in various ways for millennia. This review summarizes our current knowledge of cephalopod ink. Topics include: (1) the production of ink, including the functional organization of the ink sac and funnel organ that produce it; (2) the chemical components of ink, with a focus on the best known of these—melanin and the biochemical pathways involved in its production; (3) the neuroecology of the use of ink in predator-prey interactions by cephalopods in their natural environment; and (4) the use of cephalopod ink by humans, including in the development of drugs for biomedical applications and other chemicals for industrial and other commercial applications. As is hopefully evident from this review, much is known about cephalopod ink and inking, yet more striking is how little we know. Towards closing that gap, future directions in research on cephalopod inking are suggested.

Preparation of water-soluble melanin from squid ink using ultrasound-assisted degradation and its anti-oxidant activity

Water-soluble squid melanin fractions were firstly prepared using ultrasound-assistant degradation method under alkaline condition, which is optimized by response surface methodology. The processing melanin fractions were divided into different molecular weight (Mw) fractions by membrane separation (below 10 kDa, among 10-50 kDa and over 50 kDa). The AFM image and particle-size analysis showed monomer units of the melanin were destroyed, and huge polymers were degraded into smaller soluble particles after ultrasound. While, UV, IR and solid (13)C NMR spectra indicated that the basic structure of melanin fraction was still retained after ultrasound process. Further analysis showed soluble melanin fractions obtained in 0.5 and 1 M NaOH, with Mw above 10 kDa exhibited much higher in vitro antioxidant potency. The IC50 of these fractions (IC50 among 19-80 μg) on scavenging O 2 ∙¯ is more efficient than carnosine (IC50 = 355 μg/ml.), a commercialized antioxidant. They (IC50 mong 115-180 μg/ml) are as efficient as carnosine (IC50 = 110 μg/ml) on scavenging ∙OH. Our research has reported a novel method for preparation of water-soluble melanin fractions from squid ink, which could be a promising free radical scavenger from nature resource.

The phenoloxidase activity and antibacterial function of a tyrosinase from scallop Chlamys farreri

Tyrosinase (TYR), also known as monophenol monooxygenase, is a ubiquitous binuclear copper-containing enzyme which catalyzes the hydroxylation of phenols to catechols and the oxidation of catechols to quinones. In the present study, the cDNA of a tyrosinase (CfTYR) was identified from scallop Chlamys farreri, which encoded a polypeptide of 486 amino acids. The CfTYR mRNA transcripts were expressed in all the tested tissues, including haemocytes, adductor muscle, kidney, hepatopancreas, gill, gonad and mantle, with the highest level in mantle. The expression level of CfTYR mRNA in haemocytes decreased significantly during 3-6 h after LPS stimulation, and reached the lowest level at 6 h (0.05-fold, P < 0.05). Then, it began to increase at 12 h (0.32-fold, P > 0.05), and reached the highest level at 24 h (2.91-fold, P < 0.05). At 3 h after LPS stimulation, the phenoloxidase activity catalyzing L-dopa and dopamine in haemolymph increased significantly to 53.13 and 40.36 U mg(-1) respectively, but it decreased to 10.82 U mg(-1) and even undetectable level after CfTYR activity was inhibited. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of haemolymph against Escherichia coli was also increased significantly at 3 h after LPS stimulation, but it decreased significantly when the haemolymph was treated by TYR inhibitor. The recombinant protein of the mature CfTYR peptide expressed in the in vitro Glycoprotein Expression Kit displayed phenoloxidase activity of 64.36 ± 5.51 U mg(-1) in the present of trypsinase and Cu(2+). These results collectively suggested that CfTYR was a homologue of tyrosinase in scallop C. farreri with the copper-dependence phenoloxidase activity, and it could be induced after immune stimulation and mediate immune response for the elimination of invasive pathogens in scallop.

Purification and characterization of phenoloxidase from brine shrimp Artemia sinica

Phenoloxidase from Artemia sinica (AsPO) was purified by Superdex 200 gel-filtration and Q Sepharose fast flow ion-exchange chromatography, and its properties were characterized biochemically and enzymatically by using L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) as the specific substrate. Results showed that AsPO was isolated as a monomeric protein of 125.5 kDa in molecular mass. The optimal pH value and temperature are 7.0 and 50°C, respectively, for its PO activity. The AsPO had an apparent K(m) value of 4.2 mM on L-DOPA, and 10.9 mM on catechol, respectively. Oxidase inhibitor on PO activity showed that the AsPO was extremely sensitive to ascorbic acid, sodium sulfite, and citric acid; and was very sensitive to cysteine, benzoic acid, and 1-phenyl-2-thiourea. Combined with its specific enzyme activity on L-DOPA and catechol, it can be concluded that AsPO is most probably a typical catechol-type O-diphenoloxidase. Its PO activity was also sensitive to metal ions and chelators, and 20 mM DETC-inhibited PO activity was obviously recovered by 15 mM Cu(2+), indicating that AsPO is most probably a copper-containing metalloenzyme. All these data about specific substrate, sensitivity to oxidase inhibitor metal ions and chelators indicate that the AsPO has the properties of a catechol-type copper-containing O-diphenoloxidase that functions as a vital humoral factor in host defense via melaninization as in other Crustaceans.

Differential tissue distribution and specificity of phenoloxidases from the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

Phenoloxidases (POs) play a key role in melanin production, are involved in invertebrate immune mechanisms, and have been detected in different bivalves. Recently, we identified catecholase- and laccase-like PO activities in plasma and haemocyte lysate supernatant (HLS) of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. To go further in our investigations, the aims of this study were (i) to determine the tissue distribution of PO activities in C. gigas, and (ii) to identify and characterise the different sub-classes of POs (i.e. tyrosinase, catecholase and/or laccase) involved in these oxido-reductase activities. With dopamine and p-phenylenediamine (PPD) but not with l-tyrosine used as substrates, PO-activities were detected by spectrophotometry in the gills, digestive gland, mantle, and muscle. These results suggest the presence of catecholase and laccase but not of tyrosinase activities in oyster tissues. The highest activity was recovered in the digestive gland. PO-like activities were all inhibited by 1-phenyl-2-thiourea (PTU) and by the specific laccase inhibitor, cethyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). With dopamine as substrate, the catecholase inhibitor 4-hexylresorcinol (4-HR) only inhibited PO in the muscle. SDS-PAGE zymographic assays with dopamine and PPD elicited a unique ~40kDa protein band in the muscle. In the other tissues, laccase-like activities could be related to ~10kDa and/or ~200kDa protein bands. The ~10kDa protein band was also detected in plasma and HLS, confirming the presence of a laccase in the later compartments, and probably in most of the tissues of C. gigas. This is the first time to our knowledge that a ~10kDa protein band is associated to a laccase-like activity in a mollusc species, contributing to the characterisation of phenoloxidase activities in marine bivalves.

Adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) by Squid Ommastrephes bartrami Melanin

The adsorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) by squid melanin was investigated. At a metal ion concentration of 2 mM/L, the biosorption efficiency of melanin reached 95% for Cd(II) and Pb(II). The maximum content of bound Cd(II) and Pb(II) was 0.93 mM/g and 0.65 mM/g, respectively. Temperature had no obvious effect on the adsorption of the metals, and in a pH range of 4.0–7.0, the adsorption yield was high and stable. Macrosalts such as NaCl, MgCl₂, and CaCl₂ had no obvious effect on the binding of Pb(II) but greatly diminished the adsorption of Cd(II), which indicated that different functional groups in squid melanin are responsible for their adsorption. IR analysis of metal ion-enriched squid melanin demonstrated that the possible functional groups responsible for metal binding were phenolic hydroxyl (OH), carboxyl (COOH), and amine groups (NH). This study reports a new material for the removal of heavy metals from low-strength wastewater.

Purification and characterization of phenoloxidase from Octopus ocellatus

Phenoloxidase (PO) from ink sacs of Octopus ocellatus was purified by gel-filtration and ion-exchange chromatography, and characterized in terms of its biochemical and enzymatic properties by using L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) as the specific substrate. It was found that prophenoloxidase from O. ocellatus was isolated as a heterodimeric protein of 153.8 kDa, and two subunits of 75.6 and 73.0 kDa were often detected in preparations after SDS activation. The PO-like activity showed optimal pH of 7.0, optimal temperature of 40 degrees C, and an apparent Km value of 3.1 mM on L-DOPA, and 6.3 mM on catechol, respectively. The PO-like activity was extremely sensitive to 1-phenyl-2-thiourea and sodium sulfite, and very sensitive to ascorbic acid, thiourea, citric acid, and benzoic acid. Together with its specific enzyme activity on catechol and L-DOPA, it can be concluded that the Octopus PO is most probably a typical o-diphenoloxidase. The PO-like activity was also strongly inhibited by Cu(2+), Zn(2+), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and diethyldithiocarbamate (DETC), and the DETC-inhibited PO-like activity could be perfectly restored by Cu(2+). These results indicated that Octopus PO is most probably a copper-containing metalloenzyme. All these results implied that the PO from O. ocellatus has the properties of a catechol-type copper-containing o-diphenoloxidase which functions not only as a catalytic enzyme in melanin production in ink sacs but also as a humoral factor in host defense via melaninization as in other crustaceans.

Sequence determination of a non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan-like polysaccharide from melanin-free ink of the squid Ommastrephes bartrami by negative-ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy

A non-sulfated polysaccharide was isolated from the ink sac of squid Ommastrephes bartrami after removal of the melanin granules. The carbohydrate sequence of this polysaccharide was assigned by negative-ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry with collision-induced dissociation of the oligosaccharide fractions produced by partial acid hydrolysis of the polysaccharide. The structural determination was completed by NMR for assignment of anomeric configuration and confirmation of linkage information and it was unambiguously identified as a glycosaminoglycan-like polysaccharide containing a glucuronic acid-fucose (GlcA-Fuc) disaccharide repeat in the main chain and a N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) branch at Fuc position 3: -[3GlcAbeta1-4(GalNAcalpha1-3)Fucalpha1](n)-. Partial hydrolysis of the polysaccharide to obtain several oligosaccharide fractions with different numbers of the repeating unit assisted the assignment. In the negative-ion tandem mass spectrometric analysis, the unique (0,2)A type fragmentation was important to establish the presence of a 4-linked fucose in the main polysaccharide chain and a GalNAc branch at the Fuc position-3 of the disaccharide repeat.

Escape by inking and secreting: marine molluscs avoid predators through a rich array of chemicals and mechanisms

Inking by marine molluscs such as sea hares, cuttlefish, squid, and octopuses is a striking behavior that is ideal for neuroecological explorations. While inking is generally thought to be used in active defense against predators, experimental evidence for this view is either scant or lacks mechanistic explanations. Does ink act through the visual or chemical modality? If inking is a chemical defense, how does it function and how does it affect the chemosensory systems of predators? Does it facilitate escape not only by acting directly on predators but also by being an alarm signal for conspecifics? This review examines these issues, within a broader context of passive and active chemical defensive secretions. It focuses on recent work on mechanisms of defense by inking in sea hares (Aplysia) and extends what we have learned about sea hares to other molluscs including the cephalopods.

Characterization of phenoloxidase activity in Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata)

Phenoloxidase (PO) activity was studied in Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata). As in other molluscs, PO was found to exist as a pro-enzyme (proPO) in hemocytes. ProPO could be activated to PO by exogenous proteases (trypsin and chymotrypsin), exposure of hemocytes to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and by the detergents, Triton X-100 and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). Inhibition studies confirmed the proPO activating system of Sydney rock oysters is a proteinase cascade in which Ca2+ dependent serine proteinases proteolytically convert proPO into active PO. Activated PO was found to be a tyrosinase-like enzyme that is responsible for both monophenolase and diphenolase activity. The bifunctional PO had higher affinity for the monophenol, hydroquinine monomethyl ether (4HA) (Km=4.45+/-1.46 mM) than for the diphenol, l-DOPA (Km=10.27+/-1.33 mM). Maximum enzyme activity was evident at 37 degrees C, pH 8 and at salinities of between 30 and 37 ppt. Melanogenesis catalysed by the active enzyme is a composite of eumelanin and the product of a sclerotin pathway combining DOPA decarboxylase with PO activity.

Tyrosinase localization in mollusc shells

In molluscan shellfish, pigmentation is frequently observed in the calcified shell, but the molecular basis of this process is not understood. Here, we report two tyrosinase proteins (Pfty1 and Pfty2) found in the prismatic shell layer of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata; this layer is recognized as the pigmented region in P. fucata. The protein sequences were deduced from the corresponding cDNAs and confirmed by MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis. The sequences suggest that both tyrosinases have two copper-binding sites in similar N-terminal domains that are homologous to tyrosinases of cephalopods and hemocyanins of gastropods. In turn, this suggests that bivalve tyrosinases are evolved from a common ancestral copper-binding protein in the mollusc. Pfty1 and Pfty2 were specifically expressed in the mantle, and their expression in the mantle is different from each other, suggesting that these tyrosinases have distinctive roles in melanogenesis in shells.

Location of intrinsic and inducible phenoloxidase activity in molluscan hemocyanin

The phenoloxidase (PO) activity of the hemocyanins (Hcs) from two molluscan species, the gastropod Helix pomatia (Hp) and the cephalopod Sepia officinalis (So), was studied. With catechol as substrate the Hcs showed a weak o-diPO activity, which was moderately enhanced on limited proteolysis with subtilisin. The sites in the Hc molecules mainly responsible for this activity were identified. The highest intrinsic o-diPO activity and also by far the highest level of induction were found in the functional units (FUs) Hp f and So g, isolated from Hp beta-Hc and So Hc (subunit 2), respectively. The results thus support the earlier conclusion, made on the basis of sequence homology between molluscan Hcs, that Hp f and So g are functional and structural analogues. The subtilisin treatment of Hp f also induced monoPO activity, considered to be at the origin of browning of the sample.

Tyrosinase maturation through the mammalian secretory pathway: bringing color to life

Tyrosinase has been extensively utilized as a model substrate to study the maturation of glycoproteins in the mammalian secretory pathway. The visual nature of its enzymatic activity (melanin production) has facilitated the identification and characterization of the proteins that assist it becoming a functional enzyme, localized to its proper cellular location. Here, we review the steps involved in the maturation of tyrosinase from when it is first synthesized by cytosolic ribosomes until the mature protein reaches its post-Golgi residence in the melanosomes. These steps include protein processing, covalent modifications, chaperone binding, oligomerization, and trafficking. The disruption of any of these steps can lead to a wide range of pigmentation disorders.

A novel putative tyrosinase involved in periostracum formation from the pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata)

Tyrosinase (monophenol, L-DOPA: oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.14.18.1), a kind of copper-containing phenoloxidase, arouses great interests of scientists for its important role in periostracum formation. A cDNA clone encoding a putative tyrosinase, termed OT47 because of its estimated molecular mass of 47kDa, was isolated from the pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata. This novel tyrosinase shares similarity with the cephalopod tyrosinases and other type 3 copper proteins within two conserved copper-binding sites. RT-PCR analysis showed that OT47 mRNA was expressed only in the mantle edge. Further in situ hybridization analysis and tyrosinase activity staining revealed that OT47 was expressed at the outer epithelial cells of the middle fold, different from early histological results in Mercenaria mercenaria, suggesting a different model of periostracum secretion in P. fucata. Taken together, these results suggest that OT47 is most likely involved in periostracum formation. The identification and characterization of oyster tyrosinase also help to further understand the structural and functional properties of molluscan tyrosinase.

Functional and phylogenetic analyses of phenoloxidases from brachyuran (Cancer magister) and branchiopod (Artemia franciscana, Triops longicaudatus) crustaceans

Arthropod phenoloxidases catalyze the melanization and sclerotization of the new postmolt exoskeleton, and they function in the immune response. Hemocyanin, phylogenetically related to phenoloxidase, can function as a phenoloxidase under certain conditions. We investigated the relative contributions of hemocyte phenoloxidase and hemocyanin in the brachyuran crab Cancer magister, using the physiological ratio at which they occur in the hemolymph, and found that hemocyte phenoloxidase has higher activity. They both convert diphenols to o-quinones, but only the hemocyte phenoloxidase is able to catalyze the conversion of monophenols to diphenols. The quaternary structure of hemocyanin affects its reactivity as phenoloxidase. We suggest that prophenoloxidase is released from hemocytes and moves across epidermis into new exoskeleton during premolt and is activated in early postmolt. In addition to functional studies, we have determined the complete cDNA sequence of C. magister hemocyte prophenoloxidase and partial sequences from the branchiopods Artemia franciscana and Triops longicaudatus. We also sequenced C. magister cryptocyanin 2 and a hemocyanin from the amphipod Cyamus scammoni and used these and other members of the arthropod hemocyanin superfamily for phylogenetic analyses. The phylogenies presented here are consistent with the possibility that a common ancestral molecule had both phenoloxidase and reversible oxygen-binding capabilities.

Evidence for a common regulation in the activation of a polyphenol oxidase by trypsin and sodium dodecyl sulfate

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was extracted from beet root, in both soluble and membrane fractions, and in both cases the enzyme was in a latent state. PPO from the membrane fraction showed no diphenolase activity unless it was activated by trypsin or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The kinetics of the activation process of latent PPO by trypsin was studied and the specific rate constant of active PPO formation, k 3 , showed a value of 0.03 s(-1). The protease-activated form showed a pH optimum (6.5) and kinetic properties identical to those of the SDS-activated enzyme. Evidence is provided for the existence of a common peptide responsible for the regulation of the activity of the enzyme by both proteolysis and SDS detergent. Formation of the active proteolyzate was followed by spectroscopic measurements, Western blotting and partially denaturing SDS-PAGE.

Purification and characterisation of phenoloxidase from amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense

Phenoloxidase (PO) from the humoral fluid of amphioxus B. belcheri tsingtauense was purified using a sequential combination of ammonium sulphate precipitation, Sephadex G-200 chromatography and DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow chromatography. In PAGE, the purified enzyme exhibited a single band of 150 kDa under non-reducing conditions, and was resolved to three bands with molecular masses of 72, 46 and 44 kDa, respectively, under reducing conditions, suggesting that the PO in amphioxus humoral fluid seems to be a heterotrimer of three polypeptides held together by disulphide bonds. The substrate specificity and inhibition characteristics both indicate that the PO isolated from amphioxus humoral fluid is a tyrosinase-type enzyme. In addition, mouse antisera against the purified PO were prepared, and their specificity was confirmed by Western blotting, facilitating the future determination of the origin of PO in the humoral fluid and the distribution of PO-synthesising tissues in amphioxus.