Pressure-induced thermostabilization of glutamate dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus

Stabilization of Multimeric Enzymes against Heat Inactivation by Chitosan-graft-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in Confined Spaces

The inactivation of multimeric enzymes is a more complicated process compared with that of monomeric enzymes. Stabilization of multimeric enzymes is regarded as a challenge with practical values in enzyme technology. Temperature-sensitive copolymer chitosan-graft- poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) was synthesized and encapsulated with multimeric enzymes in the confined spaces constructed by the W/O microemulsion. In this way, the quaternary structures of multimeric enzymes are stabilized and the thermal stabilities of them are enhanced. The whole process was studied and discussed. This method, which works well for both glucose oxidase and catalase, can be developed as a general protection strategy for multimeric enzymes.

High-pressure differential scanning microcalorimeter

A differential scanning microcalorimeter for studying thermotropic conformational transitions of biopolymers at high pressure has been designed. The calorimeter allows taking measurements of partial heat capacity of biopolymer solutions vs. temperature at pressures up to 3000 atm. The principles of operation of the device, methods of its calibration, as well as possible applications are discussed.

Molecular dynamics simulations of the Nip7 proteins from the marine deep- and shallow-water Pyrococcus species

Background

The identification of the mechanisms of adaptation of protein structures to extreme environmental conditions is a challenging task of structural biology. We performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the Nip7 protein involved in RNA processing from the shallow-water (P. furiosus) and the deep-water (P. abyssi) marine hyperthermophylic archaea at different temperatures (300 and 373 K) and pressures (0.1, 50 and 100 MPa). The aim was to disclose similarities and differences between the deep- and shallow-sea protein models at different temperatures and pressures.

Results

The current results demonstrate that the 3D models of the two proteins at all the examined values of pressures and temperatures are compact, stable and similar to the known crystal structure of the P. abyssi Nip7. The structural deviations and fluctuations in the polypeptide chain during the MD simulations were the most pronounced in the loop regions, their magnitude being larger for the C-terminal domain in both proteins. A number of highly mobile segments the protein globule presumably involved in protein-protein interactions were identified. Regions of the polypeptide chain with significant difference in conformational dynamics between the deep- and shallow-water proteins were identified.

Conclusions

The results of our analysis demonstrated that in the examined ranges of temperatures and pressures, increase in temperature has a stronger effect on change in the dynamic properties of the protein globule than the increase in pressure. The conformational changes of both the deep- and shallow-sea protein models under increasing temperature and pressure are non-uniform. Our current results indicate that amino acid substitutions between shallow- and deep-water proteins only slightly affect overall stability of two proteins. Rather, they may affect the interactions of the Nip7 protein with its protein or RNA partners.

Thermodynamic and functional characteristics of deep-sea enzymes revealed by pressure effects

Hydrostatic pressure analysis is an ideal approach for studying protein dynamics and hydration. The development of full ocean depth submersibles and high pressure biological techniques allows us to investigate enzymes from deep-sea organisms at the molecular level. The aim of this review was to overview the thermodynamic and functional characteristics of deep-sea enzymes as revealed by pressure axis analysis after giving a brief introduction to the thermodynamic principles underlying the effects of pressure on the structural stability and function of enzymes.

Effects of hydrostatic pressure on the quaternary structure and enzymatic activity of a large peptidase complex from Pyrococcus horikoshii

While molecular adaptation to high temperature has been extensively studied, the effect of hydrostatic pressure on protein structure and enzymatic activity is still poorly understood. We have studied the influence of pressure on both the quaternary structure and enzymatic activity of the dodecameric TET3 peptidase from Pyrococcus horikoshii. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed a high robustness of the oligomer under high pressure of up to 300 MPa at 25°C as well as at 90°C. The enzymatic activity of TET3 was enhanced by pressure up to 180 MPa. From the pressure behavior of the different rate-constants we have determined the volume changes associated with substrate binding and catalysis. Based on these results we propose that a change in the rate-limiting step occurs around 180 MPa.

A novel L-aspartate dehydrogenase from the mesophilic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1: molecular characterization and application for L-aspartate production

L-aspartate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.21; L: -AspDH) is a rare member of amino acid dehydrogenase superfamily and so far, two thermophilic enzymes have been reported. In our study, an ORF PA3505 encoding for a putative L-AspDH in the mesophilic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was identified, cloned, and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The homogeneously purified enzyme (PaeAspDH) was a dimeric protein with a molecular mass of about 28 kDa exhibiting a very high specific activity for L-aspartate (L-Asp) and oxaloacetate (OAA) of 127 and 147 U mg(-1), respectively. The enzyme was capable of utilizing both nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) as coenzyme. PaeAspDH showed a T (m) value of 48°C for 20 min that was improved to approximately 60°C by the addition of 0.4 M NaCl or 30% glycerol. The apparent K (m) values for OAA, NADH, and ammonia were 2.12, 0.045, and 10.1 mM, respectively; comparable results were observed with NADPH. The L-Asp production system B consisting of PaeAspDH, Bacillus subtilis malate dehydrogenase and E. coli fumarase, achieved a high level of L-Asp production (625 mM) from fumarate in fed-batch process with a molar conversion yield of 89.4%. Furthermore, the fermentative production system C released 33 mM of L-Asp after 50 h by using succinate as carbon source. This study represented an extensive characterization of the mesophilic AspDH and its potential applicability for efficient and attractive production of L-Asp. Our novel production systems are also hopeful for developing the new processes for other compounds production.

Influence of the hydrostatic pressure and pH on the asymmetric 2-hydroxyketone formation catalyzed by Pseudomonas putida benzoylformate decarboxylase and variants thereof

Benzoylformate decarboxylase (BFD) from Pseudomonas putida is a thiamine diphosphate-dependent (ThDP) enzyme that catalyzes the asymmetric C--C bond formation to (S)-2-hydroxypropiophenone [(S)-HPP] starting from benzaldehyde and acetaldehyde. The enantioselectivity of BFD was shown to be a function of temperature and substrate concentration. It can additionally be changed by site-directed mutagenesis on hot spot positions in the active site. In this article, we present the effect of hydrostatic pressure up to 250 MPa on the enantioselectivity for the recombinant wtBFD as well as for the variants BFD F464I, BFD A460I, and BFD A460I-F464I. A general tendency toward lower amounts of (S)-HPP could be observed at increasing pressures. For two of these variants an increase in pressure even caused an inversion in the enantioselectivity and thus increasing enantiomeric excesses, respectively. A pressure-induced increase in enantioselectivity could therefore be observed for the first time in biocatalysis to the best of our knowledge. Furthermore, the pH is shown to be a parameter that also significantly influences the enantioselectivity of the reaction mentioned above.

Effect of pressure on the conformation of proteins. A molecular dynamics simulation of lysozyme

The effect of pressure on the structure and mobility of lysozyme was studied by molecular dynamics computer simulation at 1 and 3 kbar (1 atm = 1.01325 bar = 101.325 kPa). The results have good agreement with the available experimental data, allowing the analysis of other features of the effect of pressure on the protein solution. The studies of mobility show that although the general mobility is restricted under pressure this is not true for some particular residues. From the analysis of secondary structure along the trajectories it is observed that the conformation under pressure is more stable, suggesting that pressure acts as a 'conformer selector' on the protein. The difference in solvent-accessed surface (SAS) with pressure shows a clear inversion of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic SAS ratio, which consequently shows that the hydrophobic interaction is considerably weaker under high hydrostatic pressure conditions.

Interpretation of the temperature dependence of rate constants in biosensor studies

A comparison is made between Arrhenius and transition-state analyses of the temperature dependence of rate constants reported in four published biosensor studies. Although the Eyring transition-state theory seemingly affords a more definitive solution to the problem of characterizing the activation energetics, the analysis is equivocal because of inherent assumptions about reaction mechanism and the magnitude of the transmission coefficient. In view of those uncertainties it is suggested that a preferable course of action entails reversion to the empirical Arrhenius analysis with regard to the energy of activation and a preexponential factor. The former is essentially equivalent to the enthalpy of activation, whereas the magnitude of the latter indicates directly the extent of disparity between the frequency of product formation and the universal frequency factor (temperature multiplied by the ratio of the Boltzmann and Planck constants) and hence the likelihood of a more complicated kinetic mechanism than that encompassed by the Eyring transition-state theory.

Extrinsic factors potassium chloride and glycerol induce thermostability in recombinant anthranilate synthase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus

Thermostable anthranilate synthase from the marine sulfate-reducing hyperthermophile Archaeoglobus fulgidus has been expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and characterized. The functional enzyme is an alpha2beta2 heterotetrameric complex of molecular mass 150+/-15 kDa. It is composed of two TrpE (50 kDa) and two TrpG (18 kDa) subunits. The extrinsic factors glycerol (25%) and potassium chloride (2 M) stabilized the recombinant enzyme against thermal inactivation. In the presence of these extrinsic factors, the enzyme was highly thermostable, exhibiting a half-life of thermal inactivation of about 1 h at 85 degrees C. The kinetic constants for the enzyme under these conditions were: Km (chorismate) 84 microM, Km (glutamine) 7.0 mM, kcat 0.25 s(-1), and pH optimum 8.0. The enzyme was competitively, though non-cooperatively, inhibited by tryptophan.

An instant measurement of oxidoreductase activity above 100°C by monitoring the absorbance change

A conventional absorbance monitoring method using a cuvette covered with a tight rubber cap was found to be applicable for measuring oxidoreductase activity at temperatures up to 115 degrees C. Using this method, the optimal temperatures of the enzymes, including oxygen-sensitive enzymes from a hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus profundus, were determined.

Potential of mean force between two hydrophobic solutes in water

We study the potential of mean force between two nonpolar solutes in the Mercedes Benz model of water. Using NPT Monte Carlo simulations, we find that the solute size determines the relative preference of two solute molecules to come into contact ('contact minimum') or to be separated by a single layer of water ('solvent-separated minimum'). Larger solutes more strongly prefer the contacting state, while smaller solutes have more tendency to become solvent-separated, particularly in cold water. The thermal driving forces oscillate with solute separation. Contacts are stabilized by entropy, whereas solvent-separated solute pairing is stabilized by enthalpy. The free energy of interaction for small solutes is well-approximated by scaled-particle theory.

Pressure effects on intra- and intermolecular interactions within proteins

The effects of pressure on protein structure and function can vary dramatically depending on the magnitude of the pressure, the reaction mechanism (in the case of enzymes), and the overall balance of forces responsible for maintaining the protein's structure. Interactions between the protein and solvent are also critical in determining the response of a protein to pressure. Pressure has long been recognized as a potential denaturant of proteins, often promoting the disruption of multimeric proteins, but recently examples of pressure-induced stabilization have also been reported. These global effects can be explained in terms of pressure effects on individual molecular interactions within proteins, including hydrophobic, electrostatic, and van der Waals interactions, which can now be studied in greater detail than ever before. However, many uncertainties remain, and thorough descriptions of how proteins respond to pressure remain elusive. This review summarizes basic concepts and new findings related to pressure effects on intra- and intermolecular interactions within proteins and protein complexes, and discusses their implications for protein structure-function relationships under pressure.

Mechanism of pressure-induced thermostabilization of proteins: studies of glutamate dehydrogenases from the hyperthermophile Thermococcus litoralis

In this study, we investigated the effect of pressure on protein structure and stability at high temperature. Thermoinactivation experiments at 5 and 500 atm were performed using the wild-type (WT) enzyme and two single mutants (D167T and T138E) of the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) from the hyperthermophile Thermococcus litoralis. All three GDHs were stabilized, although to different degrees, by the application of 500 atm. Interestingly, the degree of pressure stabilization correlated with GDH stability as well as the magnitude of electrostatic repulsion created by residues at positions 138 and 167. Thermoinactivation experiments also were performed in the presence of trehalose. Addition of the sugar stabilized all three GDHs; the degree of sugar-induced thermostabilization followed the same order as pressure stabilization. Previous studies suggested a mechanism whereby the enzyme adopts a more compact and rigid structure and volume fluctuations away from the native state are diminished under pressure. The present results on the three GDHs allowed us to further confirm and refine the proposed mechanism for pressure-induced thermostabilization. In particular, we propose that pressure stabilizes against thermoinactivation by shifting the equilibrium between conformational substates of the GDH hexamer, thus inhibiting irreversible aggregation.

Enzymes from extremophiles

The industrial application of enzymes that can withstand harsh conditions has greatly increased over the past decade. This is mainly a result of the discovery of novel enzymes from extremophilic microorganisms. Recent advances in the study of extremozymes point to the acceleration of this trend. In particular, enzymes from thermophilic organisms have found the most practical commercial use to date because of their overall inherent stability. This has also led to a greater understanding of stability factors involved in adaptation of these enzymes to their unusual environments.

The biotechnological potential of piezophiles

Microorganisms that prefer high-pressure conditions are termed piezophiles (previously termed barophiles). The molecular basis of piezophily is now being investigated extensively focusing on aspects of gene regulation and the function of certain proteins in deep-sea isolates. Little attention has been paid, however, to the potential biotechnological applications of piezophiles compared with other extremophiles. Based on the fundamental knowledge available, we will try to answer the following questions: How can we exploit the biotechnological potential of piezophiles? What can be understood by the application of high-pressure in biological systems?

Enzyme fluorescence as a sensing tool: new perspectives in biotechnology

The technology for fluorescence protein-sensing is advancing rapidly owing to the continued introduction of new concepts, new fluorophores, and proteins engineered for sensing-specific analytes. Concerns about the reversibility and selectivity of engineered proteins are being addressed by developing biosensors that are based on the utilisation of coenzyme-depleted enzymes. Such biomolecules do not consume the substrate and can exhibit conformational changes upon the binding of the analyte, which can be easily detected as fluorescence change. In addition, concerns about the stability of biosensors can be overcome by using thermostable enzymes isolated from thermophilic microorganisms. Finally, the development of new techniques such as polarization-based sensing, anisotropy-based sensing and lifetime-based sensing, all of which can be accomplished with light-emitting diodes as the light source, is prompting the design of a new class of specific and stable biosensors, as has occurred with blood glucose measurement. These biosensors represent a valid alternative to the conventional clinical chemistry diagnostics.