Use of yeast spores for microencapsulation of enzymes

Preparation of spore-immobilized glutathione reductase and its application in inhibiting browning of pear wine

BACKGROUND

Browning is the key problem hindering the industrialization of pear wine. The use of high-yield glutathione Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the fermentation of pear wine can inhibit browning. Glutathione reductase (GR) can ensure the reduction of glutathione. Spore immobilization of enzymes is a new technology. It is a new attempt to apply spore-immobilized GR in combination with high-yield glutathione S. cerevisiae to inhibit browning of pear wine.

RESULTS

Saccharomyces cerevisiae spore immobilization enzyme technology was used to immobilize GR in the spores of mutant S. cerevisiae dit1∆, osw2∆ and chs3∆ and wild-type S. cerevisiae. The enzyme activity of GR immobilized by chs3∆ spores was the highest of 3.08 U mg-1 min-1. The chs3∆ spore-immobilized GR had certain resistance to ethanol, citric acid, sucrose, glucose and proteinase K. Electron microscopy analysis showed that the spore wall of chs3∆ had moderate size holes, which might be the main reason why it immobilized GR with the highest enzyme activity. And the GR was immobilized between the prespore membrane and mannoprotein layer of the spore wall. When chs3∆ spore-immobilized GR (chs3∆-GR) was added to Dangshan pear wine fermented by high-yield glutathione S. cerevisiae JN32-9, the presence of chs3∆-GR could further protect amino acids, polyphenols and glucose from oxidation, thereby reducing the browning of the pear wine during storage by 47.32%.

CONCLUSION

GR immobilized by S. cerevisiae spores was effective in inhibiting the browning of pear wine. The method was simple, green and effective and did not increase the production cost of pear wine. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Establishment of a Novel Cell Surface Display Platform Based on Natural "Chitosan Beads" of Yeast Spores

Cell surface display technology, which expresses and anchors proteins on the surface of microbial cells, has broad application prospects in many fields, such as protein library screening, biocatalysis, and biosensor development. However, traditional cell surface display systems have disadvantages: the molecular weight of phage display proteins cannot be too large; bacterial display lacks the post-translational modification process for eukaryotic proteins; yeast display is prone to excessive protein glycosylation and misfolding of multisubunit proteins; and the compatibility of Bacillus subtilis spore display needs to be further improved. Therefore, it is extremely valuable to develop an efficient surface display platform with strong universality and stress resistance properties. Although yeast surface display systems have been extensively investigated, the establishment of a surface display platform using yeast spores has rarely been reported. In this study, a novel cell surface display platform based on natural "chitosan beads" of yeast spores was developed. The target protein in fusion with the chitosan affinity protein (CAP) exhibited strong binding capability with "chitosan beads" of yeast spores in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, this protein display system showed highly preferable enzymatic properties and stability. As an example, the displayed LXYL-P1-2-CAP demonstrated high thermostability and reusability (60% of the initial activity after seven cycles of reuse), high storage stability (75% of original activity after 8 weeks), and excellent tolerance to a concentration up to 75% (v/v) organic reagents. To prove the practicability of this surface display system, the semisynthesis of paclitaxel intermediate was demonstrated and its highest conversion rate was 92% using 0.25 mM substrate. This study provides a novel and useful platform for the surface display of proteins, especially for multimeric macromolecular proteins of eukaryotic origin.

Research Advances of d-allulose: An Overview of Physiological Functions, Enzymatic Biotransformation Technologies, and Production Processes

d-allulose has a significant application value as a sugar substitute, not only as a food ingredient and dietary supplement, but also with various physiological functions, such as improving insulin resistance, anti-obesity, and regulating glucolipid metabolism. Over the decades, the physiological functions of d-allulose and the corresponding mechanisms have been studied deeply, and this product has been applied to various foods to enhance food quality and prolong shelf life. In recent years, biotransformation technologies for the production of d-allulose using enzymatic approaches have gained more attention. However, there are few comprehensive reviews on this topic. This review focuses on the recent research advances of d-allulose, including (1) the physiological functions of d-allulose; (2) the major enzyme families used for the biotransformation of d-allulose and their microbial origins; (3) phylogenetic and structural characterization of d-allulose 3-epimerases, and the directed evolution methods for the enzymes; (4) heterologous expression of d-allulose ketose 3-epimerases and biotransformation techniques for d-allulose; and (5) production processes for biotransformation of d-allulose based on the characterized enzymes. Furthermore, the future trends on biosynthesis and applications of d-allulose in food and health industries are discussed and evaluated in this review.

Preparation of Spray-Dried Functional Food: Effect of Adding Bacillus clausii Bacteria as a Co-Microencapsulating Agent on the Conservation of Resveratrol

The effect of bacteria (Bacillus clausii) addition on the culturability and antioxidant activity of resveratrol prepared by spray drying was studied in this work. Inulin and lactose were employed as carrying agents and their performance compared. Resveratrol microencapsulated in inulin showed the highest antioxidant activity (26%) against free radicals. The co-encapsulated materials (bacteria and resveratrol) in inulin and lactose showed similar activities (21%, and 23%, respectively) suggesting that part of resveratrol was absorbed by the bacteria. Particles showed a regular spherical morphology with smooth surfaces, and size in the micrometer range (2–25 μm). The absence of bacteria in the SEM micrographs and the culturability activity suggested the preservation of the organisms within the micro and co-microencapsulated particles. The present work proposes the preparation of a functional food with probiotic and antioxidant properties.

Encapsulation of Mannose-6-phosphate Isomerase in Yeast Spores and Its Application in l-Ribose Production

A mannose-6-phosphate isomerase (MPI) from Geobacillus thermodenitrificans was expressed and successfully encapsulated into the Saccharomyces cerevisiae spores. Our results demonstrated that compared to the free enzyme, the MPI triple mutant encapsulated in osw2Δ spores exhibited much preferred enzymatic properties, such as enhanced catalytic activity, excellent reusability, thermostability, and tolerance to various harsh conditions. In combination with an l-arabinose isomerase (AI) also from G. thermodenitrificans, this technique of spore encapsulation was applied for producing a high-value rare sugar l-ribose from biomass-derived l-arabinose. Using a 10 mL reaction system, 350 mg of l-ribose was produced from 1 g of l-arabinose with a conversion yield of 35% by repeatedly reacting with 200 mg of AI-encapsulated spores and 300 mg of MPI-encapsulated spores. This study provides a very useful and concise approach for the synthesis of rare sugars and other useful compounds.

Construction of functional chimeras of syntaxin-1A and its yeast orthologue, and their application to the yeast cell-based assay for botulinum neurotoxin serotype C

BACKGROUND

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) prevent synaptic transmission because they hydrolyze synaptic N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs). BoNT serotype C (BoNT/C) targets syntaxin-1A and SNAP-25, and is expected to be applied to cosmetic and therapeutic uses. SNAREs are evolutionally conserved proteins and in yeast a syntaxin-1A orthologue Sso1 is involved in exocytosis. The substrate specificity of BoNT/C is strict and it cannot cleave Sso1.

METHODS

Domain swapping and mutational screenings were performed to generate functional chimeras SNAREs of syntaxin-1A and Sso1. Such chimeras are expressed in yeast cells and assessed whether they are susceptible to BoNT/C digestion.

RESULTS

The Sso1 and syntaxin-1A chimera (Sso1/STX1A), in which the SNARE domain in Sso1 was replaced with that of syntaxin-1A, was not functional in yeast. The functional incompatibility of Sso1/STX1A was attributable to its accumulation in the ER. We found several mutations that could release Sso1/STX1A from the ER to make the chimera functional in yeast. Yeast cells harboring the mutant chimeras grew similarly to wild-type cells. However, unlike wild-type, yeast harboring the mutant chimeras exhibited a severe growth defect upon expression of BoNT/C. Results of further domain swapping analyses suggest that Sso1 is not digested by BoNT/C because it lacks a binding region to BoNT/C (α-exosite-binding region).

CONCLUSIONS

We obtained functional Sso1/STX1A chimeras, which can be applied to a yeast cell-based BoNT/C assay. BoNT/C can recognize these chimeras in a similar manner to syntaxin-1A.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The yeast cell-based BoNT/C assay would be useful to characterize and engineer BoNT/C.

Efficient chiral synthesis by Saccharomyces cerevisiae spore encapsulation of Candida parapsilosis Glu228Ser/(S)-carbonyl reductase II and Bacillus sp. YX-1 glucose dehydrogenase in organic solvents

BACKGROUND

Saccharomyces cerevisiae AN120 osw2∆ spores were used as a host with good resistance to unfavorable environment. This work was undertaken to develop a new yeast spore-encapsulation of Candida parapsilosis Glu228Ser/(S)-carbonyl reductase II and Bacillus sp. YX-1 glucose dehydrogenase for efficient chiral synthesis in organic solvents.

RESULTS

The spore microencapsulation of E228S/SCR II and GDH in S. cerevisiae AN120 osw2∆ catalyzed (R)-phenylethanol in a good yield with an excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99%) within 4 h. It presented good resistance and catalytic functions under extreme temperature and pH conditions. The encapsulation produced several chiral products with over 70% yield and over 99% enantioselectivity in ethyl acetate after being recycled for 4-6 times. It increased substrate concentration over threefold and reduced the reaction time two to threefolds compared to the recombinant Escherichia coli containing E228S and glucose dehydrogenase.

CONCLUSIONS

This work first described sustainable enantioselective synthesis without exogenous cofactors in organic solvents using yeast spore-microencapsulation of coupled alcohol dehydrogenases.

Production of l-Ribulose Using an Encapsulated l-Arabinose Isomerase in Yeast Spores

The rare sugar l-ribulose is produced from the abundant sugar l-arabinose by enzymatic conversion. An l-arabinose isomerase (AI) from Geobacillus thermodenitrificans was efficiently expressed and encapsulated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae spores. Deletion of the yeast OSW2 gene, which causes a mild defect in the integrity of the spore wall, substantially improved the activity of encapsulated AI, without damaging its superior enzymatic properties of thermostability, pH tolerance,and resistance toward SDS and proteinase treatments. In a 10 mL reaction, 100 mg of dry AI encapsulated in spores produced 250 mg of l-ribulose from 1 g of l-arabinose, indicating a 25% conversion rate. Notably, the product of l-ribulose was directly purified from the reaction solution with an approximately 91% recovery using a Ca²⁺ ion exchange column. Our results describe not only a facile approach for the production of l-ribulose but also a useful strategy for the enzymatic conversion of rare sugars in "Izumoring".

Spore Germination Requires Ferrichrome Biosynthesis and the Siderophore Transporter Str1 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Spore germination is a process whereby spores exit dormancy to become competent for mitotic cell division. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, one critical step of germination is the formation of a germ tube that hatches out the spore wall in a stage called outgrowth. Here, we show that iron deficiency blocks the outgrowth of germinating spores. The siderophore synthetase Sib1 and the ornithine N⁵-oxygenase Sib2 participate in ferrichrome biosynthesis, whereas Str1 functions as a ferrichrome transporter. Expression profiles of sib1⁺ , sib2⁺ , and str1⁺ transcripts reveal that they are induced shortly after induction of germination and their expression remains upregulated throughout the germination program under low-iron conditions. sib1Δ sib2Δ mutant spores are unable to form a germ tube under iron-poor conditions. Supplementation with exogenous ferrichrome suppresses this phenotype when str1⁺ is present. Str1 localizes at the contour of swollen spores 4 hr after induction of germination. At the onset of outgrowth, localization of Str1 changes and it moves away from the mother spore to primarily localize at the periphery of the new daughter cell. Two conserved Tyr residues (Tyr⁵⁵³ and Tyr⁵⁶⁷) are predicted to be located in the last extracellular loop region of Str1. Results show that these amino acid residues are critical to ensure timely completion of the outgrowth phase of spores in response to exogenous ferrichrome. Taken together, the results reveal the essential requirement of ferrichrome biosynthesis to promote outgrowth, as well as the necessity to take up ferrichrome from an external source via Str1 when ferrichrome biosynthesis is blocked.

Osw2 is required for proper assembly of glucan and/or mannan layers of the yeast spore wall

OSW2 is a meiotically-induced gene required for spore wall formation. osw2Δ spores are sensitive to ether treatment. Except for this phenotype, the mutants do not show obvious sporulation defects; thus, its function remains elusive. We found that deletion of both OSW2 and CHS3 results in a synthetic sporulation defect. The spore wall is composed of four layers, and chs3Δ spores lack the outer two (chitosan and dityrosine) layers. Thus, Osw2 is involved in the assembly of the inner (glucan and mannan) layers. In agreement with this notion, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein reporter mislocalizes in osw2Δ spores. The osw2Δ mutation also exhibited a severe synthetic sporulation defect when combined with the deletion of a ß-1,6-glucan synthesis-related gene, BIG1. Osw2 is localized to the prospore membrane during sporulation. However, it disappears in mature spores, indicating that it is not a structural component of the spore wall. Given that Osw2 contains a probable 2-dehydropantoate 2-reductase domain, it may mediate an enzymatic reaction. Osw2 shows a weak similarity to other 2-dehydropantoate 2-reductase domain-containing proteins, Svl3 and Pam1. A pam1Δsvl3Δ mutant exhibits vegetative cell and spore wall defects. Thus, the 2-dehydropantoate 2-reductase domain-containing proteins may have a similar function in glucan and/or mannan layer assembly.

Cell-surface copper transporters and superoxide dismutase 1 are essential for outgrowth during fungal spore germination

During fungal spore germination, a resting spore returns to a conventional mode of cell division and resumes vegetative growth, but the requirements for spore germination are incompletely understood. Here, we show that copper is essential for spore germination in Schizosaccharomyces pombe Germinating spores develop a single germ tube that emerges from the outer spore wall in a process called outgrowth. Under low-copper conditions, the copper transporters Ctr4 and Ctr5 are maximally expressed at the onset of outgrowth. In the case of Ctr6, its expression is broader, taking place before and during outgrowth. Spores lacking Ctr4, Ctr5, and the copper sensor Cuf1 exhibit complete germination arrest at outgrowth. In contrast, ctr6 deletion only partially interferes with formation of outgrowing spores. At outgrowth, Ctr4-GFP and Ctr5-Cherry first co-localize at the spore contour, followed by re-location to a middle peripheral spore region. Subsequently, they move away from the spore body to occupy the periphery of the nascent cell. After breaking of spore dormancy, Ctr6 localizes to the vacuole membranes that are enriched in the spore body relative to the germ tube. Using a copper-binding tracker, results showed that labile copper is preferentially localized to the spore body. Further analysis showed that Ctr4 and Ctr6 are required for copper-dependent activation of the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) during spore germination. This activation is critical because the loss of SOD1 activity blocked spore germination at outgrowth. Taken together, these results indicate that cell-surface copper transporters and SOD1 are required for completion of the spore germination program.

Production of encapsulated creatinase using yeast spores

Yeast spores can be used as a carrier to produce enzyme capsules. In the present study, this technique was applied to a diagnostic enzyme named creatinase. We found that a secretory form of Pseudomonas putida creatinase could be entrapped in the spore wall, and such spores were used as creatinase capsules. The activity of the encapsulated creatinase was largely improved by mild spore wall defective mutations, such as DIT1 or OSW2 deletions. The advantages of this method include the following: encapsulated and freeze-dried creatinase is produced without preparing the purified enzyme, and it exhibits resistance to environmental stresses, such as high temperature and SDS treatments. Thus, yeast spores could be applied to establish quick and easy clinical diagnostic methods.

Consecutive hydrolysis of creatinine using creatininase and creatinase encapsulated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae spores

OBJECTIVES

To achieve consecutive conversion from creatinine to urea and sarcosine using creatininase and creatinase encapsulated in spores of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

RESULTS

Creatininase encapsulated into the spore wall was produced and its specific activity was 3.4 ± 0.4 U/mg. By deletion of OSW2 gene, which causes a mild spore wall defect, the activity was increased to 10.9 ± 0.5 U/mg. Compared with soluble enzymes, spore-encapsulated creatininase was tolerant to environmental stresses; creatininase encapsulated in osw2∆ spores retained more than 90 % of the activity after treatment by SDS or proteinase K. Creatinase capsules could also be produced through spore encapsulation. The mixture of spores containing either creatininase or creatinase could mediate a two-step reaction to produce urea from creatinine; 5 mg spores produced 19 µmol urea in 10 min. Spores co-expressing creatininase and creatinase could also mediate the reactions more efficiently than the mixture of spores individually expressing each enzyme; the yield in 10 min was 38 µmol.

CONCLUSIONS

Yeast spores can hold creatininase and creatinase simultaneously and catalyze the consecutive reactions.

Yeast cell-based analysis of human lactate dehydrogenase isoforms

Human lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) has attracted attention as a potential target for cancer therapy and contraception. In this study, we reconstituted human lactic acid fermentation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with the goal of constructing a yeast cell-based LDH assay system. pdc null mutant yeast (mutated in the endogenous pyruvate decarboxylase genes) are unable to perform alcoholic fermentation; when grown in the presence of an electron transport chain inhibitor, pdc null strains exhibit a growth defect. We found that introduction of the human gene encoding LDHA complemented the pdc growth defect; this complementation depended on LDHA catalytic activity. Similarly, introduction of the human LDHC complemented the pdc growth defect, even though LDHC did not generate lactate at the levels seen with LDHA. In contrast, the human LDHB did not complement the yeast pdc null mutant, although LDHB did generate lactate in yeast cells. Expression of LDHB as a red fluorescent protein (RFP) fusion yielded blebs in yeast, whereas LDHA-RFP and LDHC-RFP fusion proteins exhibited cytosolic distribution. Thus, LDHB exhibits several unique features when expressed in yeast cells. Because yeast cells are amenable to genetic analysis and cell-based high-throughput screening, our pdc/LDH strains are expected to be of use for versatile analyses of human LDH.