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Otani Y, Maoka T, Kawai-Noma S, Saito K, Umeno D. A novel carotenoid biosynthetic route via oxidosqualene. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 599:75-80. [PMID: 35176628 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.01.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Over 800 known carotenoids are synthesized from phytoene or 4,4'-diapophytoene (dehydrosqualene) characterized by three conjugated double bonds. In this paper, we report that carotenoid desaturase CrtN from Staphylococcus aureus and Methylomonas can accept oxidosqualene, which is the precursor for plant- or animal-type triterpenoids, yielding the yellow carotenoid pigments with 8, 9, or 10 conjugated double bonds. The resulting pathway is the second nonnatural route for carotenoid pigments and the first pathway for carotenoid pigments not biosynthesized via (diapo)phytoene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Otani
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takashi Maoka
- Research Institute for Production Development, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shigeko Kawai-Noma
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kyoichi Saito
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Daisuke Umeno
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Applied Chemistry, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
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2
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Pathway Engineering Using Escherichia coli to Produce Commercialized Carotenoids. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1261:191-199. [PMID: 33783741 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-7360-6_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The biosynthesis of commercialized carotenoids (e.g., lycopene, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin) using recombinant microorganisms is one of the reasonable and cost-effective alternatives to extraction from natural sources and chemical synthesis. Among heterologous hosts, Escherichia coli is one of the most useful and manageable. To date, many approaches using recombinant E. coli are available to produce various carotenoids. Here we outline the latest carotenoid production research using recombinant E. coli produced through pathway engineering and its future prospects.
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3
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Salem MA, Perez de Souza L, Serag A, Fernie AR, Farag MA, Ezzat SM, Alseekh S. Metabolomics in the Context of Plant Natural Products Research: From Sample Preparation to Metabolite Analysis. Metabolites 2020; 10:E37. [PMID: 31952212 PMCID: PMC7023240 DOI: 10.3390/metabo10010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 12/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant-derived natural products have long been considered a valuable source of lead compounds for drug development. Natural extracts are usually composed of hundreds to thousands of metabolites, whereby the bioactivity of natural extracts can be represented by synergism between several metabolites. However, isolating every single compound from a natural extract is not always possible due to the complex chemistry and presence of most secondary metabolites at very low levels. Metabolomics has emerged in recent years as an indispensable tool for the analysis of thousands of metabolites from crude natural extracts, leading to a paradigm shift in natural products drug research. Analytical methods such as mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) are used to comprehensively annotate the constituents of plant natural products for screening, drug discovery as well as for quality control purposes such as those required for phytomedicine. In this review, the current advancements in plant sample preparation, sample measurements, and data analysis are presented alongside a few case studies of the successful applications of these processes in plant natural product drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A. Salem
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Menoufia University, Gamal Abd El Nasr st., Shibin Elkom, Menoufia 32511, Egypt
| | - Leonardo Perez de Souza
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; (L.P.d.S.); (A.R.F.)
| | - Ahmed Serag
- Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11751, Egypt;
| | - Alisdair R. Fernie
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; (L.P.d.S.); (A.R.F.)
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB), Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria
| | - Mohamed A. Farag
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt; (M.A.F.); (S.M.E.)
- Chemistry Department, School of Sciences & Engineering, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Shahira M. Ezzat
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt; (M.A.F.); (S.M.E.)
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Giza 11787, Egypt
| | - Saleh Alseekh
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; (L.P.d.S.); (A.R.F.)
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB), Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria
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4
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Otani Y, Maoka T, Kawai-Noma S, Saito K, Umeno D. Construction of a pathway to C50-ε-carotene. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216729. [PMID: 31086389 PMCID: PMC6516660 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Substrate tolerance of bacterial cyclases has been demonstrated in various contexts, but little is known about that of plant cyclases. Here, we tested two plant ε-cyclases to convert C50-lycopene, which we previously established by rounds of directed evolution. Unlike bacterial β-cyclases, two-end cyclase from lettuce exhibited complete specificity against this molecule, indicating that this enzyme has some mechanism that exerts size-specificity. Arabidopsis one-end cyclase At-y2 showed detectable activity to C50-lycopene. Interestingly, we found that it functions as a two-end cyclase in a C50 context. Based on this observation, a possible model for substrate discrimination of this enzyme is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Otani
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takashi Maoka
- Research Institute for Production Development, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shigeko Kawai-Noma
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kyoichi Saito
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Daisuke Umeno
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- * E-mail:
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5
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Characterization and engineering of a carotenoid biosynthesis operon from Bacillus megaterium. Metab Eng 2018; 49:47-58. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2018.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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6
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Analysis of Novel Antioxidant Sesquarterpenes (C 35 Terpenes) Produced in Recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2018; 186:525-534. [PMID: 29663127 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-018-2756-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Novel synthetic isoprenoids have been synthesized in engineered microbial hosts by evolving terpene synthase or expressing heterologous terpene synthases. Recently, the native operon, crtNaNcM derived from Planococcus sp. PAMC 21323, has isolated for potential industrial applications of C35 carotenoids. For the first time, novel C35 carotenoids (sesquarterpene) were synthesized in Corynebacterium glutamicum expressing the crtNaNcM genes. The recombinant strains accumulate various sesquarterpene including 4-apolycopene (red color), 4-aponeurosporene (yellow color), and no pigmentation, depending on the expression of the genetic elements of the crtNaNcM genes. Subsequently, the carotenoid extract from the cells harboring pCES-H36-CrtNaNcM was analyzed, resulting in significantly higher antioxidant activity than those of other strains harboring pCES-H36-CrtNcM and pCES-H36-CrtNaNc, respectively. This study will promote further engineering of C. glutamicum to increase sesquarterpene productions.
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7
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Cueno ME, Imai K. Network analytics approach towards identifying potential antivirulence drug targets within the Staphylococcus aureus staphyloxanthin biosynthetic network. Arch Biochem Biophys 2018; 645:81-86. [PMID: 29551420 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2018.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is associated with several clinically significant infections among humans and infections associated with antibiotic-resistant strains are growing in frequency. Antivirulence strategies shift the target of drugs from bacterial growth to the infection process resulting to milder evolutionary pressure for the development of bacterial resistant strains. Staphyloxanthin (STX) is a yellowish-orange carotenoid pigment synthesized by S. aureus and this carotenoid functions as an important virulence factor for the bacteria. In this study, we elucidated whether network analytics can be used as a viable tool to identify significant components in the STX biosynthetic network which in-turn could serve as possible antivirulence drug targets. For confirmation, we correlated our results to known drugs that were able to inhibit STX biosynthesis. Throughout this study, we established that crtN(1) activity and 4,4'-diaponeurosporene amounts are significant components in the STX biosynthetic network and, moreover, network analytics can aid in identifying antivirulence drug targets within the STX biosynthetic network. Similarly, we found that network analytics is capable of identifying multiple potential targets simultaneously. Taken together, we propose that an effective antivirulence drug against S. aureus STX biosynthesis would involve targeting crtN(1) activity, 4,4'-diaponeurosporene levels, or both components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marni E Cueno
- Department of Microbiology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan.
| | - Kenichi Imai
- Department of Microbiology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan
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8
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Plotkin BJ, Konakieva MI. Attenuation of antimicrobial activity by the human steroid hormones. Steroids 2017; 128:120-127. [PMID: 28951169 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Upon entering the human host, Staphylococcus aureus is exposed to endogenous steroid hormones. The interaction between S. aureus and dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA) results in an increased resistance to the host cationic defense peptide, β-1 defensin, as well as vancomycin and other antibiotics that have a positive charge. The increased resistance to vancomycin is phenotypic and appears to correlate with a DHEA-mediated alteration in cell surface architecture. DHEA-mediated cell surface changes include alterations in: cell surface charge, surface hydrophobicity, capsule production, and carotenoid production. In addition, exposure to DHEA results in decreased resistance to lysis by Triton X-100 and lysozyme, indicating activation of murien hydrolase activity. We propose that DHEA is an interspecies quorum-like signal that triggers innate phenotypic host survival strategies in S. aureus that include increased carotenoid production and increased vancomycin resistance. Furthermore, this DHEA-mediated survival system may share the cholesterol-squalene pathway shown to be statin sensitive thus, providing a potential pathway for drug targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balbina J Plotkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL 60515, United States.
| | - Monika I Konakieva
- Department of Chemistry, American University, Washington, DC 20016, United States.
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9
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Thapa HR, Tang S, Sacchettini JC, Devarenne TP. Tetraterpene Synthase Substrate and Product Specificity in the Green Microalga Botryococcus braunii Race L. ACS Chem Biol 2017; 12:2408-2416. [PMID: 28813599 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Recently, the biosynthetic pathway for lycopadiene, a C40 tetraterpenoid hydrocarbon, was deciphered from the L race of Botryococcus braunii, an alga that produces hydrocarbon oils capable of being converted into combustible fuels. The lycopadiene pathway is initiated by the squalene synthase (SS)-like enzyme lycopaoctaene synthase (LOS), which catalyzes the head-to-head condensation of two C20 geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) molecules to produce C40 lycopaoctaene. LOS shows unusual substrate promiscuity for SS or SS-like enzymes by utilizing C15 farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) and C20 phytyl diphosphate in addition to GGPP as substrates. These three substrates can be combined by LOS individually or in combinations to produce six different hydrocarbons of C30, C35, and C40 chain lengths. To understand LOS substrate and product specificity, rational mutagenesis experiments were conducted based on sequence alignment with several SS proteins as well as a structural comparison with the human SS (HSS) crystal structure. Characterization of the LOS mutants in vitro identified Ser276 and Ala288 in the LOS active site as key amino acids responsible for controlling substrate binding, and thus the promiscuity of this enzyme. Mutating these residues to those found in HSS largely converted LOS from lycopaoctaene production to C30 squalene production. Furthermore, these studies were confirmed in vivo by expressing LOS in E. coli cells metabolically engineered to produce high FPP and GGPP levels. These studies also offer insights into tetraterpene hydrocarbon metabolism in B. braunii and provide a foundation for engineering LOS for robust production of specific hydrocarbons of a desired chain length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hem R. Thapa
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Su Tang
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - James C. Sacchettini
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Timothy P. Devarenne
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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10
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Ren H, Hu P, Zhao H. A plug-and-play pathway refactoring workflow for natural product research in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biotechnol Bioeng 2017; 114:1847-1854. [PMID: 28401530 DOI: 10.1002/bit.26309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 03/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pathway refactoring serves as an invaluable synthetic biology tool for natural product discovery, characterization, and engineering. However, the complicated and laborious molecular biology techniques largely hinder its application in natural product research, especially in a high-throughput manner. Here we report a plug-and-play pathway refactoring workflow for high-throughput, flexible pathway construction, and expression in both Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biosynthetic genes were firstly cloned into pre-assembled helper plasmids with promoters and terminators, resulting in a series of expression cassettes. These expression cassettes were further assembled using Golden Gate reaction to generate fully refactored pathways. The inclusion of spacer plasmids in this system would not only increase the flexibility for refactoring pathways with different number of genes, but also facilitate gene deletion and replacement. As proof of concept, a total of 96 pathways for combinatorial carotenoid biosynthesis were built successfully. This workflow should be generally applicable to different classes of natural products produced by various organisms. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1847-1854. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengqian Ren
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801
| | - Pingfan Hu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801.,Departments of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
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11
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Arendt P, Pollier J, Callewaert N, Goossens A. Synthetic biology for production of natural and new-to-nature terpenoids in photosynthetic organisms. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 87:16-37. [PMID: 26867713 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
With tens of thousands of characterized members, terpenoids constitute the largest class of natural compounds that are synthesized by all living organisms. Several terpenoids play primary roles in the maintenance of cell membrane fluidity, as pigments or as phytohormones, but most of them function as specialized metabolites that are involved in plant resistance to herbivores or plant-environment interactions. Terpenoids are an essential component of human nutrition, and many are economically important pharmaceuticals, aromatics and potential next-generation biofuels. Because of the often low abundance in their natural source, as well as the demand for novel terpenoid structures with new or improved bioactivities, terpenoid biosynthesis has become a prime target for metabolic engineering and synthetic biology projects. In this review we focus on the creation of new-to-nature or tailor-made plant-derived terpenoids in photosynthetic organisms, in particular by means of combinatorial biosynthesis and the activation of silent metabolism. We reflect on the characteristics of different potential photosynthetic host organisms and recent advances in synthetic biology and discuss their utility for the (heterologous) production of (novel) terpenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Arendt
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Laboratory for Protein Biochemistry and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Medical Biotechnology Center, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jacob Pollier
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Nico Callewaert
- Laboratory for Protein Biochemistry and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Medical Biotechnology Center, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Alain Goossens
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
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12
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Production of the Marine Carotenoid Astaxanthin by Metabolically Engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum. Mar Drugs 2016; 14:md14070124. [PMID: 27376307 PMCID: PMC4962014 DOI: 10.3390/md14070124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Astaxanthin, a red C40 carotenoid, is one of the most abundant marine carotenoids. It is currently used as a food and feed additive in a hundred-ton scale and is furthermore an attractive component for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications with antioxidant activities. Corynebacterium glutamicum, which naturally synthesizes the yellow C50 carotenoid decaprenoxanthin, is an industrially relevant microorganism used in the million-ton amino acid production. In this work, engineering of a genome-reduced C. glutamicum with optimized precursor supply for astaxanthin production is described. This involved expression of heterologous genes encoding for lycopene cyclase CrtY, β-carotene ketolase CrtW, and hydroxylase CrtZ. For balanced expression of crtW and crtZ their translation initiation rates were varied in a systematic approach using different ribosome binding sites, spacing, and translational start codons. Furthermore, β-carotene ketolases and hydroxylases from different marine bacteria were tested with regard to efficient astaxanthin production in C. glutamicum. In shaking flasks, the C. glutamicum strains developed here overproduced astaxanthin with volumetric productivities up to 0.4 mg·L−1·h−1 which are competitive with current algae-based production. Since C. glutamicum can grow to high cell densities of up to 100 g cell dry weight (CDW)·L−1, the recombinant strains developed here are a starting point for astaxanthin production by C. glutamicum.
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13
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Thapa HR, Naik MT, Okada S, Takada K, Molnár I, Xu Y, Devarenne TP. A squalene synthase-like enzyme initiates production of tetraterpenoid hydrocarbons in Botryococcus braunii Race L. Nat Commun 2016; 7:11198. [PMID: 27050299 PMCID: PMC4823828 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The green microalga Botryococcus braunii is considered a promising biofuel feedstock producer due to its prodigious accumulation of hydrocarbon oils that can be converted into fuels. B. braunii Race L produces the C40 tetraterpenoid hydrocarbon lycopadiene via an uncharacterized biosynthetic pathway. Structural similarities suggest this pathway follows a biosynthetic mechanism analogous to that of C30 squalene. Confirming this hypothesis, the current study identifies C20 geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) as a precursor for lycopaoctaene biosynthesis, the first committed intermediate in the production of lycopadiene. Two squalene synthase (SS)-like complementary DNAs are identified in race L with one encoding a true SS and the other encoding an enzyme with lycopaoctaene synthase (LOS) activity. Interestingly, LOS uses alternative C15 and C20 prenyl diphosphate substrates to produce combinatorial hybrid hydrocarbons, but almost exclusively uses GGPP in vivo. This discovery highlights how SS enzyme diversification results in the production of specialized tetraterpenoid oils in race L of B. braunii. The green microalga Botryococcus braunii is a promising biofuel producer due to its ability to produce large amounts of hydrocarbon oils that can be converted into fuels. Here the authors implicate lycopaoctaene synthase, a squalene synthases-like enzyme, in the first step towards the biosynthesis of the C40 tetraterpenoid hydrocarbon lycopadiene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hem R Thapa
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Mandar T Naik
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA.,Biomolecular NMR Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Shigeru Okada
- Laboratory of Aquatic Natural Products Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.,Japan Science and Technology Agency-Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Gobancho, Chiyoda, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan
| | - Kentaro Takada
- Laboratory of Aquatic Natural Products Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.,Japan Science and Technology Agency-Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Gobancho, Chiyoda, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan
| | - István Molnár
- Natural Products Center, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85739, USA
| | - Yuquan Xu
- Natural Products Center, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85739, USA.,Biotechnology Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Timothy P Devarenne
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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14
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A highly selective biosynthetic pathway to non-natural C50 carotenoids assembled from moderately selective enzymes. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7534. [PMID: 26168783 PMCID: PMC4510654 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology aspires to construct natural and non-natural pathways to useful compounds. However, pathways that rely on multiple promiscuous enzymes may branch, which might preclude selective production of the target compound. Here, we describe the assembly of a six-enzyme pathway in Escherichia coli for the synthesis of C50-astaxanthin, a non-natural purple carotenoid. We show that by judicious matching of engineered size-selectivity variants of the first two enzymes in the pathway, farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FDS) and carotenoid synthase (CrtM), branching and the production of non-target compounds can be suppressed, enriching the proportion of C50 backbones produced. We then further extend the C50 pathway using evolved or wild-type downstream enzymes. Despite not containing any substrate- or product-specific enzymes, the resulting pathway detectably produces only C50 carotenoids, including ∼90% C50-astaxanthin. Using this approach, highly selective pathways can be engineered without developing absolutely specific enzymes. Synthetic engineering of complex pathways is often hindered by pathway branching and generation of non-target compounds. Here, the authors show that by judicious combination of moderately selective enzyme variants, a non-natural C50 carotenoid can be generated in bacteria with minimal production of unwanted compounds.
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15
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Increase of the Lycopene Production in the Recombinant Strains of Escherichia coli by Supplementing with Fructose. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-45657-6_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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16
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Furubayashi M, Saito K, Umeno D. Evolutionary analysis of the functional plasticity of Staphylococcus aureus C30 carotenoid synthase. J Biosci Bioeng 2014; 117:431-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2013.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Revised: 10/02/2013] [Accepted: 10/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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17
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Furubayashi M, Li L, Katabami A, Saito K, Umeno D. Construction of carotenoid biosynthetic pathways using squalene synthase. FEBS Lett 2013; 588:436-42. [PMID: 24333579 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2013] [Revised: 11/28/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The first committed steps of steroid/hopanoid pathways involve squalene synthase (SQS). Here, we report the Escherichia coli production of diaponeurosporene and diapolycopene, yellow C30 carotenoid pigments, by expressing human SQS and Staphylococcus aureus dehydrosqualene (C30 carotenoid) desaturase (CrtN). We suggest that the carotenoid pigments are synthesized mainly via the desaturation of squalene rather than the direct synthesis of dehydrosqualene through the non-reductive condensation of prenyl diphosphate precursors, indicating the possible existence of a "squalene route" and a "lycopersene route" for C30 and C40 carotenoids, respectively. Additionally, this finding yields a new method of colorimetric screening for the cellular activity of squalene synthases, which are major targets for cholesterol-lowering drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiko Furubayashi
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Akinori Katabami
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Kyoichi Saito
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Daisuke Umeno
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan; Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
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Moses T, Pollier J, Thevelein JM, Goossens A. Bioengineering of plant (tri)terpenoids: from metabolic engineering of plants to synthetic biology in vivo and in vitro. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 200:27-43. [PMID: 23668256 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 04/12/2013] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoids constitute a large and diverse class of natural products that serve many functions in nature. Most of the tens of thousands of the discovered terpenoids are synthesized by plants, where they function as primary metabolites involved in growth and development, or as secondary metabolites that optimize the interaction between the plant and its environment. Several plant terpenoids are economically important molecules that serve many applications as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, etc. Major challenges for the commercialization of plant-derived terpenoids include their low production levels in planta and the continuous demand of industry for novel molecules with new or superior biological activities. Here, we highlight several synthetic biology methods to enhance and diversify the production of plant terpenoids, with a foresight towards triterpenoid engineering, the least engineered class of bioactive terpenoids. Increased or cheaper production of valuable triterpenoids may be obtained by 'classic' metabolic engineering of plants or by heterologous production of the compounds in other plants or microbes. Novel triterpenoid structures can be generated through combinatorial biosynthesis or directed enzyme evolution approaches. In its ultimate form, synthetic biology may lead to the production of large amounts of plant triterpenoids in in vitro systems or custom-designed artificial biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Moses
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, VIB, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Jacob Pollier
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Johan M Thevelein
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, VIB, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001, Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Alain Goossens
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052, Gent, Belgium
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Saka K, Kawahara M, Nagamune T. Reconstitution of a cytokine receptor scaffold utilizing multiple different tyrosine motifs. Biotechnol Bioeng 2013; 110:3197-204. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.24973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2013] [Revised: 05/20/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Koichiro Saka
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering; The University of Tokyo; 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8656 Japan
| | - Masahiro Kawahara
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering; The University of Tokyo; 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8656 Japan
| | - Teruyuki Nagamune
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering; The University of Tokyo; 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8656 Japan
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Fukushima EO, Seki H, Sawai S, Suzuki M, Ohyama K, Saito K, Muranaka T. Combinatorial Biosynthesis of Legume Natural and Rare Triterpenoids in Engineered Yeast. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 54:740-9. [DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pct015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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21
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LC–MS method for screening unknown microbial carotenoids and isoprenoid quinones. J Microbiol Methods 2012; 88:28-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2011.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2011] [Revised: 10/01/2011] [Accepted: 10/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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The imminent role of protein engineering in synthetic biology. Biotechnol Adv 2011; 30:541-9. [PMID: 21963685 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2011.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2011] [Revised: 09/13/2011] [Accepted: 09/13/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Protein engineering has for decades been a powerful tool in biotechnology for generating vast numbers of useful enzymes for industrial applications. Today, protein engineering has a crucial role in advancing the emerging field of synthetic biology, where metabolic engineering efforts alone are insufficient to maximize the full potential of synthetic biology. This article reviews the advancements in protein engineering techniques for improving biocatalytic properties to optimize engineered pathways in host systems, which are instrumental to achieve high titer production of target molecules. We also discuss the specific means by which protein engineering has improved metabolic engineering efforts and provide our assessment on its potential to continue to advance biology engineering as a whole.
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Kim SW, Kim JB, Ryu JM, Jung JK, Kim JH. High-level production of lycopene in metabolically engineered E. coli. Process Biochem 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2009.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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De RK, Das M, Mukhopadhyay S. Incorporation of enzyme concentrations into FBA and identification of optimal metabolic pathways. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2008; 2:65. [PMID: 18634554 PMCID: PMC2533768 DOI: 10.1186/1752-0509-2-65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2008] [Accepted: 07/18/2008] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background In the present article, we propose a method for determining optimal metabolic pathways in terms of the level of concentration of the enzymes catalyzing various reactions in the entire metabolic network. The method, first of all, generates data on reaction fluxes in a pathway based on steady state condition. A set of constraints is formulated incorporating weighting coefficients corresponding to concentration of enzymes catalyzing reactions in the pathway. Finally, the rate of yield of the target metabolite, starting with a given substrate, is maximized in order to identify an optimal pathway through these weighting coefficients. Results The effectiveness of the present method is demonstrated on two synthetic systems existing in the literature, two pentose phosphate, two glycolytic pathways, core carbon metabolism and a large network of carotenoid biosynthesis pathway of various organisms belonging to different phylogeny. A comparative study with the existing extreme pathway analysis also forms a part of this investigation. Biological relevance and validation of the results are provided. Finally, the impact of the method on metabolic engineering is explained with a few examples. Conclusions The method may be viewed as determining an optimal set of enzymes that is required to get an optimal metabolic pathway. Although it is a simple one, it has been able to identify a carotenoid biosynthesis pathway and the optimal pathway of core carbon metabolic network that is closer to some earlier investigations than that obtained by the extreme pathway analysis. Moreover, the present method has identified correctly optimal pathways for pentose phosphate and glycolytic pathways. It has been mentioned using some examples how the method can suitably be used in the context of metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajat K De
- Machine Intelligence Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata 700108, India.
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Wang F, Jiang JG, Chen Q. Progress on molecular breeding and metabolic engineering of biosynthesis pathways of C(30), C(35), C(40), C(45), C(50) carotenoids. Biotechnol Adv 2006; 25:211-22. [PMID: 17257797 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2006.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2006] [Revised: 12/08/2006] [Accepted: 12/08/2006] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
At least 700 natural carotenoids have been characterized; they can be classified into C(30), C(40) and C(50) subfamilies. The first step of C(40) pathway is the combination of two molecules of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to synthesize phytoene by phytoene synthase (CrtB or PSY). Most natural carotenoids originate from different types and levels of desaturation by phytoene desaturase (CrtI or PDS+ZDS), cyclization by lycopene cyclase (CrtY or LYC) and other modifications by different modifying enzyme (CrtA, CrtU, CrtZ or BCH, CrtX, CrtO, etc.) of this C(40) backbone. The first step of C(30) pathway is the combination of two molecules of FDP to synthesize diapophytoene by diapophytoene synthase (CrtM). But natural C(30) pathway only goes through a few steps of desaturation to form diaponeurosporene by diapophytoene desaturase (CrtN). Natural C(50) carotenoid decaprenoxanthin is synthesized starting from the C(40) carotenoid lycopene by the addition of 2 C(5) units. Concerned the importance of carotenoids, more and more attention has been concentrated on achieving novel carotenoids. The method being used successfully is to construct carotenoids biosynthesis pathways by metabolic engineering. The strategy of metabolic engineering is to engineer a small number of stringent upstream enzymes (CrtB, CrtI, CrtY, CrtM, or CrtN), then use a lot of promiscuous downstream enzymes to obtain large number of novel carotenoids. Two key enzymes phytoene desaturase (CrtI(m)) and lycopene cyclase (CrtY(m)) have been modified and used with a series of downstream modifying enzymes with broad substrate specificity, such as monooxygenase (CrtA), carotene desaturase (CrtU), carotene hydroxylase (CrtZ), zeaxanthin glycosylase (CrtX) and carotene ketolase (CrtO) to extend successfully natural C(30) and C(40) pathways in E. coli. Existing C(30) synthase CrtM to synthesize carotenoids with different chain length have been engineered and a series of novel carotenoids have been achieved using downstream modifying enzymes. C(35) carotenoid biosynthesis pathway has been constructed in E. coli as described. C(45) and C(50) carotenoid biosynthesis pathways have also been constructed in E. coli, but it is still necessary to extend these two pathways. Those novel acyclic or cyclic carotenoids have a potential ability to protect against photooxidation and radical-mediated peroxidation reactions which makes them interesting pharmaceutical candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, PR China
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Nishida Y, Adachi K, Kasai H, Shizuri Y, Shindo K, Sawabe A, Komemushi S, Miki W, Misawa N. Elucidation of a carotenoid biosynthesis gene cluster encoding a novel enzyme, 2,2'-beta-hydroxylase, from Brevundimonas sp. strain SD212 and combinatorial biosynthesis of new or rare xanthophylls. Appl Environ Microbiol 2005; 71:4286-96. [PMID: 16085816 PMCID: PMC1183362 DOI: 10.1128/aem.71.8.4286-4296.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A carotenoid biosynthesis gene cluster mediating the production of 2-hydroxyastaxanthin was isolated from the marine bacterium Brevundimonas sp. strain SD212 by using a common crtI sequence as the probe DNA. A sequence analysis revealed this cluster to contain 12 open reading frames (ORFs), including the 7 known genes, crtW, crtY, crtI, crtB, crtE, idi, and crtZ. The individual ORFs were functionally analyzed by complementation studies using Escherichia coli that accumulated various carotenoid precursors due to the presence of other bacterial crt genes. In addition to functionally identifying the known crt genes, we found that one (ORF11, named crtG) coded for a novel enzyme, carotenoid 2,2'-beta-hydroxylase, which showed intriguingly partial homology with animal sterol-C5-desaturase. When this crtG gene was introduced into E. coli accumulating zeaxanthin and canthaxanthin, the resulting transformants produced their 2-hydroxylated and 2,2'-dihydroxylated products which were structurally novel or rare xanthophylls, as determined by their nuclear magnetic resonance and high-performance liquid chromatography/photodiode array detector/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry spectral data. The new carotenoid produced was suggested to have a strong inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation.
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Abstract
Systematic approaches to directed evolution of proteins have been documented since the 1970s. The ability to recruit new protein functions arises from the considerable substrate ambiguity of many proteins. The substrate ambiguity of a protein can be interpreted as the evolutionary potential that allows a protein to acquire new specificities through mutation or to regain function via mutations that differ from the original protein sequence. All organisms have evolutionarily exploited this substrate ambiguity. When exploited in a laboratory under controlled mutagenesis and selection, it enables a protein to "evolve" in desired directions. One of the most effective strategies in directed protein evolution is to gradually accumulate mutations, either sequentially or by recombination, while applying selective pressure. This is typically achieved by the generation of libraries of mutants followed by efficient screening of these libraries for targeted functions and subsequent repetition of the process using improved mutants from the previous screening. Here we review some of the successful strategies in creating protein diversity and the more recent progress in directed protein evolution in a wide range of scientific disciplines and its impacts in chemical, pharmaceutical, and agricultural sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Yuan
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, and Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA.
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Watts K, Mijts B, Schmidt-Dannert C. Current and Emerging Approaches for Natural Product Biosynthesis in Microbial Cells. Adv Synth Catal 2005. [DOI: 10.1002/adsc.200505062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Umeno D, Tobias AV, Arnold FH. Diversifying carotenoid biosynthetic pathways by directed evolution. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2005; 69:51-78. [PMID: 15755953 PMCID: PMC1082795 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.69.1.51-78.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms and plants synthesize a diverse array of natural products, many of which have proven indispensable to human health and well-being. Although many thousands of these have been characterized, the space of possible natural products--those that could be made biosynthetically--remains largely unexplored. For decades, this space has largely been the domain of chemists, who have synthesized scores of natural product analogs and have found many with improved or novel functions. New natural products have also been made in recombinant organisms, via engineered biosynthetic pathways. Recently, methods inspired by natural evolution have begun to be applied to the search for new natural products. These methods force pathways to evolve in convenient laboratory organisms, where the products of new pathways can be identified and characterized in high-throughput screening programs. Carotenoid biosynthetic pathways have served as a convenient experimental system with which to demonstrate these ideas. Researchers have mixed, matched, and mutated carotenoid biosynthetic enzymes and screened libraries of these "evolved" pathways for the emergence of new carotenoid products. This has led to dozens of new pathway products not previously known to be made by the assembled enzymes. These new products include whole families of carotenoids built from backbones not found in nature. This review details the strategies and specific methods that have been employed to generate new carotenoid biosynthetic pathways in the laboratory. The potential application of laboratory evolution to other biosynthetic pathways is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Umeno
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Alexander V. Tobias
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Frances H. Arnold
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
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Chapter 10 Non-affinity sensing technology: the exploitation of biocatalytic events for environmental analysis. BIOSENSORS AND MODERN BIOSPECIFIC ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES 2005. [DOI: 10.1016/s0166-526x(05)44010-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Mohamed HE, Vermaas W. Slr1293 in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 Is the C-3',4' desaturase (CrtD) involved in myxoxanthophyll biosynthesis. J Bacteriol 2004; 186:5621-8. [PMID: 15317766 PMCID: PMC516807 DOI: 10.1128/jb.186.17.5621-5628.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
When grown at high light intensity, more than a quarter of the total carotenoids in the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis consists of myxoxanthophyll, a polar carotenoid glycoside. The biosynthetic pathway of myxoxanthophyll is unknown but is presumed to involve a number of enzymes, including a C-3',4' desaturase required to add one double bond to generate 11 conjugated double bonds in the monocyclic myxoxanthophyll. A candidate for this desaturase is Slr1293, which was identified by genome similarity searching. To determine whether Slr1293 is a desaturase recognizing neurosporene and lycopene, slr1293 was expressed in Escherichia coli strains accumulating neurosporene or lycopene. Confirming such a desaturase function for Slr1293, these E. coli strains accumulated 3',4'-didehydroneurosporene and 3',4'-didehydrolycopene, respectively. Indeed, deletion of slr1293 in Synechocystis provides further evidence that Slr1293 is a desaturase recognizing neurosporene: In the slr1293 deletion mutant, neurosporene was found to accumulate and was further processed to produce neurosporene glycoside. Neurosporene hereby becomes a primary candidate to be the branch point molecule between carotene and myxoxanthophyll biosynthesis in this cyanobacterium. The slr1293 gene was concluded to encode a C-3',4' desaturase that is essential for myxoxanthophyll biosynthesis, and thus it was designated as crtD. Furthermore, as Slr1293 appears to recognize neurosporene and to catalyze the first committed step on the myxoxanthophyll biosynthesis pathway, Slr1293 plays a pivotal role in directing a portion of the precursor pool for carotenoid biosynthesis toward myxoxanthophyll biosynthesis in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatem E Mohamed
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874501, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
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Abstract
Using methods of laboratory evolution to force the C(30) carotenoid synthase CrtM to function as a C(40) synthase, followed by further mutagenesis at functionally important amino acid residues, we have discovered that synthase specificity is controlled at the second (rearrangement) step of the two-step reaction. We used this information to engineer CrtM variants that can synthesize previously unknown C(45) and C(50) carotenoid backbones (mono- and diisopentenylphytoenes) from the appropriate isoprenyldiphosphate precursors. With this ability to produce new backbones in Escherichia coli comes the potential to generate whole series of novel carotenoids by using carotenoid-modifying enzymes, including desaturases, cyclases, hydroxylases, and dioxygenases, from naturally occurring pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Umeno
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
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Abstract
Nature produces an astonishing wealth of secondary metabolites with important biological functions. To access this diversity of structurally complex chemical compounds for industrial and biomedical applications, cells have been engineered to produce higher levels and/or novel compounds that were previously inaccessible. Recent examples of metabolic and combinatorial engineering illustrate different strategies for the production of secondary metabolites in microbial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin N Mijts
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
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Umeno D, Hiraga K, Arnold FH. Method to protect a targeted amino acid residue during random mutagenesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2003; 31:e91. [PMID: 12907743 PMCID: PMC169983 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gng091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2003] [Revised: 06/12/2003] [Accepted: 06/12/2003] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To generate a random mutant library that is free from mutation at a particular amino acid residue, we replace the codon of interest with a detachable, short DNA sequence containing a BsaXI recognition site. After PCR mutagenesis, this sequence is removed and intramolecular ligation of the sequences flanking the insert regenerates the gene. The three-base cohesive ends for ligation correspond to the codon for the targeted residue and any sequences with mutations at this site will fail to ligate. As a result, only the variants that are free from mutation at this site are in the proper reading frame. In a random library of C(30) carotenoid synthase CrtM, this method was used to exclude readily accessible mutations at position F26, which confer C(40) synthase function. This enabled us to identify two additional mutations, W38C and E180G, which confer the same phenotype but are present in the random library at much lower frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Umeno
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 210-41, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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