Yeast extracellular proteases

Improving therapeutic protein secretion in the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii using a multifactorial engineering approach

The probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii (Sb) is a promising chassis to deliver therapeutic proteins to the gut due to Sb's innate therapeutic properties, resistance to phage and antibiotics, and high protein secretion capacity. To maintain therapeutic efficacy in the context of challenges such as washout, low rates of diffusion, weak target binding, and/or high rates of proteolysis, it is desirable to engineer Sb strains with enhanced levels of protein secretion. In this work, we explored genetic modifications in both cis- (i.e. to the expression cassette of the secreted protein) and trans- (i.e. to the Sb genome) that enhance Sb's ability to secrete proteins, taking a Clostridioides difficile Toxin A neutralizing peptide (NPA) as our model therapeutic. First, by modulating the copy number of the NPA expression cassette, we found NPA concentrations in the supernatant could be varied by sixfold (76-458 mg/L) in microbioreactor fermentations. In the context of high NPA copy number, we found a previously-developed collection of native and synthetic secretion signals could further tune NPA secretion between 121 and 463 mg/L. Then, guided by prior knowledge of S. cerevisiae's secretion mechanisms, we generated a library of homozygous single gene deletion strains, the most productive of which achieved 2297 mg/L secretory production of NPA. We then expanded on this library by performing combinatorial gene deletions, supplemented by proteomics experiments. We ultimately constructed a quadruple protease-deficient Sb strain that produces 5045 mg/L secretory NPA, an improvement of > tenfold over wild-type Sb. Overall, this work systematically explores a broad collection of engineering strategies to improve protein secretion in Sb and highlights the ability of proteomics to highlight under-explored mediators of this process. In doing so, we created a set of probiotic strains that are capable of delivering a wide range of protein titers and therefore furthers the ability of Sb to deliver therapeutics to the gut and other settings to which it is adapted.

Comparative Analysis of the Alkaline Proteolytic Enzymes of Yarrowia Clade Species and Their Putative Applications

Proteolytic enzymes are commercially valuable and have multiple applications in various industrial sectors. The most studied proteolytic enzymes produced by Yarrowia lipolytica, extracellular alkaline protease (Aep) and extracellular acid protease (Axp), were shown to be good candidates for different biotechnological applications. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the alkaline proteolytic enzymes of Yarrowia clade species, including phylogenetic studies, synteny analysis, and protease production and application. Using a combination of comparative genomics approaches based on sequence similarity, synteny conservation, and phylogeny, we reconstructed the evolutionary scenario of the XPR2 gene for species of the Yarrowia clade. Furthermore, except for the proteolytic activity of the analyzed Yarrowia clade strains, the brewers’ spent grain (BSG) was used as a substrate to obtain protein hydrolysates with antioxidant activity. For each culture, the degree of hydrolysis was calculated. The most efficient protein hydrolysis was observed in the cultures of Y. lipolytica, Y. galli, and Y. alimentaria. In contrast, the best results obtained using the 2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) method were observed for the culture medium after the growth of Y. divulgata, Y. galli, and Y. lipolytica on BSG.

Valorization of by-products from vegetable oil industries: Enzymes production by Yarrowia lipolytica through solid state fermentation

Vegetable oil extraction generates high amounts of by-products, which are designated as oil cakes. Since the current strategies employed for oil cakes' reuse are linked with some drawbacks, identification of alternative approaches to decrease the environmental impact and promote a circular economy is of vital importance. In general, these materials are characterized by high fiber content, making them suitable to be employed in solid state fermentation (SSF). Filamentous fungi have been the microorganisms mostly applied in SSF and yeasts were applied in less extent. In the present work, three by-products from the extraction of olive, sunflower, and rapeseed oils were used as solid substrates in SSF for lipase and protease production by Yarrowia lipolytica W29. Oil cakes mixtures composition was optimized for the production of each enzyme using a simplex-centroid design of experiments. A 50% (w/w) mixture of olive cake (OC) and sunflower cake (SC) led to the highest lipase production, while a combination of the three oil cakes was most suitable for maximum protease production. Both enzymes were produced at maximum levels in a short period of 48 h. This work demonstrated that enzyme production by Y. lipolytica W29 in SSF can be modulated by the different combinations of oil cakes in the substrate mixture. Additionally, the potential of using by-products from vegetable oil industries in SSF processes was also demonstrated, showing alternative strategies for their valorization.

Yeasts isolated from a lotic continental environment in Brazil show potential to produce amylase, cellulase and protease

Yeasts have wide applicability in the industrial field, as in the production of enzymes used in biocatalysts. Biocatalysts are more efficient when compared to chemical catalysts, with emphasis on hydrolytic enzymes, such as amylase, cellulase and protease. Here we focused on prospecting yeasts, with a high capacity to synthesize hydrolytic enzymes, from a continental lotic ecosystem environment in Brazil. 75 yeasts were grown in Yeast Extract-Peptone-Dextrose (YPD) medium supplemented with antibacterial and their capacity for enzymatic production was tested in specific media. Accordingly, 64 yeasts showed enzyme production capacity. From those, six showed good enzyme indexes, 3 for amylase, 2 for cellulase and 1 for protease. All showed at least one hydrolytic enzyme activity for the tested enzymes (amylase, cellulase and protease), which suggested that the yeasts are metabolically active. By sequencing the 26S gene, we identified Naganishia diffluens and Apiotrichum mycotoxinivorans as the species with highest enzyme production activities. Those species showed potential for application as biological catalysts in the biotechnological scope, collaborating in a sustainable way for the development of industrial products.

Enhancement of Cellulase Production in Trichoderma reesei via Disruption of Multiple Protease Genes Identified by Comparative Secretomics

The filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei is one of the most studied cellulolytic organisms and the major producer of cellulases for industrial applications. However, undesired degradation of cellulases often happens in culture filtrates and commercial enzyme preparations. Even studies have been reported about describing proteolytic degradation of heterologous proteins in T. reesei, there are few systematic explorations concerning the extracellular proteases responsible for degradation of cellulases. In this study, the cellulase activity was observed to rapidly decrease at late cultivation stages using corn steep liquor (CSL) as the nitrogen source in T. reesei. It was discovered that this decrease may be caused by proteases. To identify the proteases, comparative secretomics was performed to analyze the concomitant proteases during the cellulase production. 12 candidate proteases from the secretome of T. reesei were identified and their encoding genes were individually deleted via homologous recombination. Furthermore, three target proteases (tre81070, tre120998, and tre123234) were simultaneously deleted by one-step genetic transformation. The triple deletion strain ΔP70 showed a 78% decrease in protease activity and a six-fold increase in cellulase activity at late fermentation stages. These results demonstrated the feasibility of improvement of cellulase production by genetically disrupting the potential protease genes to construct the T. reesei strains with low extracellular protease secretion. This dataset also provides an efficient approach for strain improvement by precise genetic engineering combined with "omics" strategy for high-production of industrial enzymes to reduce the cost of lignocellulose bioconversion.

Reduced IgE and IgG antigenic response to milk proteins hydrolysates obtained with the use of non-commercial serine protease from Yarrowia lipolytica

The aim of the study was to investigate the use of serine protease from Yarrowia lipolytica yeast for reduction of milk proteins allergenicity. Whey protein concentrate (WPC-80), αs-casein and their hydrolysates were analyzed for the capacity to bind IgE and IgG antibodies present in sera from patients with cow milk protein allergy using a competitive ELISA. The hydrolysis of αs-casein and whey protein concentrate contributed to a significant reduction of their immunoreactive epitopes. In case of IgE antibodies, the lowest binding capacity was detected in the 24 h hydrolysates of both proteins in which the inhibition of the reaction was ≤20 and ≤68% for αs-casein and whey protein concentrate respectively. One hour hydrolysis of WPC-80 reduced the protein antigenicity, while the longer time (5 h) might lead to the exposure of new IgE - reactive epitopes.

Understanding the regulation of extracellular protease gene expression in fungi: a key step towards their biotechnological applications

The secretion of proteases by certain species of yeast and filamentous fungi is of importance not only for their biological function and survival, but also for their biotechnological application to various processes in the food, beverage, and bioprocessing industries. A key step towards understanding the role that these organisms play in their environment, and how their protease-secreting ability may be optimally utilised through industrial applications, involves an evaluation of those factors which influence protease production. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the findings from investigations directed at elucidating the regulatory mechanisms underlying extracellular protease secretion in yeast and filamentous fungi, and the environmental stimuli that elicit these responses. The influence of nitrogen-, carbon-, and sulphur-containing compounds, as well as proteins, temperature, and pH, on extracellular protease regulation, which is frequently exerted at the transcriptional level, is discussed in particular depth. Protease-secreting organisms of biotechnological interest are also presented in this context, in an effort to explore the areas of industrial significance that could possibly benefit from such knowledge. In this way, the establishment of a platform of existing knowledge regarding fungal protease regulation is attempted, with the particular goal of aiding in the practical application of these organisms to processes that require secretion of this enzyme.

A novel alkaline protease from alkaliphilic Idiomarina sp. C9-1 with potential application for eco-friendly enzymatic dehairing in the leather industry

Alkaline proteases have a myriad of potential applications in many industrial processes such as detergent, food and feed production, waste management and the leather industry. In this study, we isolated several alkaline protease producing bacteria from soda lake soil samples. A novel serine alkaline protease (AprA) gene from alkaliphilic Idiomarina sp. C9-1 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified AprA and its pre-peptidase C-terminal (PPC) domain-truncated enzyme (AprA-PPC) showed maximum activity at pH 10.5 and 60 °C, and were active and stable in a wide range of pH and temperature. Ca²⁺ significantly improved the thermostability and increased the optimal temperature to 70 °C. Furthermore, both AprA and AprA-PPC showed good tolerance to surfactants and oxidizing and reducing agents. We found that the PPC domain contributed to AprA activity, thermostability and surfactant tolerance. With casein as substrate, AprA and AprA-PPC showed the highest specific activity of 42567.1 U mg⁻¹ and 99511.9 U mg⁻¹, the K_m values of 3.76 mg ml⁻¹ and 3.98 mg ml⁻¹, and the V_max values of 57538.5 U mg⁻¹ and 108722.1 U mg⁻¹, respectively. Secreted expression of AprA-PPC in Bacillus subtilis after 48 h cultivation resulted in yield of 4935.5 U ml⁻¹ with productivity of 102.8 U ml⁻¹ h⁻¹, which is the highest reported in literature to date. Without adding any lime or sodium sulfide, both of which are harmful pollutants, AprA-PPC was effective in dehairing cattle hide and skins of goat, pig and rabbit in 8–12 h without causing significant damage to hairs and grain surface. Our results suggest that AprA-PPC may have great potentials for ecofriendly dehairing of animal skins in the leather industry.

In silico and in vivo analyses of the mutated human tissue plasminogen activator (mtPA) and the antithetical effects of P19 silencing suppressor on its expression in two Nicotiana species

Human tissue-type plasminogen activator is one of the most important therapeutic proteins involved in the breakdown of blood clots following the stroke. A mutation was found at position 1541 bp (G514E) and the mutated form was cloned into the binary vector pTRAc-ERH. In silico analysis showed that this mutation might have no significant effect on the active site of the tissue plasminogen activator enzyme. Accordingly, zymography assay confirmed the serine protease activity of the mutated form and its derivatives. The expression of the mutated form was verified with/without co-agroinjection of the P19 gene silencing suppressor in both Nicotiana tabacum and N. benthamiana. The ELISA results showed that the concentration of the mutated form in the absence of P19 was 0.65% and 0.74% of total soluble protein versus 0.141% and 1.36% in the presence of P19 in N. benthamiana and N. tabacum, respectively. In N. tabacum, co-agroinjection of P19 had the synergistic effect and increased the mutated tissue plasminogen activator production two-fold higher. However, in N. benthamiana, the presence of P19 had the adverse effect of five-fold reduction in the concentration. Moreover, results showed that the activity of the mutated form and its derivatives was more than that of the purified commercial tissue plasminogen activator.

Screening of intact yeasts and cell extracts to reduce Scrapie prions during biotransformation of food waste

Yeasts can be used to convert organic food wastes to protein-rich animal feed in order to recapture nutrients. However, the reuse of animal-derived waste poses a risk for the transmission of infectious prions that can cause neurodegeneration and fatality in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of yeasts to reduce prion activity during the biotransformation of waste substrates—thereby becoming a biosafety hurdle in such a circular food system. During pre-screening, 30 yeast isolates were spiked with Classical Scrapie prions and incubated for 72 h in casein substrate, as a waste substitute. Based on reduced Scrapie seeding activity, waste biotransformation and protease activities, intact cells and cell extracts of 10 yeasts were further tested. Prion analysis showed that five yeast species reduced Scrapie seeding activity by approximately 1 log10 or 90%. Cryptococcus laurentii showed the most potential to reduce prion activity since both intact and extracted cells reduced Scrapie by 1 log10 and achieved the highest protease activity. These results show that select forms of yeast can act as a prion hurdle during the biotransformation of waste. However, the limited ability of yeasts to reduce prion activity warrants caution as a sole barrier to transmission as higher log reductions are needed before using waste-cultured yeast in circular food systems.

Concomitant production of detergent compatible enzymes by Bacillus flexus XJU-1

A soil screened Bacillus flexus XJU-1 was induced to simultaneously produce alkaline amylase, alkaline lipase and alkaline protease at their optimum levels on a common medium under submerged fermentation. The basal cultivation medium consisted of 0.5% casein, 0.5% starch and 0.5% cottonseedoil as an inducer forprotease, amylase, and lipase, respectively. The casein also served as nitrogen source for all 3 enzymes. The starch was also found to act as carbon source additive for both lipase and protease. Maximum enzyme production occurred on fermentation medium with 1.5% casein, 1.5% soluble starch, 2% cottonseed oil, 2% inoculum size, initial pH of 11.0, incubation temperature of 37 °C and 1% soybean meal as a nitrogen source supplement. The analysis of time course study showed that 24 h was optimum incubation time for amylase whereas 48 h was the best time for both lipase and protease. After optimization, a 3.36-, 18.64-, and 27.33-fold increase in protease, amylase and lipase, respectively was recorded. The lipase was produced in higher amounts (37.72 U/mL) than amylase and protease about 1.27 and 5.85 times, respectively. As the 3 enzymes are used in detergent formulations, the bacterium can be commercially exploited to secrete the alkaline enzymes for use in detergent industry. This is the first report for concomitant production of 3 alkaline enzymes by a bacterium.

Identification and partial characterization of extracellular aspartic protease genes from Metschnikowia pulcherrima IWBT Y1123 and Candida apicola IWBT Y1384

The extracellular acid proteases of non-Saccharomyces wine yeasts may fulfill a number of roles in winemaking, which include increasing the available nitrogen sources for the growth of fermentative microbes, affecting the aroma profile of the wine, and potentially reducing protein haze formation. These proteases, however, remain poorly characterized, especially at genetic level. In this study, two extracellular aspartic protease-encoding genes were identified and sequenced, from two yeast species of enological origin: one gene from Metschnikowia pulcherrima IWBT Y1123, named MpAPr1, and the other gene from Candida apicola IWBT Y1384, named CaAPr1. In silico analysis of these two genes revealed a number of features peculiar to aspartic protease genes, and both the MpAPr1 and CaAPr1 putative proteins showed homology to proteases of yeast genera. Heterologous expression of MpAPr1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae YHUM272 confirmed that it encodes an aspartic protease. MpAPr1 production, which was shown to be constitutive, and secretion were confirmed in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA), casein, and grape juice proteins. The MpAPr1 gene was found to be present in 12 other M. pulcherrima strains; however, plate assays revealed that the intensity of protease activity was strain dependent and unrelated to the gene sequence.

Evidence for an extracellular acid proteolytic activity secreted by living cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae PlR1: impact on grape proteins

In this work, Saccharomyces cerevisiae PlR1, a strain isolated from Pinot noir grapes in the Champagne area, was shown to secrete an acid proteolytic activity against bovine serum albumin. This proteolytic activity was detectable in cell-free culture supernatants at the beginning of the exponential growth phase and increased with yeast growth. Using a zymography method, only one protease band with a molecular mass of 72 kDa was observed. This extracellular proteolytic activity was detected in the pH range from 2 to 4 with a maximal value at pH 2.5 and 38 °C and was completely inhibited by pepstatin A. The secretion of this protease did not need any protein inducer and seemed to be insensitive to nitrogen catabolic repression. S. cerevisiae PlR1 was also able to secrete this proteolytic activity during alcoholic fermentation, and it was found to be active against grape proteins, with a molecular mass around 25 kDa, at optimal conditions of 38 °C, pH 3.5.

Increased expression of recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator in Leishmania tarentolae

Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is one of the most important thrombolytic agents for treating cardiovascular obstructions such as stroke. Glycoprotein rt-PA is a serine protease, consisting of 527 amino acids of which 35 are cysteine residues. A variety of recombinant protein expression systems have been developed for heterologous gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts. In recent years, Leishmania tarentolae has been considered because of its safety aspects and special attributes in expression of complex proteins. In this study, two expression cassettes, each one including two copies of t-PA cDNA, were used for integration into the L. tarentolae genome by electroporation. Transformed clones were selected in the presence of appropriate antibiotics. Expression of active rt-PA was confirmed by Western blot and Zymography tests. Real-time PCR analysis was applied to investigate the presence of multiple t-PA gene copies in the parasite genome. Correlation of t-PA gene dosage and production rate was confirmed with real-time PCR. It was shown that the expression level of rt-PA in L. tarentolae is at least 480 IU/mL of culture media. This concentration of rt-PA is seven times higher than what was reported in previous studies in L. tarentolae and some other eukaryotic systems.

A set of aspartyl protease-deficient strains for improved expression of heterologous proteins in Kluyveromyces lactis

Secretion of recombinant proteins is a common strategy for heterologous protein expression using the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis. However, a common problem is degradation of a target recombinant protein by secretory pathway aspartyl proteases. In this study, we identified five putative pfam00026 aspartyl proteases encoded by the K. lactis genome. A set of selectable marker-free protease deletion mutants was constructed in the prototrophic K. lactis GG799 industrial expression strain background using a PCR-based dominant marker recycling method based on the Aspergillus nidulans acetamidase gene (amdS). Each mutant was assessed for its secretion of protease activity, its health and growth characteristics, and its ability to efficiently produce heterologous proteins. In particular, despite having a longer lag phase and slower growth compared with the other mutants, a Δyps1 mutant demonstrated marked improvement in both the yield and the quality of Gaussia princeps luciferase and the human chimeric interferon Hy3, two proteins that experienced significant proteolysis when secreted from the wild-type parent strain.

Identification of a Candida parapsilosis strain producing extracellular serine peptidase with keratinolytic activity

A yeast strain isolated from feather waste from a chicken processing plant was identified as Candida parapsilosis by biochemical tests and morphological studies. The yeast was able to grow in phosphate-buffered saline supplemented with 1% native feather as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. A keratin substrate was obtained from the feathers by dimethylsulphoxide extraction. A 20-fold concentrated culture supernatant from Candida parapsilosis grown on feathers was analysed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis containing either 1% gelatin or 1% keratin as copolymerised substrates. The presence of a single band with an approximate molecular mass of 60 kDa with gelatinolytic and keratinolytic activities was observed. This proteolytic activity was fully inhibited by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride. These results suggest that the extracellular enzyme belongs to the serine peptidase class. This is the first report of an extracellular serine peptidase produced by C. parapsilosis with keratinolytic activity. The role of this enzyme in yeast-host interactions is discussed.

Branched chain aldehydes: production and breakdown pathways and relevance for flavour in foods

Branched aldehydes, such as 2-methyl propanal and 2- and 3-methyl butanal, are important flavour compounds in many food products, both fermented and non-fermented (heat-treated) products. The production and degradation of these aldehydes from amino acids is described and reviewed extensively in literature. This paper reviews aspects influencing the formation of these aldehydes at the level of metabolic conversions, microbial and food composition. Special emphasis was on 3-methyl butanal and its presence in various food products. Knowledge gained about the generation pathways of these flavour compounds is essential for being able to control the formation of desired levels of these aldehydes.

Ambient pH signalling in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica involves YlRim23p/PalC, which interacts with Snf7p/Vps32p, but does not require the long C terminus of YlRim9p/PalI

A conserved ambient pH signal transduction pathway has been evidenced in both ascomycetous yeasts and filamentous fungi, called the Rim or Pal pathway, respectively. However, closely related PalC orthologues are found only in Yarrowia lipolytica and in filamentous fungi, where the Rim9p/PalI factor has a much longer C-terminal tail than in other yeasts. We show here that, like Aspergillus nidulans palI mutants, a Ylrim9Delta mutant has a less extreme phenotype than other mutants of the pathway, whereas rim9 mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans reportedly exhibit a tight Rim phenotype. Deletion of the long C-terminal tail of YlRim9p/PalI had no phenotypic effect on ambient pH signalling. We also show that the Y. lipolytica PalC orthologue, named YlRim23p, is absolutely required for the alkaline pH response. Its only interactant identified in a genome-wide two-hybrid screen is YlSnf7/Vps32p, confirming the link between the Rim and the Vps pathways. YlRim13p and YlRim20p both interact with YlSnf7/Vps32p but not with YlRim23p. The long C-terminal tail of YlRim9p/PalI interacts neither with YlRim23p nor with YlSnf7/Vps32p. These results show that YlRim23p is a bona fide component of the Rim pathway in Y. lipolytica and that it participates in the complexes linking pH signalling and endocytosis.

Cloning, characterization, and expression of the gene encoding alkaline protease in the marine yeast Aureobasidium pullulans 10

The alkaline protease structural gene (ALP1 gene) was isolated from both the genomic DNA and cDNA of Aureobasidium pullulans 10 by inverse PCR and RT-PCR. An open reading frame of 1248 bp encoding a 415 amino-acid protein with calculated molecular weight of 42.9 kDa was characterized. The gene contained two introns, which had 54 bp and 50 bp, respectively. The promoter of ALP1 gene was located from -62 to -112 and had two CCAAT boxes and one TATA box. The terminator of ALP1gene contained the sequence with a hairpin structure (AAAAAGTT TGGTTTTT). The protein sequence deduced from ALP1 gene exhibited 55.24%, 50.35%, and 31.68% identity with alkaline proteases from Aspergillus fumigatus, Acremonium chrysogenum, and Yarrowia lipolytica, respectively. The protein was found to have the conserved serine active site and histidine active site of serine proteases in the subtilisin family. The recombinant A. pullulans alkaline protease produced in Y. lipolytica formed clear zones on the double plates with 2% casein and alkaline protease activity in the supernatant of the recombinant Y. lipolytica culture was detected, suggesting that the cloned ALP1 gene is expressed in Y. lipolytica and the expressed alkaline protease is secreted into the medium.

Identification and characterization of an aspartyl protease from Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcosis, caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, is an invasive infection often occurring in AIDS patients. Potent therapy against HIV, which includes protease inhibitors (PIs), has beneficial effects also on opportunistic infections by pathogens such as C. neoformans and C. albicans. PIs inhibit growth of C. albicans by affecting the activity of its aspartyl proteases. We identified, cloned and sequenced a cDNA from C. neoformans encoding for a putative aspartyl protease (CnAP1), and the corresponding genomic region. The gene cnap1 codifies for a protein of 505 aa, with a canonical aspartyl protease structure. We purified the recombinant protein and analyzed its activity in the presence of PIs (Indinavir, Lopinavir, Ritonavir), but did not evidence any inhibition of protease activity. The transcriptional level of cnap1 in C. neoformans is constant in different media. The absence of any inhibition activity by PIs suggests that other targets for PIs might exist in C. neoformans.

Peptidase profiles from non-albicans Candida spp. isolated from the blood of a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia and another with sickle cell disease

Candida lipolytica and Candida rugosa were isolated from blood samples from a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia (31 years old) and a patient with sickle cell disease (1-year-old), respectively. Isolates were grown for 48 h at 37 degrees C in either Sabouraud or tryptone soy broth (TSB). Peptidases were tested for using substrate sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels with gelatin, casein, bovine serum albumin (BSA) or hemoglobin. Enzymography analyses were made on the following substrates: human albumin, IgG and human fibrinogen, which had been incubated with the concentrated supernatants. For C. lipolytica, a approximately 60-kDa gelatin-degrading serine proteolytic activity was found in the TSB supernantant as well as a metallopeptidase activity capable of hydrolysing human albumin, IgG and human fibrinogen. With C. rugosa, albumin, IgG and human fibrinogen substrates were degraded by an aspartyl-like peptidase activity. Supernatants from C. rugosa also showed three serine proteolytic activities towards gelatin (approximately 50 kDa, TSB), casein ( approximately 94 kDa, TSB) and BSA ( approximately 120-kDa, Sabouraud), in addition to a metallopeptidase capable of degrading casein ( approximately 110 kDa, Sabouraud). Little is known about peptidases of C. rugosa and C. lipolytica and this preliminary data may prove useful for future work on host-parasite relationship and antifungal agents.

Purification and characterization of an alkaline protease from the marine yeast Aureobasidium pullulans for bioactive peptide production from different sources

The extracellular alkaline protease in the supernatant of cell culture of the marine yeast Aureobasidium pullulans 10 was purified to homogeneity with a 2.1-fold increase in specific protease activity as compared to that in the supernatant by ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration chromatography (Sephadex G-75), and anion-exchange chromatography (DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow). According to the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis data, the molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 32.0 kDa. The optimal pH and temperature of the purified enzyme were 9.0 and 45 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme was activated by Cu(2+) (at a concentration of 1.0 mM) and Mn(2+) and inhibited by Hg(2+), Fe(2+), Fe(3+), Zn(2+), and Co(2+). The enzyme was strongly inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, but weakly inhibited by EDTA, 1-10-phenanthroline, and iodoacetic acid. The K(m) and V(max) values of the purified enzyme for casein were 0.25 mg/ml and 0.0286 micromol/min/mg of protein, respectively. After digestion of shrimp protein, spirulina (Arthospira platensis) protein, proteins of marine yeast strains N3C (Yarrowia lipolytica) and YA03a (Hanseniaspora uvarum), milk protein, and casein with the purified alkaline protease, angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities of the resulting peptides reached 85.3%, 12.1%, 29.8%, 22.8%, 14.1%, and 15.5%, respectively, while the antioxidant activities of these were 52.1%. 54.6%, 25.1%, 35%, 12.5%, and 24.2%, respectively, indicating that ACE inhibitory activity of the resulting peptides from the shrimp protein and antioxidant activity of those produced from the spirulina protein were the highest, respectively. These results suggest that the bioactive peptides produced by digestion of the shrimp protein with the purified alkaline protease have potential applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of trypsin-like proteases from the gastric fluid of the marine crab Cancer pagurus

The digestive fluid of the marine crab Cancer pagurus (Decapoda, Brachyura) contains highly stable proteases which display enhanced activity in aqueous mixtures of organic solvents. Three trypsins were isolated from the gastric fluid and two of them, C.p.TryII and C.p.TryIII, were purified to homogeneity by anion-exchange chromatography and crystallized by hanging-drop vapour diffusion. Diffraction data were collected at a synchrotron to 0.97 and 3.2 A resolution, respectively. The crystal of C.p.TryII belongs to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 52.06, b = 62.00, c = 71.66 A. Based on the Matthews coefficient, one protein molecule per asymmetric unit is suggested. In contrast, crystals of C.p.TryIII, which belong to the cubic space group P2(1)3 with unit-cell parameters a = b = c = 215.4 A, are assumed to contain 12 molecules per asymmetric unit.

Optimization of medium and cultivation conditions for alkaline protease production by the marine yeast Aureobasidium pullulans

A yeast strain, Aureobasidium pullulans, which could produce the high yield of protease was isolated from sediment of saltern in Qingdao, China. Maximum production of enzyme (623.1 U/mg protein; 7.2 U/ml) was obtained in a medium containing 2.5 g soluble starch and 2.0 g NaNO(3), 100ml seawater, initial pH 6.0, after fermentation at 24.5 degrees C for 30 h. The protease had the highest activity at pH 9.0 and 45 degrees C.

ESCRT-I components of the endocytic machinery are required for Rim101-dependent ambient pH regulation in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

Ambient pH signalling involves a cascade of conserved Rim or Pal products in ascomycetous yeasts or filamentous fungi, respectively. Insertional mutagenesis in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica identified two components of the endosome-associated ESCRT-I complex involved in multivesicular body (MVB) vesicle formation, YlVps28p and YlVps23p. They were shown to be required at alkaline pH, like Rim factors, for transcriptional activation of alkaline-induced genes and repression of acid-induced genes. The constitutively active YlRIM101-1119 allele, which suppresses the pH-signalling defects of Ylrim mutations, also suppresses Ylvps defects in pH response, but not in endocytosis. The contribution of the ESCRT-III component Snf7p could not be assessed due to the essential nature of this component in Y. lipolytica. Unlike Rim factors, YlVps4p, a component of the MVB pathway acting downstream from ESCRT complexes, seems not to be required for the alkaline response. In Y. lipolytica, all vps mutations including those affecting YlVPS4, affected growth at acidic pH, a feature not exhibited by Ylrim mutations. These results suggest that Rim and Vps pathways cooperate in ambient pH signalling and that this relation is conserved across the full range of hemiascomycetous yeasts.

Amino acid supplementation improves heterologous protein production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in defined medium

Supplementation of a chemically defined medium with amino acids or succinate to improve heterologous xylanase production by a prototrophic Saccharomyces cerevisiae transformant was investigated. The corresponding xylanase production during growth on ethanol in batch culture and in glucose-limited chemostat culture were quantified, as the native ADH2 promoter regulating xylanase expression was derepressed under these conditions. The addition of a balanced mixture of the preferred amino acids, Ala, Arg, Asn, Glu, Gln and Gly, improved both biomass and xylanase production, whereas several other individual amino acids inhibited biomass and/or xylanase production. Heterologous protein production by the recombinant yeast was also improved by supplementing the medium with succinate. The production of heterologous xylanase during growth on ethanol or glucose could thus be improved by supplementing metabolic precursors in the carbon- or nitrogen-metabolism.

Candida albicans proteinases and host/pathogen interactions

Candida infections are common, debilitating and often recurring fungal diseases and a problem of significant clinical importance. Candida albicans, the most virulent of the Candida spp., can cause severe mucosal and life-threatening systemic infections in immunocompromised hosts. Attributes that contribute to C. albicans virulence include adhesion, hyphal formation, phenotypic switching and extracellular hydrolytic enzyme production. The extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, especially the secreted aspartyl proteinases (Saps), are one of few gene products that have been shown to directly contribute to C. albicans pathogenicity. Because C. albicans is able to colonize and infect almost every tissue in the human host, it may be crucial for the fungus to possess a number of similar but independently regulated and functionally distinct secreted proteinases to provide sufficient flexibility in order to survive and promote infection at different niche sites. The aim of this review is to explore the functional roles of the C. albicans proteinases and how they may contribute to the host/pathogen interaction in vivo.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitor indinavir directly affects the opportunistic fungal pathogenCryptococcus neoformans

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), that includes human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors (PIs), has been remarkably efficacious including against some opportunistic infections. In this report we investigated the effect(s) of the PI indinavir on protease activity by Cryptococcus neoformans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen responsible for recurrent meningoencephalitis in AIDS patients. Indinavir was also tested for potential effects on other parameters, such as fungal viability, growth ability and susceptibility to immune effector cells. It was found that indinavir impaired cryptococcal protease activity in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. The phenomenon was similarly detectable in ATCC/laboratory strains and clinical isolates. C. neoformans growth rate was also significantly reduced upon exposure to indinavir, while fungal viability was not affected and mitochondrial toxicity not detected. Furthermore, as assessed by an in vitro infection model, indinavir significantly and consistently augmented C. neoformans susceptibility to microglial cell-mediated phagocytosis and killing. Overall, by providing the first evidence that indinavir directly affects C. neoformans, these data add new in vitro insights on the wide-spectrum efficacy of PIs, further arguing for the clinical relevance of HAART against opportunistic infections in AIDS.

Microbial alkaline proteases: from a bioindustrial viewpoint

Alkaline proteases are of considerable interest in view of their activity and stability at alkaline pH. This review describes the proteases that can resist extreme alkaline environments produced by a wide range of alkalophilic microorganisms. Different isolation methods are discussed which enable the screening and selection of promising organisms for industrial production. Further, strain improvement using mutagenesis and/or recombinant DNA technology can be applied to augment the efficiency of the producer strain to a commercial status. The various nutritional and environmental parameters affecting the production of alkaline proteases are delineated. The purification and properties of these proteases is discussed, and the use of alkaline proteases in diverse industrial applications is highlighted.

A cold-adapted extracellular serine proteinase of the yeast Leucosporidium antarcticum

An extracellular serine proteinase, lap2, from the psychrophilic antarctic yeast Leucosporidium antarcticum 171 was purified to homogeneity and characterized. The enzyme is a glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 34.4 kDa and an isoelectric point of pH 5.62. The proteinase is halotolerant, and its activity and stability are dependent neither on Ca(2+) nor on other metal ions. Lap2 is a true psychrophilic enzyme because of low optimal temperature (25 degrees C), poor thermal stability, relatively small values of free energy, enthalpy and entropy of activation, and high catalytic efficiency at 0-25 degrees C. The 35 N-terminal amino acid residues of lap2 have homology with subtilases of the proteinase K subfamily (clan SB, family S8, subfamily C). The proteinase lap2 is the first psychrophilic subtilase in this family.

Candida albicans secreted aspartyl proteinases in virulence and pathogenesis

Candida albicans is the most common fungal pathogen of humans and has developed an extensive repertoire of putative virulence mechanisms that allows successful colonization and infection of the host under suitable predisposing conditions. Extracellular proteolytic activity plays a central role in Candida pathogenicity and is produced by a family of 10 secreted aspartyl proteinases (Sap proteins). Although the consequences of proteinase secretion during human infections is not precisely known, in vitro, animal, and human studies have implicated the proteinases in C. albicans virulence in one of the following seven ways: (i) correlation between Sap production in vitro and Candida virulence, (ii) degradation of human proteins and structural analysis in determining Sap substrate specificity, (iii) association of Sap production with other virulence processes of C. albicans, (iv) Sap protein production and Sap immune responses in animal and human infections, (v) SAP gene expression during Candida infections, (vi) modulation of C. albicans virulence by aspartyl proteinase inhibitors, and (vii) the use of SAP-disrupted mutants to analyze C. albicans virulence. Sap proteins fulfill a number of specialized functions during the infective process, which include the simple role of digesting molecules for nutrient acquisition, digesting or distorting host cell membranes to facilitate adhesion and tissue invasion, and digesting cells and molecules of the host immune system to avoid or resist antimicrobial attack by the host. We have critically discussed the data relevant to each of these seven criteria, with specific emphasis on how this proteinase family could contribute to Candida virulence and pathogenesis.

Proteolytic activities in togwa, a Tanzanian fermented food

Proteolytic activities were investigated in sorghum-based togwa prepared by natural fermentation and using starter cultures previously isolated from the native product, i.e., Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus cellobiosus, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Issatchenkia orientalis in coculture with either L. brevis or L. plantarum. Both proteinase and aminopeptidase activities were substantially higher in naturally fermented togwa than in those with starters (14-30%, 12-70%, respectively). A variable but substantial part of the proteinase activity followed the particulate fraction of togwa; aminopeptidase activity was mainly in that fraction. The breakdown of relatively high molecular mass protein (64 kDa) in togwa was detected by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE); the products were mainly in the 14-30 kDa range. Reversed-phase fast-protein liquid chromatography (RP-FPLC)-protein/peptide patterns changed during fermentation with some variation between togwa of different cultures. Supplementation of gruel with malt increased the concentration of total protein [from 9.5% to 11.0% (w/w) on dry weight basis)] and of most of the free amino acids. Fermentation had no effect on total protein content; however, the concentration of most of the amino acids was reduced, except for the proline content that increased. Natural fermentation also increased the concentration of glutamic acid and ornithine. Fermentation by P. pentosaceus increased aspartic acid, while L. cellobiosus, L. fermentum, and L. brevis in coculture with I. orientalis increased the concentration of citrulline.

Crithidia guilhermei: gelatin- and haemoglobin-degrading extracellular metalloproteinases

The extracellular metalloproteinases of the insect trypanosomatid Crithidia guilhermei were characterized through the incorporation of different protein substrates (gelatin, casein, haemoglobin, and bovine serum albumin) into SDS-PAGE. Two gelatinases (60 and 80 kDa) showed ability to degrade casein as well and a 67-kDa enzyme presented the broadest specificity since it was also able to degrade casein and haemoglobin. Besides the 67-kDa extracellular proteinases detected on haemoglobin-SDS-PAGE, a 43-kDa haemoglobinase was only observed with this substrate. All C. guilhermei proteinases were incapable of using bovine serum albumin. C. guilhermei was also grown in four different culture media and the best proteinase production was reached using yeast extract-peptone medium containing glucose as the major carbon source. The results point to the importance of the use of distinct culture media and proteinaceous substrates on the characterization of extracellular proteolytic activities in trypanosomatids, since alterations in growth conditions and methods of detection could lead to distinct proteolytic profiles.

Yarrowia lipolytica, a yeast genetic system to study mitochondrial complex I

The obligate aerobic yeast Yarrowia lipolytica is introduced as a powerful new model for the structural and functional analysis of mitochondrial complex I. A brief introduction into the biology and the genetics of this nonconventional yeast is given and the relevant genetic tools that have been developed in recent years are summarized. The respiratory chain of Y. lipolytica contains complexes I-IV, one "alternative" NADH-dehydrogenase (NDH2) and a non-heme alternative oxidase (AOX). Because the NADH binding site of NDH2 faces the mitochondrial intermembrane space rather than the matrix, complex I is an essential enzyme in Y. lipolytica. Nevertheless, complex I deletion strains could be generated by attaching the targeting sequence of a matrix protein, thereby redirecting NDH2 to the matrix side. Deletion strains for several complex I subunits have been constructed that can be complemented by shuttle plasmids carrying the deleted gene. Attachment of a hexa-histidine tag to the NUGM (30 kDa) subunit allows fast and efficient purification of complex I from Y. lipolytica by affinity-chromatography. The purified complex has lost most of its NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase activity, but is almost fully reactivated by adding 400-500 molecules of phosphatidylcholine per complex I. The established set of genetic tools has proven useful for the site-directed mutagenesis of individual subunits of Y. lipolytica complex I. Characterization of a number of mutations already allowed for the identification of several functionally important amino acids, demonstrating the usefulness of this approach.