Biodegradation of penicillin G sodium by Sphingobacterium sp. SQW1: Performance, degradation mechanism, and key enzymes

Biodegradation is an efficient and cost-effective approach to remove residual penicillin G sodium (PGNa) from the environment. In this study, the effective PGNa-degrading strain SQW1 (Sphingobacterium sp.) was screened from contaminated soil using enrichment technique. The effects of critical operational parameters on PGNa degradation by strain SQW1 were systematically investigated, and these parameters were optimized by response surface methodology to maximize PGNa degradation. Comparative experiments found the extracellular enzyme to completely degrade PGNa within 60 min. Combined with whole genome sequencing of strain SQW1 and LC-MS analysis of degradation products, penicillin acylase and β-lactamase were identified as critical enzymes for PGNa biodegradation. Moreover, three degradation pathways were postulated, including β-lactam hydrolysis, penicillin acylase hydrolysis, decarboxylation, desulfurization, demethylation, oxidative dehydrogenation, hydroxyl reduction, and demethylation reactions. The toxicity of PGNa biodegradation intermediates was assessed using paper diffusion method, ECOSAR, and TEST software, which showed that the biodegradation products had low toxicity. This study is the first to describe PGNa-degrading bacteria and detailed degradation mechanisms, which will provide new insights into the PGNa biodegradation.

Enhanced catalytic performance of penicillin G acylase by covalent immobilization onto functionally-modified magnetic Ni0.4Cu0.5Zn0.1Fe2O4 nanoparticles

With the emergence of penicillin resistance, the development of novel antibiotics has become an urgent necessity. Semi-synthetic penicillin has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional penicillin. The demand for the crucial intermediate, 6-aminopicillanic acid (6-APA), is on the rise. Enzyme catalysis is the primary method employed for its production. However, due to certain limitations, the strategy of enzyme immobilization has also gained prominence. The magnetic Ni0.4Cu0.5Zn0.1Fe2O4 nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a rapid-combustion method. Sodium silicate was used to modify the surface of the Ni0.4Cu0.5Zn0.1Fe2O4 nanoparticles to obtain silica-coated nanoparticles (Ni0.4Cu0.5Zn0.1Fe2O4-SiO2). Subsequently, in order to better crosslink PGA, the nanoparticles were modified again with glutaraldehyde to obtain glutaraldehyde crosslinked Ni0.4Cu0.5Zn0.1Fe2O4-SiO2-GA nanoparticles which could immobilize the PGA. The structure of the PGA protein was analyzed by the PyMol program and the immobilization strategy was determined. The conditions of PGA immobilization were investigated, including immobilization time and PGA concentration. Finally, the enzymological properties of the immobilized and free PGA were compared. The optimum catalytic pH of immobilized and free PGA was 8.0, and the optimum catalytic temperature of immobilized PGA was 50°C, 5°C higher than that of free PGA. Immobilized PGA in a certain pH and temperature range showed better catalytic stability. Vmax and Km of immobilized PGA were 0.3727 μmol·min-1 and 0.0436 mol·L-1, and the corresponding free PGA were 0.7325 μmol·min-1 and 0.0227 mol·L-1. After five cycles, the immobilized enzyme activity was still higher than 25%.

A self-immolative linker that releases thiols detects penicillin amidase and nitroreductase with high sensitivity via absorption spectroscopy

This article reports the synthesis and characterization of a novel self-immolative linker, based on thiocarbonates, which releases a free thiol upon activation via enzymes. We demonstrate that thiocarbonate self-immolative linkers can be used to detect the enzymes penicillin G amidase (PGA) and nitroreductase (NTR) with high sensitivity using absorption spectroscopy. Paired with modern thiol amplification technology, the detection of PGA and NTR were achieved at concentrations of 160 nM and 52 nM respectively. In addition, the PGA probe was shown to be compatible with both biological thiols and enzymes present in cell lysates.

A Facile Preparation Process of Magnetic Aldehyde-Functionalized Ni(0.5)Zn(0.5)Fe₂O4@SiO₂ Nanocomposites for Immobilization of Penicillin G Acylase (PGA)

A facile sol combustion and gel calcination process has been reported for the preparation of core– shell magnetic Zn0.5Fe₂O₄@SiOnanocomposites. The morphology, chemical composition, structure and magnetic property of as-prepared nanocomposites were investigated by XRD, VSM, BET, SEM, and TEM, and the magnetic Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe₂O₄@SiO₂ nanocomposites were characterized with average size of about 25 nm, saturation magnetization of 90.8 Am²/kg and the specific surface area of 67.1 m2/g. The surface of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe₂O₄@SiO₂ nanocomposites was functionalized with glutaraldehyde to form the aldehyde-functionalized magnetic Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe₂O4@SiO₂ nanocomposites, and penicillin G acylase (PGA) was successfully immobilized onto them. And the immobilized PGA exhibited high effective activity, good stability of enzyme catalyst and good reusability, and could retain 63.5% of initial activity after 12 consecutive operations. The kinetic parameters were determined, and the value of K m for the immobilized PGA (161.7 mmol/L) is higher than that of the free PGA (3.5 mmol/L), while v max (1.626 mmol/min) is also larger than that of the free PGA (0.838 mmol/min), which revealed that the immobilization of PGA onto Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe₂O₄@SiO₂ nanocomposites was an efficient and simple way for preparation of stable PGA.

Cross-Linked Enzyme Aggregates for Applications in Aqueous and Nonaqueous Media

Extensive cross-linking of a precipitate of a protein by a cross-linking reagent (glutaraldehyde has been most commonly used) creates an insoluble enzyme preparation called cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs). CLEAs show high stability and performance in conventional aqueous as well as nonaqueous media. These are also stable at fairly high temperatures. CLEAs with more than one kind of enzyme activity can be prepared, and such CLEAs are called combi-CLEAs or multipurpose CLEAs. Extent of cross-linking often influences their morphology, stability, activity, and enantioselectivity.

[Cephalosporin-Acid Synthetase of Escherichia coli Strain VKPM B-10182: Genomic Context, Gene Identification, Producer Strain Production]

An enzyme of cephalosporin-acid synthetase produced by the E. coli strain VKPM B-10182 has specificity for the synthesis of β-lactam antibiotics of the cephalosporin acids class (cefazolin, cefalotin, cefezole etc.). A comparison of the previously determined genomic sequence of E. coli VKPM B-10182 with a genome of the parent E. coli strain ATCC 9637 was performed. Multiple mutations indicating the long selection history of the strain were detected, including mutations in the genes of RNase and β-lactamases that could enhance the level of enzyme synthesis and reduce the degree of degradation of the synthesized cephalosporin acids. The CASA gene--a direct homolog of the penicillin G-acylase gene--was identified by bioinformatics methods. The homology of the gene was confirmed by gene cloning and the expression and determination of its enzymatic activity in the reaction of cefazolin synthesis. The CASA gene was isolated and cloned into the original expression vector, resulting in an effective E. coli BL2l(DE3) pMD0107 strain producing CASA.

Structure mediation in substrate binding and post-translational processing of penicillin acylases: Information from mutant structures of Kluyvera citrophila penicillin G acylase

Penicillin acylases are industrially important enzymes for the production of 6-APA, which is used extensively in the synthesis of secondary antibiotics. The enzyme translates into an inactive single chain precursor that subsequently gets processed by the removal of a spacer peptide connecting the chains of the mature active heterodimer. We have cloned the penicillin G acylase from Kluyvera citrophila (KcPGA) and prepared two mutants by site-directed mutagenesis. Replacement of N-terminal serine of the β-subunit with cysteine (Serβ1Cys) resulted in a fully processed but inactive enzyme. The second mutant in which this serine is replaced by glycine (Serβ1Gly) remained in the unprocessed and inactive form. The crystals of both mutants belonged to space group P1 with four molecules in the asymmetric unit. The three-dimensional structures of these mutants were refined at resolutions 2.8 and 2.5 Å, respectively. Comparison of these structures with similar structures of Escherichia coli PGA (EcPGA) revealed various conformational changes that lead to autocatalytic processing and consequent removal of the spacer peptide. The large displacements of residues such as Arg168 and Arg477 toward the N-terminal cleavage site of the spacer peptide or the conformational changes of Arg145 and Phe146 near the active site in these structures suggested probable steps in the processing dynamics. A comparison between the structures of the processed Serβ1Cys mutant and that of the processed form of EcPGA showed conformational differences in residues Argα145, Pheα146, and Pheβ24 at the substrate binding pocket. Three conformational transitions of Argα145 and Pheα146 residues were seen when processed and unprocessed forms of KcPGA were compared with the substrate bound structure of EcPGA. Structure mediation in activity difference between KcPGA and EcPGA toward acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) is elucidated.

Computational design of a pH stable enzyme: understanding molecular mechanism of penicillin acylase's adaptation to alkaline conditions

Protein stability provides advantageous development of novel properties and can be crucial in affording tolerance to mutations that introduce functionally preferential phenotypes. Consequently, understanding the determining factors for protein stability is important for the study of structure-function relationship and design of novel protein functions. Thermal stability has been extensively studied in connection with practical application of biocatalysts. However, little work has been done to explore the mechanism of pH-dependent inactivation. In this study, bioinformatic analysis of the Ntn-hydrolase superfamily was performed to identify functionally important subfamily-specific positions in protein structures. Furthermore, the involvement of these positions in pH-induced inactivation was studied. The conformational mobility of penicillin acylase in Escherichia coli was analyzed through molecular modeling in neutral and alkaline conditions. Two functionally important subfamily-specific residues, Gluβ482 and Aspβ484, were found. Ionization of these residues at alkaline pH promoted the collapse of a buried network of stabilizing interactions that consequently disrupted the functional protein conformation. The subfamily-specific position Aspβ484 was selected as a hotspot for mutation to engineer enzyme variant tolerant to alkaline medium. The corresponding Dβ484N mutant was produced and showed 9-fold increase in stability at alkaline conditions. Bioinformatic analysis of subfamily-specific positions can be further explored to study mechanisms of protein inactivation and to design more stable variants for the engineering of homologous Ntn-hydrolases with improved catalytic properties.

Evaluation of active designs of cephalosporin C acylase by molecular dynamics simulation and molecular docking

Optimization to identify the global minimum energy conformation sequence in in silico enzyme design is computationally non-deterministic polynomial-time (NP)-hard, with the search time growing exponentially as the number of design sites increases. This drawback forces the modeling of protein-ligand systems to adopt discrete amino acid rotamers and ligand conformers, as well as continuum solvent treatment of the environment; however, such compromises produce large numbers of false positives in sequence selection. In this report, cephalosporin acylase, which catalyzes the hydrolytic reaction of cephalosporin C to 7-aminocephalosporanic acid, was used to investigate the dynamic features of active-site-transition-state complex structures using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to potentially eliminate false positives. The molecular docking between cephalosporin C and wild type acylase N176 and its eight mutants showed that the rate-limiting step in the hydrolytic reaction of cephalosporin C is the acylation process. MD simulations of the active-site-transition-state complex structures of the acylation processes for N176 and its eight mutants showed that the geometrical constraints between catalytic residues and small molecule transition states are always well maintained during the 20 ns simulation for mutants with higher activities, and more hydrogen bonds between binding residues and functional groups of the ligand side chain in the active pocket are formed for mutants with higher activities. The conformations of the ligand transition states were changed greatly after the simulation. This indicates that the hydrogen bond network between the ligand and protein could be improved to enhance the activity of cephalosporin C acylase in subsequent design.

Enzymatic Synthesis of β-Lactam Antibiotics andN-Fatty-Acylated Amino Compounds by the Acyl-Transfer Reaction Catalyzed by Penicillin V Acylase fromStreptomyces mobaraensis

Penicillin V acylase from Streptomyces mobaraensis (Sm-PVA) showed high acyl-transfer activity in reactions using methyl esters of carboxylic acid (acyl donor) and amino compounds (nucleophile), to produce the corresponding amides. Moreover, Sm-PVA had broad substrate specificity, as indicated by the fact that it catalyzed the efficient synthesis of beta-lactam antibiotics, capsaicin derivatives, and N-fatty-acyl-amino acid/N-fatty-acyl-peptide derivatives.

Modulation of the microenvironment surrounding the active site of penicillin G acylase immobilized on acrylic carriers improves the enzymatic synthesis of cephalosporins

The catalytic properties of penicillin G acylase (PGA) from Escherichia coli in kinetically controlled synthesis of β-lactam antibiotics are negatively affected upon immobilization on hydrophobic acrylic carriers. Two strategies have been here pursued to improve the synthetic performance of PGA immobilized on epoxy-activated acrylic carriers. First, an aldehyde-based spacer was inserted on the carrier surface by glutaraldehyde activation (immobilization yield = 50%). The resulting 3-fold higher synthesis/hydrolysis ratio (vs/vh₁ = 9.7 ± 0.7 and 10.9 ± 0.7 for Eupergit^® C and Sepabeads^® EC-EP, respectively) with respect to the unmodified support (vs/vh₁ = 3.3 ± 0.4) was ascribed to a facilitated diffusion of substrates and products as a result of the increased distance between the enzyme and the carrier surface. A second series of catalysts was prepared by direct immobilization of PGA on epoxy-activated acrylic carriers (Eupergit^® C), followed by quenching of oxiranes not involved in the binding with the protein with different nucleophiles (amino acids, amines, amino alcohols, thiols and amino thiols). In most cases, this derivatization increased the synthesis/hydrolysis ratio with respect to the non derivatized carrier. Particularly, post-immobilization treatment with cysteine resulted in about 2.5-fold higher vs/vh₁ compared to the untreated biocatalyst, although the immobilization yield decreased from 70% (untreated Eupergit^® C) to 20%. Glutaraldehyde- and cysteine-treated Eupergit^® C catalyzed the synthesis of cefazolin in 88% (±0.9) and 87% (±1.6) conversion, respectively, whereas untreated Eupergit^® C afforded this antibiotic in 79% (±1.2) conversion.

Immobilization of penicillin G acylase on macro-mesoporous silica spheres

In this study, macro-mesoporous silica spheres were prepared with a micro-device and used as the support for the immobilization of penicillin G acylase (PGA). To measure the enzymatic activity, the silica spheres with immobilized PGA were placed into a packed-bed reactor, in which the hydrolysis of penicillin G was carried out. The influences of the residence time, the initial concentration of the substrate, the accumulation of the target product 6-aminopenicillanic acid, and the enzyme loading amount on the performance of the immobilized PGA were investigated. The introduction of macropores increased the enzyme loading amount and decreased the internal mass transfer resistance, and the results showed that the enzyme loading amount reached 895 mg/g (dry support), and the apparent enzymatic activity achieved up to 1033 U/g (dry support). In addition, the immobilized PGA was found to have great stability.

Covalent immobilization of penicillin G acylase on aminopropyl-functionalized mesostructured cellular foams

Mesostructured cellular foams (MCFs) are suitable for biomolecular immobilization because of their relatively large-pore diameter and pore volume. Penicillin G acylase (PGA) was immobilized on aminopropyl-functionalized MCFs through Schiff base reaction. It is shown that PGA could be fixed more firmly through the covalent immobilization on aminopropyl-functionalized MCFs support than through the adsorption immobilization on blank MCFs. The PGA loading amount on the aminopropyl-functionalized MCFs could reach 443 mg/g (dry support), and the apparent activity could achieve up to 4138 U/g (dry support). The influence of the amount of grafted aminopropyl group was studied, and it is found that the optimal molar ratio of MCFs to APTS was 15/1; in addition, the suitable enzyme distribution density for the specific activity of the immobilized PGA was 0.7 mg enzyme per m(2) of specific area of MCFs.

Immobilization of penicillin G acylase on oxirane-modified mesoporous silicas

Experimental adsorption kinetics and equilibrium results of penicillin G acylase (PGA, from Escherichia coli, EC 3.5.1.11) on mesoporous silicas with pore sizes ranging from 5.6 to 33.2 nm showed that samples with pore sizes between 11.0 and 13.2 nm exhibited the best performance in immobilizing PGA under mild experimental conditions. A mesoporous silica sample with an optimum pore size of about 11.5 nm was then modified with different amounts of glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane to yield oxirane-functionalized silicas of different densities of surface oxirane groups. Under very mild incubation conditions, a partially oxirane-functionalized silica sample was found to be more efficient in immobilizing PGA than a fully oxirane-functionalized sample and a commercial polymer carrier (i.e., Eupergit C). With the partially oxirane-functionalized mesoporous silica sample as a carrier, a PGA loading of 110 mg/g (dry support) and an enzymatic activity of as high as 3477 unit/g (dry support) were achieved within 24 h of incubation. The residual surface silanol groups on the partially oxirane-functionalized silica were observed to play a pivotal role in facilitating the covalent binding of PGA with the oxirane groups at low salt concentrations.

Enzymatic Modifications of Cephalosporins by Cephalosporin Acylase and Other Enzymes

Semisynthetic cephalosporins are important antibacterials in clinical practice. Semisynthetic cephalosporins are manufactured by derivatizing 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7-ACA) and its desacetylated form. Microbial enzymes such as D-amino acid oxidase, glutaryl-7-ACA acylase and cephalosporin esterase are being used as biocatalysts for the conversion of cephalosporin C (CEPH-C) to 7-ACA and its desacetylated derivatives. Recent developments in the field of enzymatic modifications of cephalosporin with special emphasis on group of enzymes called as cephalosporin acylase is discussed in this review. Aspects related to screening methods, isolation and purification, immobilization, molecular cloning, gene structure and expression and protein engineering of cephalosporin acylases have been covered. Topics pertaining to enzymatic modifications of cephalosporin by D-amino acid oxidase, cephalosporin methoxylase and beta-lactamase are also covered.

Ca2+ Is a Cofactor Required for Membrane Transport and Maturation and Is a Yield-Determining Factor in High Cell Density Penicillin Amidase Production

Penicillin amidases (PAs) from E. coli and A. faecalis are periplasmic enzymes that contain one tightly bound Ca(2+) per molecule that does not directly participate in the enzymatic function. This ion may, however, be required for the maturation of the pre-pro-enzyme. The pro-enzyme of homologous PAs are translocated through the Tat- (E. coli PA(EC)) and Sec- (A. faecalis PA(AF)) transport systems, respectively. Cell fractionation, electrophoresis, immunoblotting, and activity staining demonstrated that Ca(2+) binding is required for the membrane transport and maturation of the pro-enzyme to active enzyme. Pro-enzyme without Ca(2+) was targeted to the membrane but not translocated. Influence of Ca(2+) in medium and feed was studied for high cell density cultivations of E. coli expressing these enzymes. Without Ca(2+) in the feed the synthesis of the pre-pro-enzyme was hardly influenced. At optimal Ca(2+) content in the feed the active enzyme amount could be increased by 2 orders of magnitude up to 0.9 g/L (PA(EC)) and 2.3 g/L (PA(AF)) or 4% (PA(EC)) and 8% (PA(AF)) of the cell dry weight. The corresponding specific activities are 1700 U (PA(EC)) and 14000 U (PA(AF)) per gram cell dry weight, respectively. These values are higher than those published previously. Thus, for optimal yields of the studied and other extra- and periplasmic enzymes that require Ca(2+) or other ions as cofactors for membrane transport and maturation, sufficient cofactor must be added in the feed.

Functional analysis of four bile salt hydrolase and penicillin acylase family members in Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1

Bile salts play an important role in the digestion of lipids in vertebrates and are synthesized and conjugated to either glycine or taurine in the liver. Following secretion of bile salts into the small intestine, intestinal microbes are capable of deconjugating the glycine or taurine from the bile salts, using an enzyme called bile salt hydrolase (Bsh). Intestinal lactobacilli are regarded as major contributors to bile salt hydrolysis in vivo. Since the bile salt-hydrolyzing strain Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 was predicted to carry four bsh genes (bsh1, bsh2, bsh3, and bsh4), the functionality of these bsh genes was explored using Lactococcus lactis heterologous overexpression and multiple bsh deletion strains. Thus, Bsh1 was shown to be responsible for the majority of Bsh activity in L. plantarum WCFS1. In addition, bsh1 of L. plantarum WCFS1 was shown to be involved in conferring tolerance to specific bile salts (i.e., glycocholic acid). Northern blot analysis established that bsh1, bsh2, bsh3, and bsh4 are all expressed in L. plantarum WCFS1 during the exponential growth phase. Following biodiversity analysis, bsh1 appeared to be the only bsh homologue that was variable among L. plantarum strains; furthermore, the presence of bsh1 correlated with the presence of Bsh activity, suggesting that Bsh1 is commonly responsible for Bsh activity in L. plantarum strains. The fact that bsh2, bsh3, and bsh4 genes appeared to be conserved among L. plantarum strains suggests an important role of these genes in the physiology and lifestyle of the species L. plantarum. Analysis of these additional bsh-like genes in L. plantarum WCFS1 suggests that they might encode penicillin acylase rather than Bsh activity, indicating their implication in the conversion of substrates other than bile acids in the natural habitat.

Hydrogel coated monoliths for enzymatic hydrolysis of penicillin G

The objective of this work was to develop a hydrogel-coated monolith for the entrapment of penicillin G acylase (E. coli, PGA). After screening of different hydrogels, chitosan was chosen as the carrier material for the preparation of monolithic biocatalysts. This protocol leads to active immobilized biocatalysts for the enzymatic hydrolysis of penicillin G (PenG). The monolithic biocatalyst was tested in a monolith loop reactor (MLR) and compared with conventional reactor systems using free PGA, and a commercially available immobilized PGA. The optimal immobilization protocol was found to be 5 g l⁻¹ PGA, 1% chitosan, 1.1% glutaraldehyde and pH 7. Final PGA loading on glass plates was 29 mg ml⁻¹ gel. For 400 cpsi monoliths, the final PGA loading on functionalized monoliths was 36 mg ml⁻¹ gel. The observed volumetric reaction rate in the MLR was 0.79 mol s⁻¹ m⁻³_monolith. Apart from an initial drop in activity due to wash out of PGA at higher ionic strength, no decrease in activity was observed after five subsequent activity test runs. The storage stability of the biocatalysts is at least a month without loss of activity. Although the monolithic biocatalyst as used in the MLR is still outperformed by the current industrial catalyst (immobilized preparation of PGA, 4.5 mol s⁻¹ m⁻³_catalyst), the rate per gel volume is slightly higher for monolithic catalysts. Good activity and improved mechanical strength make the monolithic bioreactor an interesting alternative that deserves further investigation for this application. Although moderate internal diffusion limitations have been observed inside the gel beads and in the gel layer on the monolith channel, this is not the main reason for the large differences in reactor performance that were observed. The pH drop over the reactor as a result of the chosen method for pH control results in a decreased performance of both the MLR and the packed bed reactor compared to the batch system. A different reactor configuration including an optimal pH profile is required to increase the reactor performance. The monolithic stirrer reactor would be an interesting alternative to improve the performance of the monolith-PGA combination.

[Phase transfer catalyzed bioconversion of penicillin G to 6-APA by immobilized penicillin acylase in recyclable aqueous two-phase systems with light/pH sensitive copolymers]

Immobilized penicillin acylase was used for bioconversion of penicillin PG into 6-APA in aqueous two-phase systems consisting of a light-sensitive polymer PNBC and a pH-sensitive polymer PADB. Partition coefficients of 6-APA was found to be about 5.78 in the presence of 1% NaCl. Enzyme kinetics showed that the reaction reached equilibrium at roughly 7 h. The 6-APA mole yields were 85.3% (pH 7.8, 20 degrees C), with about 20% increment as compared with the reaction of single aqueous phase buffer. The partition coefficient of PG (Na) varied scarcely, while that of the product, 6-APA and phenylacetic acid (PA) significantly varied due to Donnan effect of the phase systems and hydrophobicity of the products. The variation of the partition coefficients of the products also affected the bioconversion yield of the products. In the aqueous two-phase systems, the substrate, PG, the products of 6-APA and PA were biased in the top phase, while immobilized penicillin acylase at completely partitioned at the bottom. The substrate and PG entered the bottom phase, where it was catalyzed into 6-APA and PA and entered the top phase. Inhibition of the substrate and products was removed to result in improvement of the product yield, and the immobilized enzyme showed higher efficiency than the immobilized cells and occupied smaller volume. Compared with the free enzyme, immobilized enzyme had greater stability, longer life-time, and was completely partitioned in the bottom phase and recycle. Bioconversion in two-phase systems using immobilized penicillin acylase showed outstanding advantage. The light-sensitive copolymer forming aqueous two-phase systems could be recovered by laser radiation at 488 nm or filtered 450 nm light, while pH-sensitive polymer PADB could be recovered at the isoelectric point (pH 4.1). The recovery of the two copolymers was between 95% and 99%.

Antibacterial and toxicological evaluation of beta-lactams synthesized by immobilized beta-lactamase-free penicillin amidase produced by Alcaligenes sp

Search for anti-beta-lactamase and synthesis of newer penicillin were suggested to overcome resistance to penicillin in chemotherapy. It was found that clavulanic acid, an ant-beta-lactamase was ineffective due to its structural modification by bacteria. Thus, there is a need for the synthesis of newer pencillins. Retro-synthesis was inspired by the success of forward reaction i.e.conversion of penicillin G to 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) by biological process. In the present study a better enzymatic method of synthesis of newer pencillin by a beta-lactamase-free penicillin amidase produced by Alcaligenes sp. is attempted. Antibacterial and toxicological evaluation of the enzymatically synthesized beta-lactams are reported. Condensation of 6-APA with acyl donor was found to be effective when the reaction is run in dimethyl formamide (DMF 50% v/v) in acetate buffer (25 mM pH 5.0) at 37 degrees C. Periplasm entrapped in calcium alginate exihibited the highest yield (approximately 34%) in synthesis. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the synthetic products against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi varied between 20-80 microg/ml. Some of the products exhibited antibacterial activity against enteric pathogens. It was interesting to note that product A was potent like penicillin G. LD50 value of three products (product A, B and C) was more than 12 mg/kg. Furthermore, these synthetic beta-lactams did not exihibit any adverse effect on house keeping enzymes viz., serum glutamate oxalacetate-trans-aminase, serum glutamate pyruvate -trans-aminase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase of the test animals. The hematological profile (RBC and WBC) of the test animals also remained unaffected.

Fluorogenic substrates for lipases, esterases, and acylases using a TIM-mechanism for signal release

3-Acyloxyl-2-oxopropyl ethers of umbelliferone were investigated as new fluorogenic substrates for lipases and esterases. The aliphatic primary alcohol-leaving group released the fluorescent product umbelliferone by an enolization/beta-elimination reaction similar to the triose phosphate isomerase (TIM) reaction. A similarly designed phenylacetamide provided a fluorescent probe for penicillin G acylase, whereby the enolization/beta-elimination sequence from the intermediate aminoketone was very fast and spontaneous even under acidic conditions. The corresponding epoxyketone was not fluorogenic with epoxide hydrolases (EH). These substrates represent periodate-free Clips-otrade mark substrates.

New active site oriented glyoxyl-agarose derivatives of Escherichia coli penicillin G acylase

Background

Immobilized Penicillin G Acylase (PGA) derivatives are biocatalysts that are industrially used for the hydrolysis of Penicillin G by fermentation and for the kinetically controlled synthesis of semi-synthetic β-lactam antibiotics. One of the most used supports for immobilization is glyoxyl-activated agarose, which binds the protein by reacting through its superficial Lys residues. Since in E. coli PGA Lys are also present near the active site, an immobilization that occurs through these residues may negatively affect the performance of the biocatalyst due to the difficult diffusion of the substrate into the active site. A preferential orientation of the enzyme with the active site far from the support surface would be desirable to avoid this problem.

Results

Here we report how it is possible to induce a preferential orientation of the protein during the binding process on aldehyde activated supports. A superficial region of PGA, which is located on the opposite side of the active site, is enriched in its Lys content. The binding of the enzyme onto the support is consequently forced through the Lys rich region, thus leaving the active site fully accessible to the substrate. Different mutants with an increasing number of Lys have been designed and, when active, immobilized onto glyoxyl agarose. The synthetic performances of these new catalysts were compared with those of the immobilized wild-type (wt) PGA. Our results show that, while the synthetic performance of the wt PGA sensitively decreases after immobilization, the Lys enriched mutants have similar performances to the free enzyme even after immobilization.

We also report the observations made with other mutants which were unable to undergo a successful maturation process for the production of active enzymes or which resulted toxic for the host cell.

Conclusion

The desired orientation of immobilized PGA with the active site freely accessible can be obtained by increasing the density of Lys residues on a predetermined region of the enzyme. The newly designed biocatalysts display improved synthetic performances and are able to maintain a similar activity to the free enzymes. Finally, we found that the activity of the immobilized enzyme proportionally improves with the number of introduced Lys.

Microbial production of 7-amino-cephalosporanic acid and new generation cephalosporins (cephalothin) by different processing strategies

The development of beta-lactam antibiotics has been a continuous battle of the design of new compounds to withstand inactivation by the ever-increasing diversity of beta-lactamases. Semisynthetic cephalosporins like cephalothin were synthesized from 7-amino-cephalosporanic acid (7-ACA), and thiophene-2-acetic acid using cephalosporin-C acylase enzyme was studied. The production of cephalosporin-C acylase by Pseudomonas diminuta was used and the growth kinetics studied. The optimum condition of enzyme activity was determined by using response surface methodology. A 2(3) full-factorial composite design was employed for experimental design and the result analyzed. The pH value and temperature for optimum activity were 6.5 and 32 degrees C, respectively. The structural analog compound similar to the side-chain of semisynthetic cephalosporins, e.g., thiophene-2-acetic acid, was added. HPLC data analysis indicate that the concentration of cephalothin was 1.6 mg/mL.

Production of enantiomerically pure (S)-β-phenylalanine and (R)-β-phenylalanine by penicillin G acylase from Escherichia coli in aqueous medium

A new approach has been developed for the production of enantiomerically pure (S)-beta-phenylalanine (S-BPA) and (R)-beta-phenylalanine in aqueous medium based on enantioselective acylation and hydrolysis properties of penicillin G acylase from Escherichia coli. The acylation reaction was highly preferential for the acylation of (R)-BPA to form N-phenylacetyl-(R)-BPA using phenylacetamide as an acyl donor, which was separated and then hydrolyzed to (R)-BPA by the same enzyme at pH 7.5. The optimal acylation reaction was at pH 10, 25 degrees C with a 2:1 molar ratio of phenylacetamide to BPA, 8 IU ml(-1) enzyme and 150 mM BPA. These resulted in a conversion of about 50% BPA; enantiomeric excess of (S)-BPA and (R)-BPA separated were 98 and 99%, respectively.

Newly discovered penicillin acylase activity of aculeacin A acylase from Actinoplanes utahensis

Aculeacin A acylase from Actinoplanes utahensis produced by Streptomyces lividans revealed acylase activities that are able to hydrolyze penicillin V and several natural aliphatic penicillins. Penicillin K was the best substrate, showing a catalytic efficiency of 34.79 mM(-1) s(-1). Furthermore, aculeacin A acylase was highly thermostable, with a midpoint transition temperature of 81.5 degrees C.

Molecular cloning and characterization of thermostable β-lactam acylase with broad substrate specificity from Bacillus badius

The gene (pac) encoding beta-lactam acylase from Bacillus badius was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The pac gene was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using degenerated primers, on the basis of conserved amino acid residues. By using single specific primer PCR (SSP-PCR) and direct genome sequencing, a complete pac gene with its promoter region was obtained. The ORF consisted of 2415 bp and the deduced amino acid sequence indicated that the enzyme is synthesized as a preproenzyme with a signal sequence, an alpha-subunit, a spacer peptide and a beta-subunit. The pac gene was expressed with its own promoter in different E. coli host strains and a maximum recombinant PAC (1820 U l(-1)) was obtained in E. coli DH5alpha. The recombinant PAC was purified by Ni-NTA chromatography and the purified PAC had two subunits with apparent molecular masses of 25 and 62 kDa. This enzyme exhibited a high thermostability with a maximum activity at 50 degrees C. This enzyme showed stability over a wide pH range (pH 6.0-8.5) with a maximum activity at pH 7.0 and activity on a wide beta-lactam substrate range. The K(m) values obtained for the hydrolysis of penicillin G and a chromogenic substrate, 6-nitro-3-phenylacetylamidobenzoic acid, from B. badius PAC were 39 and 41 microM, respectively. The PAC activity was competitively inhibited by PAA (K(i), 108 microM) and noncompetitively by 6-APA (K(i), 17 mM). The constitutive production of B. badius PAC in E. coli and its easier purification together with the advantageous properties, such as thermostability, pH stability and broad substrate specificity, make this as a novel enzyme suitable for beta-lactam industry.

Exploring the molecular basis of the enantioselective binding of penicillin G acylase towards a series of 2-aryloxyalkanoic acids: A docking and molecular dynamics study

In the present paper, molecular modeling studies were undertaken in order to shed light on the molecular basis of the observed enantioselectivity of penicillin G acylase (PGA), a well known enzyme for its industrial applications, towards 16 racemic 2-aryloxyalkanoic acids, which have been reported to affect several biological systems. With this intention docking calculations and MD simulations were performed. Docking results indicated that the (S)-enantiomers establish several electrostatic interactions with SerB1, SerB386 and ArgB263 of PGA. Conversely, the absence of specific polar interactions between the (R)-enantiomers and ArgB263 seems to be the main reason for the different binding affinities observed between the two enantiomers. Results of molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that polar interactions are responsible for both the ligand affinity and PGA enantiospecificity. Modeling calculations provided possible explanations for the observed enantioselectivity of the enzyme that rationalize available experimental data and could be the basis for future protein engineering efforts.

The potential of cloud point system as a novel two-phase partitioning system for biotransformation

Although the extractive biotransformation in two-phase partitioning systems have been studied extensively, such as the water-organic solvent two-phase system, the aqueous two-phase system, the reverse micelle system, and the room temperature ionic liquid, etc., this has not yet resulted in a widespread industrial application. Based on the discussion of the main obstacles, an exploitation of a cloud point system, which has already been applied in a separation field known as a cloud point extraction, as a novel two-phase partitioning system for biotransformation, is reviewed by analysis of some topical examples. At the end of the review, the process control and downstream processing in the application of the novel two-phase partitioning system for biotransformation are also briefly discussed.

High-level gene expression for recombinant penicillin acylase production using the araB promoter system in Escherichia coli

The pac gene encoding penicillin acylase (PAC) was overexpressed under the regulation of the araB promoter (ParaB, also known as PBAD) in Escherichia coli (E. coli). The current ParaB expression system exhibited minimum leaking pac expression in the absence of arabinose as well as fast and high-level pac expression upon induction with arabinose in a wide concentration range. The production of PAC was limited by the accumulation of PAC precursors (i.e., proPAC in both soluble and insoluble forms) and various negative cellular responses, such as growth arrest and cell lysis. The culture performance could be improved by degP coexpression and the individual contribution of DegP protease and chaperone activities to the enhancement on the production of PAC was characterized. The study highlights the importance of identifying the step(s) limiting high-level gene expression and subsequent design and construction of the host/vector system for enhancing recombinant protein production in E. coli.

Application of cross-linked enzyme aggregates of Bacillus badius penicillin G acylase for the production of 6-aminopenicillanic acid

AIMS

Optimization of 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) production using cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEA) of Bacillus badius penicillin G acylase (PAC).

METHODS AND RESULTS

CLEA-PAC was prepared using purified/partially purified PAC with phenylacetic acid as active-site blocking agent and glutaraldehyde as cross-linker. Conversion of penicillin G to 6-APA by CLEA-PAC was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) (central composite rotatable design) consisting of a three-factor-two-level pattern with 20 experimental runs.

CONCLUSION

Nearly, 80% of immobilization yield was obtained when partially purified enzyme was used for the preparation of CLEA-PAC. Quantitative conversion of penicillin G to 6-APA was observed within 60 min and the CLEA-PAC was reusable for 20 repeated cycles with 100% retention of enzyme activity.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The faster conversion of penicillin G to 6-APA by CLEA-PAC and efficient reusability holds a strong potential for the industrial application.

Genetic modification of the penicillin G acylase surface to improve its reversible immobilization on ionic exchangers

A new mutant of the industrial enzyme penicillin G acylase (PGA) from Escherichia coli has been designed to improve its reversible immobilization on anionic exchangers (DEAE- or polyethyleneimine [PEI]-coated agarose) by assembling eight new glutamic residues distributed homogeneously through the enzyme surface via site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant PGA is produced and processed in vivo as is the native enzyme. Moreover, it has a similar specific activity to and shows the same pH activity profile as native PGA; however, its isoelectric point decreased from 6.4 to 4.3. Although the new enzyme is adsorbed on both supports, the adsorption was even stronger when supports were coated with PEI, allowing us to improve the enzyme stability in organic cosolvents. The use of restrictive conditions during the enzyme adsorption on anionic exchangers (pH 5 and high ionic strength) permitted us to still further increase the strength of adsorption and the enzyme stability in the presence of organic solvents, suggesting that these conditions allow the penetration of the enzyme inside the polymeric beds, thus becoming fully covered with the polymer. After the enzyme inactivation, it can be desorbed to reuse the support. The possibility to improve the immobilization properties on an enzyme by site-directed mutagenesis of its surface opens a promising new scenario for enzyme engineering.

Synthesis and characterization of pseudo-affinity ligand for penicillin acylase purification

The aim of this work was to test a chromatographic affinity support containing methacryloyl antipyrine (MAAP) for penicillin acylase (PA) purification by using pure penicillin acylase and crude extract. First, MAAP as a pseudo-specific ligand was synthesized by using methacryloyl chloride and 4-aminoantipyrine. Polymer beads (average size diameter: 40-120 micro m) were prepared by suspension polymerization of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and MAAP. This approach for the preparation of adsorbent has several advantages over conventional preparation protocols. An expensive and time consuming step in the preparation of adsorbent is immobilization of a ligand to the adsorption matrix. In this procedure, affinity ligand MAAP acts as comonomer without further modification steps. Poly(EGDMA-MAAP) beads were characterized by FTIR, NMR and screen analysis. Elemental analysis of MAAP for nitrogen was estimated as 89.3 micro mol/g. The prepared adsorbent was then used for the capture of penicillin acylase in batch system. The maximum penicillin acylase adsorption capacity of the poly(EGDMA-MAAP) beads was found to be 82.2 mg/g at pH 5.0. Chromatography with crude feedstock resulted in 23.2-fold purification and 93% recovery with 1.0 M NaOH.

Preparation of Optically Puretert‐Leucine by Penicillin G Acylase‐Catalyzed Resolution

Penicillin G acylase, from Kluyvera citrophila, was used in kinetic resolution of DL-tert-leucine. N-phenylacetylated-DL-tert-leucine, chemically synthesized from DL-tert-leucine, was enantioselctively hydrolyzed by penicillin G acylase to obtain L-tert-leucine, D-tert-leucine was prepared by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the remaining substrate. The total yields of D-tert-leucine and L-tert-leucine are 80.6% and 83.1%, respectively. The enantiomeric excess of the two products, D-tert-leucine and L-tert-leucine, are 98.5% and 99%. This is a practical way for the preparation of D-tert-leucine and L-tert-leucine.

Structural and functional analysis of a conjugated bile salt hydrolase from Bifidobacterium longum reveals an evolutionary relationship with penicillin V acylase

Bile salt hydrolase (BSH) is an enzyme produced by the intestinal microflora that catalyzes the deconjugation of glycine- or taurine-linked bile salts. The crystal structure of BSH reported here from Bifidobacterium longum reveals that it is a member of N-terminal nucleophil hydrolase structural superfamily possessing the characteristic alphabetabetaalpha tetra-lamellar tertiary structure arrangement. Site-directed mutagenesis of the catalytic nucleophil residue, however, shows that it has no role in zymogen processing into its corresponding active form. Substrate specificity was studied using Michaelis-Menten and inhibition kinetics and fluorescence spectroscopy. These data were compared with the specificity profile of BSH from Clostridium perfrigens and pencillin V acylase from Bacillus sphaericus, for both of which the three-dimensional structures are available. Comparative analysis shows a gradation in activity toward common substrates, throwing light on a possible common route toward the evolution of pencillin V acylase and BSH.

Antioxidant and antimutagenic activity of mannan neoglycoconjugates: Mannan–human serum albumine and mannan–penicillin G acylase

The antioxidant and antimutagenic activity of the yeast cell-wall mannan and mannan conjugates--in particular the mannan of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (M-S.c.) and conjugates of mannan S. cerevisiae with human serum albumin (M-HSA1, M-HSA2) and the microbial enzyme penicillin G acylase (M-PGA)--were evaluated in vitro in the unicellular flagellate Euglena gracilis exposed to the genotoxic agents ofloxacin and acridine orange (AO). M-S.c., M-HSA1, M-HSA2 and M-PGA show a statistically significant, concentration-dependent protective antigenotoxic activity against both compounds. M-PGA was the most efficient inhibitor of ofloxacin- and AO-induced chloroplast DNA damage, whereas M-HSA2 and M-HSA1 were less effective and M-S.c. had the lowest antigenotoxic activity. It is suggested that different mechanisms may be involved in their protective effect--antioxidant activity in the case of ofloxacin-induced DNA damage and direct adsorption of AO on mannan conjugates as possible mechanisms of protection, based on spectrophotometric measurements. The important characteristics of yeast cell-wall mannans and mannan conjugates, such as their high water solubility, their broad spectrum of biological activity, low toxicity, stability and their antimutagenic effects via different modes of action, appear to be promising features for their practical application as antioxidants and antimutagenic agents.

Immobilization of permeabilized whole cell penicillin G acylase from Alcaligenes faecalis using pore matrix crosslinked with glutaraldehyde

The activity of penicillin G acylase from Alcaligenes faecalis increased 7.5-fold when cells were permeabilized with 0.3% (w/v) CTAB. The treated cells were entrapped by polyvinyl alcohol crosslinked with boric acid, and crosslinked with 2% (v/v) glutaraldehyde to increase the stability. The conversion yield of penicillin G to 6-aminopenicillanic acid was 75% by immobilized system in batch reaction. No activity was lost after 15 cycles and about 65% enzyme activity was retained at the end of the 31th cycle.

Improvement of an unusual twin-arginine transporter leader peptide by a codon-based randomization approach

Secretion of Escherichia coli penicillin acylase was improved by codon-based random mutagenesis of its signal peptide. The mutagenesis technology was applied to the gene region coding for positions Lys2 to Thr13 (N half) and Ala14 to Leu25 (C half) of the signal peptide. Protein secretion was higher in several signal peptide variants (up to fourfold with respect to the wild-type value).

Enhancing enzymatic activity of penicillin G acylase by coexpressing pcm gene

Penicillin G acylase (PGA; E.C. 3.5.1.11) is an important enzyme which has broad applications in industries of beta-lactim antibiotics production. In this study, a promising PGA gene from Alcaligenes faecalis (afpga) and another pcm gene encoding protein isoaspartate methyltransferase (PIMT) were constructed into pET43.1a((+)) and pET28a((+)), respectively. The recombinant plasmids pETAFPGA and pETPCM were transformed into the same host cell Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Results suggested that the two plasmids could peacefully exist in the host cell and the two genes could be efficiently expressed after induction. The product of pcm gene could function as a helper molecule for enzyme AFPGA. PIMT increased the enzymatic activities in supernatant of ferment broth (1.6 folds) and cell lysate (1.8 folds), while it did not significantly affect the expression level of penicillin G acylase.

A new method for spectrophotometric assay of activity of cross-linked penicillin acylase aggregates

A new method for monitoring reactions catalyzed by an immobilized enzyme, cross-linked penicillin acylase aggregates (PA CLEA), is suggested. Appropriate chromogenic substrates for spectrophotometric assay of catalytic activity of immobilized enzyme were chosen and their kinetic parameters determined. Active sites in PA CLEA preparations were titrated by the suggested method; it is shown that almost all active sites are retained during immobilization. This method is characterized as highly expressive, simple, and precise and may be used for control of PA immobilization efficiency as well as for study of operational, thermal, and pH stability of immobilized enzyme preparations.

Improvement of catalytic properties of Escherichia coli penicillin G acylase immobilized on glyoxyl agarose by addition of a six-amino-acid tag

A tag of three lysines alternating with three glycines was added to the C-terminal end of the beta chain of penicillin G acylase (PGA). This modification improved the immobilization efficiency of PGA on glyoxyl agarose and the catalytic properties of the PGA derivative, although it impaired the posttranslational steps of overexpressed protein maturation.

Insight into autoproteolytic activation from the structure of cephalosporin acylase: a protein with two proteolytic chemistries

Cephalosporin acylase (CA), a member of the N-terminal nucleophile hydrolase family, is activated through sequential primary and secondary autoproteolytic reactions with the release of a pro segment. We have determined crystal structures of four CA mutants. Two mutants are trapped after the primary cleavage, and the other two undergo secondary cleavage slowly. These structures provide a look at pro-segment conformation during activation in N-terminal nucleophile hydrolases. The highly strained helical pro segment of precursor is transformed into a relaxed loop in the intermediates, suggesting that the relaxation of structural constraints drives the primary cleavage reaction. The secondary autoproteolytic step has been proposed to be intermolecular. However, our analysis provides evidence that CA is processed in two sequential steps of intramolecular autoproteolysis involving two distinct residues in the active site, the first a serine and the second a glutamate.

IS2-mediated re-arrangement of the promoter sequence suppresses metabolic burden of the recombinant plasmid

Recombinant plasmid pKA18 of the high expression bacterial system for penicillin amidase ('penicillin G acylase') bears the 3' end region of IS2 element. The IS2 sequence replaces the -35 region of promoter of pga and extends up to TAGTAT box at position -10 of the promoter region. It therefore forms a hybrid promoter of pga ppgaHT. A natural promoter ppgaWT was not detected on any recombinant plasmid isolated from recombinant strains of Escherichia coli constitutively producing penicillin amidase. PCR fragments carrying both types of promoters were cloned into the promoter-probe vector pET2 to compare their transcriptional activity: the activity of ppgaWT was 5x higher than that of ppgaHT. The same nucleotide "G" localized 28 nucleotides upstream of the translation start point was identified as the respective transcription start point of both mRNAs. An attempt was made to place the pga gene cloned on a plasmid under the control of the natural promoter: not a single clone expressing penicillin amidase was found among 150 transformants. High transcriptional activity of the natural promoter together with high pga gene dosage could result in a deleterious metabolic burden of the periplasmic enzyme.

Mutagenic effect of acridine orange on the expression of penicillin G acylase and beta-lactamase in Escherichia coli

AIMS

The present work aimed to improve the production of penicillin G acylase (PGA) and reduce the beta-lactamase activity through acridine orange (AO) induced mutation in Escherichia coli.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Three wild E. coli strains BDCS-N-FMu10, BDCS-N-S21 and BDCS-N-W50, producing both the enzymes PGA and beta-lactamase were treated by AO. Minimum inhibitory concentration of AO was 10 microg ml(-1) and it was noted that bacterial growth was gradually suppressed by increasing the concentration of AO from 10 to 100 microg ml(-1). The highest concentration that gave permissible growth rate was 50 microg ml(-1). The isolated survivals were screened on the bases of PGA and beta-lactamase activities. Among the retained mutants, the occurrence of beta-lactamase deficient ones (91%) was significantly higher than penicillin acylase deficient ones (27%).

CONCLUSIONS

In seven of the mutants, PGA activity was enhanced with considerable decrease in beta-lactamase activity. One of the mutant strains (BDCS-N-M36) exhibited very negligible expression of beta-lactamase activity and twofold increase in PGA activity [12.7 mg 6-amino-penicillanic acid (6-APA) h(-1) mg(-1) wet cells] compared with that in the wild-type strain (6.3 mg 6-APA h(-1) mg(-1) wet cells).

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The treatment of E. coli cells with AO resulted in mutants with enhanced production of PGA and inactivation of beta-lactamase. These mutants could be used for industrial production of PGA.

Structure-Based Stabilization of an Enzyme: The Case of Penicillin Acylase from Alcaligenes faecalis

The modeled structure of penicillin acylase from Alcaligenes faecali (AFPGA) was constructed by comparative modeling with the Modeller program. Candidate positions that could be replaced with cysteine were estimated by scanning the modeled structure of AFPGA with the program MODIP (modeling disulfide bond in protein). The mutant Q3C/P751C had a higher optimum temperature by three degrees than that of the wild type AFPGA. The half life of the double mutant Q3C/P751C at 55 degrees C was increased by 50%. To our knowledge, this was the first structure-based genetic modification of AFPGA.

A multicomponent reaction–diffusion model of a heterogeneously distributed immobilized enzyme

A physical model was derived for the synthesis of the antibiotic cephalexin with an industrial immobilized penicillin G acylase, called Assemblase. In reactions catalyzed by Assemblase, less product and more by-product are formed in comparison with a free-enzyme catalyzed reaction. The model incorporates reaction with a heterogeneous enzyme distribution, electrostatically coupled transport, and pH-dependent dissociation behavior of reactants and is used to obtain insight in the complex interplay between these individual processes leading to the suboptimal conversion. The model was successfully validated with synthesis experiments for conditions ranging from heavily diffusion limited to hardly diffusion limited, including substrate concentrations from 50 to 600 mM, temperatures between 273 and 303 K, and pH values between 6 and 9. During the conversion of the substrates into cephalexin, severe pH gradients inside the biocatalytic particle, which were previously measured by others, were predicted. Physical insight in such intraparticle process dynamics may give important clues for future biocatalyst design. The modular construction of the model may also facilitate its use for other bioconversions with other biocatalysts.

Crosslinked Penicillin Acylase Aggregates for Synthesis of β-Lactam Antibiotics in Organic Medium

Crosslinked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) of a partially purified penicillin acylase from a recombinant Escherichia coli strain have been produced as a novel type of biocatalysts well endowed to perform in organic media. Different protein precipitants were studied and glutaraldehyde was used as the crosslinking agent. Precipitation curves were obtained for all precipitants to determine the concentrations at which all the protein precipitated out of the solution. The effect of the glutaraldehyde-to-protein ratio was studied with respect to process recovery and the specific activity and stability of the biocatalyst. Recovery of penicillin acylase activity was moderately high, about 50%; major losses of enzyme activity were produced at the precipitation step. Specific activities of all CLEAs were very high, which is one of the advantages of using nonsupported biocatalysts. Ammonium sulfate and tert-butyl alcohol were the best precipitants at a glutaraldehyde-protein mass ratio of 2 and were selected to perform the kinetically controlled synthesis of ampicillin in 60% (v/v) ethylene glycol medium. At comparable conversion yields, volumetric and specific antibiotic productivity were much higher for CLEAs than for carrier-bound penicillin acylases.

Chaperone-mediated folding and maturation of the penicillin acylase precursor in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli

Expression of the leaderless pac gene (LL pac), which lacks the coding region for the signal peptide of penicillin acylase (PAC), in Escherichia coli was conducted. It was demonstrated that the PAC precursor, proPAC, can be produced and even processed to form mature PAC in the cytoplasm, indicating that the posttranslational processing steps for PAC maturation can occur in both the periplasm and the cytoplasm of E. coli. The outcome of proPAC folding and PAC maturation could be affected by several factors, such as inducer type, proPAC formation rate, and chaperone availability. Misfolding of proPAC in the cytoplasm could be partially resolved through the coexpression of cytoplasmic chaperones, such as trigger factor, GroEL/ES, or DnaK/J-GrpE. The three chaperones tested showed different extents of the effect on proPAC solublization and PAC maturation, and trigger factor had the most prominent one. However, the chaperone-mediated solublization of proPAC did not guarantee its maturation, which is usually limited by the first autoproteolytic step. It was observed that arabinose could act as an effective inducer for the induction of LL pac expression regulated by the lac-derived promoter system of trc. In addition, PAC maturation could be highly facilitated by arabinose supplementation and coexpression of trigger factor, suggesting that the coordination of chaperone systems with proper culture conditions could dramatically impact recombinant protein production. This study suggests that folding/misfolding of proPAC could be a major step limiting the overproduction of PAC in E. coli and that the problem could be resolved through the search for appropriate chaperones for coexpression. It also demonstrates the analogy in the issues of proPAC misfolding as well as the expression bottleneck occurring in the cytoplasm (i.e., LL pac expression) and those occurring in the periplasm (i.e., wild-type pac expression).

Improving the activity and stability of GL-7-ACA acylase CA130 by site-directed mutagenesis

In the present study, glutaryl-7-amino cephalosporanic acid acylase from Pseudomonas sp. strain 130 (CA130) was mutated to improve its enzymatic activity and stability. Based on the crystal structure of CA130, two series of amino acid residues, one from those directly involved in catalytic function and another from those putatively involved in surface charge, were selected as targets for site-directed mutagenesis. In the first series of experiments, several key residues in the substrate-binding pocket were substituted, and the genes were expressed in Escherichia coli for activity screening. Two of the mutants constructed, Y151alphaF and Q50betaN, showed two- to threefold-increased catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)) compared to wild-type CA130. Their K(m) values were decreased by ca. 50%, and the k(cat) values increased to 14.4 and 16.9 s(-1), respectively. The ability of these mutants to hydrolyze adipoyl 6-amino penicillinic acid was also improved. In the second series of mutagenesis, several mutants with enhanced stabilities were identified. Among them, R121betaA and K198betaA had a 30 to 58% longer half-life than wild-type CA130, and K198betaA and D286betaA showed an alkaline shift of optimal pH by about 1.0 to 2.0 pH units. To construct an engineered enzyme with the properties of both increased activity and stability, the double mutant Q50betaN/K198betaA was expressed. This enzyme was purified and immobilized for catalytic analysis. The immobilized mutant enzyme showed a 34.2% increase in specific activity compared to the immobilized wild-type CA130.

Effect of the increased stability of the penicillin amidase mRNA on the protein expression levels

Several factors at transcriptional, post-transcriptional or post-translational level determine the fate of a target protein and can severely restrict its yield. Here, we focus on the post-transcriptional regulation of the biosynthesis of the periplasmic protein, penicillin amidase (PA). The PA mRNA stability was determined under depleted RNase conditions in strains carrying single or multiple RNase deletions. Single deletion of the endonuclease RNase E yielded, as the highest, a fourfold stabilization of the PA mRNA. This effect, however, was reduced twice at post-translational level. The RNase II, generating secondary exonucleolytic cleavages in the mRNA, although not significantly influencing the PA mRNA decay, led also to an increase of the amount of mature PA. The non-proportional correlation between increased mRNA longevity and amount of active enzyme propose that the rational strategies for yield improvement must be based on a simultaneous tuning of more than one yield restricting factor.