Biosynthesis Of Guanosine Research Articles

Enhancing GDP-fucose production in recombinant Escherichia coli by metabolic pathway engineering

Guanosine 5′-diphosphate (GDP)-fucose is the indispensible donor substrate for fucosyltransferase-catalyzed synthesis of fucose-containing biomolecules, which have been found involving in various biological functions. In this work, the salvage pathway for GDP-fucose biosynthesis from Bacterioides fragilis was introduced into Escherichia coli. Besides, the biosynthesis of guanosine 5′-triphosphate (GTP), an essential substrate for GDP-fucose biosynthesis, was enhanced via overexpression of enzymes involved in the salvage pathway of GTP biosynthesis. The production capacities of metabolically engineered strains bearing different combinations of recombinant enzymes were compared. The shake flask fermentation of the strain expressing Fkp, Gpt, Gmk and Ndk obtained the maximum GDP-fucose content of 4.6±0.22μmol/g (dry cell mass), which is 4.2 fold that of the strain only expressing Fkp. Through fed-batch fermentation, the GDP-fucose content further rose to 6.6±0.14μmol/g (dry cell mass). In addition to a better productivity than previous fermentation processes based on the de novo pathway for GDP-fucose biosynthesis, the established schemes in this work also have the advantage to be a potential avenue to GDP-fucose analogs encompassing chemical modification on the fucose residue.

Enhanced production of GDP-l-fucose by overexpression of NADPH regenerator in recombinant Escherichia coli

Biosynthesis of guanosine 5'-diphosphate-L-fucose (GDP-L-fucose) requires NADPH as a reducing cofactor. In this study, endogenous NADPH regenerating enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), isocitrate dehydrogenase (Icd), and NADP(+)-dependent malate dehydrogenase (MaeB) were overexpressed to increase GDP-L-fucose production in recombinant Escherichia coli. The effects of overexpression of each NADPH regenerating enzyme on GDP-L-fucose production were investigated in a series of batch and fed-batch fermentations. Batch fermentations showed that overexpression of G6PDH was the most effective for GDP-L-fucose production. However, GDP-L-fucose production was not enhanced by overexpression of G6PDH in the glucose-limited fed-batch fermentation. Hence, a glucose feeding strategy was optimized to enhance GDP-L-fucose production. Fed-batch fermentation with a pH-stat feeding mode for sufficient supply of glucose significantly enhanced GDP-L-fucose production compared with glucose-limited fed-batch fermentation. A maximum GDP-L-fucose concentration of 235.2 ± 3.3 mg l(-1), corresponding to a 21% enhancement in the GDP-L-fucose production compared with the control strain overexpressing GDP-L-fucose biosynthetic enzymes only, was achieved in the pH-stat fed-batch fermentation of the recombinant E. coli overexpressing G6PDH. It was concluded that sufficient glucose supply and efficient NADPH regeneration are crucial for NADPH-dependent GDP-L-fucose production in recombinant E. coli.

A novel Escherichia coli strain allows functional analysis of guanylate kinase drug resistance and sensitivity

Guanylate kinase is a critical enzyme in the biosynthesis of guanosine 5 ′-triphosphate (GTP) and dGTP and is responsible for the phosphorylation of guanosine 5 ′-monophosphate (GMP) and dGMP to guanosine 5 ′-diphosphate (GDP) and dGDP, respectively. As with many nucleotide-metabolizing enzymes, guanylate kinase is involved in antimicrobial and antineoplastic drug activation. This is due to the structural similarities of such agents with nucleobases or nucleosides that are acted upon by endogenous enzymes. Despite the involvement of guanylate kinase in 6-thioguanine, mercaptopurine, and abasic guanosine analog (e.g., ganciclovir) activation, studies have only recently focused on the molecular basis of the structure to function relationship of a mammalian guanylate kinase. As a means to evaluate the details of amino acid side chain involvement in substrate interaction, we have constructed a conditional guanylate-kinase-deficient Escherichia coli strain that requires the presence of a functional, plasmid-borne guanylate kinase for growth under selective conditions. Positive genetic selection provides a rapid mechanism to identify not only functional guanylate kinase mutants but also those that result in drug resistance. This novel strain will be beneficial to assess the role of specific amino acids of guanylate kinase in structure, function, drug activation, and drug resistance.

Regulatory role of adenine nucleotides in the biosynthesis of guanosine 5'-monophosphate.

Derepression of the synthesis of inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) dehydrogenase and of xanthosine 5'-monophosphate (XMP) aminase in pur mutants of Escherichia coli which are blocked in the biosynthesis of adenine nucleotides and guanine nucleotides differs in two ways from derepression in pur mutants blocked exclusively in the biosynthesis of guanine nucleotides. (i) The maximal derepression is lower, and (ii) a sharp decrease in the specific activities of AMP dehydrogenase and XMP aminase occurs, following maximal derepression. From the in vivo and in vitro experiments described, it is shown that the lack of adenine nucleotides in derepressed pur mutants blocked in the biosynthesis of adenine and guanine nucleotides is responsible for these two phenomena. The adenine nucleotides are shown to play an important regulatory role in the biosynthesis of guanosine 5'-monophosphate (GMP). (i) They induce the syntheses of IMP dehydrogenase and XMP aminase. (The mechanism of induction may involve the expression of the gua operon.) (ii) They appear to have an activating function in IMP dehydrogenase and XMP aminase activity. The physiological importance of these regulatory characteristics of adenine nucleotides in the biosynthesis of GMP is discussed.

Biosynthesis of Guanosine 5'-Phosphate: I. XANTHOSINE 5'-PHOSPHATE AS AN INTERMEDIATE

Biosynthesis of Guanosine 5'-Phosphate: I. XANTHOSINE 5'-PHOSPHATE AS AN INTERMEDIATE

Biosynthesis of Guanosine 5'-Phosphate: II. AMINATION OF XANTHOSINE 5'-PHOSPHATE BY PURIFIED ENZYME FROM PIGEON LIVER

Biosynthesis of Guanosine 5'-Phosphate: II. AMINATION OF XANTHOSINE 5'-PHOSPHATE BY PURIFIED ENZYME FROM PIGEON LIVER