Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus Kodakaraensis Research Articles

Four New Crystal Structures of Tk-subtilisin in Unautoprocessed, Autoprocessed and Mature Forms: Insight into Structural Changes during Maturation

Subtilisin from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis (Tk-subtilisin) is matured from Pro-Tk-subtilisin upon autoprocessing and degradation of the propeptide. The crystal structures of the autoprocessed and mature forms of Tk-subtilisin were determined at 1.89 Å and 1.70 Å resolution, respectively. Comparison of these structures with that of unautoprocessed Pro-Tk-subtilisin indicates that the structure of Tk-subtilisin is not seriously changed during maturation. However, one unique Ca2+-binding site (Ca-7) is identified in these structures. In addition, the N-terminal region of the mature domain (Gly70–Pro82), which binds tightly to the main body in the unautoprocessed form, is disordered and mostly truncated in the autoprocessed and mature forms, respectively. Interestingly, this site is formed also in the unautoprocessed form when its crystals are soaked with 10 mM CaCl2, as revealed by the 1.87 Å structure. Along with the formation of this site, the N-terminal region (Leu75–Thr80) is disordered, with the scissile peptide bond contacting with the active site. These results indicate that the calcium ion binds weakly to the Ca-7 site in the unautoprocessed form, but is trapped upon autoprocessing. We propose that the Ca-7 site is required to promote the autoprocessing reaction by stabilizing the autoprocessed form, in which the new N terminus of the mature domain is structurally disordered. Furthermore, the crystal structure of the Tk-propeptide:S324A-subtilisin complex, which was formed by the addition of separately expressed proteins, was determined at 1.65 Å resolution. This structure is virtually identical with that of the autoprocessed form, indicating that the interaction between the two domains is highly intensive and specific.

Crystal Structure of Unautoprocessed Precursor of Subtilisin from a Hyperthermophilic Archaeon: EVIDENCE FOR Ca2+-INDUCED FOLDING

The crystal structure of an active site mutant of pro-Tk-subtilisin (pro-S324A) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis was determined at 2.3 A resolution. The overall structure of this protein is similar to those of bacterial subtilisin-propeptide complexes, except that the peptide bond linking the propeptide and mature domain contacts with the active site, and the mature domain contains six Ca2+ binding sites. The Ca-1 site is conserved in bacterial subtilisins but is formed prior to autoprocessing, unlike the corresponding sites of bacterial subtilisins. All other Ca2+-binding sites are unique in the pro-S324A structure and are located at the surface loops. Four of them apparently contribute to the stability of the central alphabetaalpha substructure of the mature domain. The CD spectra, 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonic acid fluorescence spectra, and sensitivities to chymotryptic digestion of this protein indicate that the conformation of pro-S324A is changed from an unstable molten globule-like structure to a stable native one upon Ca2+ binding. Another active site mutant, pro-S324C, was shown to be autoprocessed to form a propeptide-mature domain complex in the presence of Ca2+. The CD spectra of this protein indicate that the structure of pro-S324C is changed upon Ca2+ binding like pro-S324A but is not seriously changed upon subsequent autoprocessing. These results suggest that the maturation process of Tk-subtilisin is different from that of bacterial subtilisins in terms of the requirement of Ca2+ for folding of the mature domain and completion of the folding process prior to autoprocessing.

Transcription and Translation are Coupled in Archaea

Polysomes have been visualized by electron microscopy attached directly to dispersed strands of genomic DNA extruded from lysed cells of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis. These complexes are consistent with transcription and translation being coupled in this Archaeon, with translation of transcripts being initiated before the transcript is complete.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction study of glycerol kinase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis.

Glycerol kinase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis was crystallized and preliminary crystallographic studies of the crystals were performed. Crystals were grown at 293 K by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. Native X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.4 A resolution using synchrotron radiation at station BL44XU of SPring-8. The crystal belongs to the rhombohedral space group R3, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 217.48, c = 66.48 A. Assuming the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit, the V(M) value was 2.7 A(3) Da(-1) and the solvent content was 54.1%. The protein was also cocrystallized with substrates and diffraction data were collected to 2.7 A resolution.

Directed evolution of Tk-subtilisin from a hyperthermophilic archaeon: identification of a single amino acid substitution responsible for low-temperature adaptation

Tk-subtilisin from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis is synthesized in a prepro-form (prepro-Tk-subtilisin), secreted in a pro-form (pro-Tk-subtilisin), and matured to an active form (mat-Tk-subtilisin*; a Ca(2+)-bound active form of matured domain of Tk-subtilisin) upon autoprocessing and degradation of the propeptide [Tk-propeptide; propeptide of Tk-subtilisin (Gly1-Leu69)]. Pro-Tk-subtilisin exhibited halo-forming activity only at 80 degrees C, but not at 70 and 60 degrees C, because Tk-propeptide is not effectively degraded by mat-Tk-subtilisin* and forms an inactive complex with mat-Tk-subtilisin* at <80 degrees C. Random mutagenesis in the entire prepro-Tk-subtilisin gene, followed by screening for mutant proteins with halo-forming activity at 70 and 60 degrees C, allowed us to identify single Gly56 --> Ser mutation in the propeptide region responsible for low-temperature adaptation of pro-Tk-subtilisin. SDS-PAGE analyses and mat-Tk-subtilisin* activity assay of pro-G56S-subtilisin indicated more rapid maturation than pro-Tk-subtilisin. The resultant active form was indistinguishable from mat-Tk-subtilisin* in activity and stability, indicating that Gly56 --> Ser mutation does not seriously affect the folding of the mature domain. However, this mutation greatly destabilized the propeptide, making it unstructured in an isolated form. As a result, Tk-propeptide with Gly56 --> Ser mutation (G56S-propeptide) was more susceptible to proteolytic degradation and less effectively inhibited mat-Tk-subtilisin* activity than Tk-propeptide. These results suggest that pro-G56S-subtilisin is more effectively matured than pro-Tk-subtilisin at lower temperatures, because autoprocessed G56S-propeptide is unstructured upon dissociation from mat-Tk-subtilisin* and is therefore effectively degraded by mat-Tk-subtilisin*.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction study of an active-site mutant of pro-Tk-subtilisin from a hyperthermophilic archaeon.

Crystallization of and preliminary crystallographic studies on an active-site mutant of pro-Tk-subtilisin from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis were performed. The crystal was grown at 277 K by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. Native X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.3 A resolution using synchrotron radiation from station BL41XU at SPring-8. The crystal belongs to the orthorhombic space group I222, with unit-cell parameters a = 92.69, b = 121.78, c = 77.53 A. Assuming the presence of one molecule per asymmetric unit, the Matthews coefficient V(M) was calculated to be 2.6 A(3) Da(-1) and the solvent content was 53.1%.

Identification of the Amino Acid Residues Essential for Proteolytic Activity in an Archaeal Signal Peptide Peptidase

Signal peptide peptidases (SPPs) are enzymes involved in the initial degradation of signal peptides after they are released from the precursor proteins by signal peptidases. In contrast to the eukaryotic enzymes that are aspartate peptidases, the catalytic mechanisms of prokaryotic SPPs had not been known. In this study on the SPP from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis (SppA(Tk)), we have identified amino acid residues that are essential for the peptidase activity of the enzyme. DeltaN54SppA(Tk), a truncated protein without the N-terminal 54 residues and putative transmembrane domain, exhibits high peptidase activity, and was used as the wild-type protein. Sixteen residues, highly conserved among archaeal SPP homologue sequences, were selected and replaced by alanine residues. The mutations S162A and K214A were found to abolish peptidase activity of the protein, whereas all other mutant proteins displayed activity to various extents. The results indicated the function of Ser(162) as the nucleophilic serine and that of Lys(214) as the general base, comprising a Ser/Lys catalytic dyad in SppA(Tk). Kinetic analyses indicated that Ser(184), His(191) Lys(209), Asp(215), and Arg(221) supported peptidase activity. Intriguingly, a large number of mutations led to an increase in activity levels of the enzyme. In particular, mutations in Ser(128) and Tyr(165) not only increased activity levels but also broadened the substrate specificity of SppA(Tk), suggesting that these residues may be present to prevent the enzyme from cleaving unintended peptide/protein substrates in the cell. A detailed alignment of prokaryotic SPP sequences strongly suggested that the majority of archaeal enzymes, along with the bacterial enzyme from Bacillus subtilis, adopt the same catalytic mechanism for peptide hydrolysis.

Crystal structure of intein homing endonuclease II encoded in DNA polymerase gene from hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis strain KOD1

Proteinsplicingisa posttranslational process involving precise excision of anintervening protein domain, termed an intein. An inteinoften exhibits site-specific endonuclease activity, whichrecognizes and cleaves the DNA sequence lacking itscoding DNA sequence. The recognition sequences areusually asymmetrical and 12- to 40-bp long.

Crystal structure of TBP‐interacting protein (Tk‐TIP26) and implications for its inhibition mechanism of the interaction between TBP and TATA‐DNA

TATA-binding protein (TBP)-interacting protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis strain KOD1 (Tk-TIP26) is a possible transcription regulatory protein in Thermococcales. Here, we report the crystal structure of Tk-TIP26 determined at 2.3 A resolution with multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) method. The overall structure of Tk-TIP26 consists of two domains. The N-terminal domain forms an alpha/beta structure, in which three alpha-helices enclose the central beta-sheet. The topology of this domain is similar to that of holliday junction resolvase Hjc from Pyrococcus furiosus. The C-terminal domain comprises three alpha-helices, six beta-strands, and two 3(10)-helices. In the dimer structure of Tk-TIP26, two molecules are related with the crystallographic twofold axis, and these molecules rigidly interact with each other via hydrogen bonds. The complex of Tk-TIP26/Tk-TBP is isolated and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration column chromatography, resulting in a stoichiometric ratio of the interaction between Tk-TIP26 and Tk-TBP of 4:2, i.e., two dimer molecules of Tk-TIP26 formed a complex with one dimeric TBP. The electrostatic surfaces of Tk-TIP26 and TBP from Pyrocuccus woesei (PwTBP) allowed us to build a model of the Tk-TIP26/TBP complex, and to propose the inhibition mechanism where two dimer molecules of Tk-TIP26 bind to a dimeric TBP, preventing its binding to TATA-DNA.

Enzymatic and structural characterization of type II isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase from hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis

Enzymatic and thermodynamic characteristics of type II isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP):dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) isomerase ( Tk-IDI) from Thermococcus kodakaraensis, which catalyzes the interconversion of IPP and DMAPP, were examined. FMN was tightly bound to Tk-IDI, and the enzyme required NADPH and Mg 2+ for the isomerization in both directions. The melting temperature ( T m), the change of enthalpy (Δ H m), and the heat capacity change (Δ C p) of Tk-IDI were 88.0 °C, 444 kJ mol −1, and 13.2 kJ mol −1 K −1, respectively, indicating that Tk-IDI is fairly thermostable. Kinetic parameters dramatically changed when the temperature crossed 80 °C even though its native overall structure was stably maintained up to 90 °C, suggesting that local conformational change would occur around 80 °C. This speculation was supported by the result of the circular dichroism analysis that showed the shift of the α-helical content occurred at 80 °C.

First characterization of an archaeal GTP-dependent phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1.

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK), which catalyzes the nucleotide-dependent, reversible decarboxylation of oxaloacetate to yield phosphoenolpyruvate and CO2, is one of the important enzymes in the interconversion between C3 and C4 metabolites. This study focused on the first characterization of the enzymatic properties and expression profile of an archaeal PCK from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis (PckTk). PckTk showed 30 to 35% identities to GTP-dependent PCKs from mammals and bacteria but was located in a branch distinct from that of the classical enzymes in the phylogenetic tree, together with other archaeal homologs from Pyrococcus and Sulfolobus spp. Several catalytically important regions and residues, found in all known PCKs irrespective of their nucleotide specificities, were conserved in PckTk. However, the predicted GTP-binding region was unique compared to those in other GTP-dependent PCKs. The recombinant PckTk actually exhibited GTP-dependent activity and was suggested to possess dual cation-binding sites specific for Mn2+ and Mg2+. The enzyme preferred phosphoenolpyruvate formation from oxaloacetate, since the Km value for oxaloacetate was much lower than that for phosphoenolpyruvate. The transcription and activity levels in T. kodakaraensis were higher under gluconeogenic conditions than under glycolytic conditions. These results agreed with the role of PckTk in providing phosphoenolpyruvate from oxaloacetate as the first step of gluconeogenesis in this hyperthermophilic archaeon. Additionally, under gluconeogenic conditions, we observed higher expression levels of PckTk on pyruvate than on amino acids, implying that it plays an additional role in the recycling of excess phosphoenolpyruvate produced from pyruvate, replacing the function of the anaplerotic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase that is missing from this archaeon.

Concerted Action of Diacetylchitobiose Deacetylase and Exo-β-D-glucosaminidase in a Novel Chitinolytic Pathway in the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1

The hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 possesses chitinase (Tk-ChiA) and exo-beta-D-glucosaminidase (Tk-GlmA) for chitin degradation; the former produces diacetylchitobiose (GlcNAc2) from chitin, and the latter hydrolyzes chitobiose (GlcN2) to glucosamine (GlcN). To identify the enzyme that physiologically links these two activities, here we focused on the deacetylase that provides the substrate for Tk-GlmA from GlcNAc2. The deacetylase could be detected in and partially purified from T. kodakaraensis cells, and the corresponding gene (Tk-dac) was identified on the genome. The deduced amino acid sequence was classified into the LmbE protein family including N-acetylglucosaminylphosphatidylinositol de-N-acetylases and 1-D-myo-inosityl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside deacetylase. Recombinant Tk-Dac showed deacetylase activity toward N-acetylchitooligosaccharides (GlcNAc(2-5)), and the deacetylation site was revealed to be specific at the nonreducing GlcNAc residue. The enzyme also deacetylated GlcNAc monomer. In T. kodakaraensis cells, the transcription of Tk-dac, Tk-glmA, Tk-chiA, and the clustered genes were induced by GlcNAc2, suggesting the function of this gene cluster in chitin catabolism in vivo. These results have revealed a unique chitin catabolic pathway in T. kodakaraensis, in which GlcNAc2 produced from chitin is degraded by the concerted action of Tk-Dac and Tk-GlmA. That is, GlcNAc2 is site-specifically deacetylated to GlcN-GlcNAc by Tk-Dac and then hydrolyzed to GlcN and GlcNAc by Tk-GlmA followed by a second deacetylation step of the remaining GlcNAc by Tk-Dac to form GlcN. This is the first elucidation of an archaeal chitin catabolic pathway and defines a novel mechanism for dimer processing using a combination of deacetylation and cleavage, distinct from any previously known pathway.

Genetic, Enzymatic, and Structural Analyses of Phenylalanyl-tRNA Synthetase from Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 (Tk-PheRS) was cloned. The open reading frames for both the alpha-subunit (Tk-pheRSA) and beta-subunit (Tk-pheRSB) genes were 1,503 bp (501 amino acids) and 1,722 bp (574 amino acids), respectively. Tk-pheRSB located 879 bp downstream from Tk-pheRSA with a putative TATA box, suggesting that these two subunits are transcribed and regulated independently in KOD1 cells. Tk-PheRS and its respective subunits were expressed in Escherichia coli cells and the proteins were purified. Tk-PheRS showed an optimum enzymatic activity at around 95 degrees C and retained its tertiary structure at 98 degrees C. The estimated isoelectric point (pI) for the alpha-subunit is 9.4 and that for the beta-subunit is 4.6, the largest difference among the 12 kinds of PheRSs reported. The considerable thermostability of Tk-PheRS may be responsible for the electrostatic interaction between the alpha- and beta-subunits.

Characterization of an exo-beta-D-glucosaminidase involved in a novel chitinolytic pathway from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1.

We previously clarified that the chitinase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 produces diacetylchitobiose (GlcNAc(2)) as an end product from chitin. Here we sought to identify enzymes in T. kodakaraensis that were involved in the further degradation of GlcNAc(2). Through a search of the T. kodakaraensis genome, one candidate gene identified as a putative beta-glycosyl hydrolase was found in the near vicinity of the chitinase gene. The primary structure of the candidate protein was homologous to the beta-galactosidases in family 35 of glycosyl hydrolases at the N-terminal region, whereas the central region was homologous to beta-galactosidases in family 42. The purified protein from recombinant Escherichia coli clearly showed an exo-beta-D-glucosaminidase (GlcNase) activity but not beta-galactosidase activity. This GlcNase (GlmA(Tk)), a homodimer of 90-kDa subunits, exhibited highest activity toward reduced chitobiose at pH 6.0 and 80 degrees C and specifically cleaved the nonreducing terminal glycosidic bond of chitooligosaccharides. The GlcNase activity was also detected in T. kodakaraensis cells, and the expression of GlmA(Tk) was induced by GlcNAc(2) and chitin, strongly suggesting that GlmA(Tk) is involved in chitin catabolism in T. kodakaraensis. These results suggest that T. kodakaraensis, unlike other organisms, possesses a novel chitinolytic pathway where GlcNAc(2) from chitin is first deacetylated and successively hydrolyzed to glucosamine. This is the first report that reveals the primary structure of GlcNase not only from an archaeon but also from any organism.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of TBP-interacting protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis strain KOD1.

The 26 kDa TBP (TATA-binding protein) interacting protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 (Tk-TIP26) is a possible transcriptional regulatory protein in Thermococcales. Here, the crystallization of both the native and selenomethionine-substituted proteins and data collection are described. The native crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 73.83, c = 86.41 A, and diffract to 2.2 A using synchrotron radiation. MAD data was collected and a Bijvoet difference Patterson map showed strong peaks sufficient to determine the positions of the Se atoms.

Gene cloning and characterization of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1

The fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) aldolase gene from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 was cloned. The gene encoding FBP aldolase ( Tk-Fba) was expressed in Escherichia coli and the purified recombinant protein was characterized at high temperature. Tk-Fba is a homodecamer with a subunit molecular mass of 31,283 Da. The amino acid sequence, decameric conformation, formation of a Schiff-base intermediate, and stimulation (286%) of FBP cleavage activity by citrate suggested that Tk-Fba belonged to Class IA, a subtype of the classical Class I aldolases. The specific activity for the FBP cleavage reaction was 18.9 U/mg, which was much higher than those of other Class IA type FBP aldolases. Tk-Fba was extremely thermostable since the optimum temperature seemed to be above 100°C. The optimum pH for Tk-Fba was determined to be 5.0 in the absence of citrate, while it shifted to around 7.0 in the presence of citrate. Tk-Fba accepted FBP and fructose-1-phosphate as substrates and K m values were determined to be 0.063 mM and 4.37 mM, respectively. In addition to citrate, phosphoenolpyruvate and pyrophosphate were also found to be potent activators of Tk-Fba, enhancing activities up to 346% and 201%, respectively. Erythrose-4-phosphate acted as an inhibitor and caused a decrease in the activity to 49%. Tk-Fba also catalyzed the condensation reaction with a similar activity level (14.9 U/mg) to that for FBP cleavage. However, none of the above compounds seemed to have a significant effect on the condensation reaction by Tk-Fba. These results suggest a regulatory function of Tk-Fba toward the catabolic direction of sugar metabolism in T. kodakaraensis KOD1.

Tk-PTP, protein tyrosine/serine phosphatase from hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1: enzymatic characteristics and identification of its substrate proteins

The Tk-ptp gene encoding a protein tyrosine phosphatase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 was cloned and biochemical characteristics of the recombinant protein ( Tk-PTP) were examined. A series of mutants, D63A (replacing Asp-63 with Ala), C93S, C93A, R99K, and R99M, were also constructed and analyzed. Two unique features were found. First, the Tk-PTP showed the phosphatase activity not only toward phosphotyrosine but also toward phosphoserine. Second, the conserved Asp-63, which corresponds to a critical residue among other known PTPs, was not essential for catalysis. Cys-93 and Arg-99 residues played a crucial role in substrate binding and catalysis. To know a specific substrate for Tk-PTP, C93S mutant was used to trap substrate proteins from cell extract of KOD1. Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase subunit β-chain, one of the gene products of RNA terminal phosphate cyclase operon and phosphomannomutase, was identified, suggesting that they functioned for phosphate donation.

Gene Cloning and Characterization of Fructose-1,6-Bisphosphate Aldolase from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1

The fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) aldolase gene from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 was cloned. The gene encoding FBP aldolase (Tk-Fba) was expressed in Escherichia coli and the purified recombinant protein was characterized at high temperature. Tk-Fba is a homodecamer with a subunit molecular mass of 31,283 Da. The amino acid sequence, decameric conformation, formation of a Schiff-base intermediate, and stimulation (286%) of FBP cleavage activity by citrate suggested that Tk-Fba belonged to Class IA, a subtype of the classical Class I aldolases. The specific activity for the FBP cleavage reaction was 18.9 U/mg, which was much higher than those of other Class IA type FBP aldolases. Tk-Fba was extremely thermostable since the optimum temperature seemed to be above 100 degrees C. The optimum pH for Tk-Fba was determined to be 5.0 in the absence of citrate, while it shifted to around 7.0 in the presence of citrate. Tk-Fba accepted FBP and fructose-1-phosphate as substrates and K(m) values were determined to be 0.063 mM and 4.37 mM, respectively. In addition to citrate, phosphoenolpyruvate and pyrophosphate were also found to be potent activators of Tk-Fba, enhancing activities up to 346% and 201%, respectively. Erythrose-4-phosphate acted as an inhibitor and caused a decrease in the activity to 49%. Tk-Fba also catalyzed the condensation reaction with a similar activity level (14.9 U/mg) to that for FBP cleavage. However, none of the above compounds seemed to have a significant effect on the condensation reaction by Tk-Fba. These results suggest a regulatory function of Tk-Fba toward the catabolic direction of sugar metabolism in T. kodakaraensis KOD1.

Different Cleavage Specificities of the Dual Catalytic Domains in Chitinase from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1

The chitinase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1, Tk-ChiA, has an interesting multidomain structure containing dual catalytic domains and triple chitin-binding domains. To determine the biochemical properties of each domain, we constructed deletion mutant genes corresponding to the individual catalytic domains and purified the recombinant proteins. A synergistic effect was observed when chitin was degraded in the presence of both catalytic domains, suggesting different cleavage specificity of these domains. Analyses of degradation products from N-acetyl-chitooligosaccharides and their chromogenic derivatives with thin layer chromatography indicated that the N-terminal catalytic domain mainly hydrolyzed the second glycosidic bond from the nonreducing end of the oligomers, whereas the C-terminal domain randomly hydrolyzed glycosidic bonds other than the first bond from the nonreducing end. Both catalytic domains formed diacetyl-chitobiose as a major end product and possessed transglycosylation activity. Further analysis of degradation products from colloidal chitin with high performance liquid chromatography showed that the N-terminal catalytic domain exclusively liberated diacetyl-chitobiose, whereas reactions with the C-terminal domain led to N-acetyl-chitooligosaccharides of various lengths. These results demonstrated that the N-terminal and C-terminal catalytic domains functioned as exo- and endochitinases, respectively. The biochemical results provide a physiological explanation for the presence of two catalytic domains with different specificity and suggest a cooperative function between the two on a single polypeptide in the degradation of chitin.

Comparative analyses of the conformational stability of a hyperthermophilic protein and its mesophilic counterpart

Comparison of the conformational stability of an O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis strain KOD1 (Tk-MGMT), and its mesophilic counterpart C-terminal Ada protein from Escherichia coli (Ec-AdaC) was performed in order to obtain information about the relationship between thermal stability and other factors, such as thermodynamic parameters, thermodynamic stability and other unfolding conditions. Tk-MGMT unfolded at Tm = 98.6 degrees C, which was 54.8 degrees C higher than the unfolding temperature of Ec-AdaC. The maximum free energy (DeltaG(max)) of the proteins were different; the value of Tk-MGMT (42.9 kJ.mol-1 at 29.5 degrees C) was 2.6 times higher than that of Ec-AdaC (16.6 kJ.mol-1 at 7.4 degrees C). The high conformational stability of Tk-MGMT was attributed to a 1.6-fold higher enthalpy value than that of Ec-AdaC. In addition, the DeltaG(max) temperature of Tk-MGMT was considerably higher (by 22.1 degrees C). The apparent heat capacity of denaturation (DeltaC(p)) of Tk-MGMT was 0.7-fold lower than that of Ec-AdaC. These three synergistic effects, increasing DeltaGmax, shifted DeltaG vs. temperature curve, and low DeltaC(p), give Tk-MGMT its thermal stability. Unfolding profiles of the two proteins, tested with four alcohols and three denaturants, showed that Tk-MGMT possessed higher stability than Ec-AdaC in all conditions studied. These results indicate that the high stability of Tk-MGMT gives resistance to chemical unfolding, in addition to thermal unfolding.