P-nitrophenyl Esters Research Articles

Identification and characterization of a novel salt-tolerant esterase from a Tibetan glacier metagenomic library.

A salt-tolerant esterase, designated H9Est, was identified from a metagenomic library of the Karuola glacier. H9Est gene comprised 1071 bp and encoded a polypeptide of 357 amino acids with a molecular mass of 40 kDa. Sequence analysis revealed that H9Est belonged to the family IV of bacterial lypolitic enzyme. H9Est was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the purified enzyme showed hydrolytic activity towards p-nitrophenyl esters with carbon chain from 2 to 8. The optimal esterase activity was at 40°C and pH 8.0 and the enzyme retained its activity towards some miscible organic solvents such as polyethylene glycol. A three-dimensional model of H9Est revealed that S200, D294, and H324 formed the H9Est catalytic triad. Circular Dichroism spectra and molecular dynamic simulation indicated that the esterase had a wide denaturation temperature range and flexible loops that would be beneficial for H9Est performance at low temperatures while retaining heat-resistant features.

An unusual feruloyl esterase belonging to family VIII esterases and displaying a broad substrate range

A thermophilic compost metagenomic library constructed in Escherichia coli was functionally screened for novel esterases. Of the 110,592 fosmid clones screened, 25 clones demonstrated degradative activity on glyceryl tributyrate (a hit rate of 1:4,423). Four clones displayed ferulic acid esterase activity and were sequenced using 454 Titanium sequencing technology. EstG34, a 410 amino acid protein, was identified as having high sequence identity with a number of bacterial β-lactamases. EstG34 has the S-X-X-K motif which is conserved in class C β-lactamases and family VIII carboxylesterases. Purified recombinant EstG34 had a molecular mass of 42kDa and displayed hydrolytic activity towards a variety of p-nitrophenyl esters, hydroxycinnamic acid esters and α-naphthol acetate. EstG34 represents the first family VIII carboxylesterase and β-lactamase fold enzyme, able to hydrolyse ferulate and a number of other hydroxycinnamic acid esters. In addition, EstG34 is the first reported FAE to not adopt the α/β hydrolase conformation. The sequence similarity and wide substrate utilization capability of this esterase complicates its placement within current classification systems, but also draws attention to the enzyme's potential versatility.

Expression, Purification and Characterisation of Secreted Esterase Rv2525c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Rv2525c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis belongs to the domain of unknown function (DUF) 1906 superfamily, but it also contains the motif G-X-S-X-G, the consensus active site sequence of the ester/lipid family. Biochemical analysis indicated that the mature Rv2525c protein is secreted. The discovery and characterisation of novel enzymes secreted by M. tuberculosis are vital for understanding the pathogenesis of the most important human bacterial pathogen. The proteome of M. tuberculosis contains over 400 potentially secreted proteins, of which the majority remain uncharacterised. In this study, we cloned and expressed the rv2525c gene in Escherichia coli and purified the recombinant protein using a three-step process (affinity chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography), obtaining more than 99% pure protein. Mass spectrometry was performed to confirm that the purified protein was Rv2525c. Circular dichroism spectroscopy results showed that its conformation was stable at pH ranging from 6.0 to 8.0 and at temperatures ≤ 40 °C. Moreover, we tested the esterase activity using p-nitrophenyl esters (C2, C4, C6, C8, C12, C14, C16). This enzyme exhibited broad substrate acceptance, preferentially hydrolysing p-nitrophenyl butyrate (C4) at pH 7.0 and 37 °C. The dynamic activity test demonstrated that the optimal conditions were pH 8.0 and 38 °C. Site-directed mutagenesis studies revealed that Gly 113, Ser 115 and Gly 117 residues play catalytic roles in Rv2525c.

A new lipase as a pharmaceutical target for battling infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus: Gene cloning and biochemical characterization.

Staphylococcus aureus lipases along with other cell-wall-associated proteins and enzymes (i.e., catalase, coagulase, protease, hyaluronidase, and β-lactamase) play important roles in the pathogenesis of S. aureus and are important subject of drug targeting. The appearance of antibiotic-resistant types of pathogenic S. aureus (e.g., methicillin-resistant S. aureus, MRSA) is a worldwide medical problem. In the present work, a novel lipase from a newly isolated MRSA strain from a cow with subclinical mastitis was cloned and biochemically characterized. The mature part of the lipase was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by nickel affinity chromatography. It displays a high lipase activity at pH 8.0 and 25 °C using p-nitrophenyl palmitate and has a preference for medium-long-chain substrates of p-nitrophenyl esters (pNPC10-C16). Furthermore, in search of inhibitors, the effect of farnesol on the growth of S. aureus and the lipase activity was also studied. Farnesol inhibits the growth of S. aureus and is a mixed-type inhibitor with Ki and Ki (') values of 0.2 and 1.2 mmol L(-1), respectively. A lipase with known properties could not only serve as a template for developing inhibitors for S. aureus but also a valuable addition to enzyme toolbox of biocatalysis. The discovery of this lipase can be potentially important and could provide a new target for pharmaceutical intervention against S. aureus infection.

Partial purification and characterization of lipase from Geobacillus stearothermophilus AH22

The lipase was partially purified by ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration column chromatography, and was characterized from Geobacillus stearothermophilus AH22 strain. The lipase was purified 18.3-folds with 19.7% recovery. The lipase activity was determined by using p-nitrophenyl esters (C2–C12) as substrates. The Km values of the enzyme for these substrates were found as 0.16, 0.02, 0.19 and 0.55 mM, respectively, while Vmax values were 0.52, 1.03, 0.72 and 0.15 U mg−1. The enzyme showed maximum activity at 50 °C and between pH 8.0 and 9.0. The enzyme was found to be quite stable at pH range of 4.0–10.0, and thermal stability between 50 and 60 °C. It was found that the best inhibitory effect of the enzyme activity was of Hg2+. The inhibitory effect as orlistat, catechin, propyl paraben, p-coumaric acid, 3,4-dihydroxy hydro-cinnamic acid was examined. These results suggest that G. stearothermophilus AH22 lipase presents very suitable properties for industrial applications.

Biodegradation of fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (FE) by Acinetobacter sp. strain DL-2 and cloning of FE hydrolase gene afeH

Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (FE) is widely used as a post-emergence aryloxyphenoxy propionate (AOPP) herbicide in agriculture. An efficient FE-degrading strain DL-2 was isolated from the enrichment culture and identified as Acinetobacter sp. and the metabolite fenoxaprop acid (FA) was identified by HPLC/MS analysis. The strain DL-2 could also degrade a wide range of other AOPP herbicides. A novel FE hydrolase esterase gene afeH was cloned from strain DL-2 and functionally expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The specific activities of recombinant AfeH was 216.39Umg−1 for FE with Km and Vmax values of 0.82μM and 7.94μmolmin−1mg−1. AfeH could also hydrolyze various AOPP herbicides, p-nitrophenyl esters and triglycerides. The optimal pH and temperature for recombinant AfeH were 9.0 and 50°C, respectively; the enzyme was activated by Co2+ and inhibited by Ca2+, Zn2+, Ba2+. AfeH was inhibited strongly by phenylmethylsulfonyl and SDS and weakly by dimethyl sulfoxide.

Optimization of the fermentation conditions and substrate specifity of mycelium-bound ester hydrolases of Aspergillus oryzae Cs007

In order to improve mycelium-bound ester hydrolases activities of Aspergillus oryzae Cs007, the main production conditions were investigated. The ester hydrolases activities were simultaneously determined by titration assay and spectrophotometric assay methods, using olive oil and p-nitrophenyl esters as substrates, respectively. The optimum carbon source and nitrogen source were olive oil and peptone, with the concentrations of 1% and 2.2%, respectively. The effects of carbon source, nitrogen source and their concentrations on the production of enzymes were identical when the enzymes activities were assayed by the two methods. The mycelium-bound enzymes showed hydrolytic activity toward all the tested p-nitrophenyl esters, triglycerides and fatty acid ethyl esters. But it showed greater preference for long-chain triglycerides and short-chain p-nitrophenyl esters.

Impact of Leucine 278 Residue on Fatty Acid Length Specificity of <i>Candida antarctica</i> Lipase B

Structural analysis of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) indicates that side chain of leucine at 278 site lies above the entrance of the catalytic pocket, which prognosticates its potential role on substrate specificity of the enzyme. To verify this presumption, shortened side chain of glycine or proline was rational designed and mutants were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis method. The colorimetric assay using p-nitrophenyl esters of fatty acids with various chain-lengths was used to study the substrate preference of lipases. Results indicated that L278G or L278P mutations both induced the drift of substrate specificity of CALB from p-nitrophenyl caprylate (pNP-C8) to longer carbon chain length of p-nitrophenyl caprate (pNP-C10). Meanwhile, Vmax value of two mutants to pNP-C10 was both higher than that of wild-type. Docking results also indicated that shortened side chain of glycine or proline residues substitution at this site could get rid of the space block present above the catalytic pocket, and made longer chain substrate (pNP-C10) enter into the catalytic pocket easier. The modulation of specificity observed allowed for building substrate binding model and opened new possibilities for designing ligand specific lipases.

Hydrolysis of hydrophobic esters in a bicontinuous microemulsion catalysed by lipase B from Candida antarctica.

Selective enzyme-catalysed biotransformations offer great potential in organic chemistry. However, special requirements are needed to achieve optimum enzyme activity and stability. A bicontinuous microemulsion is proposed as reaction medium because of its large connected interface between oil and water domains at which a lipase can adsorb and convert substrates in the oil phase of the microemulsion. Herein, a microemulsion consisting of buffer-n-octane-nonionic surfactant Ci Ej was used to investigate the key factors that determine hydrolyses of p-nitrophenyl esters catalysed by the lipase B from Candida antarctica (CalB). The highest CalB activity was found around 44 °C in the absence of NaCl and substrates with larger alkyl chains were better hydrolysed than their short-chained homologues. The CalB activity was determined using two different co-surfactants, namely the phospholipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and the sugar surfactant decyl β-D-glucopyranoside (β-C10 G1 ). The results show the CalB activity as linear function of both enzyme and substrate concentration with an enhanced activity when the sugar surfactant is used as co-surfactant.

Directed evolution of new and improved enzyme functions using an evolutionary intermediate and multidirectional search.

The ease with which enzymes can be adapted from their native roles and engineered to function specifically for industrial or commercial applications is crucial to enabling enzyme technology to advance beyond its current state. Directed evolution is a powerful tool for engineering enzymes with improved physical and catalytic properties and can be used to evolve enzymes where lack of structural information may thwart the use of rational design. In this study, we take the versatile and diverse α/β hydrolase fold framework, in the form of dienelactone hydrolase, and evolve it over three unique sequential evolutions with a total of 14 rounds of screening to generate a series of enzyme variants. The native enzyme has a low level of promiscuous activity toward p-nitrophenyl acetate but almost undetectable activity toward larger p-nitrophenyl esters. Using p-nitrophenyl acetate as an evolutionary intermediate, we have generated variants with altered specificity and catalytic activity up to 3 orders of magnitude higher than the native enzyme toward the larger nonphysiological p-nitrophenyl ester substrates. Several variants also possess increased stability resulting from the multidimensional approach to screening. Crystal structure analysis and substrate docking show how the enzyme active site changes over the course of the evolutions as either a direct or an indirect result of mutations.

Spectroscopic study of drug-binding characteristics of unmodified and pNPA-based acetylated human serum albumin: Does esterase activity affect microenvironment of drug binding sites on the protein?

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most prominent extracellular protein in blood plasma. There are several binding sites on the protein which provide accommodation for structurally-unrelated endogenous and exogenous ligands and a wide variety of drugs. “Esterase-like” activity (hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl esters) by the protein has been also reported. In the current study, we set out to investigate the interaction of indomethacin and ibuprofen with the unmodified and modified HSA (pNPA-modified HSA) using various spectroscopic techniques. Fluorescence data showed that 1:1 binding of drug to HSA is associated with quenching of the protein intrinsic fluorescence. Decrease of protein surface hydrophobicity (PSH), alteration in drug binding affinity and change of the protein stability, after esterase-like activity and permanent acetylation of HSA, were also documented. Analysis of the quenching and thermodynamic parameters indicated that forces involved in drug–HSA interactions change upon the protein modification.

Cell surface display of cold-active esterase EstPc with the use of a new autotransporter from Psychrobacter cryohalolentis K5(T).

We have cloned the gene coding for AT877-a new predicted member of the autotransporter protein family with an esterase passenger domain from permafrost bacterium Psychrobacter cryohalolentis K5(T). Expression of AT877 gene in Escherichia coli resulted in accumulation of the recombinant autotransporter in the outer membrane fraction and at the surface of the induced cells. AT877 displayed maximum hydrolytic activity toward medium-chain p-nitrophenyl esters (C8-C10) at 50°C and was resistant to the presence of several metal ions, organic solvents and detergents. Previously, we have described a cold-active esterase EstPc from the same bacterium which possesses high activity at low temperatures and relatively high thermal stability. To construct a cell surface display system for EstPc, the hybrid autotransporter gene coding for EstPc with the α-helical linker and the translocator domain from AT877 was constructed and expressed in E. coli. According to the results of the cell fractionation studies and esterase activity measurements, the EstPc passenger was successfully displayed at the surface of the induced cells. It demonstrated a temperature optimum at 15-25°C and a substrate preference toward p-nitrophenyl butyrate (C4). Obtained results provide a new example of the biotechnologically relevant enzyme from the permafrost microbial community with potential applications for the conversion of short- and medium-chain ester substrates and a basis for the construction of a new cell surface display platform.

Characterization of a novel exported esterase Rv3036c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis possesses an unusually high number of genes involved in the metabolism of lipids. Driven by a newly described esterase motif SXXK in the amino acid sequence and a predicted signal peptide, the gene rv3036c from M. tuberculosis was cloned and characterized biochemically. Rv3036c efficiently hydrolyzes soluble p-nitrophenyl esters but not emulsified lipid. The highest activity of this enzyme was observed when p-nitrophenyl acetate (C2) was used as the substrate. Based on the activities, Rv3036c was classified as a nonlipolytic hydrolase. The results of immunoreactivity studies on the subcellular mycobacterial fractions suggested that the enzyme was present in the cell wall and cell membrane in mycobacteria. In summary, Rv3036c was characterized as a novel cell wall-anchored esterase from M. tuberculosis.

The environment shapes microbial enzymes: five cold-active and salt-resistant carboxylesterases from marine metagenomes.

Most of the Earth's biosphere is cold and is populated by cold-adapted microorganisms. To explore the natural enzyme diversity of these environments and identify new carboxylesterases, we have screened three marine metagenome gene libraries for esterase activity. The screens identified 23 unique active clones, from which five highly active esterases were selected for biochemical characterization. The purified metagenomic esterases exhibited high activity against α-naphthyl and p-nitrophenyl esters with different chain lengths. All five esterases retained high activity at 5°C indicating that they are cold-adapted enzymes. The activity of MGS0010 increased more than two times in the presence of up to 3.5M NaCl or KCl, whereas the other four metagenomic esterases were inhibited to various degrees by these salts. The purified enzymes showed different sensitivities to inhibition by solvents and detergents, and the activities of MGS0010, MGS0105 and MGS0109 were stimulated three to five times by the addition of glycerol. Screening of purified esterases against 89 monoester substrates revealed broad substrate profiles with a preference for different esters. The metagenomic esterases also hydrolyzed several polyester substrates including polylactic acid suggesting that they can be used for polyester depolymerization. Thus, esterases from marine metagenomes are cold-adapted enzymes exhibiting broad biochemical diversity reflecting the environmental conditions where they evolved.

Production and characterization of a tributyrin esterase from Lactobacillus plantarum suitable for cheese lipolysis

Lactobacillus plantarum is a lactic acid bacterium that can be found during cheese ripening. Lipolysis of milk triacylglycerols to free fatty acids during cheese ripening has fundamental consequences on cheese flavor. In the present study, the gene lp_1760, encoding a putative esterase or lipase, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and the overproduced Lp_1760 protein was biochemically characterized. Lp_1760 hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl esters of fatty acids from C2 to C16, with a preference for p-nitrophenyl butyrate. On triglycerides, Lp_1760 showed higher activity on tributyrin than on triacetin. Although optimal conditions for activity were 45°C and pH 7, Lp_1760 retains activity under conditions commonly found during cheese making and ripening. The Lp_1760 showed more than 50% activity at 5°C and exhibited thermal stability at high temperatures. Enzymatic activity was strongly inhibited by sodium dodecyl sulfate and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. The Lp_1760 tributyrin esterase showed high activity in the presence of NaCl, lactic acid, and calcium chloride. The results suggest that Lp_1760 might be a useful tributyrin esterase to be used in cheese manufacturing.

Roles of tryptophan residue and disulfide bond in the variable lid region of oxidized polyvinyl alcohol hydrolase

Oxidized polyvinyl alcohol hydrolase (OPH) catalyzes the cleavage of C–C bond in β-diketone. It belongs to the α/β-hydrolase family and contains a unique lid region that covers the active site. The lid is the most variable region when pOPH from Pseudomonas sp. VM15C and sOPH from Sphingopyxis sp. 113P3 are compared. The wild-type enzymes and the pOPH mutants W255A, W255Y and W255F were analyzed for lipase activity by using p-nitrophenyl (pNP) esters as the substrates. The wild-type enzymes showed increased Km and decreased kcat/Km with the acyl chain length, and the mutants showed reduced kcat/Km for pNP acetate, indicating the importance of Trp255 in sequestering the active site from solvent. The significantly lower activity for pNP butyrate can be a result of product inhibition, as suggested by the complex crystal structures, in which butyric acid, DMSO or PEG occupied the same substrate-binding cleft. The mutant activity was retained with pNP caprylate and pNP laurate as the substrates, reflecting the amphipathic nature of the cleft. Moreover, the disulfide bond formation of Cys257/267 is important for the activity of pOPH, but it is not essential for sOPH, which has a shorter lid structure.

A novel esterase from Paenibacillus sp. PBS-2 is a new member of the β-lactamase belonging to the family VIII lipases/esterases.

Screening of a gene library from Paenibacillus sp. PBS-2 generated in Escherichia coli led to the identification of a clone with lipolytic activity. Sequence analysis showed an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 378 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 42 kDa. The esterase displayed 69% and 42% identity with the putative β-lactamases from Paenibacillus sp. JDR-2 and Clostridium sp. BNL1100, respectively. The esterase contained a Serx- x-Lys motif that is conserved among all β-lactamases found to date. The protein PBS-2 was produced in both soluble and insoluble forms when E. coli cells harboring the gene were cultured at 18°C. The enzyme is a serine protein and was active against p-nitrophenyl esters of C2, C4, C8, and C10. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were pH 9.0 and 30°C, respectively. Relative activity of 55% remained at up to 5°C with an activation energy of 5.84 kcal/mol, which indicates that the enzyme is cold-adapted. Enzyme activity was inhibited by Cd(2+), Cu(2+), and Hg(2+) ions. As expected for a serine esterase, activity was inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. The enzyme was remarkably active and stable in the presence of commercial detergents and organic solvents. This cold-adapted esterase has potential as a biocatalyst and detergent additive for use at low temperatures.

Highly potent and selective ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase I inhibitors based on an adenosine 5'-(α or γ)-thio-(α,β- or β,γ)-methylenetriphosphate scaffold.

Aberrant nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1 (NPP1) activity is associated with chondrocalcinosis, osteoarthritis, and type 2 diabetes. The potential of NPP1 inhibitors as therapeutic agents, and the scarceness of their structure-activity relationship, encouraged us to develop new NPP1 inhibitors. Specifically, we synthesized ATP-α-thio-β,γ-CH2 (1), ATP-α-thio-β,γ-CCl2 (2), ATP-α-CH2-γ-thio (3), and 8-SH-ATP (4) and established their resistance to hydrolysis by NPP1,3 and NTPDase1,2,3,8 (<5% hydrolysis) (NTPDase = ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase). Analogues 1-3 at 100 μM inhibited thymidine 5'-monophosphate p-nitrophenyl ester hydrolysis by NPP1 and NPP3 by >90% and 23-43%, respectively, and only slightly affected (0-40%) hydrolysis of ATP by NTPDase1,2,3,8. Analogue 3 is the most potent NPP1 inhibitor currently known, Ki = 20 nM and IC50 = 0.39 μM. Analogue 2a is a selective NPP1 inhibitor with Ki = 685 nM and IC50 = 0.57 μM. Analogues 1-3 were found mostly to be nonagonists of P2Y1/P2Y2/P2Y11 receptors. Docking analogues 1-3 into the NPP1 model suggested that activity correlates with the number of H-bonds with binding site residues. In conclusion, we propose analogues 2a and 3 as highly promising NPP1 inhibitors.

Molecular Identification of Lipase LipA from Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5 and Characterization of Two Whole-Cell Biocatalysts Pf-5 and Top10lipA

To identify lipase LipA (PFL_0617) from Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5, a lipA deletion mutant (Pf0617) and a complementary strain (Pf0617lipA) were constructed, and their effects on the lipase production were examined. Pf0617 remarkably decreased its whole-cell lipase activity, whereas Pf0617lipA made its whole-cell lipase activity not only restore to wild-type level but also get a further increment. However, the deletion and overexpression of lipA did not affect the extracellular lipase activity. In addition, the unbroken whole cells of these strains were able to catalyze the hydrolysis of membrane-permeable p-nitrophenyl esters, but could not hydrolyze the membrane-impermeable olive oil. These results confirmed that LipA was an intracellular lipase and Pf-5 could also be used as a natural whole-cell biocatalyst. To evaluate the potential of Pf-5 as a whole-cell biocatalyst and separately characterize the whole-cell LipA, the properties of the whole-cell lipases from Pf-5 and Top10lipA were characterized. The results demonstrated that both Pf-5 and Top10lipA exhibited high tolerance to alkaline condition, high temperature, heavy metal ions, surfactants, and organic solvents. Taken together, lipA can realize functional expression in E. coli Top10, and Pf-5 and Top10lipA as whole-cell biocatalysts may have enormous potential in applications.

Characterization of an organic solvent-tolerant lipase from Haloarcula sp. G41 and its application for biodiesel production.

A haloarchaeal strain G41 showing lipolytic activity was isolated from the saline soil of Yuncheng Salt Lake, China. Biochemical and physiological characterizations along with 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis placed the isolate in the genus Haloarcula. Lipase production was strongly influenced by the salinity of growth medium with maximum in the presence of 20% NaCl or 15% Na2SO4. The lipase was purified to homogeneity with a molecular mass of 45 kDa. Substrate specificity test revealed that it preferred long-chain p-nitrophenyl esters. The lipase was highly active and stable over broad ranges of temperature (30-80 °C), pH (6.0-11.0), and NaCl concentration (10-25%), with an optimum at 70 °C, pH 8.0, and 15% NaCl, showing thermostable, alkali-stable, and halostable properties. Enzyme inhibition studies indicated that the lipase was a metalloenzyme, with serine and cysteine residues essential for enzyme function. Moreover, it displayed high stability and activation in the presence of hydrophobic organic solvents with log Pow ≥ 2.73. The free and immobilized lipases from strain G41 were applied for biodiesel production, and 80.5 and 89.2% of yields were achieved, respectively. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using lipases from halophilic archaea for biodiesel production.