Presence Of Various Organic Solvents Research Articles

Recombinant Aspergillus β-galactosidases as a robust glycomic and biotechnological tool

Galactosidases are widespread enzymes that are used for manifold applications, including production of prebiotics, biosynthesis of different transgalactosylated products, improving lactose tolerance and in various analytical approaches. The nature of these applications often require galactosidases to be present in a purified form with clearly defined properties, including precisely determined substrate specificities, low sensitivity to inhibitors, and high efficiency and stability under distinct conditions. In this study, we present the recombinant expression and purification of two previously uncharacterized β-galactosidases from Aspergillus nidulans as well as one β-galactosidase from Aspergillus niger. All enzymes were active toward p-nitrophenyl-β-d-galactopyranoside as substrate and displayed similar temperature and pH optima. The purified recombinant galactosidases digested various complex substrates containing terminal galactose β-1,4 linked to either N-acetylglucosamine or fucose, such as N-glycans derived from bovine fibrin and Caenorhabditis elegans. In our comparative study of the recombinant galactosidases with the commercially available galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae, all enzymes also displayed various degrees of activity toward complex oligosaccharides containing β-1,3-linked terminal galactose residues. All recombinant enzymes were found to be robust in the presence of various organic solvents, temperature variations, and freeze/thaw cycles and were also tested for their ability to synthesize galactooligosaccharides. Furthermore, the use of fermentors considerably increased the yield of recombinant galactosidases. Taken together, we demonstrate that purified recombinant galactosidases from A. niger and from A. nidulans are suitable for various glycobiological and biotechnological applications.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00253-013-5192-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Expression in Haloferax volcanii of 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Synthase Facilitates Isolation and Characterization of the Active Form of a Key Enzyme Required for Polyisoprenoid Cell Membrane Biosynthesis in Halophilic Archaea

Enzymes of the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway in halophilic archaea remain poorly characterized, and parts of the pathway remain cryptic. This situation may be explained, in part, by the difficulty of expressing active, functional recombinant forms of these enzymes. The use of newly available expression plasmids and hosts has allowed the expression and isolation of catalytically active Haloferax volcanii 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (CoA) synthase (EC 2.3.310). This accomplishment has permitted studies that represent, to the best of our knowledge, the first characterization of an archaeal hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA synthase. Kinetic characterization indicates that, under optimal assay conditions, which include 4 M KCl, the enzyme exhibits catalytic efficiency and substrate saturation at metabolite levels comparable to those reported for the enzyme from nonhalophilic organisms. This enzyme is unique in that it is the first hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA synthase that is insensitive to feedback substrate inhibition by acetoacetyl-CoA. The enzyme supports reaction catalysis in the presence of various organic solvents. Haloferax 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA synthase is sensitive to inactivation by hymeglusin, a specific inhibitor known to affect prokaryotic and eukaryotic forms of the enzyme, with experimentally determined Ki and kinact values of 570 ± 120 nM and 17 ± 3 min(-1), respectively. In in vivo experiments, hymeglusin blocks the propagation of H. volcanii cells, indicating the critical role that the mevalonate pathway plays in isoprenoid biosynthesis by these archaea.

Catalysis and stability of an alkaline protease from a haloalkaliphilic bacterium under non-aqueous conditions as a function of pH, salt and temperature

A haloalkaliphilic bacterium, isolated from Coastal Gujarat (India) was identified as Oceanobacillus sp. (GQ162111) based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. The organism grew and secreted extra cellular protease in presence of various organic solvents. At 30% (v/v) concentration of hexane, heptane, isooctane, dodecane and decane, significant growth and protease production was evident. The alkaline protease was purified in a single step on phenyl sepharose 6 FF with 28% yield. The molecular mass as judged by SDS-PAGE was 30 kDa. The temperature optimum of protease was 50°C and the enzyme retained 70% activity in 10% (v/v) isooctane. Effect of salt and pH was investigated in combination to assess the effect of isooctane. In organic solvents, the enzyme was considerably active at pH 8-11, with optimum activity at pH 10. Salt at 2 M was optimum for activity and enzyme maintained significant stability up to 18 h even at 3 M salt concentration. Patters of growth, protease production, catalysis and stability of the enzyme are presented. The study resumes significance as limited information is available on the interaction of haloalkaliphilic bacteria and their enzymes with organic solvents.

Lipase activity in Thermus thermophilus HB8: Purification and characterization of the extracellular enzyme

In this study, the lipolytic activity of Thermus thermophilus HB8 was examined. The addition of various oils increased the production of extracellular lipolytic activity, while a combination of olive oil and glucose increased both extracellular and intracellular lipolytic activity. The oxygen transfer rate had a significant influence on both biomass and production of extra- or intra-cellular lipolytic activity. The formation of white halos due to the hydrolysis of oleic acid ester (Tween 80) in agar plates containing Nile Blue and the formation of Ca2+-oleate indicated the secretion of lipase. When the cell-free supernatant of cells grown in basal reach medium or the corresponding intracellular extract were electrophoresed under denatured and renatured conditions, using α-naphthyl acetate and Fast Blue RR, major bands at 56 kDa or 62 and 32 kDa were observed, respectively. The 56 kDa extracellular enzyme was partial purified and characterized. Its peak of activity occurred at 80°C and pH 7.0, while the T1/2 was 1 h at 100°C. The Km of the partial purified enzyme was 1 mM and the Vmax was 0.044 U/mL/min when using p-nitrophenyl laurate as substrate. The presence of Ca2+ and Hg2+ stimulated lipase activity, whereas Zn2+, Co2+, or EDTA inhibited lipase activity. The highest activity was observed in the presence of coconut oil and p-nitrophenyl laurate (pNPL). Purified lipase was the most stable in the presence of various organic solvents, such as pentanol, chloroform and n-dodecane. Because of the superior thermostability and stability in the presence of organic solvents of T. thermophilus extracellular lipase, this lipase holds great promise for use in industrial applications.

Purification and characterization of an organic solvent-stable lipase from Pseudomonas stutzeri LC2-8 and its application for efficient resolution of (R, S)-1-phenylethanol

An organic solvent-stable lipase from newly isolated solvent-tolerance bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri LC2-8 was purified by acetone precipitation and anion exchange chromatography. The apparent molecular mass of the purified lipase was estimated by SDS-PAGE to be 32kDa. The open reading frame (ORF) of lipase LC2-8 encodes 311 amino acids with 287 amino acid residues in the mature lipase which shared 96% homology at the amino acid level with the putative lipase LipC from Pseudomonas stutzeri A1501. The optimum pH and temperature for lipase activity were 8.0 and 30°C, respectively. Its hydrolytic activity was found to be highest towards p-nitrophenyl caproate (C8). Lipase LC2-8 showed high tolerance in the presence of various organic solvents. Most of the hydrophilic solvents tested strikingly enhanced the activity and stability of lipase LC2-8. The half-life of lipase LC2-8 was extended to 10-fold in the presence of isopropanol, acetone, ethanol and methanol. The transesterification resolution of (R, S)-1-phenylethanol by lipase LC2-8 was carried out with the yield of 47.6%, the enantiomeric excess of residual substrate (ees) was 99.9%, giving an E-value over 200. The solvent-stable lipase LC2-8 showed an attractive potency for application in biocatalysis in non-aqueous systems.

Production and immobilization of a novel thermoalkalophilic extracellular amylase from bacilli isolate

A Thermoalkalophilic amylase was produced from an environmental bacterial isolate. The enzyme was then immobilized through its amino groups onto the epoxy rings of magnetic poly glycidyl methacrylate [m-poly (GMA)] beads. The free enzyme was active within a large pH range, between 7 and 12 and displayed the optimum activity at 95°C and pH 10. The immobilization appeared to increase the stability of the enzyme as its bound form showed optimum activity at 105°C and pH 11.0. Kinetic studies demonstrated that immobilized enzyme had higher Km and lower Vmax values. The activity of the free and bound enzyme was determined, at 37°C and pH 10.0 and pH 11.0, respectively, in the presence of various organic solvents and detergents (5%, v/v). Results obtained indicated that detergents, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and TritonX-100, caused six fold increase and that various organic solvents also increased the activity of the amylase.

A study on solubilization of poorly soluble drugs by cyclodextrins and micelles: complexation and binding characteristics of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim.

The present study is focused on the characterization of solubilization of poorly soluble drugs, that is, sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) by cyclodextrins (α-, β-, and γ-CDs) and anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The phase solubility diagrams drawn from UV spectral measurements are of the AL type and indicate an enhancement of SMX and TMP solubility in the presence of CDs. Complex formation tendency of TMP with CDs followed the order: γ-CD > β-CD > α-C. However, the complex formation constant values, for SMX-CD system yielded the different affinity and follow the order: β-CD > γ-CD > α-CD. With taking into consideration of solubilization capacity of SDS micelles, it has been found that the solubility enhancement of TMP is much higher than that of SMX in the presence of SDS micelles. The binding constants of SMX and TMP obtained from the Benesi-Hildebrand equation are also confirmed by the estimated surface properties of SDS, employing the surface tension measurements. In order to elucidate the solubilization characteristics the surface tension measurements were also performed for nonionic surfactant Triton X-100. Polarity of the microenvironment and probable location of SMX and TMP were also discussed in the presence of various organic solvents.

Extraction, purification and characterization of a protease from Micrococcus sp. VKMM 037

The haloalkaliphilic bacterium Micrococcus sp. VKMM 037, isolated from an effluent of the caustic soda industry, was found to produce a protease. Maximal proteolytic activity was observed in cell culture grown at 40 °C using 2% (w/v) glycerol, 2% (w/v) beef extract and 2% (w/v) peptone as nutrients in medium also containing 0.85 M NaCl with a pH of 10.0. An efficient purification procedure combining ammonium sulphate precipitation and Q‐Sepharose ion‐exchange chromatography was developed. The purified 41 kDa protease was stable in a temperature range between 20 °C and 60 °C. The protease remained active over a wide range of pH values (4.0–12.0) and NaCl concentrations (0–3.42 M) with an optimum at pH 10.0 and 0.85 M NaCl, respectively. Furthermore, the enzyme remained stable or was only marginally inhibited in the presence of various organic solvents, surfactants and reducing agents. The purified protease of Micrococcus sp. VKMM 037 efficiently removed blood stains within 40 minutes of treatment. Given the biochemical characteristics determined, this novel protease could be exploited as an additive in the detergent industry and also for the synthesis of biomolecules and the degradation of protein.

Amino acid residues involved in organic solvent-stability of the LST-03 lipase

LST-03 lipase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa LST-03 is highly active and stable in the presence of various organic solvents. To further characterize and improve the organic solvent-stability of the LST-03 lipase, residues that potentially provide this stability were identified and mutated to other amino acids in an effort to increase the organic solvent-stability of the protein. S155L, G157R, S164K, S194R, and D209N mutations were found to improve the organic solvent-stability of the wild-type LST-03 lipase. Such mutations were found to induce structural changes, including the formation of a salt bridge, hydrogen bonds, lead to an improved packing of the hydrophobic core, and pI shift of side chain. These changes increased the stability of the protein, thereby improving the organic solvent-stability of the wild-type LST-03 lipase. In addition, a single mutation was found to stabilize the lipase by single or multiple factors.

Purification and characterization of an organic solvent-tolerant lipase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa LX1 and its application for biodiesel production

Abstract An organic solvent-tolerant lipase from newly isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa LX1 has been purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion-exchange chromatography leading to 4.3-fold purification and 41.1% recovery. The purified lipase from P. aeruginosa LX1 was homogeneous as determined by SDS-PAGE, and the molecular mass was estimated to be 56 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for lipase activity were found to be 7.0 and 40 °C, respectively. The lipase was stable in the pH range 4.5–12.0 and at temperatures below 50 °C. Its hydrolytic activity was found to be highest towards p-nitrophenyl palmitate (C16) among the various p-nitrophenol esters investigated. The lipase displayed higher stability in the presence of various organic solvents, such as n-hexadecane, isooctane, n-hexane, DMSO, and DMF, than in the absence of an organic solvent. The immobilized lipase was more stable in the presence of n-hexadecane, tert-butanol, and acetonitrile. The transesterification activity of the lipase from P. aeruginosa LX1 indicated that it is a potential biocatalyst for biodiesel production.

Enhancement of the organic solvent‐stability of the LST‐03 lipase by directed evolution

LST-03 lipase from an organic solvent-tolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa LST-03 has high stability and activity in the presence of various organic solvents. In this research, enhancement of organic solvent-stability of LST-03 lipase was attempted by directed evolution. The structural gene of the LST-03 lipase was amplified by the error prone-PCR method. Organic solvent-stability of the mutated lipases was assayed by formation of a clear zone of agar which contained dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and tri-n-butyrin and which overlaid a plate medium. And the organic solvent-stability was also confirmed by measuring the half-life of activity in the presence of DMSO. Four mutated enzymes were selected on the basis of their high organic solvent-stability in the presence of DMSO. The organic solvent-stabilities of mutated LST-03 lipase in the presence of various organic solvents were measured and their mutated amino acid residues were identified. The half-lives of the LST-03-R65 lipase in the presence of cyclohexane and n-decane were about 9 to 11-fold longer than those of the wild-type lipase, respectively. Some substituted amino acid residues of mutated LST-03 lipases have been located at the surface of the enzyme molecules, while some other amino acid residues have been changed from neutral to basic residues.

Isolation and screening of a novel extracellular organic solvent-stable protease producer

Using enrichment procedures, 68 organic solvent tolerant strains were screened from sea mud samples. Twelve of these strains demonstrated high protease activity on skim-milk agar. Among them, the DS11 isolate was selected based on the stability of its proteolytic enzyme in the presence of various organic solvents and later identified as Bacillus sphaericus by morphological, physiological, biochemical tests and 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Strain DS11 was able to sustain and grow in a wide range of organic solvents. The crude protease also exhibited remarkable solvent stability and retained most of the activity at least up to 14 days at 37 °C and 200 rpm in the presence of various organic solvents at 25% (v/v) concentration. More than 80% activity was recovered when the log P value of organic solvents were from 1.8 to 3.5, whereas in methanol ethanol, and 1-butanol the residual activity was 35%, 36%, and 42%, respectively. However, when n -decane, octane, isooctane, and heptane, of which the log P values are equal to or more than 4.0 were added, the activities of the proteases was enhanced. This organic solvent-stable protease could be used as a biocatalyst for peptide synthesis in organic media.

Purification and characterization of Chromobacterium sp. DS-1 cholesterol oxidase with thermal, organic solvent, and detergent tolerance

A new screening method for 6beta-hydroperoxycholest-4-en-3-one (HCEO)-forming cholesterol oxidase was devised in this study. As the result of the screening, a novel cholesterol oxidase producer (strain DS-1) was isolated and identified as Chromobacterium sp. Extracellular cholesterol oxidase of strain DS-1 was purified from the culture supernatant. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was 58 kDa. This enzyme showed a visible adsorption spectrum having peaks at 355 and 450 nm, like a typical flavoprotein. The enzyme oxidized cholesterol to HCEO, with the consumption of 2 mol of O2 and the formation of 1 mol of H2O2 for every 1 mol of cholesterol oxidized. The enzyme oxidized 3beta-hydroxysteroids such as cholesterol, beta-cholestanol, and pregnenolone at high rates. The Km value for cholesterol was 26 microM. The enzyme was stable at pH 3 to 11 and most active at pH 7.0-7.5, showing optimal activity at pH 7.0 and 65 degrees C. The enzyme retained about 80% of its activity after incubation for 30 min at 85 degrees C. The thermal stability of the enzyme was the highest among the cholesterol oxidases tested. Moreover, the enzyme was more stable in the presence of various organic solvents and detergents than commercially available cholesterol oxidases.

Screening and isolation of an organic solvent-tolerant bacterium for high-yield production of organic solvent-stable protease

Forty-three strains were screened from crude oil-contaminated samples by toluene and cyclohexane enrichment in medium. Ten of these strains demonstrated high protease activity on skim-milk agar. Among them, the PT121 isolate, identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was selected based on its extracellular protease stability in the presence of hydrophilic organic solvents. The crude protease also retained most of its activity up to at least 14 days in the presence of various organic solvents at 50% concentration, and the protease activity in production medium was 10,876U/ml after 72h incubation. This protease showed high activity as a catalyst for aspartame precursor Cbz-Asp-Phe-NH2 synthesis in the presence of 50% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

Purification and characterization of a maltooligosaccharide-forming amylase that improves product selectivity in water-miscible organic solvents, from dimethylsulfoxide-tolerant Brachybacterium sp. strain LB25

A bacterium that secretes maltooligosaccharide-forming amylase in a medium containing 12.5% (vol/vol) dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was isolated and identified as Brachybacterium sp. strain LB25. The amylase of the strain was purified from the culture supernatant, and its molecular mass was 60 kDa. The enzyme was stable at pH 7.0-8.5 and active at pH 6.0-7.5. The optimum temperature at pH 7.0 was 35 degrees C in the presence of 5 mM CaCl(2). The enzyme hydrolyzed starch to produce maltotriose primarily. The enzyme was active in the presence of various organic solvents. Its yield and product selectivity of maltooligosaccharides in the presence of DMSO or ethanol were compared with those of the industrial maltotriose-forming amylase from Microbacterium imperiale. Both enzymes improved the production selectivity of maltotriose by the addition of DMSO or ethanol. However, the total maltooligosaccharide yield in the presence of the solvents was higher for LB25 amylase than for M. imperiale amylase.

Effect of exchange of amino acid residues of the surface region of the PST-01 protease on its organic solvent-stability

The PST-01 protease from an organic solvent tolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa has high stability and activity in the presence of various organic solvents. The structure gene of the PST-01 protease was amplified by the error-prone PCR method. The mutated proteases were incubated in the presence of acetonitrile. By measuring remaining activities, two kinds of mutated PST-01 proteases of which the stabilities were changed were selected. These mutations hardly changed the profile of the activity and stability at various pHs. Their activity and stability at higher temperatures were slightly lower than those of the wild-type PST-01 protease. The stabilities of the mutated enzymes in the presence of various organic solvents were greatly reduced. In both the mutated PST-01 proteases, amino acids located at the surface of the enzyme had been substituted.

Transgalactosylation in a Water-Solvent Biphasic Reaction System with β-Galactosidase Displayed on the Surfaces of Bacillus subtilis Spores

The ever-increasing industrial demand for biocatalysis necessitates innovations in the preparation and stabilization of biocatalysts. In this study, we demonstrated that beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) displayed on Bacillus spores by fusion to the spore coat proteins (CotG) may be used as a whole-cell immobilized biocatalyst for transgalactosylation in water-solvent biphasic reaction systems. The resulting spores had a specific hydrolytic activity of 5 x 10(3) U/g (dry weight) of spores. The beta-Gal was tightly attached to the spore surface and was more stable in the presence of various organic solvents than its native form was. The thermostability of the spore-displayed enzyme was also increased, and the enzyme was further stabilized by chemically cross-linking it with glutaraldehyde. With spore-displayed beta-Gal, octyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside was synthesized at concentrations up to 27.7 mM (8.1 g/liter) with a conversion yield of 27.7% (wt/wt) after 24 h from 100 mM lactose and 100 mM octanol dissolved in phosphate buffer and ethyl ether, respectively. Interestingly, the spores were found to partition mainly at the interface between the water and solvent phases, and they were more available to catalysis between the two phases, as determined by light microscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy. We propose that spore display not only offers a new and facile way to construct robust biocatalysts but also provides a novel basis for phase transfer biocatalytic processes.

Biodesulfurization in Biphasic Systems Containing Organic Solvents

Biphasic systems can overcome the problem of low productivity in conventional media and have been exploited for biocatalysis. Solvent-tolerant microorganisms are useful in biotransformation with whole cells in biphasic reactions. A solvent-tolerant desulfurizing bacterium, Pseudomonas putida A4, was constructed by introducing the biodesulfurizing gene cluster dszABCD, which was from Rhodococcus erythropolis XP, into the solvent-tolerant strain P. putida Idaho. Biphasic reactions were performed to investigate the desulfurization of various sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds in the presence of various organic solvents. P. putida A4 had the same substrate range as R. erythropolis XP and could degrade dibenzothiophene at a specific rate of 1.29 mM g (dry weight) of cells(-1) h(-1) for the first 2 h in the presence of 10% (vol/vol) p-xylene. P. putida A4 was also able to degrade dibenzothiophene in the presence of many other organic solvents at a concentration of 10% (vol/vol). This study is a significant step in the exploration of the biotechnological potential of novel biocatalysts for developing an efficient biodesulfurization process in biphasic reaction mixtures containing toxic organic solvents.

Production of Alkaline Lipase by Corynebacterium paurometabolum, MTCC 6841 Isolated from Lake Naukuchiatal, Uttaranchal State, India

A moderately psychrophilic bacterium Corynebacterium paurometabolum MTCC 6841 (gram positive, short rod type) producing extracellular alkaline lipase was isolated from Lake Naukuchiatal, Uttaranchal, India. The bacterium was able to grow within a broad range of pH (5-10). Soyabean oil and olive oil served as the best carbon sources for lipase production. The bacterium preferred inorganic nitrogenous compounds, NaNO3 and KNO3, over organic nitrogenous compound for its growth. Maximum lipase production occurred at 25 degrees C and 8.5 pH. The enzyme activity was found to be maximum at the same values of temperature and pH. The enzyme was reasonably stable in the presence of various organic solvents. No significant effect of Ca+, Cu++, Fe++, Na+, K+, Mg++, Mn+, NH4+, Co++ ions over enzyme activity was detected. Treatment with EDTA reduced the activity to nearly one half.

Enzymatic reduction of the α, β-unsaturated carbon bond in citral

Bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi were screened for enantio-specific reduction of the α, β-unsaturated carbon bond in citral to produce citronellal. While a traditional aqueous screening system revealed only Zymomonas mobilis as positive, citronellal was produced in an aqueous/organic two liquid phase system by 11 of the 46 tested strains, which demonstrates the relevance of applying two-phase systems to screening strategies. Z. mobilis and Citrobacter freundii formed 1 mM citronellal in 3 h in the presence of a NADPH regenerating system and 20% (v/v) toluene. In comparison to these bacteria, the eukaryotic strains showed at least five-fold lower citral reductase activities. The bacterial strains produced preferentially the ( S)-enantiomer of citronellal with e.e. values of >99% for Z. mobilis and 75% for Citrobacter freundii. In contrast the yeasts produced preferentially ( R)-citronellal, i.e. Candida rugosa with an enantiomeric excess value of more than 98%. Many strains formed alcoholic by-products, viz. geraniol, nerol and citronellol. For Z. mobilis the production of these alcohols was suppressed in the presence of various organic solvents, e.g. toluene, and further decreased after EDTA addition.