Characterization of the alkaline laccase Ssl1 from Streptomyces sviceus with unusual properties discovered by genome mining

Actinomycetes: A Source of Lignocellulolytic Enzymes

Lignocellulose is the most abundant biomass on earth. Agricultural, forest, and agroindustrial activities generate tons of lignocellulosic wastes annually, which present readily procurable, economically affordable, and renewable feedstock for various lignocelluloses based applications. Lignocelluloses are the focus of present decade researchers globally, in an attempt to develop technologies based on natural biomass for reducing dependence on expensive and exhaustible substrates. Lignocellulolytic enzymes, that is, cellulases, hemicellulases, and lignolytic enzymes, play very important role in the processing of lignocelluloses which is prerequisite for their utilization in various processes. These enzymes are obtained from microorganisms distributed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic domains including bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. Actinomycetes are an attractive microbial group for production of lignocellulose degrading enzymes. Various studies have evaluated the lignocellulose degrading ability of actinomycetes, which can be potentially implemented in the production of different value added products. This paper is an overview of the diversity of cellulolytic, hemicellulolytic, and lignolytic actinomycetes along with brief discussion of their hydrolytic enzyme systems involved in biomass modification.

Crystallization and X-ray diffraction studies of a two-domain laccase from Streptomyces griseoflavus

Laccase (EC 1.10.3.2) is one of the most common copper-containing oxidases; it is found in many organisms and catalyzes the oxidation of primarily phenolic compounds by oxygen. Two-domain laccases have unusual thermostability, resistance to inhibitors and an alkaline optimum of activity. The causes of these properties in two-domain laccases are poorly understood. A recombinant two-domain laccase (SgfSL) was cloned from the genome of Streptomyces griseoflavus Ac-993, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. The crystals of SgfSL belonged to the monoclinic space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 74.64, b = 94.72, c = 117.40 Å, β = 90.672°, and diffraction data were collected to 2.0 Å resolution using a synchrotron-radiation source. Two functional trimers per asymmetric unit correspond to a Matthews coefficient of 1.99 Å(3) Da(-1) according to the monomer molecular weight of 35.6 kDa.

Expression and characterization of LacMP, a novel fungal laccase of Moniliophthora perniciosa FA553

OBJECTIVE

To characterize a putative laccase gene, LacMP, of Moniliophthora perniciosa FA553 that had been screened using a genome mining approach, then cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris.

RESULTS

The purified recombinant LacMP was ~57 kDa with a maximum laccase activity of 232 U/l. The optimal pH for oxidation reactions with 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), syringaldazine, guaiacol and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, were 6, 7.5, 6.5, and 6.5, respectively. The laccase activity was optimal at 60, 45, 45, and 55 °C for the four respective substrates. LacMP was stable at pH 6-8 and <30 °C. Li(+), K(+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Mn(2+), and Mg(2+) at 1 mM had no obvious effect on its activity.

CONCLUSION

Given that LacMP has optimal activity under neutral and alkaline oxidation reaction conditions, it could be a potential candidate for industrial biocatalytic applications.

Biochemical properties and yields of diverse bacterial laccase-like multicopper oxidases expressed in Escherichia coli

Laccases are multi-copper oxidases that oxidize a broad range of substrates at the expense of molecular oxygen, without any need for co-factor regeneration. These enzymes bear high potential for the sustainable synthesis of fine chemicals and the modification of (bio)polymers. Here we describe cloning and expression of five novel bacterial laccase-like multi copper oxidases (LMCOs) of diverse origin which were identified by homology searches in online databases. Activity yields under different expression conditions and temperature stabilities were compared to three previously described enzymes from Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus clausii. In almost all cases, a switch to oxygen-limited growth conditions after induction increased volumetric activity considerably. For proteins with predicted signal peptides for secretion, recombinant expression with and without signal sequence was investigated. Bacillus CotA-type LMCOs outperformed enzymes from Streptomyces and Gram-negative bacteria with respect to activity yields in Escherichia coli and application relevant biochemical properties. The novel Bacillus coagulans LMCO combined high activity yields in E. coli with unprecedented activity at strong alkaline pH and high storage stability, making it a promising candidate for further development.

Expression and Characterization of a Recombinant Laccase with Alkalistable and Thermostable Properties from Streptomyces griseorubens JSD-1

Streptomyces griseorubens JSD-1 is a novel actinomycete that could grow efficiently upon lignin, and the ligninolytic genes active in this biotransformation were expected to be crucial. To investigate the molecular mechanism of utilizing lignin, genome sequencing was carried out to obtain its draft genome, which was deposited at GenBank under the accession No. JJMG00000000. Multiple copper oxidase (MCO) was obtained, which proved to be an extracellular enzyme and have relative high expression with the stimulation of ligninolytic materials. Judging from its putative 3D structure, the N-terminal of MCO was bared, which was fit for the linkage of poly-HIS10 tag. As a result, heterogeneous expression conditions of recombinant laccase was achieved with TransB(DE3) grown in a modified terrific broth (TB) medium with an extra addition of 0.5% glucose at 30 °C until optical density at 600 nm (OD600) reached 0.8 when expression was induced by 25 μM isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) and also 100 μM copper sulphate as supplement. Finally, it exhibited special characters of thermal robustness, alkaline activity profiles, high resistance to metallic ions and chemical inhibitors as well as dye decolourization. In summary, our findings illustrated the genetic basic of utilizing lignin in this isolate. Additionally, a novel laccase expected to be potential in agricultural and industrial application was expressed and characterized as well.

Overexpression of a novel thermostable and chloride-tolerant laccase from Thermus thermophilus SG0.5JP17-16 in Pichia pastoris and its application in synthetic dye decolorization

Laccases have been used for the decolorization and detoxification of synthetic dyes due to their ability to oxidize a wide variety of dyes with water as the sole byproduct. A putative laccase gene (LacTT) from Thermus thermophilus SG0.5JP17-16 was screened using the genome mining approach, and it was highly expressed in Pichia pastoris, yielding a high laccase activity of 6130 U/L in a 10-L fermentor. The LacTT open reading frame encoded a protein of 466 amino acid residues with four putative Cu-binding regions. The optimal pH of the recombinant LacTT was 4.5, 6.0, 7.5 and 8.0 with 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), syringaldazine (SGZ), guaiacol, and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP) as the substrate, respectively. The optimal temperature of LacTT was 90°C with guaiacol as the substrate. LacTT was highly stable at pH 4.0-11.0 and thermostable at 40°C-90°C, confirming that it is a pH-stable and thermostable laccase. Furthermore, LacTT also exhibited high tolerance to halides such as NaCl, NaBr and NaF, and decolorized 100%, 94%, 94% and 73% of Congo Red, Reactive Black B and Reactive Black WNN, and Remazol Brilliant Blue R, respectively. Interestingly, addition of high concentration of NaCl increased the RBBR decolorization efficiency of LacTT. These results suggest that LacTT is a good candidate for industrial applications such as dyestuff processing and degradation of dyes in textile wastewaters.

Structural and functional characterization of two-domain laccase from Streptomyces viridochromogenes

Laccase (EC 1.10.3.2) is one of the most common copper-containing oxidases found in many organisms and catalyses oxidation of primarily phenolic compounds by oxygen. A recently found bacterial laccase whose molecule is formed by two domains - the so called two-domain laccase (2DLac) or small laccase - has unusual resistance to inhibitors and an alkaline optimum of activity. The causes of these properties, as well as the biological function of two-domain laccases, are poorly understood. We performed an enzymatic and structural characterization of 2DLac from Streptomyces viridochromogenes (SvSL). It was cloned and overproduced in Escherichia coli. Phenolic compounds were oxidized in the presence of the enzyme under alkaline but not acidic conditions. Conversely, nonphenolic compounds were oxidized at acidic but not alkaline pH. SvSL catalysed oxidation of nonphenolic compounds more efficiently than that of phenols. Moreover, this two-domain laccase displayed a cytochrome c oxidase activity and exhibited no ferroxidase activity. The enzyme was resistant to specific inhibitors of copper-containing oxidases, such as NaN3 and NaF. We succeeded in generating X-ray quality crystals and solved their structure to a resolution of 2.4 Å. SvSL is a homotrimer in its native state. Comparison of its structure with that of a three-domain laccase revealed differences in the second coordination sphere of the T2/T3 centre and solvent channels. The role of these differences in the resistance of the enzyme to inhibitors and the activity at alkaline pH is under discussion.

Laccases of prokaryotic origin: enzymes at the interface of protein science and protein technology

The ubiquitous members of the multicopper oxidase family of enzymes oxidize a range of aromatic substrates such as polyphenols, methoxy-substituted phenols, amines and inorganic compounds, concomitantly with the reduction of molecular dioxygen to water. This family of enzymes can be broadly divided into two functional classes: metalloxidases and laccases. Several prokaryotic metalloxidases have been described in the last decade showing a robust activity towards metals, such as Cu(I), Fe(II) or Mn(II) and have been implicated in the metal metabolism of the corresponding microorganisms. Many laccases, with a superior efficiency for oxidation of organic compounds when compared with metals, have also been identified and characterized from prokaryotes, playing roles that more closely conform to those of intermediary metabolism. This review aims to present an update of current knowledge on prokaryotic multicopper oxidases, with a special emphasis on laccases, anticipating their enormous potential for industrial and environmental applications.

Halide binding and inhibition of laccase copper clusters: the role of reorganization energy

Laccase-like proteins are multicopper oxidases involved in several biological and industrial processes. Their application is commonly limited due to inhibition by fluoride and chloride, and as-isolated proteins are often substantially activated by heat, suggesting that multiple redox states can complicate characterization. Understanding these processes at the molecular level is thus desirable but theoretically unexplored. This paper reports systematic calculations of geometries, reorganization energies, and ionization energies for all partly oxidized states of the trinuclear copper clusters in realistic models with ∼200 atoms. Corrections for scalar-relativistic effects, dispersion, and thermal effects were estimated. Fluoride, chloride, hydroxide, or water was bound to the T2 copper site of the oxidized resting state, and the peroxo intermediate was also computed for reference. Antiferromagnetic coupling, assigned oxidation states, and general structures were consistent with known spectroscopic data. The computations show that (i) ligands bound to the T2 site substantially increase the reorganization energy of the second reduction of the resting state and reduce the redox potentials, providing a possible mechanism for inhibition; (ii) the reorganization energy is particularly large for F(-) but also high for Cl(-), consistent with the experimental tendency of inhibition; (iii) reduction leads to release of Cl(-) from the T2 site, suggesting a mechanism for heat/reduction activation of laccases by dissociation of inhibiting halides or hydroxide from T2.

Purification and characterization of a novel laccase from Cerrena sp. HYB07 with dye decolorizing ability

Laccases (EC 1.10.3.2) are a class of multi-copper oxidases with important industrial values. A basidiomycete strain Cerrena sp. HYB07 with high laccase yield was identified. After cultivation in the shaking flask for 4 days, a maximal activity of 210.8 U mL⁻¹ was attained. A 58.6-kDa laccase (LacA) with 7.2% carbohydrate and a specific activity of 1952.4 U mg⁻¹ was purified. 2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) was the optimal substrate, with K_m and k_cat being 93.4 µM and 2468.0 s⁻¹, respectively. LacA was stable at 60°C, pH 5.0 and above, and in organic solvents. Metal ions Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Zn²⁺ enhanced LacA activity, while Fe²⁺ and Li⁺ inhibited LacA activity. LacA decolorized structurally different dyes and a real textile effluent. Its gene and cDNA sequences were obtained. Putative cis-acting transcriptional response elements were identified in the promoter region. The high production yield and activity, robustness and dye decolorizing capacity make LacA and Cerrena sp. HYB07 potentially useful for industrial and environmental applications such as textile finishing and wastewater treatment.

Characterization of an alkali- and halide-resistant laccase expressed in E. coli: CotA from Bacillus clausii

The limitations of fungal laccases at higher pH and salt concentrations have intensified the search for new extremophilic bacterial laccases. We report the cloning, expression, and characterization of the bacterial cotA from Bacillus clausii, a supposed alkalophilic ortholog of cotA from B. subtilis. Both laccases were expressed in E. coli strain BL21(DE3) and characterized fully in parallel for strict benchmarking. We report activity on ABTS, SGZ, DMP, caffeic acid, promazine, phenyl hydrazine, tannic acid, and bilirubin at variable pH. Whereas ABTS, promazine, and phenyl hydrazine activities vs. pH were similar, the activity of B. clausii cotA was shifted upwards by ∼0.5–2 pH units for the simple phenolic substrates DMP, SGZ, and caffeic acid. This shift is not due to substrate affinity (K_M) but to pH dependence of catalytic turnover: The k_cat of B. clausii cotA was 1 s⁻¹ at pH 6 and 5 s⁻¹ at pH 8 in contrast to 6 s⁻¹ at pH 6 and 2 s⁻¹ at pH 8 for of B. subtilis cotA. Overall, k_cat/K_M was 10-fold higher for B. subtilis cotA at pH_opt. While both proteins were heat activated, activation increased with pH and was larger in cotA from B. clausii. NaCl inhibited activity at acidic pH, but not up to 500–700 mM NaCl in alkaline pH, a further advantage of the alkali regime in laccase applications. The B. clausii cotA had ∼20 minutes half-life at 80°C, less than the ∼50 minutes at 80°C for cotA from B. subtilis. While cotA from B. subtilis had optimal stability at pH∼8, the cotA from B. clausii displayed higher combined salt- and alkali-resistance. This resistance is possibly caused by two substitutions (S427Q and V110E) that could repel anions to reduce anion-copper interactions at the expense of catalytic proficiency, a trade-off of potential relevance to laccase optimization.

Expanding the laccase-toolbox: a laccase from Corynebacterium glutamicum with phenol coupling and cuprous oxidase activity

Laccases are oxidases with potential for application in biotechnology. Up to now only fungal laccases have been applied in technical processes, although bacterial laccases are generally easier to handle and more stable at alkaline pH values and elevated temperatures. To increase the toolbox of bacterial laccases and to broaden our knowledge about them, new enzymes have to be characterized. Within this study, we describe the new bacterial laccase CgL1 from Corynebacterium glutamicum. CgL1 was found to oxidize typical laccase substrates like 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid), syringaldazine and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol. The enzyme also demonstrates cuprous oxidase activity. Furthermore, CgL1 is active for several hours at temperatures up to 60°C and at alkaline pH, as well as stable in different organic solvents. This makes CgL1 a potential candidate for technical applications. In addition, CgL1 was found to catalyze the CC/CO coupling of several phenolic compounds which can serve as precursors for the synthesis of natural products like antibiotics and phytohormones. This activity and product distribution were influenced by pH value and mediators used.

Purification and characterization of an extracellular, thermo-alkali-stable, metal tolerant laccase from Bacillus tequilensis SN4

A novel extracellular thermo-alkali-stable laccase from Bacillus tequilensis SN4 (SN4LAC) was purified to homogeneity. The laccase was a monomeric protein of molecular weight 32 KDa. UV-visible spectrum and peptide mass fingerprinting results showed that SN4LAC is a multicopper oxidase. Laccase was active in broad range of phenolic and non-phenolic substrates. Catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) showed that 2, 6-dimethoxyphenol was most efficiently oxidized by the enzyme. The enzyme was inhibited by conventional inhibitors of laccase like sodium azide, cysteine, dithiothreitol and β-mercaptoethanol. SN4LAC was found to be highly thermostable, having temperature optimum at 85°C and could retain more than 80% activity at 70°C for 24 h. The optimum pH of activity for 2, 6-dimethoxyphenol, 2, 2'-azino bis[3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate], syringaldazine and guaiacol was 8.0, 5.5, 6.5 and 8.0 respectively. Enzyme was alkali-stable as it retained more than 75% activity at pH 9.0 for 24 h. Activity of the enzyme was significantly enhanced by Cu2+, Co2+, SDS and CTAB, while it was stable in the presence of halides, most of the other metal ions and surfactants. The extracellular nature and stability of SN4LAC in extreme conditions such as high temperature, pH, heavy metals, halides and detergents makes it a highly suitable candidate for biotechnological and industrial applications.

Diversity of two-domain laccase-like multicopper oxidase genes in Streptomyces spp.: identification of genes potentially involved in extracellular activities and lignocellulose degradation during composting of agricultural waste

Traditional three-domain fungal and bacterial laccases have been extensively studied for their significance in various biotechnological applications. Growing molecular evidence points to a wide occurrence of more recently recognized two-domain laccase-like multicopper oxidase (LMCO) genes in Streptomyces spp. However, the current knowledge about their ecological role and distribution in natural or artificial ecosystems is insufficient. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity and composition of Streptomyces two-domain LMCO genes in agricultural waste composting, which will contribute to the understanding of the ecological function of Streptomyces two-domain LMCOs with potential extracellular activity and ligninolytic capacity. A new specific PCR primer pair was designed to target the two conserved copper binding regions of Streptomyces two-domain LMCO genes. The obtained sequences mainly clustered with Streptomyces coelicolor, Streptomyces violaceusniger, and Streptomyces griseus. Gene libraries retrieved from six composting samples revealed high diversity and a rapid succession of Streptomyces two-domain LMCO genes during composting. The obtained sequence types cluster in 8 distinct clades, most of which are homologous with Streptomyces two-domain LMCO genes, but the sequences of clades III and VIII do not match with any reference sequence of known streptomycetes. Both lignocellulose degradation rates and phenol oxidase activity at pH 8.0 in the composting process were found to be positively associated with the abundance of Streptomyces two-domain LMCO genes. These observations provide important clues that Streptomyces two-domain LMCOs are potentially involved in bacterial extracellular phenol oxidase activities and lignocellulose breakdown during agricultural waste composting.

Properties of the newly isolated extracellular thermo-alkali-stable laccase from thermophilic actinomycetes, Thermobifida fusca and its application in dye intermediates oxidation

Laccases are diphenol oxidases that have numerous applications to biotechnological processes. In this study, the laccase was produced from the thermophilic actinomycetes, Thermobifida fusca BCRC 19214. After 36 h of fermentation in a 5-liter fermentor, the culture broth accumulated 4.96 U/ml laccase activity. The laccase was purified 4.64-fold as measured by specific activity from crude culture filtrate by ultrafiltration concentration, Q-Sepharose FF and Sephacryl™ S-200 column chromatography. The overall yield of the purified enzyme was 7.49%. The molecular mass of purified enzyme as estimated by SDS-PAGE and by gel filtration on Sephacryl™ S-200 was found to be 73.3 kDa and 24.7 kDa, respectively, indicating that the laccase from T. fusca BCRC 19214 is a trimer. The internal amino acid sequences of the purified laccase, as determined by LC-MS/MS, had high homology with a superoxide dismutase from T. fusca YX. Approximately 95% of the original activity remained after treatment at 50°C for 3 h. and approximately 75% of the original activity remained after treatment at pH 10.0 for 24 h. This laccase could oxidize dye intermediates, especially 2,6-dimethylphenylalanine and p-aminophenol, to produce coloring. This is the first report on laccase properties from thermophilic actinomycetes. These properties suggest that this newly isolated laccase has potential for specific industrial applications.

Enhancement of copper content and specific activity of CotA laccase from Bacillus licheniformis by coexpression with CopZ copper chaperone in E. coli

Copper depletion of bacterial laccases obtained by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli is a common problem in production of these versatile biocatalysts. We demonstrate that coexpression of small soluble copper chaperones can mitigate this problem. The laccase CotA and the copper chaperone CopZ both from Bacillus licheniformis were used as model system. The use of the E. coli BL21(DE3) strain expressing CopZ and CotA simultaneously from two plasmids resulted in an 20% increase in copper occupancy and in 26% higher specific activity. We conclude that not only intracellular copper ion concentration, but also presence of an appropriate copper chaperone influences copper ion insertion into CotA laccase. Moreover, E. coli BL21(DE3) seems to lack such a copper chaperone which can be partially complemented by heterologous expression thereof. The presented system is simple and can routinely be used for improved heterologous production of bacterial laccase in E. coli.