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Huanca-Juarez J, Nascimento-Silva EA, Silva NH, Silva-Rocha R, Guazzaroni ME. Identification and functional analysis of novel protein-encoding sequences related to stress-resistance. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1268315. [PMID: 37840709 PMCID: PMC10568318 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1268315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, industrial bioproducts are less competitive than chemically produced goods due to the shortcomings of conventional microbial hosts. Thus, is essential developing robust bacteria for improved cell tolerance to process-specific parameters. In this context, metagenomic approaches from extreme environments can provide useful biological parts to improve bacterial robustness. Here, in order to build genetic constructs that increase bacterial resistance to diverse stress conditions, we recovered novel protein-encoding sequences related to stress-resistance from metagenomic databases using an in silico approach based on Hidden-Markov-Model profiles. For this purpose, we used metagenomic shotgun sequencing data from microbial communities of extreme environments to identify genes encoding chaperones and other proteins that confer resistance to stress conditions. We identified and characterized 10 novel protein-encoding sequences related to the DNA-binding protein HU, the ATP-dependent protease ClpP, and the chaperone protein DnaJ. By expressing these genes in Escherichia coli under several stress conditions (including high temperature, acidity, oxidative and osmotic stress, and UV radiation), we identified five genes conferring resistance to at least two stress conditions when expressed in E. coli. Moreover, one of the identified HU coding-genes which was retrieved from an acidic soil metagenome increased E. coli tolerance to four different stress conditions, implying its suitability for the construction of a synthetic circuit directed to expand broad bacterial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshelin Huanca-Juarez
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP) – University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP) – University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edson Alexandre Nascimento-Silva
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP) – University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP) – University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ninna Hirata Silva
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP) – University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - María-Eugenia Guazzaroni
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP) – University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
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Ó'Fágáin C. Protein Stability: Enhancement and Measurement. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2699:369-419. [PMID: 37647007 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3362-5_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
This chapter defines protein stability, emphasizes its importance, and surveys the field of protein stabilization, with summary reference to a selection of 2014-2021 publications. One can enhance stability, particularly by protein engineering strategies but also by chemical modification and by other means. General protocols are set out on how to measure a given protein's (i) kinetic thermal stability and (ii) oxidative stability and (iii) how to undertake chemical modification of a protein in solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciarán Ó'Fágáin
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.
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Romero ML, Garcia Seisdedos H, Ibarra‐Molero B. Active site center redesign increases protein stability preserving catalysis in thioredoxin. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4417. [PMID: 39287965 PMCID: PMC9601870 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The stabilization of natural proteins is a long-standing desired goal in protein engineering. Optimizing the hydrophobicity of the protein core often results in extensive stability enhancements. However, the presence of totally or partially buried catalytic charged residues, essential for protein function, has limited the applicability of this strategy. Here, focusing on the thioredoxin, we aimed to augment protein stability by removing buried charged residues in the active site without loss of catalytic activity. To this end, we performed a charged-to-hydrophobic substitution of a buried and functional group, resulting in a significant stability increase yet abolishing catalytic activity. Then, to simulate the catalytic role of the buried ionizable group, we designed a combinatorial library of variants targeting a set of seven surface residues adjacent to the active site. Notably, more than 50% of the library variants restored, to some extent, the catalytic activity. The combination of experimental study of 2% of the library with the prediction of the whole mutational space by partial least squares regression revealed that a single point mutation at the protein surface is sufficient to fully restore the catalytic activity without thermostability cost. As a result, we engineered one of the highest thermal stabilities reported for a protein with a natural occurring fold (137°C). Further, our hyperstable variant preserves the catalytic activity both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luisa Romero
- Departamento de Química FísicaUniversidad de GranadaGranada
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and GeneticsDresdenGermany
- Center for Systems Biology DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Hector Garcia Seisdedos
- Departamento de Química FísicaUniversidad de GranadaGranada
- Department of Structural BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Structural BiologyInstituto de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB‐CSIC)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Beatriz Ibarra‐Molero
- Departamento de Química FísicaUniversidad de GranadaGranada
- Department of Structural BiologyInstituto de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB‐CSIC)BarcelonaSpain
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Pan K, Liu Z, Zhang Z, Jin S, Yu Z, Liu T, Zhang T, Zhao J, Li Z. Improving the Specific Activity and Thermostability of Psychrophilic Xylosidase AX543 by Comparative Mutagenesis. Foods 2022; 11:foods11162463. [PMID: 36010463 PMCID: PMC9407119 DOI: 10.3390/foods11162463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Improving the specific activity and thermostability of psychrophilic xylosidase is important for improving its enzymatic performance and promoting its industrial application. Herein, a psychrophilic xylosidase AX543 exhibited activity in the temperature range between 0 and 35 °C, with optimum activity at 20 °C, which is lower than that of other reported psychrophilic xylosidases. The thermostability, specific activity, and catalytic efficiency of the site-directed variants G110S, Q201R, and L2 were significantly enhanced, without affecting the optimal reaction temperature. Comparative protein structural analysis and molecular dynamics simulation indicated that these improvements might be the result of the increased hydrogen bonds interaction and improved structural rigidity. Furthermore, homologous module substitution with four segments demonstrated that the psychrophilic characteristics of AX543 are the results of the whole protein structure, and the C-terminal segment A4 appears to be more essential in determining psychrophilic characteristics, exhibiting potentiality to produce more psychrophilic xylosidases. This study provides valuable structural information on psychrophilic xylosidases and also offers attractive modification strategies to modify catalytic activity, thermostability, and optimal reaction temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kungang Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Zhongqi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Zhengjie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Shanzheng Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Zhao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Tianhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Tongcun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Junqi Zhao
- School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Qilu Institute of Technology, Jinan 250200, China
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (Z.L.)
| | - Zhongyuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (Z.L.)
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