Chitin-binding domain based immobilization of d-hydantoinase

Catalytic Synthesis of (S)-CHBE by Directional Coupling and Immobilization of Carbonyl Reductase and Glucose Dehydrogenase

Ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyrate ((S)-CHBE) is an important chiral intermediate in the synthesis of the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin. Studying the use of SpyTag/SpyCatcher and SnoopTag/SnoopCatcher systems for the asymmetric reduction reaction and directed coupling coenzyme regeneration is practical for efficiently synthesizing (S)-CHBE. In this study, Spy and Snoop systems were used to construct a double-enzyme directed fixation system of carbonyl reductase (BsCR) and glucose dehydrogenase (BsGDH) for converting 4-chloroacetoacetate (COBE) to (S)-CHBE and achieving coenzyme regeneration. We discussed the enzymatic properties of the immobilized enzyme and the optimal catalytic conditions and reusability of the double-enzyme immobilization system. Compared to the free enzyme, the immobilized enzyme showed an improved optimal pH and temperature, maintaining higher relative activity across a wider range. The double-enzyme immobilization system was applied to catalyze the asymmetric reduction reaction of COBE, and the yield of (S)-CHBE reached 60.1% at 30 °C and pH 8.0. In addition, the double-enzyme immobilization system possessed better operational stability than the free enzyme, and maintained about 50% of the initial yield after six cycles. In summary, we show a simple and effective strategy for self-assembling SpyCatcher/SnoopCatcher and SpyTag/SnoopTag fusion proteins, which inspires building more cascade systems at the interface. It provides a new method for facilitating the rapid construction of in vitro immobilized multi-enzyme complexes from crude cell lysate.

Recycling of hyoscyamine 6β-hydroxylase for the in vitro production of anisodamine and scopolamine

The tropane alkaloids hyoscyamine, anisodamine, and scopolamine are extensively used medicines. In particular, scopolamine has the greatest value in the market. Hence, strategies to enhance its production have been explored as an alternative to traditional field-plant cultivation. In this work, we developed biocatalytic strategies for the transformation of hyoscyamine into its products utilizing a recombinant Hyoscyamine 6β-hydroxylase (H6H) fusion protein to the chitin-binding domain of the chitinase A1 from Bacillus subtilis (ChBD-H6H). Catalysis was carried out in batch, and recycling of H6H constructions was performed via affinity-immobilization, glutaraldehyde crosslinking, and adsorption-desorption of the enzyme to different chitin matrices. ChBD-H6H utilized as free enzyme achieved complete conversion of hyoscyamine in 3- and 22-h bioprocesses. Chitin particles demonstrated to be the most convenient support for ChBD-H6H immobilization and recycling. Affinity-immobilized ChBD-H6H operated in a three-cycle bioprocess (3 h/cycle, 30 °C) yielded in the first and third reaction cycle 49.8% and 22.2% of anisodamine and 0.7% and 0.3% of scopolamine, respectively. However, glutaraldehyde crosslinking decreased enzymatic activity in a broad range of concentrations. Instead, the adsorption-desorption approach equaled the maximal conversion of the free enzyme in the first cycle and retained higher enzymatic activity than the carrier-bound strategy along the consecutive cycles. The adsorption-desorption strategy permitted the reutilization of the enzyme in a simple and economical manner while exploiting the maximal conversion activity displayed by the free enzyme. This approach is valid since other enzymes present in the E. coli lysate do not interfere with the reaction. KEY POINTS: • A biocatalytic system for anisodamine and scopolamine production was developed. • Affinity-immobilized ChBD-H6H in ChP retained catalytic activity. • Enzyme-recycling by adsorption-desorption strategies improves product yields.

Recombinant protein linker production as a basis for non-invasive determination of single-cell yeast age in heterogeneous yeast populations

The physiological and metabolic diversity of a yeast culture is the sum of individual cell phenotypes. As well as environmental conditions, genetics, and numbers of cell divisions, a major factor influencing cell characteristics is cell age. A postcytokinesis bud scar on the mother cell, a benchmark in the replicative life span, is a quantifiable indicator of cell age, characterized by significant amounts of chitin. We developed a binding process for visualizing the bud scars of Saccharomyces pastorianus var. carlsbergensis using a protein linker containing a polyhistidine tag, a superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP), and a chitin-binding domain (His6-SUMO-sfGFP-ChBD). The binding did not affect yeast viability; thus, our method provides the basis for non-invasive cell age determination using flow cytometry. The His6-SUMO-sfGFP-ChBD protein was synthesized in Escherichia coli, purified using two-stage chromatography, and checked for monodispersity and purity. Linker-cell binding and the characteristics of the bound complex were determined using flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Flow cytometry showed that protein binding increased to 60 455 ± 2706 fluorescence units per cell. The specific coupling of the linker to yeast cells was additionally verified by CLSM and adsorption isotherms using yeast cells, E. coli cells, and chitin resin. We found a relationship between the median bud scar number, the median of the fluorescence units, and the chitin content of yeast cells. A fast measurement of yeast population dynamics by flow cytometry is possible, using this protein binding technique. Rapid qualitative determination of yeast cell age distribution can therefore be performed.

Recent advances in the bioprospection and applications of chitinolytic bacteria for valorization of waste chitin

One of the most abundant natural polymers on earth, chitin is a fibrous and structural polysaccharide, composed of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. The biopolymer is the major structural constituent of fungi, arthropods, mollusks, nematodes, and some algae. The biodegradation of chitin is largely manifested by chitinolytic enzyme secreting organisms including bacteria, insects, and plants. Among them, bacterial chitinases represent the most promising, inexpensive, and sustainable source of proteins that can be employed for industrial-scale applications. To this end, the presented review comes at a timely moment to highlight the major sources of chitinolytic bacteria. It also discusses the potential pros and cons of prospecting bacterial chitinases that can be easily manipulated through genetic engineering. Additionally, we have elaborated the recent applications of the chitin thereby branding chitinases as potential candidates for biorefinery and biomedical research for eco-friendly and sustainable management of chitin waste in the environment.

Engineering bioscaffolds for enzyme assembly

With the demand for green, safe, and continuous biocatalysis, bioscaffolds, compared with synthetic scaffolds, have become a desirable candidate for constructing enzyme assemblages because of their biocompatibility and regenerability. Biocompatibility makes bioscaffolds more suitable for safe and green production, especially in food processing, production of bioactive agents, and diagnosis. The regenerability can enable the engineered biocatalysts regenerate through simple self-proliferation without complex re-modification, which is attractive for continuous biocatalytic processes. In view of the unique biocompatibility and regenerability of bioscaffolds, they can be classified into non-living (polysaccharide, nucleic acid, and protein) and living (virus, bacteria, fungi, spore, and biofilm) bioscaffolds, which can fully satisfy these two unique properties, respectively. Enzymes assembled onto non-living bioscaffolds are based on single or complex components, while enzymes assembled onto living bioscaffolds are based on living bodies. In terms of their unique biocompatibility and regenerability, this review mainly covers the current advances in the research and application of non-living and living bioscaffolds with focus on engineering strategies for enzyme assembly. Finally, the future development of bioscaffolds for enzyme assembly is also discussed. Hopefully, this review will attract the interest of researchers in various fields and empower the development of biocatalysis, biomedicine, environmental remediation, therapy, and diagnosis.

Rewiring of glycerol metabolism in Escherichia coli for effective production of recombinant proteins

BACKGROUND

The economic viability of a protein-production process relies highly on the production titer and the price of raw materials. Crude glycerol coming from the production of biodiesel is a renewable and cost-effective resource. However, glycerol is inefficiently utilized by Escherichia coli.

RESULTS

This issue was addressed by rewiring glycerol metabolism for redistribution of the metabolic flux. Key steps in central metabolism involving the glycerol dissimilation pathway, the pentose phosphate pathway, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle were pinpointed and manipulated to provide precursor metabolites and energy. As a result, the engineered E. coli strain displayed a 9- and 30-fold increase in utilization of crude glycerol and production of the target protein, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The result indicates that the present method of metabolic engineering is useful and straightforward for efficient adjustment of the flux distribution in glycerol metabolism. The practical application of this methodology in biorefinery and the related field would be acknowledged.

Production, characterization, and immobilization of protease from the yeast Rhodotorula oryzicola

The protease was produced extracellularly in submerged fermentation by the yeast Rhodotorula oryzicola using different sources of nitrogen and maximum activity (6.54 × 10^-3 U/mg) was obtained in medium containing 2% casein (w/v). Purification of the protease by gel filtration chromatography resulted in a 3.07-fold increase of specific protease activity. The optimal pH and temperature for enzyme activity were 6.51 and 63.04 °C, respectively. Incubation in the presence of some salts enhanced enzyme activity, which peaked under 0.01 M BaCl₂ . The enzyme retained about 90% of enzymatic activity at temperatures 50-60 °C. The commercially available enzyme carriers evaluated, silica gel, Celite 545, and chitosan effectively immobilized the protease. The enzyme immobilized in Celite 545 retained 73.53% of the initial activity after 15 reuse cycles. These results are quite promising for large-scale production and immobilization of protease from R. oryzicola, as the high operational stability of the immobilized enzyme lowers production costs in biotechnological applications that require high enzymatic activity and stability under high temperatures.

Immobilization and Purification of Enzymes With the Novel Affinity Tag ChBD-AB From Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1

A new protein immobilization and purification system has been developed based on the improved plasmid vectors, designated pETChBD-X, which contained the gene coding for two novel chitin-binding domains ChBD-AB, factor Xa cleavage site and adapted for gene fusions. The ChBD-AD from Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1 was used as a novel affinity tag to anchor fusion proteins to chitin granules. The granules carrying the ChBD-AD fusion proteins can be isolated by a simple centrifugation step and used directly for some applications. Moreover, when required, a practically pure preparation of the soluble recombination protein can be obtained after Factor Xa cleavage. The efficiency of this system has been demonstrated by reaching 95% of protein absorbed to chitin within 30 min and recycling over 75% of interest protein after Factor Xa cleavage to separate interest protein and fusion tag. Furthermore, 65% L-glutamate oxidase with this fusion tag could be purified and immobilized within only one step and to be reused in converting L-glutamate to α-ketoglutaric acid directly, the average conversion rate kept above 65% even within four batches of enzyme conversion reaction.

Chitin degradation enzyme-responsive system for controlled release of fibroblast growth factor-2

Chitin is widely found in fungal cell walls and arthropod exoskeletons, and is used as a biomedical material. However, chitin is not water-soluble, restricting its use for controlled release materials. We found that water-soluble chitosan can be acetylated to produce a chitin equivalent, or chitin gel. Chitin gel, produced by mixing chitosan solution with acetic anhydride, can be degraded by lysozyme and fetal bovine serum, so could provide an ideal means for controlled release in biological systems. We tested a combination of chitin gel with a chitin binding domain (CBD) fusion protein as a controlled release system regulated by chitin degradation. A fusion protein consisting of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) fused to CBD bound the chitin gel, and was released time-dependently rather than as an initial burst during lysozyme degradation, suggesting that this system could provide a means for controlled drug release in biological systems. Contrastingly, the trinitrophenyl residue (TNP-X) covalently bound to chitin gel, and was released by lysozyme degradation with an initial burst. If release of CBD-FGF-2 were simply dependent on lysozyme degradation of the chitin gel, the release behavior of CBD-FGF-2 would be similar to that of TNP-X, with an initial burst. Therefore, we propose that CBD-FGF-2 repeats the cycle of binding, release, and re-binding to the chitin gel during degradation. This system allows for a time-dependent, controlled release of CBD-FGF-2 without an initial burst.

Repertoire of the Bacillus thuringiensis Virulence Factors Unrelated to Major Classes of Protein Toxins and Its Role in Specificity of Host-Pathogen Interactions

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a Gram-positive soil bacteria that infects invertebrates, predominantly of Arthropoda phylum. Due to its immense host range Bt has become a leading producer of biopesticides applied both in biotechnology and agriculture. Cytotoxic effect of Bt, as well as its host specificity, are commonly attributed either to proteinaceous crystal parasporal toxins (Cry and Cyt) produced by bacteria in a stationary phase or to soluble toxins of Vip and Sip families secreted by vegetative cells. At the same time, numerous non-toxin virulence factors of Bt have been discovered, including metalloproteases, chitinases, aminopolyol antibiotics and nucleotide-mimicking moieties. These agents act at each stage of the B. thuringiensis invasion and contribute to cytotoxic properties of Bt strains enhancing toxin activity, ensuring host immune response evasion and participating in extracellular matrix degeneration. In this review we attempt to classify Bt virulence factors unrelated to major groups of protein toxins and discuss their putative role in the establishment of Bt specificity to various groups of insects.

Encapsulated functionalized stereocomplex PLA particles: An effective system to support mucolytic enzymes

In this work, the preparation of a novel enzyme carrier based on a polymer multicomponent system was assessed. Indeed, the design of the above system considered several issues that are the need of applying a biodegradable polymer carrier, characterized by a nanometric dimension, thus suitable to diffuse into the dense mucus structure, with functionalities capable of interacting/reacting with enzymes but resistant to enzymatic degradation. The particles were prepared from solutions containing equimolar amount of high-molecular-weight poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(D-lactide) (PDLA) and by applying the nanoprecipitation method. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) measurements allowed to establish the optimal preparation conditions to obtain polymer particles characterized by diameters lower than 1 μm, which dimensions were confirmed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) analysis. In order to produce surface functionalization, necessary for anchoring enzymes, the stereocomplexed particles, whose structuration was confirmed by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurements, underwent an amminolysis reaction by using a diamine as reactant. The treated particles were characterized by means of FE-SEM, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), DLS and zeta potential measurements and their characteristics were compared with those of the neat PLLA/PDLA particles. The degree of functionalization turned out to depend on the applied conditions, it increasing by enhancing the reaction time. The activity of enzymes, i.e. papain and alginate lyase, anchored to the particles, was evaluated by Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) and UV measurements. Moreover, with the aim at exploiting the material for an inhalation administration, a method to encapsulate the enzyme-particles systems was assessed. Conversely to free enzymes, the developed systems were found to be capable of diminishing the viscosity of two hydrogels, ad hoc prepared and based on the main constituents of the real mucus.

Accelerated CO₂ Hydration with Thermostable Sulfurihydrogenibium azorense Carbonic Anhydrase-Chitin Binding Domain Fusion Protein Immobilised on Chitin Support

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) represent a group of enzymes that catalyse important reactions of carbon dioxide hydration and dehydration, a reaction crucial to many biological processes and environmental biotechnology. In this study we successfully constructed a thermostable fusion enzyme composed of the Sulfurihydrogenibium azorense carbonic anhydrase (Saz_CA), the fastest CA discovered to date, and the chitin binding domain (ChBD) of chitinase from Bacillus circulans. Introduction of ChBD to the Saz_CA had no major impact on the effect of ions or inhibitors on the enzymatic activity. The fusion protein exhibited no negative effects up to 60 °C, whilst the fusion partner appears to protect the enzyme from negative effects of magnesium. The prepared biocatalyst appears to be thermally activated at 60 °C and could be partially purified with heat treatment. Immobilisation attempts on different kinds of chitin-based support results have shown that the fusion enzyme preferentially binds to a cheap, untreated chitin with a large crystallinity index over more processed forms of chitin. It suggests significant potential economic benefits for large-scale deployment of immobilised CA technologies such as CO₂ utilisation or mineralisation.

Immobilization of β-Galactosidases from Lactobacillus on Chitin Using a Chitin-Binding Domain

Two β-galactosidases from Lactobacillus, including a heterodimeric LacLM type enzyme from Lactobacillus reuteri L103 and a homodimeric LacZ type β-galactosidase from Lactobacillus bulgaricus DSM 20081, were studied for immobilization on chitin using a carbohydrate-binding domain (chitin-binding domain, ChBD) from a chitinolytic enzyme. Three recombinant enzymes, namely, LacLM-ChBD, ChBD-LacLM, and LacZ-ChBD, were constructed and successfully expressed in Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1. Depending on the structure of the enzymes, either homodimeric or heterodimeric, as well as the positioning of the chitin-binding domain in relation to the catalytic domains, that is, upstream or downstream of the main protein, the expression in the host strain and the immobilization on chitin beads were different. Most constructs showed a high specificity for the chitin in immobilization studies; thus, a one-step immobilizing procedure could be performed to achieve up to 100% yield of immobilization without the requirement of prior purification of the enzyme. The immobilized-on-chitin enzymes were shown to be more stable than the corresponding native enzymes; especially the immobilized LacZ from L. bulgaricus DSM20081 could retain 50% of its activity when incubated at 37 °C for 48 days. Furthermore, the immobilized enzymes could be recycled for conversion up to eight times with the converting ability maintained at 80%. These results show the high potential for application of these immobilized enzymes in lactose conversion on an industrial scale.

Enzyme Immobilization: An Overview on Methods, Support Material, and Applications of Immobilized Enzymes

Immobilized enzymes can be used in a wide range of processes. In recent years, a variety of new approaches have emerged for the immobilization of enzymes that have greater efficiency and wider usage. During the course of the last two decades, this area has rapidly expanded into a multidisciplinary field. This current study is a comprehensive review of a variety of literature produced on the different enzymes that have been immobilized on various supporting materials. These immobilized enzymes have a wide range of applications. These include applications in the sugar, fish, and wine industries, where they are used for removing organic compounds from waste water. This study also reviews their use in sophisticated biosensors for metabolite control and in situ measurements of environmental pollutants. Immobilized enzymes also find significant application in drug metabolism, biodiesel and antibiotic production, bioremediation, and the food industry. The widespread usage of immobilized enzymes is largely due to the fact that they are cheaper, environment friendly, and much easier to use when compared to equivalent technologies.

Characterization and Soluble Expression of D-Hydantoinase from Pseudomonas fluorescens for the Synthesis of D-Amino Acids

An active D-hydantoinase from Pseudomonas fluorescens was heterogeneously overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) and designated as D-PfHYD. Sequence and consensus analysis suggests that D-PfHYD belongs to the dihydropyrimidinase/hydantoinase family and possesses catalytic residues for metal ion and hydantoin binding. D-PfHYD was purified to homogeneity by nickel affinity chromatography for characterization. D-PfHYD is a homotetramer with molecular weight of 215 kDa and specific activity of 20.9 U mg(-1). D-PfHYD showed the highest activity at pH 9.0 and 60 °C. Metal ions such as Mn(2+), Fe(2+), and Fe(3+) could activate D-PfHYD with 20 % improvement. Substrate specificity analysis revealed that purified D-PfHYD preferred aliphatic to aromatic 5'-monosubstituted hydantoins. Among various strategies tested, chaperone GroES-GroEL was efficient in improving the soluble expression of D-PfHYD. Employing 1.0 g L(-1) recombinant E. coli BL21(DE3)-pET28-hyd/pGRO7 dry cells, 100 mM isobutyl hydantoin was converted into D-isoleucine with 98.7 % enantiomeric excess (ee), isolation yield of 78.3 %, and substrate to biocatalyst ratio of 15.6. Our results suggest that recombinant D-PfHYD could be potentially applied in the synthesis of D-amino acids.

Chitinases from Bacteria to Human: Properties, Applications, and Future Perspectives

Chitin is the second most plenteous polysaccharide in nature after cellulose, present in cell walls of several fungi, exoskeletons of insects, and crustacean shells. Chitin does not accumulate in the environment due to presence of bacterial chitinases, despite its abundance. These enzymes are able to degrade chitin present in the cell walls of fungi as well as the exoskeletons of insect. They have shown being the potential agents for biological control of the plant diseases caused by various pathogenic fungi and insect pests and thus can be used as an alternative to chemical pesticides. There has been steady increase in demand of chitin derivatives, obtained by action of chitinases on chitin polymer for various industrial, clinical, and pharmaceutical purposes. Hence, this review focuses on properties and applications of chitinases starting from bacteria, followed by fungi, insects, plants, and vertebrates. Designing of chitinase by applying directed laboratory evolution and rational approaches for improved catalytic activity for cost-effective field applications has also been explored.

Immobilized sialyltransferase fused to a fungal biotin-binding protein: Production, properties, and applications

A β-galactoside α2,6-sialyltransferase (ST) from the marine bacterium Photobacterium sp. JT-ISH-224 with a broad acceptor substrate specificity was fused to a fungal biotin-binding protein tamavidin 2 (TM2) to produce immobilized enzyme. Specifically, a gene for the fusion protein, in which ST from Photobacterium sp. JT-ISH-224 and TM2 were connected via a peptide linker (ST-L-TM2) was constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli. The ST-L-TM2 was produced in the soluble form with a yield of approximately 15,000 unit/300 ml of the E. coli culture. The ST-L-TM2 was partially purified and part of it was immobilized onto biotin-bearing magnetic microbeads. The immobilized ST-L-TM2 onto microbeads could be used at least seven consecutive reaction cycles with no observed decrease in enzymatic activity. In addition, the optimum pH and temperature of the immobilized enzyme were changed compared to those of a free form of the ST. Considering these results, it was strongly expected that the immobilized ST-L-TM2 was a promising tool for the production of various kind of sialoligosaccharides.

In vivo immobilization of D-hydantoinase in Escherichia coli

D-P-Hydroxyphenylglycine (D-HPG) is a precursor required for the synthesis of semi-synthetic antibiotics. This unnatural amino acid can be produced by a transformation reaction mediated by D-hydantoinase (D-HDT) and d-amidohydrolase. In this study, a method was developed to integrate production and immobilization of recombinant D-HDT in vivo. This was approached by first fusion of the gene encoding D-HDT with phaP (encoding phasin) of Ralstonia eutropha H16. The fusion gene was then expressed in the Escherichia coli strain that carried a heterologous synthetic pathway for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). As a result, d-HDT was found to associate with isolated PHA granules. Further characterization illustrated that D-HDT immobilized on PHA exhibited the maximum activity at pH 9 and 60°C and had a half-life of 95 h at 40°C. Moreover, PHA-bound d-HDT could be reused for 8 times with the conversion yield exceeding 90%. Overall, it illustrates the feasibility of this approach to facilitate in vivo immobilization of enzymes in heterologous E. coli strain, which may open a new avenue of enzyme application in industry.

Protein engineering of chit42 towards improvement of chitinase and antifungal activities

The antagonism of Trichoderma strains usually correlates with the secretion of fungal cell wall degrading enzymes such as chitinases. Chitinase Chit42 is believed to play an important role in the biocontrol activity of Trichoderma strains as a biocontrol agent against phytopathogenic fungi. Chit42 lacks a chitin-binding domain (ChBD) which is involved in its binding activity to insoluble chitin. In this study, a chimeric chitinase with improved enzyme activity was produced by fusing a ChBD from T. atroviride chitinase 18-10 to Chit42. The improved chitinase containing a ChBD displayed a 1.7-fold higher specific activity than chit42. This increase suggests that the ChBD provides a strong binding capacity to insoluble chitin. Moreover, Chit42-ChBD transformants showed higher antifungal activity towards seven phytopathogenic fungal species.

Characterization of a novel thermostable chitin-binding domain and its application in immobilization of a multifunctional hemicellulase

A novel thermostable chitin-binding domain (Tt-ChBD) of chitinase A1 from Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum DSM571 was cloned, characterized, and compared for its binding activity with another mesophilic chitin-binding domain (Bc-ChBD). Recombinant protein with Tt-ChBD exhibits stronger affinity to chitin than those with Bc-ChBD at temperatures from 65 °C to at least 75 °C, but not to other polysaccharides including xylan, chitosan, cellulose, and agarose. For repeated production of xylose from arabinoxylan-containing feedstocks, a best-characterized trifunctional chimeric enzyme Xar-L1-Xyn (XX) constructed in our previous work was attempted to be immobilized on chitin efficiently by genetically fusing Tt-ChBD to the N-terminal region of XX (named CXX) and the C-terminal region of XX (named XXC), respectively. The fusing position of Tt-CBD affected the affinity-binding activity to chitin. Recombinant XX, XXC, and CXX were purified to homogeneity and characterized. According to the xylosidase activities, the optimum temperature and pH profiles of the CXX and XXC both in free and immobilized form were the same as those of XX. However, the thermal and pH stabilities of the immobilized XXC and CXX were both greatly improved in the range from 70 to 90 °C and pH 4.2-8.2. The immobilized multifunctional hemicellulase exhibited high stability to producing xylose for at least 19 or 30 times in continuous operation with the achievement of 60% or 80% conversion yield at temperatures up to 65 °C. These results indicate the usefulness of Tt-ChBD as an affinity tag for the simultaneous purification and immobilization of the enzyme on chitin and the great potential applications for thermophilic enzyme immobilization at higher temperatures.

Enzyme immobilization: an overview on techniques and support materials

The current demands of the world’s biotechnological industries are enhancement in enzyme productivity and development of novel techniques for increasing their shelf life. These requirements are inevitable to facilitate large-scale and economic formulation. Enzyme immobilization provides an excellent base for increasing availability of enzyme to the substrate with greater turnover over a considerable period of time. Several natural and synthetic supports have been assessed for their efficiency for enzyme immobilization. Nowadays, immobilized enzymes are preferred over their free counterpart due to their prolonged availability that curtails redundant downstream and purification processes. Future investigations should endeavor at adopting logistic and sensible entrapment techniques along with innovatively modified supports to improve the state of enzyme immobilization and provide new perspectives to the industrial sector.

N-terminal fusion of a hyperthermophilic chitin-binding domain to xylose isomerase from Thermotoga neapolitana enhances kinetics and thermostability of both free and immobilized enzymes

Immobilization of a thermostable D-xylose isomerase (EC 5.3.1.5) from Thermotoga neapolitana 5068 (TNXI) on chitin beads was accomplished via a N-terminal fusion with a chitin-binding domain (CBD) from a hyperthermophilic chitinase produced by Pyrococcus furiosus (PF1233) to create a fusion protein (CBD-TNXI). The turnover numbers for glucose to fructose conversion for both unbound and immobilized CBD-TNXI were greater than the wild-type enzyme: k(cat) (min(-1)) was approximately 1,000, 3,800, and 5,800 at 80 degrees C compared to 1,140, 10,350, and 7,000 at 90 degrees C, for the wild-type, unbound, and immobilized enzymes, respectively. These k(cat) values for the glucose to fructose isomerization measured are the highest reported to date for any XI at any temperature. Enzyme kinetic inactivation at 100 degrees C, as determined from a bi-phasic inactivation model, showed that the CBD-TNXI bound to chitin had a half-life approximately three times longer than the soluble wild-type TNXI (19.9 hours vs. 6.8 hours, respectively). Surprisingly, the unbound soluble CBD-TNXI had a significantly longer half-life (56.5 hours) than the immobilized enzyme. Molecular modeling results suggest that the N-terminal fusion impacted subunit interactions, thereby contributing to the enhanced thermostability of both the unbound and immobilized CBD-TNXI. These interactions likely also played a role in modifying active site structure, thereby diminishing substrate-binding affinities and generating higher turnover rates in the unbound fusion protein.

Facile immobilization of evolved agrobacterium radiobacter carbamoylase with high thermal and oxidative stability

Optically pure amino acids have been widely used as intermediates in the synthesis of antibiotics, antifungal agents, pesticides, and sweeteners. Of particular importance, d- p-hydroxyphenylglycine (D-HPG) can be produced from d, l-hydroxyphenly hydantoin (D,L-HPH) in a two-step reaction mediated by d-hydantoinase and N-carbamoyl- d-amino acid amidohydrolase (or carbamoylase). To make this production more industrially appealing, the carbamoylase gene from Agrobacterium radiobacter NRRL B11291 cloned in an Escherichia coli strain was intensively mutated to improve the thermal stability of carbamoylase by three rounds of DNA shuffling. After an extensive screening of the mutant library, the mutant E. coli strain M303 was obtained to produce variant carbamoylase, CBL303, with three critical mutated residues, including V40A, G75S, and V237A. Further characterization showed that in comparison with the wild-type counterpart the evolved carbamoylase exhibited more than 20-fold tolerance to heat and, in addition, hydrogen peroxide as a result of the synergistic effect caused by the three mutations. Moreover, with the fusion of the chitin-binding domain (ChBD) of Chitinase A1, the evolved carbamoylase CBL303 was specifically adsorbed on chitin beads. Subsequent analysis indicated that the linkage between the enzyme and the affinity matrix was substantially stable. The half-life of the immobilized carbamolyase CBL303 could reach 210 h at 45 degrees C, whereas its free form had that of 17 h. In particular, when applied to D-HPG production, the immobilized enzyme could be recycled 16 times with the achievement of 100% conversion yield. Along with the previous illustration of d-hydantoinase immobilization, the success achieved by immobilization of the evolved carbamoylase in this work apparently offers a promising way for the efficient production of D-HPG from D,L-HPH.

Calmodulin-mediated reversible immobilization of enzymes

This work demonstrates the use of the protein calmodulin, CaM, as an affinity tag for the reversible immobilization of enzymes on surfaces. Our strategy takes advantage of the of the reversible, calcium-mediated binding of CaM to its ligand phenothiazine and of the ability to produce fusion proteins between CaM and a variety of enzymes to reversibly immobilize enzymes in an oriented fashion to different surfaces. Specifically, we employed two different enzymes, organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) and beta-lactamase and two different solid supports, a silica surface and cellulose membrane modified by covalently attaching a phenothiazine ligand, to demonstrate the versatility of our immobilization method. Fusion proteins between CaM-OPH and CaM-beta-lactamase were prepared by using genetic engineering strategies to introduce the calmodulin tail at the N-terminus of each of the two enzymes. In the presence of Ca(2+), CaM adopts a conformation that favors interaction between hydrophobic pockets in CaM and phenothiazine, while in the presence of a Ca(2+)-chelating agent such as EGTA, the interaction between CaM and phenothiazine is disrupted, thus allowing for removal of the CaM-fusion protein from the surface under mild conditions. CaM also acts as a spacer molecule, orienting the enzyme away from the surface and toward the solution, which minimizes enzyme interactions with the immobilization surface. Since the method is based on the highly selective binding of CaM to its phenothiazine ligand, and this is covalently immobilized on the surface, the method does not suffer from ligand leaching nor from interference from other proteins present in the cell extract. An additional advantage lies in that the support can be regenerated by passing through EGTA, and then reused for the immobilization of the same or, if desired, a different enzyme. Using a fusion protein approach for immobilization purposes avoids the use of harsh conditions in the immobilization and/or regeneration steps, which could cause inactivation of the immobilized enzyme. Moreover, we have demonstrated that the CaM affinity tag allows immobilization of enzymes on a variety of surfaces without compromising their enzymatic activity substantially; for example, the immobilized OPH retained more than 80% of the activity of the free enzyme. Our results with beta-lactamase showed the feasibility of using a phenothiazine surface in several consecutive loading and regeneration cycles. This can be advantageous when expensive and/or difficult to obtain immobilization surfaces have to be employed; the immobilization surface could be reused to immobilize the same or a different enzyme using the CaM affinity tail. We also determined that the phenothiazine-modified silica particles are stable for long periods of time, i.e., up to 2 years when stored at 4 degrees C. It is envisioned that this type of reversible immobilization may find applications in the development of reversible, reusable biosensors and bioreactors endowed with the additional advantage that the biological element at the surface of the sensor or bioreactor could be replaced under mild conditions when needed to sense or process a different target molecule.