A critical review on properties and applications of microbial l-asparaginases

Evaluation of the efficiency of thermostable L-asparaginase from B. licheniformis UDS-5 for acrylamide mitigation during preparation of French fries

A thermostable L-asparaginase was produced from Bacillus licheniformis UDS-5 (GenBank accession number, OP117154). The production conditions were optimized by the Plackett Burman method, followed by the Box Behnken method, where the enzyme production was enhanced up to fourfold. It secreted L-asparaginase optimally in the medium, pH 7, containing 0.5% (w/v) peptone, 1% (w/v) sodium chloride, 0.15% (w/v) beef extract, 0.15% (w/v) yeast extract, 3% (w/v) L-asparagine at 50 °C for 96 h. The enzyme, with a molecular weight of 85 kDa, was purified by ion exchange chromatography and size exclusion chromatography with better purification fold and percent yield. It displayed optimal catalysis at 70 °C in 20 mM Tris-Cl buffer, pH 8. The purified enzyme also exhibited significant salt tolerance too, making it a suitable candidate for the food application. The L-asparaginase was employed at different doses to evaluate its ability to mitigate acrylamide, while preparing French fries without any prior treatment. The salient attributes of B. licheniformis UDS-5 L-asparaginase, such as greater thermal stability, salt stability and acrylamide reduction in starchy foods, highlights its possible application in the food industry.

Characterization of L-asparaginase from Streptomyces koyangensis SK4 with acrylamide-minimizing potential in potato chips

Microbial L-asparaginase is well known for its application in food industries to reduce acrylamide content in fried starchy food. L-asparaginase produced by Arctic actinomycetes Streptomyces koyangensis SK4 was purified and studied for biochemical characterization. The L-asparaginase was purified with a yield of 15.49% and final specific activity of 179.77 IU/mg of protein. The enzyme exhibited a molecular weight of 43 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for maximum activity of the purified enzyme were 8.5 °C and 40 °C, respectively. The enzyme expressed maximum activity at an incubation period of 30 min and a substrate concentration of 0.06 M. The enzyme has a low Km value of 0.041 M and excellent substrate specificity toward L-asparagine. The enzyme activity was inhibited by metal ions Ba2+ and Hg2+, while Mn2+ and Mg2+ enhanced the activity. The study evaluated the acrylamide reduction potential of L-asparaginase from Streptomyces koyangensis SK4 in potato chips. The blanching plus L-asparaginase treatment of potato slices resulted in a 50% reduction in acrylamide content. The study illustrated an effective acrylamide reduction strategy in potato chips using L-asparaginase from a psychrophilic actinomycete. Besides the acrylamide reduction potential, L-asparaginase from Streptomyces koyangensis SK4 also did not exhibit any glutaminase or urease activity which is an outstanding feature of L-asparaginase to be used as a chemotherapeutic agent.

Endophytic Fungi as a Promising Source of Anticancer L-Asparaginase: A Review

L-asparaginase is a tetrameric enzyme from the amidohydrolases family, that catalyzes the breakdown of L-asparagine into L-aspartic acid and ammonia. Since its discovery as an anticancer drug, it is used as one of the prime chemotherapeutic agents to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Apart from its use in the biopharmaceutical industry, it is also used to reduce the formation of a carcinogenic substance called acrylamide in fried, baked, and roasted foods. L-asparaginase is derived from many organisms including plants, bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. Currently, L-asparaginase preparations from Escherichia coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi are used in the clinical treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, they are associated with low yield and immunogenicity problems. At this juncture, endophytic fungi from medicinal plants have gained much attention as they have several advantages over the available bacterial preparations. Many medicinal plants have been screened for L-asparaginase producing endophytic fungi and several studies have reported potent L-asparaginase producing strains. This review provides insights into fungal endophytes from medicinal plants and their significance as probable alternatives for bacterial L-asparaginase.

L-Asparaginase as the gold standard in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a comprehensive review

L-Asparaginase is an antileukemic drug long approved for clinical use to treat childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common cancer in this population worldwide. However, the efficacy and its use as a drug have been subject to debate due to the variety of adverse effects that patients treated with it present, as well as the prompt elimination in plasma, the need for multiple administrations, and high rates of allergic reactions. For this reason, the search for new, less immunogenic variants has long been the subject of study. This review presents the main aspects of the L-asparaginase enzyme from a structural, pharmacological, and clinical point of view, from the perspective of its use in chemotherapy protocols in conjunction with other drugs in the different treatment phases.

Anticancer Activity of Extremely Effective Recombinant L-Asparaginase from Burkholderia pseudomallei

L-asparaginase (E.C. 3.5.1.1) purified from bacterial cells is widely used in the food industry, as well as in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In the present study, the Burkholderia pseudomallei L-asparaginase gene was cloned into the pGEX-2T DNA plasmid, expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS, and purified to homogeneity using Glutathione Sepharose chromatography with 7.26 purification fold and 16.01% recovery. The purified enzyme exhibited a molecular weight of ~33.6 kDa with SDS-PAGE and showed maximal activity at 50°C and pH 8.0. It retained 95.1, 89.6%, and 70.2% initial activity after 60 min at 30°C, 40°C, and 50°C, respectively. The enzyme reserved its activity at 30°C and 37°C up to 24 h. The enzyme had optimum pH of 8 and reserved 50% activity up to 24 h. The recombinant enzyme showed the highest substrate specificity towards L-asparaginase substrate, while no detectable specificity was observed for L-glutamine, urea, and acrylamide at 10 mM concentration. THP-1, a human leukemia cell line, displayed significant morphological alterations after being treated with recombinant L-asparaginase and the IC₅₀ of the purified enzyme was recorded as 0.8 IU. Furthermore, the purified recombinant L-asparaginase improved cytotoxicity in liver cancer HepG2 and breast cancer MCF-7 cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 1.53 and 18 IU, respectively.

[Mechanisms of development of side effects and drug resistance to asparaginase and ways to overcome them]

Asparaginase is one of the most important chemotherapeutic agents against acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of blood cancer. To date, both asparaginases from E. coli and Dickeya dadantii (formerly known as Erwinia chrysanthemi), used in hematology, induce chemoresistance in cancer cells and side effects in the form of hypersensitivity of immune reactions. Leukemic cells may be resistant to asparaginase due to the increased activity of asparagine synthetase and other mechanisms associated with resistance to asparaginase. Therefore, the search for new sources of L-asparaginases with improved pharmacological properties remains a promising and prospective study. This article discusses the mechanisms of development of resistance and drug resistance to L-asparaginase, as well as possible ways to overcome them.

Molecular Analysis of L-Asparaginases for Clarification of the Mechanism of Action and Optimization of Pharmacological Functions

L-asparaginases (EC 3.5.1.1) are a family of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of L-asparagine to L-aspartic acid and ammonia. These proteins with different biochemical, physicochemical and pharmacological properties are found in many organisms, including bacteria, fungi, algae, plants and mammals. To date, asparaginases from E. coli and Dickeya dadantii (formerly known as Erwinia chrysanthemi) are widely used in hematology for the treatment of lymphoblastic leukemias. However, their medical use is limited by side effects associated with the ability of these enzymes to hydrolyze L-glutamine, as well as the development of immune reactions. To solve these issues, gene-editing methods to introduce amino-acid substitutions of the enzyme are implemented. In this review, we focused on molecular analysis of the mechanism of enzyme action and to optimize the antitumor activity.

Characterization of a Novel L-Asparaginase from Mycobacterium gordonae with Acrylamide Mitigation Potential

L-asparaginase (E.C.3.5.1.1) is a well-known agent that prevents the formation of acrylamide both in the food industry and against childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in clinical settings. The disadvantages of L-asparaginase, which restrict its industrial application, include its narrow range of pH stability and low thermostability. In this study, a novel L-asparaginase from Mycobacterium gordonae (GmASNase) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). GmASNase was found to be a tetramer with a monomeric size of 32 kDa, sharing only 32% structural identity with Helicobacter pylori L-asparaginases in the Protein Data Bank database. The purified GmASNase had the highest specific activity of 486.65 IU mg⁻¹ at pH 9.0 and 50 °C. In addition, GmASNase possessed superior properties in terms of stability at a wide pH range of 5.0–11.0 and activity at temperatures below 40 °C. Moreover, GmASNase displayed high substrate specificity towards L-asparagine with Km, kcat, and kcat/Km values of 6.025 mM, 11,864.71 min⁻¹ and 1969.25 mM⁻¹min⁻¹, respectively. To evaluate its ability to mitigate acrylamide, GmASNase was used to treat potato chips prior to frying, where the acrylamide content decreased by 65.09% compared with the untreated control. These results suggest that GmASNase is a potential candidate for applications in the food industry.

A Novel L-Asparaginase from Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus sibiricus: Heterologous Expression and Characterization for Biotechnology Application

L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) is a vital enzyme with a broad range of applications in medicine and food industry. Drawbacks of current commercial L-ASNases stimulate the search for better-producing sources of the enzyme, and extremophiles are especially attractive in this view. In this study, a novel L-asparaginase originating from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus sibiricus (TsA) was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized. The enzyme is optimally active at 90 °C and pH 9.0 with a specific activity of 2164 U/mg towards L-asparagine. Kinetic parameters KM and Vmax for the enzyme are 2.8 mM and 1200 µM/min, respectively. TsA is stable in urea solutions 0-6 M and displays no significant changes of the activity in the presence of metal ions Ni2+, Cu2+, Mg2+, Zn2+ and Ca2+ and EDTA added in concentrations 1 and 10 mmol/L except for Fe3+. The enzyme retains 86% of its initial activity after 20 min incubation at 90 °C, which should be enough to reduce acrylamide formation in foods processed at elevated temperatures. TsA displays strong cytotoxic activity toward cancer cell lines K562, A549 and Sk-Br-3, while normal human fibroblasts WI-38 are almost unsensitive to it. The enzyme seems to be a promising candidate for further investigation and biotechnology application.

Microbial L-asparaginase for Application in Acrylamide Mitigation from Food: Current Research Status and Future Perspectives

L-asparaginase (E.C.3.5.1.1) hydrolyzes L-asparagine to L-aspartic acid and ammonia, which has been widely applied in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Microbes have advantages for L-asparaginase production, and there are several commercially available forms of L-asparaginase, all of which are derived from microbes. Generally, L-asparaginase has an optimum pH range of 5.0-9.0 and an optimum temperature of between 30 and 60 °C. However, the optimum temperature of L-asparaginase from hyperthermophilic archaea is considerable higher (between 85 and 100 °C). The native properties of the enzymes can be enhanced by using immobilization techniques. The stability and recyclability of immobilized enzymes makes them more suitable for food applications. This current work describes the classification, catalytic mechanism, production, purification, and immobilization of microbial L-asparaginase, focusing on its application as an effective reducer of acrylamide in fried potato products, bakery products, and coffee. This highlights the prospects of cost-effective L-asparaginase, thermostable L-asparaginase, and immobilized L-asparaginase as good candidates for food application in the future.

L-asparaginase production review: bioprocess design and biochemical characteristics

In the past decades, the production of biopharmaceuticals has gained high interest due to its great sensitivity, specificity, and lower risk of negative effects to patients. Biopharmaceuticals are mostly therapeutic recombinant proteins produced through biotechnological processes. In this context, L-asparaginase (L-asparagine amidohydrolase, L-ASNase (E.C. 3.5.1.1)) is a therapeutic enzyme that has been abundantly studied by researchers due to its antineoplastic properties. As a biopharmaceutical, L-ASNase has been used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), and other lymphoid malignancies, in combination with other drugs. Besides its application as a biopharmaceutical, this enzyme is widely used in food processing industries as an acrylamide mitigation agent and as a biosensor for the detection of L-asparagine in physiological fluids at nano-levels. The great demand for L-ASNase is supplied by recombinant enzymes from Escherichia coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi. However, production processes are associated to low yields and proteins associated to immunogenicity problems, which leads to the search for a better enzyme source. Considering the L-ASNase pharmacological and food importance, this review provides an overview of the current biotechnological developments in L-ASNase production and biochemical characterization aiming to improve the knowledge about its production. KEY POINTS: • Microbial enzyme applications as biopharmaceutical and in food industry • Biosynthesis process: from the microorganism to bioreactor technology • Enzyme activity and kinetic properties: crucial for the final application.

Biomedical rationale for acrylamide regulation and methods of detection

Acrylamide is the product of the Maillard reaction, which occurs when starchy, asparagine-rich foods including potato or grain products and coffee are fried, baked, roasted, or heated. Studies in rodents provide evidence that acrylamide is carcinogenic and a male reproductive harmful agent when administered in exceedingly high levels. A 2002 study identified acrylamide in popular consumer food and beverage products, stimulating the European Union (EU) and California to legislate public notice of acrylamide presence in fried and baked foods, and coffee products. The regulatory legislation enacted in the EU and California has scientists working to develop foods and processes aimed at reducing acrylamide formation and advancing rapid and accurate analytical methods for the quantitative and qualitative determination of acrylamide in food and beverage products. The purpose of this review is to survey the studies performed on rodents and humans that identified the potential health impact of acrylamide in the human diet, and provide insight into established and emerging analytical methods used to detect acrylamide in blood, aqueous samples, and food.

Comprehensive Study on the Acrylamide Content of High Thermally Processed Foods

Acrylamide (AA) formation in starch-based processed foods at elevated temperatures is a serious health issue as it is a toxic and carcinogenic substance. However, the formation of more AA entangles with modern-day fast food industries, and a considerable amount of this ingredient is being consumed by fast food eaters inadvertently throughout the world. This article reviews the factors responsible for AA formation pathways, investigation techniques of AA, toxicity, and health-related issues followed by mitigation methods that have been studied in the past few decades comprehensively. Predominantly, AA and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) are produced via the Maillard reaction and can be highlighted as the major heat-induced toxins formulated in bread and bakery products. Epidemiological studies have shown that there is a strong relationship between AA accumulation in the body and the increased risk of cancers. The scientific community is still in a dearth of technology in producing AA-free starch-protein-fat-based thermally processed food products. Therefore, this paper may facilitate the food scientists to their endeavor in developing mitigation techniques pertaining to the formation of AA and HMF in baked foods in the future.

Identification of L-asparaginases from Streptomyces strains with competitive activity and immunogenic profiles: a bioinformatic approach

The enzyme L-asparaginase from Escherichia coli is a therapeutic enzyme that has been a cornerstone in the clinical treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia for the last decades. However, treatment effectiveness is limited by the highly immunogenic nature of the protein and its cross-reactivity towards L-glutamine. In this work, a bioinformatic approach was used to identify, select and computationally characterize L-asparaginases from Streptomyces through sequence-based screening analyses, immunoinformatics, homology modeling, and molecular docking studies. Based on its predicted low immunogenicity and excellent enzymatic activity, we selected a previously uncharacterized L-asparaginase from Streptomyces scabrisporus. Furthermore, two putative asparaginase binding sites were identified and a 3D model is proposed. These promising features allow us to propose L-asparaginase from S. scabrisporus as an alternative for the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Improving the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

l-Asparaginase (EC 3.5.1.1) was first used as a component of combination drug therapies to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, almost 50 years ago. Administering this enzyme to reduce asparagine levels in the blood is a cornerstone of modern clinical protocols for ALL; indeed, this remains the only successful example of a therapy targeted against a specific metabolic weakness in any form of cancer. Three problems, however, constrain the clinical use of l-asparaginase. First, a type II bacterial variant of l-asparaginase is administered to patients, the majority of whom are children, which produces an immune response thereby limiting the time over which the enzyme can be tolerated. Second, l-asparaginase is subject to proteolytic degradation in the blood. Third, toxic side effects are observed, which may be correlated with the l-glutaminase activity of the enzyme. This Perspective will outline how asparagine depletion negatively impacts the growth of leukemic blasts, discuss the structure and mechanism of l-asparaginase, and briefly describe the clinical use of chemically modified forms of clinically useful l-asparaginases, such as Asparlas, which was recently given FDA approval for use in children (babies to young adults) as part of multidrug treatments for ALL. Finally, we review ongoing efforts to engineer l-asparaginase variants with improved therapeutic properties and briefly detail emerging, alternate strategies for the treatment of forms of ALL that are resistant to asparagine depletion.

Production, characterization and bioinformatics analysis of L-asparaginase from a new Stenotrophomonas maltophilia EMCC2297 soil isolate

An exhaustive screening program was applied for scoring a promising l-asparaginase producing-isolate. The recovered isolate was identified biochemically and molecularly and its l-asparaginase productivity was optimized experimentally and by Response Surface Methodology. The produced enzyme was characterized experimentally for its catalytic properties and by bioinformatics analysis for its immunogenicity. The promising l-asparaginase producing-isolate was selected from 722 recovered isolates and identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and deposited at Microbiological Resources Centre (Cairo Mircen) under the code EMCC2297. This isolate produces both intracellular (type I) and extracellular (type II) l-asparaginases with about 4.7 fold higher extracellular l-asparaginase productivity. Bioinformatics analysis revealed clustering of Stenotrophomonas maltophilial-asparaginase with those of Pseudomonas species and considerable closeness to the two commercially available l-asparaginases of E. coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi. Fourteen antigenic regions are predicted for Stenotrophomonas maltophilial-asparaginase versus 16 and 18 antigenic regions for the Erwinia chrysanthemi and E. colil-asparaginases. Type II l-asparaginase productivity of the test isolate reached 4.7 IU/ml/h and exhibited maximum activity with no metal ion requirement at 37 °C, pH 8.6, 40 mM asparagine concentration and could tolerate NaCl concentration up to 500 mM and retain residual activity of 55% at 70 °C after half an hour treatment period. Application both of random mutation by gamma irradiation and Response Surface Methodology that determined 38.11 °C, 6.89 pH, 19.85 h and 179.15 rpm as optimum process parameters could improve the isolate l-asparaginase productivity. Maximum production of about 8 IU/ml/h was obtained with 0.4% dextrose, 0.1% yeast extract and 10 mM magnesium sulphate. In conclusion l-asparaginase of the recovered Stenotrophomonas maltophilia EMCC2297 isolate has characters enabling it to be used for medical therapeutic application.

l-Asparaginase from Aspergillus spp.: production based on kinetics, thermal stability and biochemical characterization

This study describes the production of native l-asparaginases by submerged fermentation from Aspergillus strains and provides the biochemical characterization, kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the three ones that stood out for high l-asparaginase production. For comparison, the commercial fungal l-asparaginase was also studied. Both commercial and l-asparaginase from Aspergillus oryzae CCT 3940 showed optimum activity and stability in the pH range from 5 to 8 and the asparaginase from Aspergillus niger LBA 02 was stable in a more alkaline pH range. About the kinetic parameters, the denaturation constant increased with the heating temperature for all l-asparaginases, indicating that the l-asparaginase activity decreased at higher temperatures, especially above 60 °C. Moreover, l-asparaginase from A. oryzae CCT 3940 remained stable after 60 min at 50 °C. None of the l-asparaginases were inhibited by high NaCl concentrations, which are highly desirable for food industry application. The catalytic activities of all the l-asparaginases were enhanced by the presence of Mn²⁺ and inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate and iodoacetamide. The l-asparaginase from the Aspergillus strains and the commercial enzyme had similar K _m when l-asparagine was used as substrate. None of the l-asparaginases, except the l-asparaginase from A. niger LBA 02, could hydrolyze the substrate l-glutamine, which is of interest for medical proposes, since the glutaminase activity is usually related to adverse reaction during the leukemia treatment. This study showed that these new three non-recombinant l-asparaginases studied have potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industries, especially due to their good thermostability.

Optimized chromogenic dyes-based identification and quantitative evaluation of bacterial l-asparaginase with low/no glutaminase activity bioprospected from pristine niches in Indian trans-Himalaya

Here, we report on the isolation of bacterial isolates from Himalayan niches, which produced extracellular l-asparaginase with low/no glutaminase activity. From the 235 isolates, 85 asparaginase positive bacterial isolates were identified by qualitative screening using optimized chromogenic dyes assay. Optimized concentration of different dyes revealed maximum color visualization in phenol red (0.003%). The diversity analysis of asparaginase positive isolates revealed that Proteobacteria (83%) are the most dominant, followed by Actinobacteria (12%), Firmicutes (3%), and Bacteriodetes (2%). Eleven isolates, which represented seven Pseudomonas species, one species each of the genus Arthrobacter, Janthinobacterium, Lelliottia, and Rahnella, were selected for further studies based on highest zone ratio and novel aspects for l-asparaginase production. Of these, five isolates, namely, Pseudomonas sp. PCH133, Pseudomonas sp. PCH146, Pseudomonas sp. PCH182, Rahnella sp. PCH162, and Arthrobacter sp. PCH138, produced l-asparaginase without glutaminase activity after 55 h of growth with the former isolate showing the highest l-asparaginase activity (1.67 U/ml). Interestingly, this is the first report of l-asparaginase production by members of the genera Janthinobacterium, Rahnella, and Lelliottia.

Concentrating of Sugar Syrup in Bioethanol Production Using Sweeping Gas Membrane Distillation

Membrane distillation (MD) is a relatively new and underdeveloped separation process which can be classified as a green technology. However, in order to investigate its dark points, sensitivity analysis and optimization studies are critical. In this work, a number of MD experiments were performed for concentrating glucose syrup using a sweeping gas membrane distillation (SGMD) process as a critical step in bioethanol production. The experimental design method was the Taguchi orthogonal array (an L₉ orthogonal one) methodology. The experimental results showed the effects of various operating variables, including temperature (45, 55, and 65 °C), flow rate (200, 400, and 600 ml/min) and glucose concentration (10, 30, and 50 g/l) of the feed stream, as well as sweeping gas flow rate (4, 10, and 16 standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH)) on the permeate flux. The main effects of the operating variables were reported. An ANOVA analysis showed that the most and the least influenced variables were feed temperature and feed flow rate, each one with 62.1% and 6.1% contributions, respectively. The glucose rejection was measured at 99% for all experiments. Results indicated that the SGMD process could be considered as a versatile and clean process in the sugar concentration step of the bioethanol production.

Recombinant l-Asparaginase II from Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei ATCC 393 and Its Anticancer Activity

l-asparaginases from bacterial origin are employed extensively in leukemic treatment and food industry. The present study focuses on the characterization of the recombinant l-asparaginase II from Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei ATCC 393 cloned into Escherichia coli expression system and purified using Ni-NTA chromatography. The recombinant l-asparaginase as a monomer had a molecular weight of 35 kDa. The enzyme was active from 10 to 80 °C with the optimum at 40 °C. The enzyme retained its activity at 28 °C and 37 °C up to 24 h. The enzyme had optimum pH of 6 and retained 50% activity till 18 h. The K_m of the recombinant enzyme was 0.01235 mM and V_max 1.576 mM/min. The half life of recombinant l-asparaginase II in human serum was 44 h and trypsin was for 15 min. The LC-MS/MS analysis revealed the molecular weight of 35,050 and pI of 5.64. The secondary structure prediction using CD spectroscopy for the recombinant enzyme showed 33.5% α-helix, 66.5% turn and 0% β sheets. The cytotoxicity of the recombinant enzyme was analysed against MOLT 3, Jurkat E6.1 and K-562 with the IC 50 value of 30, 62.5 and 50 µg/ml.

Experimental and bioinformatics study for production of L-asparaginase from Bacillus licheniformis: a promising enzyme for medical application

A Bacillus licheniformis isolate with high l-asparaginase productivity was recovered upon screening two hundred soil samples. This isolate produces the two types of bacterial l-asparaginases, the intracellular type I and the extracellular type II. The catalytic activity of type II enzyme was much higher than that of type I and reached about 5.5 IU/ml/h. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that l-asparaginases of Bacillus licheniformis is clustered with those of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus haloterans, Bacillus mojavensis and Bacillus tequilensis while it exhibits distant relatedness to l-asparaginases of other Bacillus subtilis species as well as to those of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus velezensis species. Upon comparison of Bacillus licheniformisl-asparaginase to those of the two FDA approved l-asparaginases of E. coli (marketed as Elspar) and Erwinia chrysanthemi (marketed as Erwinaze), it observed in a cluster distinct from- and with validly predicted antigenic regions number comparable to those of the two mentioned reference strains. It exhibited maximum activity at 40 °C, pH 8.6, 40 mM asparagine, 10 mM zinc sulphate and could withstand 500 mM NaCl and retain 70% of its activity at 70 °C for 30 min exposure time. Isolate enzyme productivity was improved by gamma irradiation and optimized by RSM experimental design (Box–Behnken central composite design). The optimum conditions for maximum l-asparaginase production by the improved mutant were 39.57 °C, 7.39 pH, 20.74 h, 196.40 rpm, 0.5% glucose, 0.1% ammonium chloride, and 10 mM magnesium sulphate. Taken together, Bacillus licheniformisl-asparaginase can be considered as a promising candidate for clinical application as antileukemic agent.

Genotoxic activity of L-asparaginase produced by Streptomyces ansochromogenes UFPEDA 3420

L-asparaginase is an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the substrate asparagine in aspartic acid and ammonia. Due to this mechanism of action observed, L-asparaginase is widely used in the treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, since these cells use asparagine for their survival. Because it is frequently used as an antineoplastic, it is necessary to evaluate its genotoxic effects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate cellular DNA damage after exposure to L-asparaginase produced by Streptomyces ansochromogenes UFPEDA 3420. NCIH-292, MCF-7 and MOLT-4 neoplastic cell lines and normal PBMC cells were used. L-Asparaginase used in this study was produced by actinobacteria S. ansochromogenes UFPEDA 3420, isolated and purified by chromatographic methods. L-Asparaginase induced micronucleus formation in PBMC cells and tumor lines when compared to the negative control. These data suggest that L-Asp appears to have a genotoxic effect very close to the positive control in normal cells (p < 0.05). The level of genomic damage measured by DNA breaks in alkaline SCGE assay was detected from the lowest concentration (12.5 µg/mL) to the highest concentration (50 µg/mL) for tumor cell lines and PBMC. In view of the above, new genotoxic studies will be carried out to better elucidate L-Asparaginase and its mutagenic potential, still unknown, enough for this drug to be safely used in conventional antineoplastic therapies.

Development of L-Asparaginase Biobetters: Current Research Status and Review of the Desirable Quality Profiles

L-Asparaginase (ASNase) is a vital component of the first line treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), an aggressive type of blood cancer expected to afflict over 53,000 people worldwide by 2020. More recently, ASNase has also been shown to have potential for preventing metastasis from solid tumors. The ASNase treatment is, however, characterized by a plethora of potential side effects, ranging from immune reactions to severe toxicity. Consequently, in accordance with Quality-by-Design (QbD) principles, ingenious new products tailored to minimize adverse reactions while increasing patient survival have been devised. In the following pages, the reader is invited for a brief discussion on the most recent developments in this field. Firstly, the review presents an outline of the recent improvements on the manufacturing and formulation processes, which can severely influence important aspects of the product quality profile, such as contamination, aggregation and enzymatic activity. Following, the most recent advances in protein engineering applied to the development of biobetter ASNases (i.e., with reduced glutaminase activity, proteolysis resistant and less immunogenic) using techniques such as site-directed mutagenesis, molecular dynamics, PEGylation, PASylation and bioconjugation are discussed. Afterwards, the attention is shifted toward nanomedicine including technologies such as encapsulation and immobilization, which aim at improving ASNase pharmacokinetics. Besides discussing the results of the most innovative and representative academic research, the review provides an overview of the products already available on the market or in the latest stages of development. With this, the review is intended to provide a solid background for the current product development and underpin the discussions on the target quality profile of future ASNase-based pharmaceuticals.

Thiol-maleimide poly(ethylene glycol) crosslinking of L-asparaginase subunits at recombinant cysteine residues introduced by mutagenesis

L-Asparaginase is an enzyme successfully being used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. However, some disadvantages still limit its full application potential, e.g., allergic reactions, pancreatitis, and blood clotting impairment. Therefore, much effort has been directed at improving its performance. A popular strategy is to randomly conjugate L-asparaginase with mono-methoxy polyethylene glycol, which became a commercial FDA approved formulation widely used in recent years. To improve this formulation by PEGylation, herein we performed cysteine-directed conjugation of the L-asparaginase subunits to prevent dissociation-induced loss of activity. The recombinant cysteine conjugation sites were introduced by mutagenesis at surface-exposed positions on the protein to avoid affecting the catalytic activity. Three conjugates were obtained using different linear PEGs of 1000, 2000, and 5000 g/mol, with physical properties ranging from a semi-solid gel to a fully soluble state. The soluble-conjugate exhibited higher catalytic activity than the non-conjugated mutant, and the same activity than the native enzyme. The cysteine-directed crosslinking of the L-asparaginase subunits produced a higher molecular weight conjugate compared to the native tetrameric enzyme. This strategy might improve L-asparaginase efficiency for leukemia treatment by reducing glomerular filtration due to the increase in hydrodynamic size thus extending half-live, while at the same time retaining full catalytic activity.

In silico characterization of a cyanobacterial plant-type isoaspartyl aminopeptidase/asparaginase

Asparaginases are found in a range of organisms, although those found in cyanobacteria have been little studied, in spite of their great potential for biotechnological application. This study therefore sought to characterize the molecular structure of an L-asparaginase from the cyanobacterium Limnothrix sp. CACIAM 69d, which was isolated from a freshwater Amazonian environment. After homology modeling, model validation was performed using a Ramachandran plot, VERIFY3D, and the RMSD. We also performed molecular docking and dynamics simulations based on binding free-energy analysis. Structural alignment revealed homology with the isoaspartyl peptidase/asparaginase (EcAIII) from Escherichia coli. When compared to the template, our model showed full conservation of the catalytic site. In silico simulations confirmed the interaction of cyanobacterial isoaspartyl peptidase/asparaginase with its substrate, β-Asp-Leu dipeptide. We also observed that the residues Thr154, Thr187, Gly207, Asp218, and Gly237 were fundamental to protein-ligand complexation. Overall, our results suggest that L-asparaginase from Limnothrix sp. CACIAM 669d has similar properties to E. coli EcAIII asparaginase. Our study opens up new perspectives for the biotechnological exploitation of cyanobacterial asparaginases.

Applications of Microbial Enzymes in Food Industry

The use of enzymes or microorganisms in food preparations is an age-old process. With the advancement of technology, novel enzymes with wide range of applications and specificity have been developed and new application areas are still being explored. Microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and fungi and their enzymes are widely used in several food preparations for improving the taste and texture and they offer huge economic benefits to industries. Microbial enzymes are the preferred source to plants or animals due to several advantages such as easy, cost-effective and consistent production. The present review discusses the recent advancement in enzyme technology for food industries. A comprehensive list of enzymes used in food processing, the microbial source of these enzymes and the wide range of their application are discussed.

Biotechnological production and practical application of L-asparaginase enzyme

L-asparaginase is a vital enzyme of medical importance, and renowned as a chemotherapeutic agent. The relevance of this enzyme is not only limited as an anti-cancer agent, it also possesses a wide range of medical application. The application includes the antimicrobial property, treatment of infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, canine and feline cancer. Apart from the health care industry, its significance is also established in the food sector as a food processing agent to reduce the acrylamide concentration. L-asparaginase is known to be produced from various bacterial, fungal and plant sources. However, there is a huge market demand due to its wide range of application. Therefore, the industry is still in the search of better-producing source in terms of high yield and low immunogenicity. It can be produced by both submerged and solid state fermentation, and each fermentation process has its own merits and demerits. This review paper focuses on its improved production strategy by adopting statistical experimental optimization techniques, development of recombinant strains, through mutagenesis and nanoparticle immobilization, adopting advanced and cost-effective purification techniques. Available research literature proves the competence and therapeutic potential of this enzyme. Therefore, research orientation toward the exploration of this clinical significant enzyme has to be accelerated. The objectives of this review are to discuss the high yielding sources, current production strategies, improvement of production, effective downstream processing and therapeutic application of L-asparaginase.

Expression and purification of L-asparaginase from Escherichia coli and the inhibitory effects of cyclic dipeptides

L-asparaginase, a key enzyme involved in nitrogen metabolism, is an effective anti-tumour agent. Cyclic dipeptides, a group of compounds, contain several important biological functions. In this paper, we proposed a novel method for L-asparaginase expression and purification from Echerichia coli and determined the effect of cyclic dipeptides on the enzymatic activity of recombinant L-asparaginase. The gene ansB encoding L-asparaginase was amplified from the genome of E. coli BL21 (DE3) by polymerase chain reaction and sub-cloned into pET-15b vector to construct expressing plasmid pET-15b-ansB. The expression of recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography using a nickel resin followed by anion exchange chromatography. The purity and quality of the recombinant L-asparaginase were optimised. The results indicated that km for the recombinant L-asparaginase was 3.02 × 10^-4 mol/L. Both cyclo-(Pro-Tyr) and cyclo-(Pro-Phe) could inhibit the activity of recombinant L-asparaginase at the level of 10^-5 mol/L.

In vitro screening and in silico validation revealed key microbes for higher production of significant therapeutic enzyme l-asparaginase

l-asparaginase is an enzyme of medical prominence and reputable as a chemotherapeutic agent. It also has immense potential to cure autoimmune and infectious diseases. The vast application of this enzyme in healthcare sector increases its market demand. However, presently the huge market demand is not achieved completely. This serves the basis to explore better producer microbial strains to bridge the gap between huge demand and supply of this therapeutic enzyme. The present study deals with the successful screening of potent microorganisms producing l-asparaginase. 47 microorganisms were screened including bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. Among all, Penicillium lilacinum showed the highest enzyme activity i.e., 39.67 IU/ml. Shigella flexneri has 23.21 IU/ml of enzyme activity (highest among all the bacterial strain tested). Further, the 3-D structure of l-asparaginase from higher producer strains was developed and validated in silico for its activity. l-asparagine (substrate for l-asparaginase) was docked inside the binding pocket of P. lilacinum and S. flexneri. Docking score for the most common substrate l-asparagine is -6.188 (P. lilacinum), -5.576 (S. flexneri) which is quite good. Moreover, the chemical property of the binding pocket revealed that amino acid residues Phe 243, Gln 260, Gly 365, Asp 386 in P. lilacinum and residues Asp 181, Thr 318, Asn 320 in S. flexneri have an important role in H-bonding. The in silico results supports and strengthen the wet lab results. The outcome obtained motivates to take the present study result from lab to industry for the economic/massive production of this enzyme for the diverse therapeutic application.