Enzymatic conversion of the unnatural tripeptide delta-(D-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine to beta-lactam antibiotics

Roles of 2-oxoglutarate oxygenases and isopenicillin N synthase in β-lactam biosynthesis

Covering: up to 2017 2-Oxoglutarate (2OG) dependent oxygenases and the homologous oxidase isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS) play crucial roles in the biosynthesis of β-lactam ring containing natural products. IPNS catalyses formation of the bicyclic penicillin nucleus from a tripeptide. 2OG oxygenases catalyse reactions that diversify the chemistry of β-lactams formed by both IPNS and non-oxidative enzymes. Reactions catalysed by the 2OG oxygenases of β-lactam biosynthesis not only involve their typical hydroxylation reactions, but also desaturation, epimerisation, rearrangement, and ring-forming reactions. Some of the enzymes involved in β-lactam biosynthesis exhibit remarkable substrate and product selectivities. We review the roles of 2OG oxygenases and IPNS in β-lactam biosynthesis, highlighting opportunities for application of knowledge of their roles, structures, and mechanisms.

Involvement of nitrogen-containing compounds in beta-lactam biosynthesis and its control

Biosynthesis of beta-lactam antibiotics by fungi and actinomycetes is markedly affected by compounds containing nitrogen. The different processes employed by the spectrum of microbes capable of making these valuable compounds are affected differently by particular compounds. Ammonium ions, except at very low concentrations, exert negative effects via nitrogen metabolite repression, sometimes involving the nitrogen regulatory gene nre. Certain amino acids are precursors or inducers, whereas others are involved in repression and, in certain cases, as inhibitors of biosynthetic enzymes and of enzymes supplying precursors. The most important amino acids from the viewpoint of regulation are lysine, methionine, glutamate and valine. Surprisingly, diamines such as diaminopropane, putrescine and cadaverine induce cephamycin production by actinomycetes. In addition to penicillins and cephalosporins made by fungi and cephamycins made by actinomycetes, other beta-lactams are made by actinomycetes and unicellular bacteria. These include clavams (e.g., clavulanic acid), carbapenems (e.g., thienamycin), nocardicins and monobactams. Here also, amino acids are precursors and inhibitors, but only little is known about regulation. In the case of the simplest carbapenem made by unicellular bacteria, i.e., 1-carba-2-em-3-carboxylic acid, quorum sensors containing homoserine lactone are inducers.

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of isopenicillin N synthetase genes from Streptomyces lipmanii and Aspergillus nidulans

beta-Lactam antibiotics such as penicillins and cephalosporins are synthesized by a wide variety of microbes, including procaryotes and eucaryotes. Isopenicillin N synthetase catalyzes a key reaction in the biosynthetic pathway of penicillins and cephalosporins. The genes encoding this protein have previously been cloned from the filamentous fungi Cephalosporium acremonium and Penicillium chrysogenum and characterized. We have extended our analysis to the isopenicillin N synthetase genes from the fungus Aspergillus nidulans and the gram-positive procaryote Streptomyces lipmanii. The isopenicillin N synthetase genes from these organisms have been cloned and sequenced, and the proteins encoded by the open reading frames were expressed in Escherichia coli. Active isopenicillin N synthetase enzyme was recovered from extracts of E. coli cells prepared from cells containing each of the genes in expression vectors. The four isopenicillin N synthetase genes studied are closely related. Pairwise comparison of the DNA sequences showed between 62.5 and 75.7% identity; comparison of the predicted amino acid sequences showed between 53.9 and 80.6% identity. The close homology of the procaryotic and eucaryotic isopenicillin N synthetase genes suggests horizontal transfer of the genes during evolution.

Cloning and expression of the isopenicillin N synthetase gene from Penicillium chrysogenum

The isopenicillin N synthetase (IPS) gene from Penicillium chrysogenum was isolated from a recombinant bacteriophage lambda library using the Cephalosporium acremonium IPS (cIPS) gene as a heterologous hybridization probe. The protein coding region of the P. chrysogenum IPS (pIPS) gene was about 74% homologous to the cIPS gene, and the predicted amino acid sequences of the encoded proteins were about 73% homologous. Escherichia coli cells with the pIPS gene contained IPS activity whereas untransformed cells were completely devoid of this enzymatic activity. The transformed cells were also shown to contain an abundant protein accounting for about 10% of total cell protein which reacted strongly with anti-cIPS antiserum.

Isolation, sequence determination and expression in Escherichia coli of the isopenicillin N synthetase gene from Cephalosporium acremonium

The enzyme isopenicillin N synthetase (IPS) catalyses the oxidative condensation of delta-(L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine (LLD-ACV) to isopenicillin N, which is a central reaction in the pathway to clinically important penicillins and cephalosporins. Here we report the cloning, characterization and expression in Escherichia coli of the gene encoding the IPS protein in Cephalosporium acremonium. The IPS gene was identified by purifying IPS protein, determining the first 23 amino-terminal amino acids, preparing a set of synthetic oligonucleotides encoding a portion of the determined amino-acid sequence, and probing a cosmid genome library with the mixed oligonucleotides. A cosmid hybridizing with the probe was isolated and the IPS gene was localized and sequenced. The IPS gene encodes a polypeptide of relative molecular mass (Mr) 38,416. When this open reading frame was cloned into an E. coli expression vector and inserted into E. coli, the recombinant E. coli produced a new protein co-migrating with authentic IPS as the major protein of the cell (approximately 20% of cell protein). Crude cell extracts condensed LLD-ACV to a penicillinase-sensitive molecule whose antibacterial activity indicated that it was isopenicillin N.