Electrostatic Ratchet for Successive Peptide Synthesis in Nonribosomal Molecular Machine RimK

A nonribosomal peptide-synthesizing molecular machine, RimK, adds l-glutamic acids to the C-terminus of ribosomal protein S6 (RpsF) in vivo and synthesizes poly-α-glutamates in vitro. However, the mechanism of the successive glutamate addition, which is fueled by ATP, remains unclear. Here, we investigate the successive peptide-synthesizing mechanism of RimK via the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of glutamate binding. We first show that RimK adopts three stable structural states with respect to the ATP-binding loop and the triphosphate chain of the bound ATP. We then show that a glutamate in solution preferentially binds to a positively charged belt-like region of RimK and the bound glutamate exhibits Brownian motion along the belt. The binding-energy landscape shows that the open-to-closed transition of the ATP-binding loop and the bent-to-straight transition of the triphosphate chain of ATP can function as an electrostatic ratchet that guides the bound glutamate to the active site. We then show the binding site of the second glutamate, which allows us to infer the ligation mechanism. Consistent with MD results, the crystal structure of RimK we obtained in the presence of RpsF presents an electron density that is presumed to correspond to the C-terminus of RpsF. We finally propose a mechanism for the successive peptide synthesis by RimK and discuss its similarity to other molecular machines.

Improving the enzymatic activity of l-amino acid α-ligase for imidazole dipeptide production by site-directed mutagenesis

Imidazole dipeptides, histidine-containing dipeptides, including carnosine (β-alanyl-l-histidine), anserine (β-alanyl-3-methyl-l-histidine), and balenine (β-alanyl-1-methyl-l-histidine) in animal muscles have physiological functions, such as significant antioxidant and antifatigue effects. They are obtained by extraction from natural raw materials, including chicken and fish meat. However, using natural raw materials entails stable supply and mass production limitations. l-amino acid α-ligase (Lal) catalyzes the formation of various dipeptides from unprotected l-amino acids by conjugating with adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis reaction. In this study, site-directed mutagenesis of Lal was applied to establish an efficient method for producing imidazole dipeptides by the enzymatic process. We significantly improved the conversion rate from substrate amino acids compared with wild-type Lal.

One-pot synthesis of 2,5-diketopiperazine with high titer and versatility using adenylation enzyme

2,5-Diketopiperazine (DKP) is a cyclic peptide composed of two amino acids and has been recently reported to exhibit various biological activities. DKPs have been synthesized using various methods. In chemical synthesis, a multi-step reaction requiring purification and racemization is problematic. Although enzymatic synthesis can overcome these problems, there has been no example of a general-purpose synthesis of DKPs with high titers. Therefore, we propose a chemoenzymatic method that can synthesize DKPs in a general-purpose manner with high efficiency under mild conditions. The adenylation domain of tyrocidine synthetase A (TycA-A) catalyzes the adenylation reaction of amino acids, and various amides can be synthesized by a nucleophilic substitution reaction with any amine. On the other hand, DKPs can be produced via intramolecular cyclization reactions from dipeptide esters. Based on these observations, we expected a one-pot synthesis of DKPs via dipeptide ester synthesis by TycA-A and cyclization reactions. This method enabled the synthesis of more than 128 types of DKPs without racemization. Importantly, the intramolecular cyclization reaction proceeded largely depending on the pH. In particular, the cyclization reaction proceeded well in the pH range of 6.5-9.5. Based on these results, we constructed a bioreactor with pH-stat for purified enzyme reaction; cyclo(L-Trp-L-Pro) was produced at 4.07 mM by controlling the reaction pH over time using this reactor. The DKPs obtained using this method will provide deeper insights into their structures and functions in future studies. KEY POINTS: • Adenylation enzyme enabled one-pot synthesis of arbitrary 2,5-diketopiperazine. • Little or no racemization occurred during 2,5-diketopiperazine synthesis. • Bioreactor with pH-stat for purified enzymes improved the reaction rate.

Screening and characterization of a novel reversible 4-hydroxyisophthalic acid decarboxylase from Cystobasidium slooffiae HTK3

Owing to carboxylation activity, reversible decarboxylases can use CO2 as a C1-building block to produce useful carboxylic acids. Although many reversible decarboxylases can synthesize aromatic monocarboxylic acids, only a few reversible decarboxylases have been reported to date that catalyze the synthesis of aromatic dicarboxylic acids. In the present study, a reversible 4-hydroxyisophthalic acid decarboxylase was identified in Cystobasidium slooffiae HTK3. Furthermore, recombinant 4-hydroxyisophthalic acid decarboxylase was prepared, characterized, and used for 4-hydroxyisophthalic acid production from 4-hydroxybenzoic acid.

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid production from furfural by sequential biocatalytic reactions

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a valuable compound that can be synthesized from biomass-derived hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and holds great potential as a promising replacement for petroleum-based terephthalic acid in the production of polyamides, polyesters, and polyurethanes used universally. However, an economical large-scale production strategy for HMF from lignocellulosic biomass is yet to be established. This study aimed to design a synthetic pathway that can yield FDCA from furfural, whose industrial production from lignocellulosic biomass has already been established. This artificial pathway consists of an oxidase and a prenylated flavin mononucleotide (prFMN)-dependent reversible decarboxylase, catalyzing furfural oxidation and carboxylation of 2-furoic acid, respectively. The prFMN-dependent reversible decarboxylase was identified in an isolated strain, Paraburkholderia fungorum KK1, whereas an HMF oxidase from Methylovorus sp. MP688 exhibited furfural oxidation activity and was used as a furfural oxidase. Using Escherichia coli cells coexpressing these proteins, as well as a flavin prenyltransferase, FDCA could be produced from furfural via 2-furoic acid in one pot.

Efficient and long-term vanillin production from 4-vinylguaiacol using immobilized whole cells expressing Cso2 protein

Vanillin is a well-known fragrant, flavoring compound. Previously, we established a method of coenzyme-independent vanillin production via an oxygenase from Caulobacter segnis ATCC 21756, called Cso2, that converts 4-vinylguaiacol to vanillin and formaldehyde using oxygen. In this study, we found that reactive oxygen species inhibited the catalytic activity of Cso2, and the addition of catalase increased vanillin production. Since Escherichia coli harbors catalases, we used E. coli cells expressing Cso2 to produce vanillin. Cell immobilization in calcium alginate enabled the long-term use of the E. coli cells for vanillin production. Thus, we demonstrate the possibility of using immobilized E. coli cells for both continuous and repeated batch vanillin production without any coenzymes.

Enzymatic reactions and microorganisms producing the various isomers of hydroxyproline

Hydroxyproline is an industrially important compound with applications in the pharmaceutical, nutrition, and cosmetic industries. trans-4-Hydroxy-L-proline is recognized as the most abundant of the eight possible isomers (hydroxy group at C-3 or C-4, cis- or trans-configuration, and L- or D-form). However, little attention has been paid to the rare isomers, probably due to their limited availability. This mini-review provides an overview of recent advances in microbial and enzymatic processes to develop practical production strategies for various hydroxyprolines. Here, we introduce three screening strategies, namely, activity-, sequence-, and metabolite-based approaches, allowing identification of diverse proline-hydroxylating enzymes with different product specificities. All naturally occurring hydroxyproline isomers can be produced by using suitable hydroxylases in a highly regio- and stereo-selective manner. Furthermore, crystal structures of relevant hydroxylases provide much insight into their functional roles. Since hydroxylases acting on free L-proline belong to the 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily, cellular metabolism of Escherichia coli coupled with a hydroxylase is a valuable source of 2-oxoglutarate, which is indispensable as a co-substrate in L-proline hydroxylation. Further, microbial hydroxyproline 2-epimerase may serve as a highly adaptable tool to convert L-hydroxyproline into D-hydroxyproline. KEY POINTS: • Proline hydroxylases serve as powerful tools for selectivel-proline hydroxylation. • Engineered Escherichia coli are a robust platform for hydroxyproline production. • Hydroxyproline epimerase convertsl-hydroxyproline intod-hydroxyproline.

Chemoenzymatic oxygenation method for sesquiterpenoid synthesis based on Fe-chelate and ferric-chelate reductase

Sesquiterpenoids are one of the most diverse groups in natural compounds with various chemical structures and bioactivities. In our previous work, we developed the chemoenzymatic oxygenation method based on the combination of Fe(II)-EDTA and ferric-chelate reductase that could synthesize (-)-rotundone, a key aroma sesquiterpenoid of black pepper. Fe(II)-EDTA catalyzed the oxygenation of sesquiterpene to sesquiterpenoid, and ferric-chelate reductase catalyzed the supply and regeneration of Fe(II)-EDTA in this system. We then investigated the effect of various Fe²⁺-chelates on the catalytic oxygenation of sesquiterpene and applied this system to the synthesis of odor sesquiterpenoids. We determined Fe(II)-NTA to be an efficient oxygenation catalyst by the screening approach focusing on ligand structures and coordination atoms of Fe²⁺-chelates. Valuable odor sesquiterpenoids such as (+)-nootkatone, (-)-isolongifolenone, and (-)-β-caryophyllene oxide were oxygenatively synthesized from each precursor sesquiterpene by 66%, 82%, and 67% of the molar conversion rate, respectively.Abbreviations: EDTA: ethylenediaminetetraacetate; NTA: nitrilotriacetate; DTPA: diethylenetriaminepentaacetate; phen: o-phenanthroline; cyclam: 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane; TPA: tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine; GlcDH: glucose dehydrogenase; HP-β-CD: hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin.

Development of a synthesis method for odor sesquiterpenoid, (−)-rotundone, using non-heme Fe2+-chelate catalyst and ferric-chelate reductase

(−)-Rotundone, a sesquiterpenoid that has a characteristic woody and peppery odor, is a key aroma component of spicy foodstuffs, such as black pepper and Australian Shiraz wine. (−)-Rotundone shows the lowest level of odor threshold in natural compounds and remarkably improves the quality of various fruit flavors. To develop a method for the synthesis of (−)-rotundone, we focused on non-heme Fe2+-chelates, which are biomimetic catalysts of the active center of oxygenases and enzymatic supply and regeneration of those catalysts. That is, we constructed a unique combination system composed of the oxidative synthesis of (−)-rotundone using the non-heme Fe2+-chelate catalyst, Fe(II)-EDTA, and the enzymatic supply and regeneration of Fe2+-chelate by ferric-chelate reductase, YqjH, from Escherichia coli. In addition, we improved the yield of (−)-rotundone by the application of cyclodextrin and glucose dehydrogenase to this system, and thus established a platform for efficient (−)-rotundone production.

Ectoine hydroxylase displays selective trans-3-hydroxylation activity towards L-proline

L-Hydroxyproline (Hyp) is a valuable intermediate for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals; consequently, a practical process for its production has been in high demand. To date, industrial processes have been developed by using L-Pro hydroxylases. However, a process for the synthesis of trans-3-Hyp has not yet been established, because of the lack of highly selective enzymes that can convert L-Pro to trans-3-Hyp. The present study was designed to develop a biocatalytic trans-3-Hyp production process. We speculated that ectoine hydroxylase (EctD), which is involved in the hydroxylation of the known compatible solute ectoine, may possess the ability to hydroxylate L-Pro, since the structures of ectoine and 5-hydroxyectoine resemble those of L-Pro and trans-3-Hyp, respectively. Consequently, we discovered that ectoine hydroxylases from Halomonas elongata, as well as some actinobacteria, catalyzed L-Pro hydroxylation to form trans-3-Hyp. Of these, ectoine hydroxylase from Streptomyces cattleya also utilized 3,4-dehydro-L-Pro, 2-methyl-L-Pro, and L-pipecolic acid as substrates. In the whole-cell bioconversion of L-Pro into trans-3-Hyp using Escherichia coli expressing the ectD gene from S. cattleya, only 12.4 mM trans-3-Hyp was produced from 30 mM L-Pro, suggesting a rapid depletion of 2-oxoglutarate, an essential component of enzyme activity as a cosubstrate, in the host. Therefore, the endogenous 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase gene was deleted. Using this deletion mutant as the host, trans-3-Hyp production was enhanced up to 26.8 mM from 30 mM L-Pro, with minimal loss of 2-oxoglutarate. This finding is not only beneficial for trans-3-Hyp production, but also for other E. coli bioconversion processes involving 2-oxoglutarate-utilizing enzymes.

Isolation and characterization of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria capable of producing piceatannol from resveratrol

Piceatannol is a valuable natural polyphenol with therapeutic potential in cardiovascular and metabolic disease treatment. In this study, we screened for microorganisms capable of producing piceatannol from resveratrol via regioselective hydroxylation. In the first screening, we isolated microorganisms utilizing resveratrol, phenol, or 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid as a carbon source for growth. In the second screening, we assayed the isolated microorganisms for hydroxylation of resveratrol. Using this screening procedure, a variety of resveratrol-converting microorganisms were obtained. One Gram-negative bacterium, Ensifer sp. KSH1, and one Gram-positive bacterium, Arthrobacter sp. KSH3, utilized 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid as a carbon source for growth and efficiently hydroxylated resveratrol to piceatannol without producing any detectable by-products. The hydroxylation activity of strains KSH1 and KSH3 was strongly induced by cultivation with 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid as a carbon source during stationary growth phase. Using the 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid-induced cells as a biocatalyst under optimal conditions, production of piceatannol by strains KSH1 and KSH3 reached 3.6 mM (0.88 g/L) and 2.6 mM (0.64 g/L), respectively. We also cloned genes homologous to the monooxygenase gene hpaBC from strains KSH1 and KSH3. Introduction of either hpaBC homolog into Escherichia coli endowed the host with resveratrol-hydroxylating activity.

Structural polymorphism of the Escherichia coli poly-α-L-glutamate synthetase RimK

Bacterial RimK is an enzyme that catalyzes the polyglutamylation of the C-terminus of ribosomal protein S6 and the synthesis of poly-α-L-glutamate peptides using L-glutamic acid. In the present study, the crystal structure of the Escherichia coli RimK protein complexed with the ATP analogue AMP-PNP was determined at 2.05 Å resolution. Two different conformations of RimK, closed and open forms, were observed in the crystals. The structural polymorphism revealed in this study provided important information to understand the mechanism by which RimK catalyzes the synthesis of poly-α-L-glutamate peptides and the polyglutamylation of ribosomal protein S6.

A chemoenzymatic process for amide bond formation by an adenylating enzyme-mediated mechanism

Amide bond formation serves as a fundamental reaction in chemistry, and is practically useful for the synthesis of peptides, food additives, and polymers. However, current methods for amide bond formation essentially generate wastes and suffer from poor atom economy under harsh conditions. To solve these issues, we demonstrated an alternative synthesis method for diverse tryptophyl-N-alkylamides by the combination of the first adenylation domain of tyrocidine synthetase 1 with primary or secondary amines as nucleophiles. Moreover, the physiological role of this domain is l-phenylalanine adenylation; however, we revealed that it displayed broad substrate flexibility from mono-substituted tryptophan analogues to even d-tryptophan. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence for an adenylating enzyme-mediated direct amide bond formation via a sequential enzymatic activation of amino acids followed by nucleophilic substitution by general amines. These findings facilitate the design of a promising tool for biocatalytic straightforward amide bond formation with less side products.

Production of aminoacyl prolines using the adenylation domain of nonribosomal peptide synthetase with class III polyphosphate kinase 2-mediated ATP regeneration

An ATP regeneration system is advantageous for industrial processes that are coupled with ATP-dependent enzymes. For ATP regeneration from AMP, a few methods have been reported; however, these methods employ multiple enzymes. To establish an ATP regeneration system using a single enzyme, we focused on class III polyphosphate kinase 2 (class III PPK2) that can synthesize ATP from AMP and polyphosphate. We constructed an ATP regeneration system from AMP using Deipr_1912, a class III PPK2 from Deinococcus proteolyticus NBRC 101906^T, coupled with aminoacyl proline (Xaa-Pro) synthesis catalyzed by the adenylation domain of tyrocidine synthetase A (TycA-A). Using this system, 0.87 mM of l-Trp-l-Pro was successfully synthesized from AMP after 72 h. Farther, addition of inorganic pyrophosphatase from Escherichia coli to the coupling reaction increased the reaction rate by 14-fold to yield 6.2 mM l-Trp-l-Pro. When the coupling reaction was applied to whole-cell reactions in E. coli BL21(DE3) pepQ^-putA^-, ATP was successfully regenerated from AMP by Deipr_1912, and 6.7 mM of l-Trp-l-Pro was produced after 24 h with the supplementation of 10 mM AMP. In addition, by altering the substrate amino acid of TycA-A, not only l-Trp-l-Pro, but also various other l-Xaa-l-Pro (Xaa = Val, Leu, Met, or Tyr) were produced using the whole-cell reaction incorporating ATP regeneration. Therefore, a production method for Xaa-Pro employing the adenylation domain of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase was established by introducing an ATP regeneration system that utilizes class III PPK2 with pyrophosphatase.

Interference Effect between ϕ and Λ(1520) Production Channels in the γp→K^{+}K^{-}p Reaction near Threshold

The ϕ-Λ(1520) interference effect in the γp→K^{+}K^{-}p reaction has been measured for the first time in the energy range from 1.673 to 2.173 GeV. The relative phases between ϕ and Λ(1520) production amplitudes were obtained in the kinematic region where the two resonances overlap. The measurement results support strong constructive interference when K^{+}K^{-} pairs are observed at forward angles but destructive interference for proton emission at forward angles. Furthermore, the observed interference effect does not account for the sqrt[s]=2.1  GeV bump structure in forward differential cross sections for ϕ photoproduction. This fact suggests possible exotic structures such as a hidden-strangeness pentaquark state, a new Pomeron exchange, or rescattering processes via other hyperon states.

Effective production of Pro-Gly by mutagenesis of l-amino acid ligase

l-Amino acid ligase (Lal) catalyzes dipeptide synthesis from unprotected l-amino acids by hydrolysis ATP to ADP. Each Lal displays unique substrate specificity, and many different dipeptides can be synthesized by selecting suitable Lal. We have already successfully synthesized Met-Gly selectively by replacing the Pro85 residues of Lal from Bacillus licheniformis (BL00235). From these results, we deduced that the amino acid residue at position 85 had a key role in enzyme activity, and applied these findings to other Lals. When Pro and Gly were used as substrates, TabS from Pseudomonas syringae, synthesized the salt taste enhancing dipeptide Pro-Gly and other three dipeptides (Gly-Pro, Pro-Pro, and Gly-Gly) was hardly synthesized from its substrate specificity. However, the amount of Pro-Gly was low. Therefore, to alter the substrate specificity and increase the amount of Pro-Gly, we selected amino acid residues that might affect the enzyme activity, Ser85 corresponding to Pro85 of BL00235, and His294 on the results from previous studies and the predicted structure of TabS. These residues were replaced with 20 proteogenic amino acids, and Pro-Gly synthesizing reactions were conducted. The S85T and the H294D mutants synthesized more Pro-Gly than wild-type. Furthermore, the S85T/H294D double mutant synthesized considerably more Pro-Gly than the single mutant did. These results showed that the amino acid position 85 of TabS affect the enzyme activity similarly to BL00235. In addition, replacing the amino acid residue positioning around the N-terminal substrate and constructing the double mutant led to increase the amount of Pro-Gly.

Biocatalytic synthesis of 3,4,5,3′,5′-pentahydroxy-trans-stilbene from piceatannol by two-component flavin-dependent monooxygenase HpaBC

HpaBC monooxygenase was previously reported to hydroxylate resveratrol to piceatannol. In this article, we report a novel catalytic activity of HpaBC for the synthesis of a pentahydroxylated stilbene. When Escherichia coli cells expressing HpaBC were incubated with resveratrol, the resulting piceatannol was further converted to a new product. This product was identified by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy as a 5-hydroxylated piceatannol, 3,4,5,3′,5′-pentahydroxy-trans-stilbene (PHS), which is a reportedly valuable biologically active stilbene derivative. We attempted to produce PHS from piceatannol on a flask scale. After examining the effects of detergents and buffers on PHS production, E. coli cells expressing HpaBC efficiently hydroxylated piceatannol to PHS in a reaction mixture containing 1.5% (v/v) Tween 80 and 100 mM 3-morpholinopropanesulfonic acid-NaOH buffer at pH 7.5. Under the optimized conditions, the whole cells regioselectively hydroxylated piceatannol, and the production of PHS reached 6.9 mM (1.8 g L−1) in 48 h.

Alteration of the substrate specificity of l-amino acid ligase and selective synthesis of Met-Gly as a salt taste enhancer

Dipeptides have unique physiological functions. This study focused on the salt-taste-enhancing dipeptide Met-Gly. BL00235, an l-amino acid ligase from Bacillus licheniformis NBRC12200, synthesizes Met-Gly as a major product as well as Met-Met as a by-product. To alter the substrate specificity of BL00235 and synthesize Met-Gly selectively, we chose to alter Pro85 residue based on the BL00235 crystal structure. We predicted that Met might be not recognized as a C-terminal substrate by occupying the space around C-terminal substrate. Pro85 was replaced with Phe, Tyr, and Trp, which have bulky aromatic side chains, by site-directed mutagenesis. These mutants lost the capacity to synthesize Met-Met, during the synthesis of Met-Gly. Furthermore, they did not synthesize Met-Met, even when methionine was used as a substrate. These results show that the amino acid residue at position 85 has a key role in C-terminal substrate specificity.

Structure of RizA, an L-amino-acid ligase from Bacillus subtilis

RizA is an L-amino-acid ligase from Bacillus subtilis that participates in the biosynthesis of rhizocticin, an oligopeptide antibiotic. The substrate-free form of RizA has been crystallized and the structure was solved at 2.8 Å resolution. The amino-acid-binding site appears to be capable of accommodating multiple amino acids, consistent with previous biochemical studies.

Catalytic function of the mycobacterial binuclear iron monooxygenase in acetone metabolism

Mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium smegmatis strain mc(2)155 and Mycobacterium goodii strain 12523 are able to grow on acetone and use it as a source of carbon and energy. We previously demonstrated by gene deletion analysis that the mimABCD gene cluster, which encodes a binuclear iron monooxygenase, plays an essential role in acetone metabolism in these mycobacteria. In the present study, we determined the catalytic function of MimABCD in acetone metabolism. Whole-cell assays were performed using Escherichia coli cells expressing the MimABCD complex. When the recombinant E. coli cells were incubated with acetone, a product was detected by gas chromatography (GC) analysis. Based on the retention time and the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) spectrum, the reaction product was identified as acetol (hydroxyacetone). The recombinant E. coli cells produced 1.02 mM of acetol from acetone within 24 h. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MimABCD also was able to convert methylethylketone (2-butanone) to 1-hydroxy-2-butanone. Although it has long been known that microorganisms such as mycobacteria metabolize acetone via acetol, this study provides the first biochemical evidence for the existence of a microbial enzyme that catalyses the conversion of acetone to acetol.

Refined regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation of L-pipecolic acid by protein engineering of L-proline cis-4-hydroxylase based on the X-ray crystal structure

Enzymatic regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation are valuable for the production of hydroxylated chiral ingredients. Proline hydroxylases are representative members of the nonheme Fe(2+)/α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase family. These enzymes catalyze the conversion of L-proline into hydroxy-L-prolines (Hyps). L-Proline cis-4-hydroxylases (cis-P4Hs) from Sinorhizobium meliloti and Mesorhizobium loti catalyze the hydroxylation of L-proline, generating cis-4-hydroxy-L-proline, as well as the hydroxylation of L-pipecolic acid (L-Pip), generating two regioisomers, cis-5-Hypip and cis-3-Hypip. To selectively produce cis-5-Hypip without simultaneous production of two isomers, protein engineering of cis-P4Hs is required. We therefore carried out protein engineering of cis-P4H to facilitate the conversion of the majority of L-Pip into the cis-5-Hypip isomer. We first solved the X-ray crystal structure of cis-P4H in complex with each of L-Pro and L-Pip. Then, we conducted three rounds of directed evolution and successfully created a cis-P4H triple mutant, V97F/V95W/E114G, demonstrating the desired regioselectivity toward cis-5-Hypip.

Hydroxamate-based colorimetric assay to assess amide bond formation by adenylation domain of nonribosomal peptide synthetases

We demonstrated the usefulness of a hydroxamate-based colorimetric assay for predicting amide bond formation (through an aminoacyl-AMP intermediate) by the adenylation domain of nonribosomal peptide synthetases. By using a typical adenylation domain of tyrocidine synthetase (involved in tyrocidine biosynthesis), we confirmed the correlation between the absorbance at 490 nm of the l-Trp-hydroxamate-Fe(3+) complex and the formation of l-Trp-l-Pro, where l-Pro was used instead of hydroxylamine. Furthermore, this assay was adapted to the adenylation domains of surfactin synthetase (involved in surfactin biosynthesis) and bacitracin synthetase (involved in bacitracin biosynthesis). Consequently, the formation of various aminoacyl l-Pro formations was observed.

Regio- and stereoselective oxygenation of proline derivatives by using microbial 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases

We evaluated the substrate specificities of four proline cis-selective hydroxylases toward the efficient synthesis of proline derivatives. In an initial evaluation, 15 proline-related compounds were investigated as substrates. In addition to l-proline and l-pipecolinic acid, we found that 3,4-dehydro-l-proline, l-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid, cis-3-hydroxy-l-proline, and l-thioproline were also oxygenated. Subsequently, the product structures were determined, revealing cis-3,4-epoxy-l-proline, cis-3-hydroxy-l-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid, and 2,3-cis-3,4-cis-3,4-dihydroxy-l-proline.

Construction of photoenergetic mitochondria in cultured mammalian cells

The proton motive force (PMF) is bio-energetically important for various cellular reactions to occur. We developed PMF-photogenerating mitochondria in cultured mammalian cells. An archaebacterial rhodopsin, delta-rhodopsin, which is a light-driven proton pump derived from Haloterrigena turkmenica, was expressed in the mitochondria of CHO-K1 cells. The constructed stable CHO-K1 cell lines showed suppression of cell death induced by rotenone, a pesticide that inhibits mitochondrial complex I activity involved in PMF generation through the electron transport chain. Delta-rhodopsin was also introduced into the mitochondria of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. The constructed stable SH-SY5Y cell lines showed suppression of dopaminergic neuronal cell death induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), an inducer of Parkinson's disease models, which acts through inhibition of complex I activity. These results suggest that the light-activated proton pump functioned as a PMF generator in the mitochondria of mammalian cells, and suppressed cell death induced by inhibition of respiratory PMF generation.

Enzymatic Synthesis of α-Anomer-SelectiveD-Glucosides Using Maltose Phosphorylase

A maltose phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.8; MPase) showed novel acceptor specificity and transferred the glucosyl moiety of maltose not only to sugars but also to various acceptors having alcoholic OH groups. Salicyl alcohol acted as acceptor for MPase from Enterococcus hirae, and the product, salicyl-O-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (alpha-SalGlc) was identified. The yield based on supplied salicyl alcohol was 86% (mol/mol).

Enhanced synthesis of 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan through tetrahydropterin regeneration

5-Hydroxy-l-tryptophan (5-HTP) is a naturally occurring aromatic amino acid present in the seeds of the African plant Griffonia simplicifolia. Although 5-HTP has therapeutic effects in various symptoms, efficient method of producing 5-HTP has not been established. In this study, we developed a novel cofactor regeneration process to achieve enhanced synthesis of 5-HTP by using modified l-phenylalanine 4-hydroxylase of Chromobacterium violaceum. For the synthesis of 5-HTP using Escherichia coli whole cell bioconversion, l-tryptophan and 5-HTP degradation by E. coli endogenous catabolic enzymes should be considered. The tryptophanase gene was disrupted using the λ red recombination system, since tryptophanase is postulated as an initial enzyme for the degradation of l-tryptophan and 5-HTP in E. coli. For regeneration of the cofactor pterin, we screened and investigated several key enzymes, including dihydropteridine reductase from E. coli, glucose dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis, and pterin-4α-carbinolamine dehydratase from Pseudomonas syringae. Genes encoding these three enzymes were overexpressed in an E. coli tryptophanase-deficient host, resulting in the synthesis of 0.74 mM 5-HTP in the presence of 0.1 mM pterin and the synthesis of 0.07 mM 5-HTP in the absence of regeneration of pterin. These results clearly indicated the successful regeneration of pterin. Following optimization of the reaction conditions, 2.5 mM 5-HTP was synthesized with cofactor regeneration, while 0.8 mM 5-HTP was recovered without cofactor regeneration under the same reaction conditions, suggesting that the principle described here provides a new method for cofactor regeneration.

NRPSs and amide ligases producing homopoly(amino acid)s and homooligo(amino acid)s

Microorganisms are capable of producing a wide variety of biopolymers. Homopoly(amino acid)s and homooligo(amino acid)s, which are made up of only a single type of amino acid, are relatively rare; in fact, only two homopoly(amino acid)s have been known to occur in nature: poly(ε-L-lysine) (ε-PL) and poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA). Bacterial enzymes that produce homooligo(amino acid)s, such as L-β-lysine-, L-valine-, L-leucine-, L-isoleucine-, L-methionine-, and L-glutamic acid-oligopeptides and poly(α-l-glutamic acid) (α-PGA) have recently been identified, as well as ε-PL synthetase and γ-PGA synthetase. This article reviews the current knowledge about these unique enzymes producing homopoly(amino acid)s and homooligo(amino acid)s.

Catalytic activity of the two-component flavin-dependent monooxygenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa toward cinnamic acid derivatives

4-Hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylases (HPAHs) of the two-component flavin-dependent monooxygenase family are attractive enzymes that possess the catalytic potential to synthesize valuable ortho-diphenol compounds from simple monophenol compounds. In this study, we investigated the catalytic activity of HPAH from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1 toward cinnamic acid derivatives. We prepared Escherichia coli cells expressing the hpaB gene encoding the monooxygenase component and the hpaC gene encoding the oxidoreductase component. E. coli cells expressing HpaBC exhibited no or very low oxidation activity toward cinnamic acid, o-coumaric acid, and m-coumaric acid, whereas they rapidly oxidized p-coumaric acid to caffeic acid. Interestingly, after p-coumaric acid was almost completely consumed, the resulting caffeic acid was further oxidized to 3,4,5-trihydroxycinnamic acid. In addition, HpaBC exhibited oxidation activity toward 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid, ferulic acid, and coniferaldehyde to produce the corresponding ortho-diphenols. We also investigated a flask-scale production of caffeic acid from p-coumaric acid as the model reaction for HpaBC-catalyzed syntheses of hydroxycinnamic acids. Since the initial concentrations of the substrate p-coumaric acid higher than 40 mM markedly inhibited its HpaBC-catalyzed oxidation, the reaction was carried out by repeatedly adding 20 mM of this substrate to the reaction mixture. Furthermore, by using the HpaBC whole-cell catalyst in the presence of glycerol, our experimental setup achieved the high-yield production of caffeic acid, i.e., 56.6 mM (10.2 g/L) within 24 h. These catalytic activities of HpaBC will provide an easy and environment-friendly synthetic approach to hydroxycinnamic acids.

Absence of the articular disc in the tasmanian devil temporomandibular joint

The articular disc of the temporomandibular joint is a constant structure in mammals. According to Parsons' report in 1900, however, it is absent in four animals: the armadillo, two kinds of monotremes and the Tasmanian devil. Thereafter, no research was performed to confirm this observation. The aim of this study was to determine by anatomical and histological examination whether the Tasmanian devil has an articular disc in its temporomandibular joint. Six fresh frozen corpses and one dry skull of Tasmanian devils were obtained from the School of Zoology, University of Tasmania. The corpses were dissected and the morphology of the temporomandibular joint was carefully observed by gross anatomical and histological examination. The structure of the temporomandibular joint of the dry skull was examined macroscopically and by micro-computed tomography. In all cases, absence of the articular disc in the Tasmanian devil temporomandibular joint was morphologically confirmed. The surface layer of both the condyle and the glenoid fossa comprised a thick fibrous tissue. Micro-computed tomography revealed dense and fine trabecular bone in the condyle. The thick fibrous tissue covering the condyle and high-density trabecular bone in the condyle might play a role in absorption against powerful mastication and heavy loading of the Tasmanian devil temporomandibular joint.

The mycobacterial binuclear iron monooxygenases require a specific chaperonin-like protein for functional expression in a heterologous host

The mimABCD gene clusters in Mycobacterium smegmatis strain mc(2) 155 and Mycobacterium goodii strain 12523 encode binuclear iron monooxygenases that oxidize propane and phenol. In this study, we attempted to express each mimABCD gene cluster in a heterologous host. The actinomycetous strain Rhodococcus opacus B-4, which is phylogenetically close to Mycobacterium, was selected as the host. Each mimABCD gene cluster was cloned into the Rhodococcus-Escherichia coli shuttle vector, pTip-QC2, and then introduced into R. opacus cells. Although whole-cell assays were performed with phenol as a substrate, the transformed R. opacus cells did not oxidize this substrate. SDS/PAGE analysis revealed that the oxygenase large subunit MimA was expressed in the insoluble fraction of R. opacus cells. We found that a gene designated mimG, which lies downstream of mimABCD, exhibits similarity in the amino acid sequence of its product with the products of genes encoding the chaperonin GroEL. When the mimG gene was cloned and coexpressed with each mimABCD gene cluster in R. opacus strain B-4, this host successfully acquired oxidation activity towards phenol. SDS/PAGE and western blotting analyses demonstrated that MimA was clearly soluble when in the presence of MimG. These results indicated that MimG played essential roles in the productive folding of MimA, and that the resulting soluble MimA protein led to the active expression of MimABCD.

Application of protein N-terminal amidase in enzymatic synthesis of dipeptides containing acidic amino acids specifically at the N-terminus

Dipeptides exhibit unique physiological functions and physical properties, e.g., l-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine-methyl ester (Asp-Phe-OMe, aspartame) as an artificial sweetener, and functional studies of peptides have been carried out in various fields. Therefore, to establish a manufacturing process for the useful dipeptides, we investigated its enzymatic synthesis by utilizing an l-amino acid ligase (Lal), which catalyzes dipeptide synthesis in an ATP-dependent manner. Many Lals were obtained, but the Lals recognizing acidic amino acids as N-terminal substrates have not been identified. To increase the variety of dipeptides that are enzymatically synthesized, we proposed a two-step synthesis: Asn-Xaa and Gln-Xaa (Asn, l-asparagine; Gln, l-glutamine; and Xaa, arbitrary amino acids) synthesized by Lals were continuously deamidated by a novel amidase, yielding Asp-Xaa and Glu-Xaa (Asp, l-aspartic acid; and Glu, l-glutamic acid). We searched for amidases that specifically deamidate the N-terminus of Asn or Gln in dipeptides since none have been previously reported. We focused on the protein N-terminal amidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (NTA1), and assayed its activity toward dipeptides. Our findings showed that NTA1 deamidated l-asparaginyl-l-valine (Asn-Val) and l-glutaminyl-glycine (Gln-Gly), but did not deamidate l-valyl-l-asparagine and l-alanyl-l-glutamine, suggesting that this deamidation activity is N-terminus specific. The specific activity toward Asn-Val and Gln-Gly were 190 ± 30 nmol min(-1) mg(-1)·protein and 136 ± 6 nmol min(-1) mg(-1)·protein. Additionally, we examined some characteristics of NTA1. Acidic dipeptide synthesis was examined by a combination of Lals and NTA1, resulting in the synthesis of 12 kinds of Asp-Xaa, including Asp-Phe, a precursor of aspartame, and 11 kinds of Glu-Xaa.

The structure of L-amino-acid ligase from Bacillus licheniformis

L-Amino-acid ligases (LALs) are enzymes which catalyze the formation of dipeptides by linking two L-amino acids. Although many dipeptides are known and expected to have medical and nutritional benefits, their practical use has been limited owing to their low availability and high expense. LALs are potentially desirable tools for the efficient production of dipeptides; however, the molecular basis of substrate recognition by LAL has not yet been sufficiently elucidated for the design of ideal LALs for the desired dipeptides. This report presents the crystal structure of the LAL BL00235 derived from Bacillus licheniformis NBRC 12200 determined at 1.9 Å resolution using the multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion method. The overall structure of BL00235 is fairly similar to that of YwfE, the only LAL with a known structure, but the structure around the catalytic site contains some significant differences. Detailed structural comparison of BL00235 with YwfE sheds some light on the molecular basis of the substrate specificities.

Analysis of genetic divergence between closely related lines of chickens

The aim of the present study was to characterize genetic diversity within and differentiation between 5 closely related lines of Japanese-native chickens, the Nagoya breed, based on microsatellite polymorphisms. For 5 Nagoya lines, the mean number of alleles per locus, the observed heterozygosity, the expected heterozygosity, and the inbreeding coefficient within a line ranged from 2.35 to 2.85, from 0.385 to 0.507 (average = 0.438), from 0.404 to 0.480 (average = 0.433), and from -0.056 to 0.074, respectively. These results indicated that Nagoya lines have moderate levels of genetic diversity and no severe inbreeding signatures. Genetic differentiations between pairs of lines (pairwise F(ST)) ranged from 0.0224 to 0.2500. The lowest differentiation was found between 2 lines that were divided into distinct lines about 10 years ago. Genetic clustering analyses, the neighbor-joining tree constructed from genetic distances of the proportion of shared alleles and the Bayesian model-based clustering, were carried out based on multilocus genotypes of individuals. The results suggested that Nagoya lines were genetically distinct from commercial gene pools (broilers and white- and brown-egg layers) and that the Nagoya breed is a unique genetic resource. The results from the present study have the potential to contribute to future breeding and management of lines of the Nagoya breed.

ATP photosynthetic vesicles for light-driven bioprocesses

We prepared ATP photosynthetic vesicles from inside-out membranes of Escherichia coli cells that express delta-rhodopsin (a novel light-driven H(+) transporter) and TF(0)F(1)-ATP synthase (a thermo-stable ATP synthase). These vesicles showed light-dependent ATP synthesis. Furthermore, coupling the ATP photosynthetic vesicles with an ATP-hydrolyzing hexokinase enabled light-dependent glucose consumption. The ATP photosynthetic vesicles indicate their potential to applied to light-driven ATP-regenerating bioprocess for various ATP-hydrolyzing bioproductions.

[Novel L-amino acid ligases catalyzing oligopeptide synthesis]

L-Amino acid ligase (EC 6.3.2.28) is a microbial enzyme catalyzing formation of an alpha-peptide bond from unprotected L-amino acids in an ATP-dependent manner. The YwfE protein from Bacillus subtilis 168 was the first reported L-amino acid ligase, and it synthesizes various dipeptides. Thereafter, several L-amino acid ligases were newly obtained by in silico analysis using the ATP-grasp motif. But these L-amino acid ligases synthesize only dipeptide and no longer peptide. A novel L-amino acid ligase capable of catalyzing oligopeptide synthesis is required to increase the variety of peptides. We have previously found a new member of L-amino acid ligase, RizA, from B. subtilis NBRC3134, a microorganism that produces the peptide-antibiotic rhizocticin. We newly found that a gene at approximately 9 kbp upstream of rizA encoded a novel L-amino acid ligase RizB. Recombinant RizB synthesized homo-oligomers of branched-chain amino acids consisting of 2 to 5 amino acids, and also synthesized various heteropeptides. RizB is the first reported L-amino acid ligase that catalyzes oligopeptide synthesis. In addition, we obtained L-amino acid ligases showing oligopeptide synthesis activities by in silico analysis using BLAST, which is a set of similarity search programs. These L-amino acid ligases showed low similarity in amino acid sequence, but commonly used branched-chain amino acids, such as RizB, as substrates. Furthermore, the spr0969 protein of Streptococcus pneumoniae synthesized longer peptides than those synthesized by RizB, and the BAD_1200 protein of Bifidobacteria adolescentis showed higher activity toward aromatic amino acids than toward branched-chain ones.

Randomized Clinical Trial of Treatment for TMJ Disc Displacement

Of the various conservative treatment modalities available for temporomandibular disorders, we believe that therapeutic exercise has a good prognosis, especially for anterior disc displacement without reduction. Since its effectiveness has not been extensively evaluated, we conducted a comparative study to verify the hypothesis that treatment efficacy would not differ for exercise and occlusal splints. Fifty-two individuals with anterior disc displacement without reduction were randomly assigned to a splint or a joint mobilization self-exercise treatment group. Four outcome variables were evaluated: (i) maximum mouth-opening range without and (ii) with pain, (iii) current maximum daily pain intensity, and (iv) limitation of daily functions. All outcome variables significantly improved after 8 weeks of treatment in both groups. In particular, the mouth opening range increased more in the exercise group than in the splint group. This result demonstrates that therapeutic exercise brings earlier recovery of jaw function compared with splints.

Near-threshold Lambda(1520) production by the gamma(p)-->K{+}Lambda(1520) reaction at forward K+ angles

Differential cross sections and photon-beam asymmetries for the gamma(p)-->K{+}Lambda(1520) reaction have been measured with linearly polarized photon beams at energies from the threshold to 2.4 GeV at 0.6<cos(theta){c.m.}{K}<1. A new bump structure was found at W approximately 2.11 GeV in the cross sections. The bump is not well reproduced by theoretical calculations introducing a nucleon resonance with J<or=3/2. This result suggests that the bump might be produced by a nucleon resonance possibly with J>or=5/2 or by a new reaction process, for example, an interference effect with the phi photoproduction having a similar bump structure in the cross sections.