A High-Throughput Screening System Based on Droplet Microfluidics for Glucose Oxidase Gene Libraries

Glucose oxidase (GOx) is an important industrial enzyme that can be optimized for specific applications by mutagenesis and activity-based screening. To increase the efficiency of this approach, we have developed a new ultrahigh-throughput screening platform based on a microfluidic lab-on-chip device that allows the sorting of GOx mutants from a saturation mutagenesis library expressed on the surface of yeast cells. GOx activity was measured by monitoring the fluorescence of water microdroplets dispersed in perfluorinated oil. The signal was generated via a series of coupled enzyme reactions leading to the formation of fluorescein. Using this new method, we were able to enrich the yeast cell population by more than 35-fold for GOx mutants with higher than wild-type activity after two rounds of sorting, almost double the efficiency of our previously described flow cytometry platform. We identified and characterized novel GOx mutants, the most promising of which (M6) contained a combination of six point mutations that increased the catalytic constant kcat by 2.1-fold compared to wild-type GOx and by 1.4-fold compared to a parental GOx variant. The new microfluidic platform for GOx was therefore more sensitive than flow cytometry and supports comprehensive screens of gene libraries containing multiple mutations per gene.

Fabrication of nanoindented electrodes for glucose detection

BACKGROUND

The objective of this article was to design, fabricate, and evaluate a novel type of glucose biosensors based on the use of atomic force microscopy to create nanoindented electrodes (NIDEs) for the selective detection of glucose.

METHODS

Atomic force microscopy nanoindentation techniques were extended to covalently immobilized glucose oxidase on NIDEs via composite hydrogel membranes composed of interpenetrating networks of inherently conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) tetramethacrylate grown within ultraviolet cross-linked hydroxyethylmethacrylate-based hydrogels to produce an in vitro amperometric NIDE biosensor for the long-term monitoring of glucose.

RESULTS

The calibration curve for glucose was linear from 0.25 to 20 mM. Results showed that the NIDE glucose biosensor has a much higher detection sensitivity of 0.32 microA/mM and rapid response times (<5 seconds). There was no interference from the competing interferent (fructose) present; the only interference was from species that react with H(2)O(2) (ascorbic acid). The linear equation was B(response) (microA) = 0.323 [glucose] (mM) + 0.634 (microA); n = 24, r(2) = 0.994.

CONCLUSION

Results showed that the resultant NIDE glucose biosensor increases the dynamic range, device sensitivity, and response time and has excellent detecting performance for glucose.

Purification of Glucose Oxidase from Aspergillus niger by Liquid-Liquid Cationic Reversed Micelles Extraction

The aim of this work was to select the operating conditions for the extraction and recovery of glucose oxidase (GOX) by reversed micelles from mixtures of commercial enzyme and Aspergillus niger homogenates. For this purpose, the influence of the main operating parameters (pH, surfactant concentration, and presence of cell debris or not) on GOX extraction was investigated at 25 degrees C. Without cell debris, the highest yield of GOX activity recovery (90.8%) was obtained performing (a) the forward extraction in isooctane as solvent and hexanol and butanol as cosolvents at 76/6/18 ratio, pH 7.0, 0.2 M cetyl trimethylammonium bromide as cationic surfactant, and electric conductivity of 5.0 mS cm(-1) and (b) the backward extraction at pH 5.5. Forward and backward extractions furnished comparable results when using raw homogenate, which demonstrates a negligible impact of the presence of cell debris on the process. The highest extraction yield (94%) was obtained under the same forward and backward conditions adopted without cell debris. The promising results of this work suggest that the proposed methodology could be profitably exploited at an industrial level.

Characterization of the distribution of glucose oxidase inPenicillium sp. CBS 120262 andAspergillus niger NRRL-3 cultures and its effect on integrated product recovery

Glucose oxidase (GO) is an important industrial enzyme typically purified from Penicillium and Aspergillus sp. As GO distribution within the cultures influences process design for maximal product recovery, distribution of GO activity in Penicillium sp. CBS 120262 and Aspergillus niger NRRL-3, during mid-exponential and stationary phases, is compared. On progression from mid-exponential to stationary phase, the percentage GO activity in the cytoplasm decreased 1.6- and 1.3-fold in Penicillium sp. and A. niger respectively. In Penicillium sp., a concomitant 1.8- and 1.9-fold decrease in the percentage GO activity in the cell envelope and slime mucilage respectively, translated into a 2.0-fold increase in the extracellular fluid. In A. niger, decreasing cytoplasmic GO activity was accompanied by 1.3-fold increases in the cell envelope and slime mucilage, with a 1.3-fold decrease in the extracellular fluid. Similar trends were observed in specific GO activities. As final GO activity recovered is governed by the purification program, recovery from the extracellular fluid plus cell extract or from the extracellular fluid only were compared through simulating processes of varying complexity. A critical yield for each purification stage was identified above which recovery from the extracellular fluid plus cell extract exceeded that from extracellular fluid alone. These results highlight the influence of microorganism, harvest time and efficiency of downstream process on GO activity delivered. In the systems studied, Penicillium sp. is the organism of choice and should be harvested during stationary phase. The purification process chosen should be informed by both enzyme distribution and individual purification stages yields.

Purification of glucose oxidase from complex fermentation medium using tandem chromatography

A fast and efficient purification method for recombinant glucose oxidase (rGOx) for flask fermentation scale (up to 2L) was designed for the purposes of characterization of rGOx mutants during directed protein evolution. The Aspergillus niger GOx was cloned into a pYES2-alphaMF-GOx construct and expressed extracellularly in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Hydrophobic interaction (HIC)/size exclusion (SEC)-tandem chromatographic system was designed for direct purification of rGOx from a conditioned complex expression medium with minimum preceding sample preparation (only adjustments to conductivity, pH and coarse filtering). HIC on Butyl 650s (50 mM ammonium acetate pH 5.5 and 1.5 M ammonium sulphate) absorbs GOx from the medium and later it is eluted by 100% stepwise gradient with salt free buffer directly into SEC column (Sephadex 200) for desalting and final polishing separation. The electrophoretic and UV-vis spectrophotometric analyses have proven enzyme purity after purification.

A New Fast Method for nanoLC−MALDI-TOF/TOF−MS Analysis Using Monolithic Columns for Peptide Preconcentration and Separation in Proteomic Studies

A new fast method for identification and characterization of proteolytic digests of proteins by monolithic liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry has been developed. The advantages of the monolithic columns are a high-pressure stability and low back pressure resulting in higher flow rates for capillary or nanosize columns simplifying the system handling. As was shown in several publications, such monolithic stationary phases are highly qualified for the analysis of peptides and proteins, but so far, only small volumes could be injected into the system, which might hamper the sample preparation leading to protein precipitation and partial loss of sample. To overcome the problem of small injection volumes, we established a system including a short monolithic trap column to allow preconcentration of the peptides. The injected sample is flushed at higher flow rates onto the trap column, bound to the stationary phase, and in this way concentrated in a few nanoliters before starting the separation. The expanded system was optimized and tested using different reference protein samples. Eluting peptides were detected by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS and identified by database searching. The system is now a permanent part for proteome analysis in our lab, and as such, it was successfully applied for the detection of post-translational modifications and the analysis of membrane proteins. One example for these analyses is also included in this paper.

Glucose Oxidase-immobilized Glass Disks for Imaging of D-Glucose in Acute Brain Slices

A biotinylated glucose oxidase (bGOD)-immobilized glass disk was prepared for visualizing D-glucose fluxes in acute brain slices. A mouse hippocampal slice was placed on the bGOD disk and stimulated with a stimulant solution containing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and a substrate DA-64, followed by capturing digital images of Bindschedler's Green (BG), an oxidized form of DA-64, with a CCD camera. The bGOD membranes responded proportionally to D-glucose, ranging from 2.0 to 5.0 mM. Sucrose, GABA, L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid, glycine, acetylcholine and L-ascorbic acid at 10 mM did not cause any responses. The D-glucose fluxes in mouse hippocampal slices stimulated by a hypoxia solution were neuronal region-dependent, i.e., dentate gyrus (DG), cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) and cornu ammonis 3 (CA3), while those stimulated by KCl was independent of the neuronal regions. The response of bGOD disks is discussed in terms of the principle, concentration dependence and selectivity.

Isolation, purification and characterization of a novel glucose oxidase from Penicillium sp. CBS 120262 optimally active at neutral pH

A novel glucose oxidase (GOX), a flavoenzyme, from Penicillium sp. was isolated, purified and partially characterised. Maximum activities of 1.08U mg(-1)dry weight intracellular and 6.9U ml(-1) extracellular GOX were obtained. Isoelectric focussing revealed two isoenzymes present in both intra- and extracellular fractions, having pI's of 4.30 and 4.67. GOX from Penicillium sp. was shown to be dimeric with a molecular weight of 148kDa, consisting of two equal subunits with molecular weight of 70k Da. The enzyme displayed a temperature optimum between 25 and 30 degrees C, and an optimum pH range of 6-8 for the oxidation of beta-d-glucose. The enzyme was stable at 25 degrees C for a minimum of 10h, with a half-life of approximately 30 min at 37 degrees C without any prior stabilisation. The lyophilized enzyme was stable at -20 degrees C for a minimum of 6 months. GOX from Penicillium sp. Tt42 displayed the following kinetic characteristics: Vmax, 240.5U mg(-1); Km, 18.4mM; kcat, 741 s(-1) and kcat/Km, 40 s(-1)mM(-1). Stability at room temperature, good shelf-life without stabilisation and the neutral range for the pH optimum of this GOX contribute to its usefulness in current GOX-based biosensor applications.

Innovative Modular Membrane Adsorber System for High-Throughput Downstream Screening for Protein Purification

To develop the most efficient strategy for the purification of proteins, two types of adsorber membrane devices with different functionalities were designed and tested: 8-strips and single spin columns. The most suitable type of membrane adsorber and the optimal chromatographic loading/elution conditions for several target proteins from different biological matrices could be determined simultaneously in microliter scale. Ion exchange (IEX), metal chelate (MC), and Concanavalin A (Con A) modified membrane types were tested in the devices. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme were used as model proteins for investigations of the binding capacity and protein recovery percentage of the 8-strip anion exchange and the cation exchange membrane. The isolation of His(6)-tagged proteins, Bgl-His and GFP-His from fermentation broth and lysate, respectively, was performed using an 8-strip metal chelate affinity membrane loaded with different metal ions. Separation behavior of a ternary protein mixture (BSA, lysozyme, and Bgl-His) was studied in 8-strips IEX and metal chelate membrane chromatography. The Con A affinity devices were developed on the basis of metal chelate membrane spin columns loaded with Cu(2+) ions and investigated using glucose oxidase (GOD) as model protein. In summary, the advantages of the membrane adsorber technology, such as fast processing and easy scale-up, were utilized. The devices made it possible to load the membrane directly with preclarified fermentation broth or cell lysate and separate the protein of interest often in a single step.

Purification and thermodynamic characterization of glucose oxidase from a newly isolated strain ofAspergillus niger

An intracellular glucose oxidase (GOD) was isolated from the mycelium extract of a locally isolated strain of Aspergillus niger NFCCP. The enzyme was partially purified to a yield of 28.43% and specific activity of 135 U mg–1through ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. The enzyme showed high specificity for D-glucose, with a Kmvalue of 25 mmol L–1. The enzyme exhibited optimum catalytic activity at pH 5.5. Optimum temperature for GOD-catalyzed D-glucose oxidation was 40 °C. The enzyme displayed a high thermostability having a half-life (t1/2) of 30 min, enthalpy of denaturation (H*) of 99.66 kJ mol–1, and free energy of denaturation (G*) of 103.63 kJ mol–1. These characteristics suggest that GOD from A. niger NFCCP can be used as an analytical reagent and in the design of biosensors for clinical, biochemical, and diagnostic assays.Key words: glucose oxidase, Aspergillus niger, kinetics, thermodynamics, thermal stability.

[Isolation and characterization of extracellular glucose oxidase from Penicillium adametzii LF F-2044.1]

Hydroxides of magnesium and zinc, aluminum oxide, zinc phosphate, and co-precipitated Ca3(PO4)2 and Mg(OH)2 were efficient in binding extracellular glucose oxidase (GO) of P. adametzii LF F-2044.1 in a culture liquid filtrate (CLF). Basic Al2O3 was the most appropriate adsorbent for GO isolation from the CLF of the fungus. A GO isolation method was developed, which allowed for obtaining an enzyme with a high degree of purification. Spectral properties of the enzyme, its catalytic activity, and stability were characterized. The GO of P. adametzii LF F-2044.1 exhibited high pH stability, retaining activity within the range 4.5-9.0. The rate that GO-catalyzed D-glucose oxidation increased as the temperature increased (up to approximately 60 degrees C). The catalytic activity and thermal stability of GO depended on its concentration in the medium. Under optimum conditions, the fractions GO-1 and GO-2 were characterized by KM values of 1.56 x 10(-2) and 2.19 x 10(-2) M, respectively; the corresponding values of kcat equaled 235.1 and 318.2 s(-1).

[Immobilizalion of extracellular glucose oxidase from penicillium funiculosum 46.1 on gels of aluminum or zinc hydroxides]

Different methods of immobilization of extracellular glucose oxidase (GO) from Penicillium funiculosum 46.1 on gels of aluminum or zinc hydroxides have been compared. GO from the culture liquid filtrate (CLF) associated with Zn(OH)2 but not Al(OH)3 gels. Preparation of samples of immobilized GO does not require isolation of the enzyme (CLF may be used). GO immobilized on Zn(OH)2 gels from CLF was 1.6 times more efficient in catalyzing D-glucose oxidation than the enzyme contained in the original culture liquid. Crosslinking of gel-adsorbed CLF proteins affected the properties of GO adversely and to a considerable extent. Various means of polymerization and immobilization of GO isolated from CLF have been studied. Optimum results were obtained when GO polymeric products were pre-synthesized in solution, followed by adsorption to Al(OH)3 but not Zn(OH)2 gels. The catalytic efficiency of GO immobilized on a Zn(OH)2 gel was significantly lower than that of the enzyme associated with Al(OH)3.

Affinity chromatography matures as bioinformatic and combinatorial tools develop

Affinity chromatography has the reputation of a more expensive and less robust than other types of liquid chromatography. Furthermore, the technique is considered to stand a modest chance of large-scale purification of proteinaceous pharmaceuticals. This perception is changing because of the pressure for quality protein therapeutics, and the realization that higher returns can be expected when ensuring fewer purification steps and increased product recovery. These developments necessitated a rethinking of the protein purification processes and restored the interest for affinity chromatography. This liquid chromatography technique is designed to offer high specificity, being able to safely guide protein manufactures to successfully cope with the aforementioned challenges. Affinity ligands are distinguished into synthetic and biological. These can be generated by rational design or selected from ligand libraries. Synthetic ligands are generated by three methods. The rational method features the functional approach and the structural template approach. The combinatorial method relies on the selection of ligands from a library of synthetic ligands synthesized randomly. The combined method employs both methods, that is, the ligand is selected from an intentionally biased library based on a rationally designed ligand. Biological ligands are selected by employing high-throughput biological techniques, e.g. phage- and ribosome-display for peptide and microprotein ligands, in addition to SELEX for oligonucleotide ligands. Synthetic mimodyes and chimaeric dye-ligands are usually designed by rational approaches and comprise a chloro-triazinlyl scaffold. The latter substituted with various amino acids, carbocyclic, and heterocyclic groups, generates libraries from which synthetic ligands can be selected. A 'lead' compound may help to generating a 'focused' or 'biased' library. This can be designed by various approaches, e.g.: (i) using a natural ligand-protein complex as a template; (ii) applying the principle of complementarity to exposed residues of the protein structure; and (iii) mimicking directly a natural biological recognition interaction. Affinity ligands, based on the peptide structure, can be peptides, peptide-mimetic derivatives (<30 monomers) and microproteins (e.g. 25-200 monomers). Microprotein ligands are selected from biological libraries constructed of variegated protein domains, e.g. minibody, Kunitz, tendamist, cellulose-binding domain, scFv, Cytb562, zinc-finger, SpA-analogue (Z-domain).

Free Nonimmobilized Ligands as a Tool for Purification of Proteins

Purification of proteins on a large scale is a complex multistep process, and alternative economic strategies are required. This study presents a novel approach (Affinity Sinking, AS) for purification of native proteins utilizing nonimmobilized modified ligands. The nonimmobilized state of the ligand circumvents the need for immobilizing ligands to polymeric supports. Therefore, purification from large volumes can be accomplished without the use of industrial-scale affinity columns. The mechanism of product capture is formation and precipitation of a specific [target-protein/modified-ligand] complex by using a soluble interconnecting entity that generates an insoluble [target-protein/modified-ligand/interconnecting entity] sediment containing the target protein. Rabbit IgG and two glycoproteins were purified accordingly, utilizing free avidin (as the interconnecting entity) and either desthiobiotinylated-protein A (DB-ProA) or desthiobiotinylated-concanavalin A (DB-ConA) as the modified ligand. The recovery yields for the IgG and the two glycoproteins were 80-86% and 70-75%, respectively. Target proteins are eluted from the generated pellet nearly without disrupting the [modified-ligand/interconnecting entity] macro-complex, thus enabling a practical procedure of recovering target proteins. Leaching of the DB-ProA ligand under eluting conditions (pH 3) was found to be lower than 1%. The two modified ligands, DB-ProA and DB-ConA, were regenerated without any chromatographic procedure in 80% and 85%-89% yield, respectively. The advantage of excluding the polymeric component from the purification process and obtaining highly purified proteins has been demonstrated, and it implies that other contaminants (e.g. endotoxins, prions, host DNA) could be excluded as well, thereby reducing the number of purification steps in a typical downstream process.

Liquid–liquid extraction of commercial glucose oxidase by reversed micelles

Aim of this work was to establish the optimum operating conditions for the extraction and recovery by cationic reversed micelles of commercial glucose oxidase (GOX) from Aspergillus niger, in view of possible application to raw cell homogenates. The influence of pH, temperature, electric conductivity and solvent/co-solvents ratio on the extraction was investigated by a fractional factorial design of 2(3-1) type, conjugated with a mixture experimental design, using the residual enzyme activity to evaluate the results. The best conditions for GOX extraction were ensured using isooctane as solvent and hexanol and butanol as co-solvents at 76/6/18 volume ratio, pH 6.0, 0.2 M cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as cationic surfactant, and electrical conductivity (kappa) of 4.8 mS cm-1. The highest yield of GOX activity recovery (about 90%) was in fair accordance with the value predicted by the model.

The host plant as a factor in the synthesis and secretion of salivary glucose oxidase in larval Helicoverpa zea

We investigated the effect of the host plant on the synthesis and secretion of the elicitor glucose oxidase in the salivary glands of larval Helicoverpa zea. Glucose oxidase catalyses the oxidation of d-glucose to produce d-gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Previous studies have found that the product hydrogen peroxide is primarily responsible for suppressing the wound-inducible defenses of the host plant. Using an antibody specific for glucose oxidase, we determined the effect of the host plant on the rate of secretion of glucose oxidase. Larval H. zea secrete microgram amounts of the enzyme glucose oxidase from their principal salivary glands, the labial glands. Larvae reared on different host plants produce varying amounts of glucose oxidase in their labial glands. We used a tissue printing procedure with our antibody to determine if larvae secrete glucose oxidase directly at the feeding or wound sites. Significant amounts of the enzyme are deposited at the feeding site, although some is deposited outside the feeding margins.

Evidence that the caterpillar salivary enzyme glucose oxidase provides herbivore offense in solanaceous plants

The insect salivary enzyme glucose oxidase (GOX) can inhibit wound-inducible nicotine production in tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum. We examined whether salivary gland extracts of Helicoverpa zea lacking active GOX could still suppress nicotine in tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum, and whether GOX could suppress wound-inducible defenses of another Solanaceous plant, tomato Lycopersicon esculentum. Tobacco leaves were wounded with a cork borer and treated with water, salivary gland extracts with active GOX (SxG), or salivary gland extracts with inactive GOX (SxI). After three days, leaves treated with SxG had significantly less nicotine than all other wounded treatments. Neonates that fed on the terminal leaves of tobacco plants treated with SxG had significantly higher survival than neonates that fed on leaves treated with either SxI or water. This evidence supports the assertion that GOX is the salivary factor responsible for the suppression of tobacco plant nicotine production by H. zea saliva. Results for the NahG tobacco plants, which lack salicylic acid (SA) due to a transgene for bacterial SA hydroxylase, indicate that suppression of nicotine by GOX does not require SA. However, tobacco leaves that were wounded and treated with SxG had significantly higher levels of the SA-mediated PR-1a protein than leaves treated with SxI or water. Leaves of tomato plants wounded with scissors and then treated with SxG had trypsin inhibitor levels that were moderately lower than plants wounded and treated with purified GOX, water, or SxI. However, all the wounded tomato leaves irrespective of treatment resulted in lower caterpillar growth rates than the non-wounded tomato leaves. Glucose oxidase is the first insect salivary enzyme shown to suppress wound-inducible herbivore defenses of plants.

Preparation of a highly stable, very active and high-yield multilayered assembly of glucose oxidase using carbohydrate-specific polyclonal antibodies

The purified oligosaccharide chains of Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase were coupled to BSA with the help of the cross-linking reagent glutaraldehyde. The neoglycoconjugate thus obtained was purified by concanavalin A-Sepharose chromatography and characterized by SDS/PAGE. Immunization of rabbits with the neoglycoprotein raised the glycosyl-specific anti-(glucose oxidase) polyclonal antibodies. Antibodies were purified by (NH(4))(2)SO(4) precipitation, followed by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The IgG-Sepharose was prepared by covalently coupling the purified polyclonal antibodies to the CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. The large assembly of glucose oxidase was made on the IgG-Sepharose by alternate incubation of glucose oxidase and glycosyl-specific anti-(glucose oxidase) polyclonal IgG. The immunoaffinity-layered assembled preparations were highly active and, after six alternate binding cycles with enzyme and glycosyl-specific IgG, the amount of enzyme immobilized could be raised 30-fold. The K (m) value of immunoaffinity-layered glucose oxidase preparations remained unaltered, while the V (max) slightly decreased as compared with the soluble enzyme. A layer-by-layer immobilization of glucose oxidase resulted in significant improvement in stability against high temperature, 4.0 M urea and very high concentrations of water-miscible organic solvents such as acetone, dimethylformamide, dioxan and tetrahydrofuran.

[Quartz sand as an adsorbent for purification of extracellular glucose oxidase from Penicillium funiculosum 46.1]

The procedure of purification of extracellular glucose oxidase (GO, EC 1.1.3.4) from culture-liquid filtrate (CLF) of the fungus Penicillum funiculosum 46.1 using alluvial quartz sand as an adsorbent has been developed. The modification of sand by changing the charge and polarity did not lead to a significant increase in its adsorption capacity towards GO. The effectiveness of sand and aluminum oxide, used as sorbents for isolation of GO from CLF, was compared. Glucose oxidase, isolated from CLF by adsorption on sand, exhibited a greater catalytic activity compared to the enzyme specimens obtained by column chromatography on CLF. Sand adsorbed GO from P. funiculosum 46.1 more effectively than aluminum oxide. It is concluded that sand may be used for fractionation of partly purified GO.

[Isolation and properties of glucose oxidase from Penicillum funiculosum 433]

A method for isolation of extracellular glucose oxidase from Penicillium funiculosum 433 and its purification is proposed. The enzymatic preparation was produced with a yield of 56% and a specific activity of 3730 AU per 1 mg protein. The enzyme studied displayed a high thermostability, resistance to metal ions, and performance in a wide pH range and was equal in its properties to foreign analogues.

Secretory expression and purification of Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant deficient in PMR1 gene

The gene encoding glucose oxidase (GOD) from Aspergillus niger was expressed as a secretory product in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Six consecutive histidine residues were fused to the C-terminus of GOD to facilitate purification. The recombinant GOD-His(6) secreted by S. cerevisiae migrated as a broad diffuse band on SDS-PAGE, with an apparent molecular weight higher than that in natural A. niger GOD. To investigate the effects of hyperglycosylation on the secretion efficiency and enzyme properties, GOD-His(6) was expressed and secreted in a S. cerevisiae mutant in which the PMR1 gene encoding Ca(++)-ATPase was disrupted. The pmr1 null mutant strain secreted an amount of GOD-His(6) per unit cell mass higher than that in the wild-type strain. In contrast to the hyperglycosylated GOD-His(6) secreted in the wild-type strain, the pmr1 mutant strain secreted GOD-His(6) in a homogeneous form with a protein band pattern similar to that in natural A. niger GOD, based on SDS-PAGE. The hyperglycosylated and pmr1Delta mutant-derived GOD-His(6) enzymes were purified to homogeneity by immobilized metal ion-affinity chromatography and their specific activities and stabilities were compared. The specific activity of the pmr1Delta mutant-derived GOD-His(6) on a protein basis was very similar to that of the hyperglycosylated GOD-His(6), although its pH and thermal stabilities were lower than those of the hyperglycosylated GOD-His(6).

Preparation of stable, highly active and immobilized glucose oxidase using the anti-enzyme antibodies and F(ab)'2

Immobilization of the Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase in high yield was achieved using an immunoaffinity-based procedure. For this purpose IgGs, isolated from the sera of rabbits immunized with glucose oxidase, were favourably oriented by binding on to cobalt-charged iminodiacetate-Sepharose. Large amounts of glucose oxidase could be immobilized by incubating the IgG-bound matrix alternately with the enzyme and either intact IgG or F(ab)2 derived thereof, leading to the formation of multiple enzyme layers. After three incubation cycles using anti-(glucose oxidase) IgG, an 8-fold increase in the amount of enzyme immobilized was observed, while the increase was 11-fold when the F(ab)2 replaced intact IgG. The preparations obtained thus were highly active, as also indicated by the high effectiveness factor, eta. Immunoaffinity-layered immobilized preparations were markedly more resistant to inactivation induced by exposure to 60 degrees C, 4.0 M urea or storage at 4 degrees C. The preparations also exhibited a remarkable resistance against inactivation induced by the water-miscible organic solvents tetrahydrofuran, dioxan or acetone. Immobilized glucose oxidase preparations obtained using F(ab)2 were generally observed to be superior in stability compared with those immobilized with the help of intact IgG.

[Cloning and expression of Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase gene in methylotrophic yeast]

The DNA fragment encoding A. niger glucose oxidase was amplified by PCR using A. niger genomic DNA as template, and was cloned into vector of pPIC9 for expression in Pichia pastoris. When transformed into methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris GS115, The constructed plasmid pPICGOD1 directed the synthesis and secretion of functionally active GOD. After induction in MM medium for 4 days, the GOD activity in the medium reached 30-40 u/mL. SDS-PAGE revealed that recombinant yeast GOD was expressed up to 60%-70% of the total soluble protein, and the secreted GOD could be purified to electrophoretic homogeneity with one purification step using Q Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange chromatography. The recombinant yeast GOD had very high catalytic activity, showed about 1.6-fold increase of specific activity over the commercial A. niger GOD. Kinetic analysis clearly demonstrated that recombinant yeast GOD showed similar substrate affinity for glucose to A. niger GOD, but the turnover number of the GOD from yeast was determined to be much higher than that of A. niger GOD. In addition, the linear range of glucose electrode made with recombinant yeast GOD was efficiently widened due to the high catalytic activity of yeast GOD.

Rapid and simple single nanogram detection of glycoproteins in polyacrylamide gels and on electroblots

The fluorescent hydrazide, Pro-Q Emerald 300 dye, may be conjugated to glycoproteins by a periodic acid Schiff's (PAS) mechanism. The glycols present in glycoproteins are initially oxidized to aldehydes using periodic acid. The dye then reacts with the aldehydes to generate a highly fluorescent conjugate. Reduction with sodium metabisulfite or sodium borohydride is not required to stabilize the conjugate. Though glycoprotein detection may be performed on transfer membranes, direct detection in gels avoids electroblotting and glycoproteins may be visualized within 2-4 h of electrophoresis. This is substantially more rapid than PAS labeling with digoxigenin hydrazide followed by detection with an antidigoxigenin antibody conjugate of alkaline phosphatase, or PAS labeling with biotin hydrazide followed by detection with horseradish peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase conjugates of streptavidin, which require more than eight hours to complete. Pro-Q Emerald 300 dye-labeled gels and blots may be poststained with SYPRO Ruby dye, allowing sequential two-color detection of glycosylated and nonglycosylated proteins. Both fluorophores are excited with mid-range UV illumination. Pro-Q Emerald 300 dye maximally emits at 530 nm (green) while SYPRO Ruby dye maximally emits at 610 nm (red). As little as 300 pg of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (40% carbohydrate) and 1 ng of glucose oxidase (12% carbohydrate) or avidin (7% carbohydrate) are detectable in gels after staining with Pro-Q Emerald 300 dye. Besides glycoproteins, as little as 2-4 ng of lipopolysaccharide is detectable in gels using Pro-Q Emerald 300 dye while 250-1000 ng is required for detection with conventional silver staining. Detection of glycoproteins may be achieved in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, two-dimensional gels and on polyvinylidene difluoride membranes.

Characterization of a novel allele of glucose oxidase from a Korean wild type strain of Aspergillus niger

We have identified a novel allele of the glucose oxidase (GO, EC1.1.3.4) gene (GO) from a Korean wild type strain of Aspergillus niger, ACMO4, with an increased GO activity in culture filtrate. Southern blot analyses of GO from ACMO4 (GO-ACMO4) revealed that the gene was present as a single copy in the genome of A. niger. However, its sequence differs from that of GO from A. niger ATCC 9029 (GO-ATCC9029). GO-ACMO4 appears to be a functional gene based on the fact that it is enzymatically active when heterologously expressed in yeast. Sequence comparisons of the coding region of GO-ACMO4 revealed 16 nucleotide changes that resulted in four amino acid substitutions; T432D, G517D, G530S, and Q542R. The GO proteins from both ATCC 9029 and ACMO4 were heterologously expressed, purified, and compared biochemically. The two enzymes showed no difference in their apparent Km value for glucose (30 mM), but the Vmax of GO-ACMO4 (515.6 unit/mg) was 10% higher than that of GO-ATCC 9029, resulting in a 10% higher specific activity.

Glucose 1- and 2-oxidases from fungal strains: isolation and production of monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) against purified glucose 2-oxidase (EC 1.1.3.10) from Coriolus versicolor were raised by hybridoma technology using Sp2/0 myeloma cells as a fusion partner. Hybrid growth was observed in 42% of culture wells and 30% of these (i.e. 30 culture wells) contained anti-glucose 2-oxidase activity. Three positive wells containing hybrid cell lines were selected and cloned twice by the limiting dilution method and two hybridoma clones (E1A5 and E1A6) secreting Mabs were selected at random for purification and characterisation purposes. Both cell lines secreted Mabs of IgM class which were purified by gel filtration chromatography on a Sephacryl S-200 column with a final recovery of 80% and a purification factor of 16. The purified preparations were apparently homogeneous on native PAGE running with a M(r) of 950 kDa. Mabs were highly specific for glucose 2-oxidase as determined by Western blotting. These Mabs also crossreacted with glucose 1- and 2-oxidases from other fungal sources (Phanerochaeta chrysosporium, Penicillium amagasakiense and Aspergillus niger) as determined by Western blotting and by ELISA. Both glucose 1- and 2-oxidases from C. versicolor, P. chrysosporium, P. amagasakiense and A. niger were purified by hydrophobic interaction chromatography on Sepharose 4B-triazine dye with a recovery of enzyme activity in the range 85-92%. Purified preparations of glucose oxidases from fungal strains were apparently homogeneous on native PAGE. Glucose 2-oxidases were more hydrophobic than glucose 1-oxidases as determined by their chomatographic behaviour on Sepharose 4B-Cibacron Red G-E which could be used to study their roles in lignin biodegradation.

[Preparation of novel macroporous silica-based amide-polymer-bonded packing and its application to the separation of proteins]

A novel macroporous silica-based amide-polymer-bonded packing for protein separations in HPLC is described. The macroporous silica support was bonded with diethoxymethyl vinyl silane and then copolymerized with methylacrylamide and divinylbenzene to produce a tailored stationary phase with high resolution and inertness. The repeatability of packing preparation is good. They were characterized through the application of a standard protein mixture of pepsin, glucose oxidase, bean trypsinogen inhibitor and ribonuclease. The time for elution of these proteins is less than 12 minutes. It is suggested that the macroporous silica-based amide-polymer-bonded packing can be used to quickly separate biopolymer. This packing is a better alternative for the biopolymer separation.

Dye-ligand and metal chelate poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) membranes for affinity separation of proteins

Cibacron Blue F3GA was covalently immobilized onto poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) pHEMA) membranes via the nucleophilic reaction between the chloride of its triazine ring and the hydroxyl group of pHEMA. Then, Fe3+ ions were complexed by chelation with the immobilized Cibacron Blue F3GA molecules. Different amounts of Fe3+ ions were loaded on the membranes by changing the concentration of Fe3+ ions and pH of the reaction medium. Membranes with or without Fe3+ were used in the adsorption of glucose oxidase, catalase and bovine serum albumin. The adsorption capacities of these membranes were determined by changing pH and the concentration of the proteins in the adsorption medium. The adsorption phenomena appeared to follow a typical Langmuir isotherm. The maximum capacities (qm) of the Fe3+ complexed membranes for glucose oxidase, catalase and bovine serum albumin (8.70 x 10(-3) mumol m-2, 2.15 x 10(-3) mumol m-2 and 2.21 x 10(-3) mumol m-2) were greater than those of the untreated membranes (6.79 x 10(-3) mumol m-2, 1.34 x 10(-3) mumol m-2 and 1.94 x 10(-3) mumol m-2) respectively. The nonspecific adsorption of the enzymes and the protein on the pHEMA membranes was negligible.

Purification and characterisation of D-glucose oxidase from white-rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus

D-Glucose oxidase was purified 27.5-fold to apparent homogeneity with an overall yield of 23.8%, from Pleurotus ostreatus, through a purification procedure of ammonium sulphate precipitation, gel-permeation, anion-exchange and hydrophobic-interaction chromatography. The molecular mass determined by gel filtration was found to be 290 kDa. SDS/PAGE revealed that the enzyme consists of four subunits with a molecular mass of 70 kDa. The absorption spectra of the enzyme exhibit maxima at 280, 360 and 460 nm. The enzyme shows a fluorescence spectrum with an excitation maximum at 470 nm and an emission maximum at 530 nm. These results indicate that the prosthetic group of the enzyme is flavin and that the enzyme contains 4 mol flavin/mol enzyme. The enzyme is optimally active at 50 degrees C and at pH 5.5-6.0. It exhibits broad affinity for various sugars and specificity for D-glucose with Km value of 1.34 mM. 2,6-Dichloroindophenol, Wurster's blue, and 4-benzoquinone can function as electron acceptors but phenazine methosulphate cannot function as an electron acceptor. The enzyme is inhibited completely by mercuric chloride and partially by silver sulphate, sodium azide 8-hydroxyquinoline.

The 3D structure of glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger. Implications for the use of GOD as a biosensor enzyme

The tertiary structure of glucose oxidase (GOD) from Aspergillus niger was determined by x-ray crystallography (to be described elsewhere). The overall folding of the enzyme is described with regard to its application in biosensors, and conclusions are drawn from experiments on electrical communication between the enzyme and the electrodes.

Effects of carbohydrate depletion on the structure, stability and activity of glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger

Glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger was purified to homogeneity by hydrophobic interaction and ion-exchange chromatography. Approx. 95% of the carbohydrate moiety was cleaved from the protein by incubation of glucose oxidase with endoglycosidase H and alpha-mannosidase. Cleavage of the carbohydrate moiety effected a 24-30% decrease in the molecular weight and a reduction in the number of isoforms of glucose oxidase. No significant changes were observed in the circular dichroism spectra of the deglycosylated enzyme. Other properties, such as thermal stability, pH and temperature optima of glucose oxidase activity and substrate specificity were not affected. However, removal of the carbohydrate moiety marginally affected the kinetics of glucose oxidation and stability at low pH. From these results it appears that the carbohydrate chain of glucose oxidase does not contribute significantly to the structure, stability and activity of glucose oxidase.

Fermentation of a Yeast Producing A. Niger Glucose Oxidase: Scale-Up, Purification and Characterization of the Recombinant Enzyme

We have developed a fermentation process to produce up to 3 grams per liter of active, secreted glucose oxidase from a recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Real-time size-exclusion HPLC analysis is used to monitor enzyme production during fermentation, and purification to more than 95 percent is obtained using only filtration methods. The recombinant enzyme is stable to higher temperatures and a wider pH range than the native Aspergillus niger enzyme, and is free of contaminating amylase, cellulase and catalase.

Purification of the glycoprotein glucose oxidase from Penicillium amagasakiense by high-performance liquid chromatography

Fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) in combination with ion-exchange chromatography on a Mono Q column was used to purify glucose oxidase from Penicillium amagasakiense to homogeneity. Purification was performed with a mixed pH and salt gradient, with 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 8.5) as starting buffer (A) and 50 mM acetate buffer (pH 3.6) with 0.1 M NaCl as elution buffer (B). Elution conditions were optimized to permit the simultaneous purification and separation of the glucose oxidase isoforms. Three peaks, each consisting of 1-2 isoforms and exhibiting a homogeneous titration curve profile, were resolved with a very flat linear gradient of 5.0-5.1% B in 40 ml. Three more peaks, each consisting of several isoforms, were eluted at 10%, 30% and 100% B. Optimization of the elution conditions and separation of the glucose oxidase isoforms was only possible because of the rapidity of each purification step and the high resolution provided by FPLC and Mono Q.

Enzyme reagents from unusual sources

Although microbes are frequent sources of clinically useful enzymes, there are certain biocatalysts which appear to be enriched in, or more naturally available from nonmicrobes. This paper highlights several of these enzyme reagents, and illustrates their potential or actual clinical diagnostic uses. These reagents include: an enzyme extract containing both glucose oxidase and mutarotase activities from peppers; a bilirubin-degrading enzyme from orange peels; a gentisic acid metabolizing activity from onions; and enzymes from snails which catalyze the detoxification of cyanide by divergent mechanisms.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of a deglycosylated glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger

Deglycosylation was shown to be an important prerequisite step for the crystallization of glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger. Whereas the glycosylated enzyme could not be crystallized, crystals of the deglycosylated enzyme suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis were reproducibly grown in the presence of 1.6 M-ammonium sulphate and octanetriol at pH 5.3 to 5.6. The crystals belong to the space group P3(1)21 or P3(2)21 with refined lattice constants of a = 66.5 A and c = 214.4 A, indicating a cell content of one monomer per asymmetric unit of the crystal. Crystals diffract to at least 2.5 A resolution. Cleavage of 95% of its carbohydrate moiety affected the kinetics of glucose oxidation, stability at low pH and some electrophoretic properties of glucose oxidase, such as molecular mass and the number of isoelectric forms. However, other properties, such as thermal stability, pH and temperature optima of activity were not affected.

Application of high-performance chromatographic and electrophoretic methods to the purification and characterization of glucose oxidase and catalase from Penicillium chrysogenum

The high resolving power of the preparative and analytical high-performance chromatographic and electrophoretic methods recently developed in this laboratory for the separation of biopolymers has been demonstrated by the purification and characterization of glucose oxidase and catalase from Penicillium chrysogenum. Crude glucose oxidase was purified to homogeneity in one step by high-performance hydrophobic-interaction chromatography (HIC) on a pentylagarose column. Crude catalase was purified by a combination of HIC and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography on 3-diethylamino-2-hydroxypropylagarose. The homogeneity of the enzymes was monitored by high-performance electrophoresis and free zone electrophoresis. The pI values of these two enzymes determined by isoelectric focusing in the high-performance electrophoresis apparatus were 4.2 and 6.5, respectively. Their molecular weights were determined by high-performance molecular sieve chromatography on an agarose column. Glucose oxidase has a molecular weight of 175,000 and probably consists of two identical subunits, as sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gave a molecular weight of around 72,000. The molecular weight of catalase, which is probably composed of non-identical subunits, as indicated by sodium dodecyl sulphate electrophoresis, is around 320,000. Some other characteristics of these two enzymes were also investigated, e.g., electrophoretic mobility, pH stability and optimum pH.

[Immobilization of enzymatic inhibitors for the isolation of reversible immunologic sensors]

The authors propose the use of specific sensors immobilized by ligands onto artificial supports, and the elaboration of a computerized system for the determination of various antigens, haptens or antibodies in biological fluids according to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques. Two enzymes are applied in this technique: the first (ribonuclease) for reversibly linking the immunocomplex to the insoluble support via disulphur bridges; the second (beta-D-glucose oxidase) for labelling the antigen. Enzyme activity is measured in the presence of glucose oxidase by fixing the immunocomplex onto a pO2 electrode. After incubation of the antigen labelled with glucose oxidase and the free antigen with specific antibodies linked with ribonuclease, to reduce the pre-established concentration, the reaction medium is introduced into the continuous flow cell. O2 consumption due to the enzyme reaction is measured by the actual time that the electrode is in contact with a glucose standard solution. Cleavage of the disulphur bridges is caused by an injection of dithiothreitol solution. Treatment of the signal obtained is realized with an automatic microcomputer system. The preliminary results show that reproducibility with the same membrane for ten measurements is less than 5%. Elution performed using dithiothreitol for example, shows that cleavage between the immunocomplex and the thiol-containing support is obtained after a few minutes, and 98% of the immunocomplex is eluted.

Purification and characterization of glucose oxidase from ligninolytic cultures of Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Glucose oxidase, an important source of hydrogen peroxide in lignin-degrading cultures of Phanerochaete chrysosporium, was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by a combination of ion-exchange and molecular sieve chromatography. The enzyme is a flavoprotein with an apparent native molecular weight of 180,000 and a denatured molecular weight of 80,000. This enzyme does not appear to be a glycoprotein. It gives optimal activity with D-glucose, which is stoichiometrically oxidized to D-gluconate. The enzyme has a relatively broad pH optimum of 4 to 5. It is inhibited by Ag+ (10 mM) and o-phthalate (100 mM), but not by Cu2+, NaF, or KCN (each 10 mM).

Recovery of native proteins from preparative electrophoresis gel slices by reverse polarity elution

A technique for high yield recovery of native, biologically active proteins from preparative polyacrylamide gel slices by reverse polarity elution is described. No apparatus other than the standard slab gel electrophoresis system is required. Several proteins have been recovered in biologically active form at a 90% yield, in quantities ranging from 0.4 mg to 4.2 mg. The method is effective with both small (9,000 dalton) and large (186,000 dalton) polypeptides. Both simple and complex proteins are recovered intact. For example, the copper-zinc and manganese superoxide dismutases from crude soybean extracts are active upon recovery. Similarly, the vitamin D-dependent calcium binding proteins from rat kidney and intestine are isolated by this method in homogeneous, active form.

Hydrophobic-ionic chromatography: its application to microbial glucose oxidase, hyaluronidase, cholesterol oxidase, and cholesterol esterase

Glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger, hyaluronidase from Streptomyces hyalurolyticus, and cholesterol oxidase and cholesterol esterase from Pseudomonas fluorescens were effectively adsorbed on an Amberlite CG-50 column, when the cell-free cultured medium or the cultured medium with cell extract and without cell debris was applied without desalting but at pH less than or equal to 4.5. At the acidic pH, all the ion-exchange groups (-COOH) exist in the protonated form; the adsorption is not due to electrostatic attraction, but to hydrophobic interaction. The enzymes thus adsorbed were effectively eluted by increasing pH, at which the ion-exchange groups became dissociated. This type of adsorption-elution is called hydrophobic-ionic chromatography. By a single run of chromatography, glucose oxidase, hyaluronidase, cholesterol oxidase, and cholesterol esterase were purified 30-fold, 12-fold, 45-fold, and 20-fold with yields of 82%, 83%, 80%, and 90%, respectively. This indicates that hydrophobic-ionic chromatography on an Amberlite CG-50 column is effective for the purification of various enzymes, provided that they are stable at the acidic pH.

Purification, properties, and molecular features of glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger

4. FHD (flavin-hypoxanthine dinucleotide) has coenzymatic activity equal to that of FAD.

[Method of purification of glucose oxidase by means of affinity chromatography on immunoabsorbent]

The possibility to purify glucose oxidase from Penicillium vitale on immunosorbent containing specific antibodies to the enzyme covalently bound with Sepharose 4B is studied. The method of affinity chromatography was applied, beside routine methods of fractionating blood serum proteins, to isolate specific antibodies from antiserum of rabbits immunized with glucose oxidase. Immobilized on Sepharose glucose oxidase was used as biospecific sorbent. Specific antibodies to the enzyme were isolated using chromatograpy of gamma-globulins mixture followed by protein desorption from the column with 1 M NaC1 and 3% glucose. Antibodies were immobilized by their covalent binding to activated Sepharose. The immunosorbent obtained was used to purify low active preparation of glucose oxidase by means of affinity chromatography under conditions worked out for the antibodies isolation. The enzyme was eluted from the column with 1 M NaC1 (pH 3.0) containing 3% glucose. 5-Fold purified enzyme preparation was isolated.

Studies on the interaction of concanavalin A with glycoproteins

Lectins (phytohaemagglutinin) are known to have the unique property of binding with certain specific sugars, polysaccharides and glycoproteins. Although the kinetics of interaction between lectins and sugar have been extensively studied, the binding characteristics of the lectins with various glycoproteins are not well understood. In this laboratory a systematic study has been initiated in relation to the interaction of lectins with glycoproteins. Concanavalin A is known to bind alpha-glucosides, mannosides and biopolymers having these sugar configurations. A galactose binding protein from caster bean has been purified to homogeneity and was found to contain mannose. This lectin was used as the source of glycoprotein for studying its interaction with concanavalin A. This study showed that the interaction is temperature dependent and the dissociation is time and alpha-methyl glucoside concentration dependent. This has led to speculate a model for cell-lectin interaction. Using concanavalin A it has been shown that all the lysosomal enzymes from brain studied were glycoprotein in nature. Moreover, using Sepharose-bound concanavalin A it has been possible to devise a method by which these lysosomal enzymes could be purified considerably. With the knowledge that the interaction between lectin and glycoprotein is not only dependent on the specific sugar present in the glycoprotein, but also on the nature of the glycoprotein it was possible to develop a novel method for immobilizing various glycoprotein enzymes, such as arylsulphatase A, hyaluronidase and glucose oxidase.