Secretion of alpha-amylase from Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAB23: Two different pathways in different hosts

in Journal of Bacteriology (2002), 184(20), 5814-5817

Secretion of cold-adapted alpha-amylase from Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAB23 was studied in three Antarctic bacteria. We demonstrated that the enzyme is specifically secreted in the psychrophilic ... [more ▼]

Secretion of cold-adapted alpha-amylase from Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAB23 was studied in three Antarctic bacteria. We demonstrated that the enzyme is specifically secreted in the psychrophilic hosts even in the absence of a protein domain that has been previously reported to be necessary for alpha-amylase secretion in Escherichia coli. The occurrence of two different secretion pathways in different hosts is proposed. [less ▲]

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of a xylanase from the psychrophile Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis

in Acta Crystallographica Section D-Biological Crystallography (2002), 58(Part 9), 1494-1496

The 46 kDa xylanase from the Antarctic microorganism Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis is an enzyme that efficiently catalyzes reactions at low temperatures. Here, the crystallization of both the native ... [more ▼]

The 46 kDa xylanase from the Antarctic microorganism Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis is an enzyme that efficiently catalyzes reactions at low temperatures. Here, the crystallization of both the native protein and the SeMet-substituted enzyme and data collection from both crystals using synchrotron radiation are described. The native data showed that the crystals diffract to 1.3 Angstrom resolution and belong to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 50.87, b = 90.51, c = 97.23 Angstrom. SAD data collected at the peak of the selenium absorption edge proved to be sufficient to determine the heavy-atom configuration and to obtain electron density of good quality. [less ▲]

Structural basis of alpha-amylase activation by chloride

in Protein Science : A Publication of the Protein Society (2002), 11(6), 1435-1441

To further investigate the mechanism and function of allosteric activation by chloride in some alpha-amylases, the structure of the bacterial alpha-amylase from the psychrophilic micro-organism ... [more ▼]

To further investigate the mechanism and function of allosteric activation by chloride in some alpha-amylases, the structure of the bacterial alpha-amylase from the psychrophilic micro-organism Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis in complex with nitrate has been solved at 2.1 Angstrom, as well as the structure of the mutants Lys300Gln (2.5 Angstrom) and Lys300Arg (2.25 Angstrom). Nitrate binds strongly to alpha-amylase but is a weak activator. Mutation of the critical chloride ligand Lys300 into Gln results in a chloride-independent enzyme, whereas the mutation into Arg mimics the binding site as is found in animal alpha-amylases with, however, a lower affinity for chloride. These structures reveal that the triangular conformation of the chloride ligands and the nearly equatorial coordination allow the perfect accommodation of planar trigonal monovalent anions such as NO3-, explaining their unusual strong binding. It is also shown that a localized negative charge such as that of Cl-, rather than a delocalized charge as in the case of nitrate, is essential for maximal activation. The chloride-free mutant Lys300Gln indicates that chloride is not mandatory for the catalytic mechanism but strongly increases the reactivity at the active site. Disappearance of the putative catalytic water molecule in this weakly active mutant supports the view that chloride helps to polarize the hydrolytic water molecule and enhances the rate of the second step in the catalytic reaction. [less ▲]

Cold-adapted microorganisms: adaptation strategies and biotechnological potential

in Bitton, G. (Ed.) The Encyclopedia of Environmental Microbiology, vol. 2 (2002)

Structural determinants of cold adaptation and stability in a psychrophilic alpha-amylase

in Biologia (2002), 57(Suppl. 11), 213-219

The heat-labile alpha-amylase from an Antarctic bacterium is the largest known protein that unfolds reversibly according to a two-state transition, as shown by differential scanning calorimetry. Mutants ... [more ▼]

The heat-labile alpha-amylase from an Antarctic bacterium is the largest known protein that unfolds reversibly according to a two-state transition, as shown by differential scanning calorimetry. Mutants of this enzyme were produced, carrying intended additional weak interactions of a type found in thermostable alpha-amylases. It is shown that single amino acid side chain substitutions can significantly modify the melting point T-m, the calorimetric enthalpy DeltaH(cal), the cooperativity and reversibility of unfolding, the thermal inactivation rate constant, and the kinetic parameters k(cat) and K-m. Although all mutations were located far from the active site, their overall trend is to decrease both k(cat) and K-m, probably by making the molecule more rigid, but this protects mutants against thermal inactivation. [less ▲]

Did Psychrophilic Enzymes Really Win the Challenge?

in Extremophiles : Life Under Extreme Conditions (2001), 5(5), 313-21

Organisms living in permanently cold environments, which actually represent the greatest proportion of our planet, display at low temperatures metabolic fluxes comparable to those exhibited by mesophilic ... [more ▼]

Organisms living in permanently cold environments, which actually represent the greatest proportion of our planet, display at low temperatures metabolic fluxes comparable to those exhibited by mesophilic organisms at moderate temperatures. They produce cold-evolved enzymes partially able to cope with the reduction in chemical reaction rates and the increased viscosity of the medium induced by low temperatures. In most cases, the adaptation is achieved through a reduction in the activation energy, leading to a high catalytic efficiency, which possibly originates from an increased flexibility of either a selected area of or the overall protein structure. This enhanced plasticity seems in return to be responsible for the weak thermal stability of cold enzymes. These particular properties render cold enzymes particularly useful in investigating the possible relationships existing between stability, flexibility, and specific activity and make them potentially unrivaled for numerous biotechnological tasks. In most cases, however, the adaptation appears to be far from being fully achieved. [less ▲]

Modular Structure, Local Flexibility and Cold-Activity of a Novel Chitobiase from a Psychrophilic Antarctic Bacterium

in Journal of Molecular Biology (2001), 310(2), 291-7

The gene archb encoding for the cell-bound chitobiase from the Antarctic Gram-positive bacterium Arthrobacter sp. TAD20 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli in a soluble form. The mature ... [more ▼]

The gene archb encoding for the cell-bound chitobiase from the Antarctic Gram-positive bacterium Arthrobacter sp. TAD20 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli in a soluble form. The mature chitobiase ArChb possesses four functionally independent domains: a catalytic domain stabilized by Ca(2+), a galactose-binding domain and an immunoglobulin-like domain followed by a cell-wall anchorage signal, typical of cell-surface proteins from Gram-positive bacteria. Binding of saccharides was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, allowing to distinguish unequivocally the catalytic domain from the galactose-binding domain and to study binding specificities. The results suggest that ArChb could play a role in bacterium attachment to natural hosts. Kinetic parameters of ArChb demonstrate perfect adaptation to catalysis at low temperatures, as shown by a low activation energy associated with unusually low K(m) and high k(cat) values. Thermodependence of these parameters indicates that discrete amino acid substitutions in the catalytic center have optimized the thermodynamic properties of weak interactions involved in substrate binding at low temperatures. Microcalorimetry also reveals that heat-lability, a general trait of psychrophilic enzymes, only affects the active site domain of ArChb. [less ▲]

Enzyme Activity Determination on Macromolecular Substrates by Isothermal Titration Calorimetry: Application to Mesophilic and Psychrophilic Chitinases

in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (2001), 1545(1-2), 349-56

Isothermal titration calorimetry has been applied to the determination of the kinetic parameters of chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) by monitoring the heat released during the hydrolysis of chitin glycosidic ... [more ▼]

Isothermal titration calorimetry has been applied to the determination of the kinetic parameters of chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) by monitoring the heat released during the hydrolysis of chitin glycosidic bonds. Experiments were carried out using two different macromolecular substrates: a soluble polymer of N-acetylglucosamine and the insoluble chitin from crab shells. Different experimental temperatures were used in order to compare the thermodependence of the activity of two chitinases from the psychrophile Arthrobacter sp. TAD20 and of chitinase A from the mesophile Serratia marcescens. The method allowed to determine unequivocally the catalytic rate constant k(cat), the activation energy (E(a)) and the thermodynamic activation parameters (DeltaG(#), DeltaH(#), DeltaS(#)) of the chitinolytic reaction on the soluble substrate. The catalytic activity has also been determined on insoluble chitin, which displays an effect of substrate saturation by chitinases. On both substrates, the thermodependence of the activity of the psychrophilic chitinases was lower than that observed with the mesophilic counterpart. [less ▲]

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of a bacterial psychrophilic enzyme, phosphoglycerate kinase

in Acta Crystallographica Section D-Biological Crystallography (2001), 57(Pt 11), 1666-8

The glycolytic enzyme phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) from the Antarctic microorganism Pseudomonas sp. TACII18 is a cold-adapted enzyme that displays a high specific activity at low temperatures and ... [more ▼]

The glycolytic enzyme phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) from the Antarctic microorganism Pseudomonas sp. TACII18 is a cold-adapted enzyme that displays a high specific activity at low temperatures and decreased thermostability relative to its mesophilic counterpart. Herein, the preliminary crystallization and structure solution of psychrophilic PGK in its native form and cocrystallized with 3-phosphoglyceric acid (3-PGA) and the ATP analogue adenylyl imidophosphate (AMP-PNP) is reported. The complexed form of PGK crystallized in 2-3 d at 290 K, whereas the native form of the enzyme required 8-12 months. Morphologically, both crystal forms are similar and X-ray diffraction experiments indicate that the crystals are isomorphous. The crystals diffracted to a resolution of 2.0 A and belong to the space group P3(2). with unit-cell parameters a = b = 58.5, c = 85.4 A. [less ▲]

Psychrophilic Enzymes: Revisiting the Thermodynamic Parameters of Activation May Explain Local Flexibility

in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (2000), 1543(1), 1-10

Basic theoretical and practical aspects of activation parameters are briefly reviewed in the context of cold-adaptation. In order to reduce the error impact inherent to the transition state theory on the ... [more ▼]

Basic theoretical and practical aspects of activation parameters are briefly reviewed in the context of cold-adaptation. In order to reduce the error impact inherent to the transition state theory on the absolute values of the free energy (DeltaG(#)), enthalpy (DeltaH(#)) and entropy (DeltaS(#)) of activation, it is proposed to compare the variation of these parameters between psychrophilic and mesophilic enzymes, namely Delta(DeltaG(#))(p-m), Delta(DeltaH(#))(p-m) and Delta(DeltaS(#))(p-m). Calculation of these parameters from the available literature shows that the main adaptation of psychrophilic enzymes lies in a significant decrease of DeltaH(#), therefore leading to a higher k(cat), especially at low temperatures. Moreover, in all cases including cold-blooded animals, DeltaS(#) exerts an opposite and negative effect on the gain in k(cat). It is argued that the magnitude of this counter-effect of DeltaS(#) can be reduced by keeping some stable domains, while increasing the flexibility of the structures required to improve catalysis at low temperature, as demonstrated in several cold-active enzymes. This enthalpic-entropic balance provides a new approach explaining the two types of conformational stability detected by recent microcalorimetric experiments on psychrophilic enzymes. [less ▲]