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A novel bifunctional β-lactamase/esterase (LgLacI), which is capable of hydrolyzing β-lactam-containing antibiotics including ampicillin, oxacillin, and cefotaxime as well as synthesizing biodiesels, was cloned from Lactococcus garvieae. Unlike most bacterial esterases/lipases that have G-x-S-x-G motif, LgLacI, which contains S-x-x-K catalytic motif, has sequence similarities to bacterial family VIII esterase as well as β-lactamases. The catalytic properties of LgLacI were explored using a wide range of biochemical methods including spectroscopy, assays, structural modeling, mutagenesis, and chromatography. We confirmed the bifunctional property of LgLacI hydrolyzing both esters and β-lactam antibiotics. This study provides novel perspectives into a bifunctional enzyme from L. garvieae, which can degrade β-lactam antibiotics with high esterase activity.

In Neisseria sp., SGNH family esterases are involved in bacterial pathogenesis as well as cell wall peptidoglycan maturation. Here, a novel enantioselective SGNH family esterase (NmSGNH1) from Neisseria meningitidis, which has sequence similarity to carbohydrate esterase (CE3) family, was catalytically characterized and functionally explored. NmSGNH1 exhibited a wide range of substrate specificities including naproxol acetate, tert-butyl acetate, glucose pentaacetate as well as p-nitrophenyl esters. Deletion of C-terminal residues (NmSGNH1Δ11) led to the altered substrate specificity, reduced catalytic activity, and increased thermostability. Furthermore, a hydrophobic residue of Leu92 in the substrate-binding pocket was identified to be critical in catalytic activity, thermostability, kinetics, and enantioselectivity. Interestingly, immobilization of NmSGNH1 by hybrid nanoflowers (hNFs) and crosslinked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) showed increased level of activity, recycling property, and enhanced stability. Finally, synthesis of butyl acetate, oleic acid esters, and fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were verified. In summary, this work provides a molecular understanding of substrate specificities, catalytic regulation, immobilization, and industrial applications of a novel SGNH family esterase from Neisseria meningitidis.

Cold-active enzymes with distinctive properties from a psychrophilic Exiguobacterium antarcticum B7 could be excellent biocatalysts in industrial and biotechnological processes. Here, the characterization, immobilization, and site-directed mutagenesis of a novel cold-active acetylesterase (EaAcE) from E. antarcticum B7 is reported. EaAcE does not belong to any currently known lipase/esterase family, although there are some sequence similarities with family III and V members. Biochemical characterization of EaAcE was carried out using activity staining, mass spectrometry analysis, circular dichroism spectra, freeze-thaw experiments, kinetic analysis, acetic acid release assays, and enantioselectivity determination. Furthermore, immobilization of EaAcE using four different approaches was explored to enhance its thermal stability and recyclability. Based on a homology model of EaAcE, four mutations (F45A, S118A, S141A, and T216A) within the substrate-binding pocket were investigated to elucidate their roles in EaAcE catalysis and substrate specificity. This work has provided invaluable information on the properties of EaAcE, which can now be used to understand the acetylesterase enzyme family.

The small presynaptic protein α-synuclein (α-syn) is involved in the etiology of Parkinson's disease owing to its abnormal misfolding. To date, little information is known on the role of DNA nanostructures in the formation of α-syn amyloid fibrils. Here, the effects of DNA tetrahedrons on the formation of α-syn amyloid fibrils were investigated using various biochemical and biophysical methods such as thioflavin T fluorescence assay, atomic force microscopy, light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and cell-based cytotoxicity assay. It has been shown that DNA tetrahedrons decreased the level of oligomers and increased the level of amyloid fibrils, which corresponded to decreased cellular toxicity. The ability of DNA tetrahedron to facilitate the formation of α-syn amyloid fibrils demonstrated that structured nucleic acids such as DNA tetrahedrons could modulate the process of amyloid fibril formation. Our study suggests that DNA tetrahedrons could be used as an important facilitator toward amyloid fibril formation of α-synuclein, which may be of significance in finding therapeutic approaches to Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies.

This report deals with the purification, characterization, and a preliminary crystallographic study of a novel cold-active esterase (HaEst1) from Halocynthiibacter arcticus. Primary sequence analysis reveals that HaEst1 has a catalytic serine in G-x-S-x-G motif. The recombinant HaEst1 was cloned, expressed, and purified. SDS-PAGE and zymographic analysis were carried out to characterize the properties of HaEst1. A single crystal of HaEst1 was obtained in a solution containing 10% (w/v) PEG 8000/8% ethylene glycol, 0.1 M Hepes-NaOH, pH 7.5. Diffraction data were collected to 2.10 Å resolution with P21 space group. The final Rmerge and Rp.i.m values were 7.6% and 3.5% for 50-2.10 Å resolution. The unit cell parameters were a = 35.69 Å, b = 91.21 Å, c = 79.15 Å, and = 96.9°.

Hormone sensitive lipase is a central enzyme in triacylglycerol hydrolysis, lipid modification, and transformation of various lipids. Microbial hormone-sensitive lipases, which are highly similar to a catalytic domain of mammalian equivalents, have attracted strong attention due to their application potentials. Here, characterization and a preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of a novel bacterial homologue of hormone-sensitive lipase (HaLip1) from Halocynthiibacter arcticus is reported. Sequence analysis shows that HaLip1 has a conserved serine residue within the GDSAG motif. In addition, a characteristic HGGG motif for oxyanion formation was identified. The HaLip1 protein was overexpressed in E. coli. SDS-PAGE, overlay assay, and mass analysis were performed to confirm purity and activity of HaLip1 protein. Furthermore, HaLip1 was crystallized in a condtion consisting of 25% (w/v) PEG 3350, 0.1 M Hepes-KOH, pH 7.5, 0.2 M sodium chloride. Diffraction data were processed to 1.30 Å with an Rmerge of 7.3%. The crystals of HaLip1 belong to the P212121, with unit cell parameters of a = 54.6 Å, b = 59.5 Å, and c = 82.9 Å.

The YbfF esterase family, which has a bifurcated binding pocket for diverse ligands, could serve as excellent biocatalysts in industrial and biotechnological applications. Here, the identification, characterization, and immobilization of a novel YbfF esterase (YbfFHalomonas elongata) from Halomonas elongata DSM 2581 is reported. Biochemical characterization of YbfF was carried out using activity staining, chromatographic analysis, kinetic analysis, activity assay, acetic acid release, and pH-indicator-based hydrolysis. YbfFH.elongata displayed broad substrate specificity, including that for p-nitrophenyl esters, glucose pentaacetate, tert-butyl acetate, and β-lactam-containing compounds, with high efficiency. Based on a homology model of YbfFH.elongata, Trp237 in the substrate-binding pocket, a critical residue for catalytic activity and substrate specificity was identified and characterized. Furthermore, crosslinked enzyme aggregates and nanoflower formation were explored to enhance the chemical stability and recyclability of YbfFH.elongata. The present study is the first report of a YbfF esterase from extremophiles, and explains its protein stability, catalytic activity, substrate specificities and diversities, kinetics, functional residues, amyloid formation, and immobilization.

In spore forming microbes, germination protease (GPR) plays a key role in the initiation of the germination process. A critical step during germination is the degradation of small acid-soluble proteins (SASPs), which protect spore DNA from external stresses (UV, heat, low temperature, etc.). Inactive zymogen GPR can be activated by autoprocessing of the N-terminal pro-sequence domain. Activated GPR initiates the degradation of SASPs; however, the detailed mechanisms underlying the activation, catalysis, regulation, and substrate recognition of GPR remain elusive. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of GPR from Paenisporosarcina sp. TG-20 (PaGPR) in its inactive form at a resolution of 2.5 A. Structural analysis showed that the active site of PaGPR is sterically occluded by an inhibitory loop region (residues 202-216). The N-terminal region interacts directly with the self-inhibitory loop region, suggesting that the removal of the N-terminal pro-sequence induces conformational changes, which lead to the release of the self-inhibitory loop region from the active site. In addition, comparative sequence and structural analyses revealed that PaGPR contains two highly conserved Asp residues (D123 and D182) in the active site, similar to the putative aspartic acid protease GPR from Bacillus megaterium. The catalytic domain structure of PaGPR also shares similarities with the sequentially non-homologous proteins HycI and HybD. HycI and HybD are metal-loproteases that also contain two Asp (or Glu) residues in their active site, playing a role in metal binding. In summary, our results provide useful insights into the activation process of PaGPR and its active conformation.

Background Biodiesel and flavor compound production using enzymatic transesterification by microbial lipases provides mild reaction conditions and low energy cost compared to the chemical process. SGNH-type lipases are very effective catalysts for enzymatic transesterification due to their high reaction rate, great stability, relatively small size for convenient genetic manipulations, and ease of immobilization. Hence, it is highly important to identify novel SGNH-type lipases with high catalytic efficiencies and good stabilities. Results A promiscuous cold-adapted SGNH-type lipase (HaSGNH1) from Halocynthiibacter arcticus was catalytically characterized and functionally explored. HaSGNH1 displayed broad substrate specificity that included tert-butyl acetate, glucose pentaacetate, and p-nitrophenyl esters with excellent stability and high efficiency. Important amino acids (N83, M86, R87, F131, and I173F) around the substrate-binding pocket were shown to be responsible for catalytic activity, substrate specificity, and reaction kinetics. Moreover, immobilized HaSGNH1 was used to produce high yields of butyl and oleic esters. Conclusions This work provides a molecular understanding of substrate specificities, catalytic regulation, immobilization, and industrial applications of a promiscuous cold-adapted SGNH-type lipase (HaSGNH1) from H. arcticus. This is the first analysis on biodiesel and flavor synthesis using a cold-adapted halophilic SGNH-type lipase from a Halocynthiibacter species.

The SGNH family esterases are highly effective biocatalysts due to their strong catalytic efficiencies, great stabilities, relatively small sizes, and ease of immobilization. Here, a novel SGNH family esterase (LaSGNH1) from Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, which has homologues in many Lactobacillus species, was identified, characterized, and immobilized. LaSGNH1 is highly active towards acetate- or butyrate-containing compounds, such as p-nitrophenyl acetate or 1-naphthyl acetate. Enzymatic properties of LaSGNH1, including thermal stability, optimum pH, chemical stability, and urea stability, were investigated. Interestingly, LaSGNH1 displayed a wide range of substrate specificity that included glyceryl tributyrate, tert-butyl acetate, and glucose pentaacetate. Furthermore, immobilization of LaSGNH1 by crosslinked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) showed enhanced thermal stability and efficient recycling property. In summary, this work paves the way for molecular understandings and industrial applications of a novel SGNH family esterase (LaSGNH1) from Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Bacterial hormone-sensitive lipases (bHSLs), which are homologous to the catalytic domains of human HSLs, have received great interest due to their uses in the preparation of highly valuable biochemicals, such as drug intermediates or chiral building blocks. Here, a novel cold-active HSL from Halocynthiibacter arcticus (HaHSL) was examined and its enzymatic properties were investigated using several biochemical and biophysical methods. Interestingly, HaHSL acted on a large variety of substrates including tertiary alcohol esters and fish oils. Additionally, this enzyme was highly tolerant to high concentrations of salt, detergents, and glycerol. Furthermore, immobilized HaHSL retained its activity for up to six cycles of use. Homology modeling suggested that aromatic amino acids (Trp23, Tyr74, Phe78, Trp83, and Phe245) in close proximity to the substrate-binding pocket were important for enzyme activity. Mutational analysis revealed that Tyr74 played an important role in substrate specificity, thermostability, and enantioselectivity. In summary, the current study provides an invaluable insight into the novel cold-active HaHSL from H. arcticus, which can be efficiently and sustainably used in a wide range of biotechnological applications.

Lactic acid bacteria, which are involved in the fermentation of vegetables, meats, and dairy products, are widely used for the productions of small organic molecules and bioactive peptides. Here, a novel acetylesterase (LaAcE) from Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM was identified, functionally characterized, immobilized, and subjected to site-directed mutagenesis for biotechnological applications. The enzymatic properties of LaAcE were investigated using biochemical and biophysical methods including native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, acetic acid release, biochemical assays, enzyme kinetics, and spectroscopic methods. Interestingly, LaAcE exhibited the ability to act on a broad range of substrates including glucose pentaacetate, glyceryl tributyrate, fish oil, and fermentation-related compounds. Furthermore, immobilization of LaAcE showed good recycling ability and high thermal stability compared with free LaAcE. A structural model of LaAcE was used to guide mutational analysis of hydrophobic substrate-binding region, which was composed of Leu156, Phe164, and Val204. Five mutants (L156A, F164A, V204A, L156A/F164A, and L156A/V204A) were generated and investigated to elucidate the roles of these hydrophobic residues in substrate specificity. This work provided valuable insights into the properties of LaAcE, and demonstrated that LaAcE could be used as a model enzyme of acetylesterase in lactic acid bacteria, making LaAcE a great candidate for industrial applications.

Lipases are important enzymes with biotechnological applications in dairy, detergent, food, fine chemicals, and pharmaceutical industries. Specifically, hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) is an intracellular lipase that can be stimulated by several hormones, such as catecholamine, glucagon, and adrenocorticotropic hormone. Bacterial hormone-sensitive lipases (bHSLs), which are homologous to the C-terminal domain of HSL, have α/β-hydrolase fold with a catalytic triad composed of His, Asp, and Ser. These bHSLs could be used for a wide variety of industrial applications because of their high activity, broad substrate specificity, and remarkable stability. In this review, the relationships among HSLs, the microbiological origins, the crystal structures, and the biotechnological properties of bHSLs are summarized.

Background Biodiesel and flavor compound production using enzymatic transesterification by microbial lipases provides mild reaction conditions and low energy cost compared to the chemical process. SGNH-type lipases are very effective catalysts for enzymatic transesterification due to their high reaction rate, great stability, relatively small size for convenient genetic manipulations, and ease of immobilization. Hence, it is highly important to identify novel SGNH-type lipases with high catalytic efficiencies and good stabilities. Results A promiscuous cold-adapted SGNH-type lipase (HaSGNH1) from Halocynthiibacter arcticus was catalytically characterized and functionally explored. HaSGNH1 displayed broad substrate specificity that included tert-butyl acetate, glucose pentaacetate, and p-nitrophenyl esters with excellent stability and high efficiency. Important amino acids (N83, M86, R87, F131, and I173F) around the substrate-binding pocket were shown to be responsible for catalytic activity, substrate specificity, and reaction kinetics. Moreover, immobilized HaSGNH1 was used to produce high yields of butyl and oleic esters. Conclusions This work provides a molecular understanding of substrate specificities, catalytic regulation, immobilization, and industrial applications of a promiscuous cold-adapted SGNH-type lipase (HaSGNH1) from H. arcticus. This is the first analysis on biodiesel and flavor synthesis using a cold-adapted halophilic SGNH-type lipase from a Halocynthiibacter species.

Background S-Formylglutathione is hydrolyzed to glutathione and formate by an S-formylglutathione hydrolase (SFGH) (3.1.2.12). This thiol esterase belongs to the esterase family and is also known as esterase D. SFGHs contain highly conserved active residues of Ser-Asp-His as a catalytic triad at the active site. Characterization and investigation of SFGH from Antarctic organisms at the molecular level is needed for industrial use through protein engineering. Results A novel cold-active S-formylglutathione hydrolase (SfSFGH) from Shewanella frigidimarina, composed of 279 amino acids with a molecular mass of ~ 31.0 kDa, was characterized. Sequence analysis of SfSFGH revealed a conserved pentapeptide of G-X-S-X-G found in various lipolytic enzymes along with a putative catalytic triad of Ser148-Asp224-His257. Activity analysis showed that SfSFGH was active towards short-chain esters, such as p-nitrophenyl acetate, butyrate, hexanoate, and octanoate. The optimum pH for enzymatic activity was slightly alkaline (pH 8.0). To investigate the active site configuration of SfSFGH, we determined the crystal structure of SfSFGH at 2.32 Å resolution. Structural analysis shows that a Trp182 residue is located at the active site entrance, allowing it to act as a gatekeeper residue to control substrate binding to SfSFGH. Moreover, SfSFGH displayed more than 50% of its initial activity in the presence of various chemicals, including 30% EtOH, 1% Triton X-100, 1% SDS, and 5 M urea. Conclusions Mutation of Trp182 to Ala allowed SfSFGH to accommodate a longer chain of substrates. It is thought that the W182A mutation increases the substrate-binding pocket and decreases the steric effect for larger substrates in SfSFGH. Consequently, the W182A mutant has a broader substrate specificity compared to wild-type SfSFGH. Taken together, this study provides useful structure–function data of a SFGH family member and may inform protein engineering strategies for industrial applications of SfSFGH. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12934-019-1190-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The thermostable esterase Est-Y29, belonging to the family VIII lipolytic esterases isolated from metagenomes extracted from the topsoil in Republic of Korea, was identified as a promising catalyst for the production of (S)-ketoprofen, an important nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). For industrial applications, the enantioselectivity of the enzyme toward the S-enantiomer of the racemic ketoprofen ester substrate needs to be improved. To understand the structural basis of Est-Y29 enantioselectivity, which is necessary for the rational design of an enzyme with enhanced enantioselectivity, we solved the crystal structures of Est-Y29 bound to (S)-ketoprofen at 1.69 Å resolution. Structural analyses revealed that the S-enantiomer can be stabilized by a π-interaction between the methyl substituent at the chiral carbon of the ligand and the aromatic pocket formed by Tyr123, Phe125, and Tyr170. This finding is further supported by the highly improved enantioselectivity of the mutant Est-Y29 (F125W) toward (S)-ketoprofen due to the enhanced π-interaction. Our results provide the molecular basis of the enantioselectivity of Est-Y29 against (S)-ketoprofen and further offer the opportunity for the rational design of enzyme enantioselectivity as well as potential applications of the mutant Est-Y29 to industrial biocatalysts.

Fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) is essential for the degradation of aromatic amino acids as well as for the cleavage of carbon-carbon bonds in metabolites or small organic compounds. Here, the X-ray crystal structure of EaFAH, a dimeric fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase from Exiguobacterium antarcticum, was determined, and its functional properties were investigated using biochemical methods. EaFAH adopts a mixed β-sandwich roll fold with a highly flexible lid region (Val73-Leu94), and an Mg2+ ion is bound at the active site by coordinating to the three carboxylate oxygen atoms of Glu124, Glu126, and Asp155. The hydrolytic activity of EaFAH toward various substrates, including linalyl acetate was investigated using native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, activity staining, gel filtration, circular dichroism spectroscopy, fluorescence, and enzyme assays.

Carbohydrate acetylesterases, which have a highly specific role among plant-interacting bacterial species, remove the acetyl groups from plant carbohydrates. Here, we determined the crystal structure of Est24, an octameric carbohydrate acetylesterase from Sinorhizobium meliloti, at 1.45 Å resolution and investigated its biochemical properties. The structure of Est24 consisted of five parallel β strands flanked by α helices, which formed an octameric assembly with two distinct interfaces. The deacetylation activity of Est24 and its mutants around the substrate-binding pocket was investigated using several substrates, including glucose pentaacetate and acetyl alginate. Elucidation of the structure-function relationships of Est24 could provide valuable opportunities for biotechnological explorations.

A novel esterase gene, est7K, was isolated from a compost metagenomic library. The gene encoded a protein of 411 amino acids and the molecular mass of the Est7K was estimated to be 44,969 Da with no signal peptide. Est7K showed the highest identity of 57% to EstA3, which is an esterase from a drinking water metagenome, when compared with the enzymes with reported properties. Est7K had three motifs, SMTK, YSV, and WGG, which correspond to the typical motifs of family VIII esterases, SxxK, Yxx, and WGG, respectively. Est7K did not have the GxSxG motif in most lipolytic enzymes. Three additional motifs, LxxxPGxxW, PLGMxDTxF, and GGxG, were found to be conserved in family VIII enzymes. The results of the phylogenetic analysis and the alignment study suggest that family VIII enzymes could be classified into two subfamilies, VIII.1 and VIII.2. The purified Est7K was optimally active at 40°C and pH 10.0. It was activated to exhibit a 2.1-fold higher activity by the presence of 30% methanol. It preferred short-length p-nitrophenyl esters, particularly p-nitrophenyl butyrate, and efficiently hydrolyzed glyceryl tributyrate. It did not hydrolyze β-lactamase substrates, tertiary alcohol esters, glyceryl trioleate, fish oil, and olive oil. Est7K preferred an Senantiomer, such as (S)-methyl-3-hydroxy-2-methylpropionate, as the substrate. The tolerance to methanol and the substrate specificity may provide potential advantage in the use of the enzyme in pharmaceutical and other biotechnological processes.

A gene encoding lipolytic enzyme, lip7-3, was isolated from Bacillus sp. W130-35 isolated from a tidal mud flat. The gene encoded a protein of 215 amino acids with a signal peptide composed of 34 amino acid residues. Lip7-3 belonged to the family I.4 lipase and showed its maximal activity at pH 9.0 and 60°C. Its activity increased in the presence of 30% methanol and, remarkably, increased as well to 154.6% in the presence of Ca(2+). Lip7-3 preferred pnitrophenyl octanoate (C8) as a substrate and exhibited broad specificity for short- to longchain fatty acid esters. Additionally, Lip7-3 showed a low degree of enantioselectivity for an S-enantiomer (e.g., (S)-methyl-3-hydroxy-2-methylpropionate). It efficiently hydrolyzed glyceryl tributyrate, but did not hydrolyze glyceryl trioleate, fish oil, or olive oil. Its substrate specificity and activation by the solvent might offer a merit to the biotechnological enzyme applications like transesterification in the production of biodiesel.

The SGNH family esterases are highly effective biocatalysts due to their strong catalytic efficiencies, great stabilities, relatively small sizes, and ease of immobilization. Here, a novel SGNH family esterase (LaSGNH1) from Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, which has homologues in many Lactobacillus species, was identified, characterized, and immobilized. LaSGNH1 is highly active towards acetate- or butyrate-containing compounds, such as p-nitrophenyl acetate or 1-naphthyl acetate. Enzymatic properties of LaSGNH1, including thermal stability, optimum pH, chemical stability, and urea stability, were investigated. Interestingly, LaSGNH1 displayed a wide range of substrate specificity that included glyceryl tributyrate, tert-butyl acetate, and glucose pentaacetate. Furthermore, immobilization of LaSGNH1 by crosslinked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) showed enhanced thermal stability and efficient recycling property. In summary, this work paves the way for molecular understandings and industrial applications of a novel SGNH family esterase (LaSGNH1) from Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Enzymes are biological catalysts, which work to accelerate chemical reactions at the molecular level in living organisms. They are major players in the control of biological processes such as replication, transcription, protein synthesis, metabolism, and signaling. Like inorganic catalysts, enzymes function by decreasing the activation energy of chemical reactions, thereby enhancing the rate of the reactions. Enzymes are widely used for chemical, food, pharmaceutical, medicinal, analytical, clinical, forensic, and environmental applications. Therefore, studies on their structure, mechanism, and function, using a wide range of experimental and computational methods, are necessary to understand better enzymes in biological processes. For this special issue, “Crystallographic Studies of Enzymes", we have collected research papers on enzymes with structural aspects and functional aspects; here we briefly discuss the contents of such research papers as follows, with the aim of suggesting new directions of investigation in the fields of enzyme research, protein engineering, and drug development.

Molecular information about family VIII esterases, which have similarities with class C &beta, lactamases and penicillin-binding proteins, remains largely unknown. In this study, a novel family VIII esterase with &beta, lactamase activity (PsEstA) from Paenibacillus sp. was characterized using several biochemical and biophysical methods. PsEstA was effective on a broad range of substrates including tertiary butyl acetate, glyceryl tributyrate, glucose pentaacetate, olive oil, and p-nitrophenyl esters. Additionally, PsEstA hydrolyzed nitrocefin, cefotaxime, and 7-aminocephalosporanic acid. Interestingly, two forms of immobilized PsEstA (CLEAs-PsEstA and mCLEAs-PsEstA) showed high recycling property and enhanced stability, but hybrid nanoflowers (hNFs) of PsEstA require improvement. This study provides a molecular understanding of substrate specificities, catalytic regulation, and immobilization of PsEstA, which can be efficiently used in biotechnological applications.

Carboxylic ester hydrolases (CEHs), which catalyze the hydrolysis of carboxylic esters to produce alcohol and acid, are identified in three domains of life. In the Protein Data Bank (PDB), 136 crystal structures of bacterial CEHs (424 PDB codes) from 52 genera and metagenome have been reported. In this review, we categorize these structures based on catalytic machinery, structure and substrate specificity to provide a comprehensive understanding of the bacterial CEHs. CEHs use Ser, Asp or water as a nucleophile to drive diverse catalytic machinery. The α/β/α sandwich architecture is most frequently found in CEHs, but 3-solenoid, β-barrel, up-down bundle, α/β/β/α 4-layer sandwich, 6 or 7 propeller and α/β barrel architectures are also found in these CEHs. Most are substrate-specific to various esters with types of head group and lengths of the acyl chain, but some CEHs exhibit peptidase or lactamase activities. CEHs are widely used in industrial applications, and are the objects of research in structure- or mutation-based protein engineering. Structural studies of CEHs are still necessary for understanding their biological roles, identifying their structure-based functions and structure-based engineering and their potential industrial applications.

Carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) regulate the synthesis, degradation, and modification of the poly—and oligosaccharides in all three kingdoms of life. A novel carbohydrate acetylesterase from Sinorhizobium meliloti, designated SmAcE1, was identified, characterized, and crystallized. This SmAcE1 is classified into the carbohydrate esterase family 3 (CE3) based on the sequence alignments with other currently known carbohydrate esterase (CE) family enzymes. The SmAcE1 was crystallized as a hexamer in a space group P212121 with the unit cell parameters: a = 99.12 A, b = 148.88 A, c = 149.84 A, and α = β = γ = 90.00°. The diffraction data set was collected up to a 2.05 A resolution. Hydrolysis activity of SmAcE1 towards glucose pentaacetate and cellulose acetate was further confirmed using acetic acid release assay. Further crystallographic and functional analyses studies on SmAcE1 would be followed to fully understand the reaction mechanisms of CEs.

Cold-active acetyl xylan esterases allow for reduced bioreactor heating costs in bioenergy production. Here, we isolated and characterized a cold-active acetyl xylan esterase (PbAcE) from the psychrophilic soil microbe Paenibacillus sp. R4. The enzyme hydrolyzes glucose penta-acetate and xylan acetate, reversibly producing acetyl xylan from xylan, and it shows higher activity at 4°C than at 25°C. We solved the crystal structure of PbAcE at 2.1-A resolution to investigate its active site and the reason for its low-temperature activity. Structural analysis showed that PbAcE forms a hexamer with a central substrate binding tunnel, and the inter-subunit interactions are relatively weak compared with those of its mesophilic and thermophilic homologs. PbAcE also has a shorter loop and different residue composition in the β4–α3 and β5–α4 regions near the substrate binding site. Flexible subunit movements and different active site loop conformations may enable the strong low-temperature activity and broad substrate specificity of PbAcE. In addition, PbAcE was found to have strong activity against antibiotic compound substrates, such as cefotaxime and 7-amino cephalosporanic acid (7-ACA). In conclusion, the PbAcE structure and our biochemical results provide the first example of a cold-active acetyl xylan esterase and a starting template for structure-based protein engineering.

In many microorganisms, carbohydrate acetylesterases remove the acetyl groups from various types of carbohydrates. Sm23 from Sinorhizobium meliloti is a putative member of carbohydrate esterase family 3 (CE3) in the CAZy classification system. Here, we determined the crystal structure of Sm23 at 1.75Å resolution and investigated functional properties using biochemical methods. Furthermore, immobilized Sm23 exhibited improved stability compared with soluble Sm23, which can be used for the design of plant cell wall degrading-systems.

A novel microbial esterase, EaEST, from a psychrophilic bacterium Exiguobacterium antarcticum B7, was identified and characterized. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing structural analysis and biochemical characterization of an esterase isolated from the genus Exiguobacterium. Crystal structure of EaEST, determined at a resolution of 1.9 angstrom, showed that the enzyme has a canonical alpha/beta hydrolase fold with an a-helical cap domain and a catalytic triad consisting of Ser96, Asp220, and His248. Interestingly, the active site of the structure of EaEST is occupied by a peracetate molecule, which is the product of perhydrolysis of acetate. This result suggests that EaEST may have perhydrolase activity. The activity assay showed that EaEST has significant perhydrolase and esterase activity with respect to short-chain p-nitrophenyl esters (

Considering that the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria is largely increasing, a thorough understanding of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) is of great importance and crucial significance because this enzyme family is a main target of β-lactam-based antibiotics. In this work, combining biochemical and structural analysis, we present new findings that provide novel insights into PBPs. Here, a novel PBP homologue (CcEstA) from Caulobacter crescentus CB15 was characterized using native-PAGE, mass spectrometry, gel filtration, CD spectroscopy, fluorescence, reaction kinetics, and enzyme assays toward various substrates including nitrocefin. Furthermore, the crystal structure of CcEstA was determined at a 1.9 Å resolution. Structural analyses showed that CcEstA has two domains: a large α/β domain and a small α-helix domain. A nucleophilic serine (Ser68) residue is located in a hydrophobic groove between the two domains along with other catalytic residues (Lys71 and Try157). Two large flexible loops (UL and LL) of CcEstA are proposed to be involved in the binding of incoming substrates. In conclusion, CcEstA could be described as a paralog of the group that contains PBPs and β-lactamases. Therefore, this study could provide new structural and functional insights into the understanding this protein family.

In spite of the enormous biological and clinical significance of penicillin-binding protein (PBP)/β-lactamase (βL), few of their many homologs (PBP)/βLs homologs) have been studied crystallographically, and have known functions. Herein, X-ray crystallographic study of a PBP/βL homolog (Rp46) from Ruegeria pomeroyi is described. Multiple sequence alignments indicate that Rp46 has a conserved serine residue within the S70-X-X-K73 motif (Motif I), acting as the catalytic nucleophile. Moreover, an invariant tyrosine residue (Tyr185) and a Trp365-X-Gly motif (Motif III) were also identified. The recombinant Rp46 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity judging from the SDS-PAGE analysis. Rp46 was crystallized using a solution consisting of 20% (w/v) PEG 3000, 0.1 M Tris-HCl, pH 7.0, 0.2 M calcium acetate, and the X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 1.90 A with an Rmerge of 7.4%. The crystals of Rp46 belong to the space group I422, with unit cell parameters a = b = 141.26 A, and c = 119.75. The structure determination and biochemical characterization are in progress. (Synopsis: A penicillin-binding protein/β-lactamase homolog (Rp46) from Ruegeria pomeroyi was identified and crystallized in the space group I4, and the diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 1.90 A.)

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), generated by PI 4-phosphate 5-kinase (PIP5K), regulates many critical cellular events. PIP2 is also known to mediate plasma membrane localization of the Toll/IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor protein (TIRAP), required for the MyD88-dependent Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 signaling pathway. Microglia are the primary immune competent cells in brain tissue, and TLR4 is important for microglial activation. However, a functional role for PIP5K and PIP2 in TLR4-dependent microglial activation remains unclear. Here, we knocked down PIP5Kα, a PIP5K isoform, in a BV2 microglial cell line using stable expression of lentiviral shRNA constructs or siRNA transfection. PIP5Kα knockdown significantly suppressed induction of inflammatory mediators, including IL-6, IL-1β, and nitric oxide, by lipopolysaccharide. PIP5Kα knockdown also attenuated signaling events downstream of TLR4 activation, including p38 MAPK and JNK phosphorylation, NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation, and IκB-α degradation. Complementation of the PIP5Kα knockdown cells with wild type but not kinase-dead PIP5Kα effectively restored the LPS-mediated inflammatory response. We found that PIP5Kα and TIRAP colocalized at the cell surface and interacted with each other, whereas kinase-dead PIP5Kα rendered TIRAP soluble. Furthermore, in LPS-stimulated control cells, plasma membrane PIP2 increased and subsequently declined, and TIRAP underwent bi-directional translocation between the membrane and cytosol, which temporally correlated with the changes in PIP2. In contrast, PIP5Kα knockdown that reduced PIP2 levels disrupted TIRAP membrane targeting by LPS. Together, our results suggest that PIP5Kα promotes TLR4-associated microglial inflammation by mediating PIP2-dependent recruitment of TIRAP to the plasma membrane. Background: Phosphoinositides are involved in regulating TLR4 signaling. Results: PIP5Kα knockdown in BV2 microglial cells inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory responses, PIP2 increase, and TIRAP translocation to the plasma membrane. Conclusion: PIP5Kα-derived PIP2 facilitates TLR4-mediated microglial inflammatory responses through recruitment of TIRAP to the plasma membrane. Significance: Regulation of PIP5Kα-dependent PIP2 pool may modulate TLR4-associated immune function in microglia.

A novel type of hydrolase (BL28) from Bacillus licheniformis was identified, expressed in Escherichia coli, characterized, and immobilized for industrial applications. Biochemical characteristics of BL28 were investigated by performing SDS-PAGE, mass spectrometry, enzyme assays, CD spectroscopy, intrinsic fluorescence, and in silico analysis. Furthermore, cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) of BL28 were prepared. These CLEA-BL28 aggregates exhibited improved catalytic efficiencies and stabilities compared to free BL28 against harsh conditions of thermal or chemical stress as well as high reusability. The characteristics of the CLEA-BL28 aggregates highlight their great potentials in pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are sources of a large variety of microbial ester hydrolases because they can produce a wide range of short-chain esters, phenolic alcohols, and fatty acids. Here, a novel SGNH-type esterase (LpSGNH1) from Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 was identified, functionally characterized, and immobilized for biotechnological applications. Homologs of LpSGNH1 are also found in many lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species. Biochemical features of LpSGNH1 were investigated using mass spectrometry, gel filtration chromatography, enzyme kinetics, fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. LpSGNH1 were retained its activity under conditions that would be encountered during fermentations. Interestingly, LpSGNH1 exhibited the ability to act on a broad range of substrates including ketoprofen acetate, cefotaxime (CTX), and 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7-ACA) as well as glucose pentaacetate, acetylxylan, and acetylalginate, which make LpSGNH1 a great candidate for extensive industrial applications. Furthermore, cross-linked enzyme aggregates of LpSGNH1 (CLEA-LpSGNH1) displayed recycling ability and thermal stability compared to free LpSGNH1, which could be useful for industrial applications. This work highlights the importance of LpSGNH1 in the preparation of commercial compounds, and LpSGNH1 can be used as a model system of SGNH esterases in lactic acid bacteria.

The structures and reaction mechanisms of enantioselective hydrolases, which can be used in industrial applications such as biotransformations, are largely unknown. Here, the X-ray crystallographic study of a novel (S)-specific esterase (pfEstA) fromPseudomonas fluorescensKCTC 1767, which can be used in the production of (S)-ketoprofen, is described. Multiple sequence alignments with other hydrolases revealed thatpfEstA contains a conserved Ser67 within the S-X-X-K motif as well as a highly conserved Tyr156. Recombinant protein containing an N-terminal His tag was expressed inEscherichia coli, purified to homogeneity and characterized using SDS–PAGE, MALDI-TOF MS and enantioselective analysis.pfEstA was crystallized using a solution consisting of 1 Msodium citrate, 0.1 MCHES pH 9.5, and X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 1.9 Å with anRmergeof 7.9%. The crystals ofpfEstA belonged to space groupP212121, with unit-cell parametersa= 65.31,b= 82.13,c = 100.41 Å, α = β = γ = 90°.

We report the tissue-specific distribution of chitinolytic activity in Korean ginseng root and characterize two 31-kDa chitinolytic enzymes. These two enzymes (SBF1 and SBF2) were purified 70- and 81-fold with yields of 0.75 and 1.25%, respectively, and exhibited optimal pH and temperature ranges of 5.0-5.5 and 40-50(o)C. With [(3)H]-chitin as a substrate, K(m) and V(max) values of SBF1 were 4.6 mM and 220 mmol/mg-protein/h, respectively, while those of SBF2 were 7.14 mM and 287 mmol/mg-protein/h. The purified enzymes showed markedly less activity with p-nitrophenyl-N-acetylglucosaminide and fluorescent 4-methylumbelliferyl glycosides of D-N-acetylglucosamine oligomers than with [(3)H]-chitin. End-product inhibition of both enzymes demonstrated that both are endochitinases with different N-acetylglucosaminidase activity. Furthermore, the NH(2)-terminal sequence of SBF1 showed a high degree of homology with other plant chitinases whereas the NH(2)-terminal amino acid of SBF2 was blocked. [BMB reports 2010; 43(11):726-731].

The aggregation of α-synuclein is clearly related to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Therefore, detailed understanding of the mechanism of fibril formation is highly valuable for the development of clinical treatment and also of the diagnostic tools. Here, we have investigated the interaction of α-synuclein with ionic liquids by using several biochemical techniques including Thioflavin T assays and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our data shows a rapid formation of α-synuclein amyloid fibrils was stimulated by 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [BIMbF(3)Im], and these fibrils could be disaggregated by polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and baicalein. Furthermore, the effect of [BIMbF(3)Im] on the α-synuclein tandem repeat (α-TR) in the aggregation process was studied.

The method to detect the organophosphorus (OP) pesticide was developed using an acetylcholine esterase (AChE) and choline oxidase (ChOx) bienzyme system. AChE, which is inhibited by the OP pesticide, was enzymatically linked with ChOx in solution as well as on electrodes. By employing acetylcholine as the substrate for AChE, we supplied the enzyme product choline to ChOx in order to generate electrocatalyzed current. For electrochemical signaling with AChE/ChOx, ferrocene (Fc)-mediated bioelectrocatalysis through a flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor of ChOx was verified experimentally. An immobilization method for ChOx on a gold electrode was designed to generate amplified and controlled signal by using poly-L-lysine charge interaction and glutaraldehyde cross-linking. Using diazinon-oxon (DZN) as a detection target among the OP pesticides, we successfully conducted an electrochemical detection on the basis of AChE inhibition mediated by the ChOx bioelectrocatalysis.

A novel oligomeric SGNH-arylesterase (Sm23) from Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 was characterized using biochemical and biophysical methods. A sequence comparison of Sm23 with other SGNH members confirmed the presence of catalytic triad (Ser(10), Asp(187), and His(190)) and oxyanion holes (Ser(10)-Gly(50)-Asn(90)). The wild type enzyme was able to hydrolyze p-nitrophenyl acetate, alpha- and beta-naphthyl acetate, while S10A mutant completely lost its activity. Structural properties of Sm23 were investigated using circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence, dynamic light scattering (DLS), chemical cross-linking, electron microscopy (EM), and time of flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. Furthermore, spherical or globular aggregates were observed with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, while amorphous aggregates were formed with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide.