Applications of Protein Display for Medicine, Catalysis, Environmental Remediation, and Protein Engineering.

spores offer several advantages that make them attractive for protein display. For example, protein folding issues associated with unfolded polypeptide chains crossing membranes are circumvented. In addition, they can withstand physical and chemical extremes such as heat, desiccation, radiation, ultraviolet light, and oxidizing agents.

Synergistic Antiviral Effects of Metal Oxides and Carbon Nanotubes.

In this research, the synergistic antiviral effects of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and metal oxides (MO) in the form of novel hybrid structures (MO-CNTs) are presented. Raw CNTs, Ni(OH), FeO and MnO, as well as Ni(OH)-CNT, FeO-CNT and MnO-CNT were explored in this study against MS2 bacteriophage, which was used as a virus surrogate. The nano particles were synthesized and characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Relationships between substance abuse/dependence and psychiatric disorders based on polygenic scores.

Genetic susceptibility to substance use disorders (SUDs) is partially shared between substances. Heritability of any substance dependence, estimated as 54%, is partly explained by additive effects of common variants. Comorbidity between SUDs and other psychiatric disorders is frequent.

Catalysis of transthiolacylation in the active centers of dihydrolipoamide acyltransacetylase components of 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complexes.

Unlabelled: The 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHc) comprises multiple copies of three enzymes-E1o, E2o, and E3-and transthioesterification takes place within the catalytic domain of E2o. The succinyl group from the thiol ester of S8-succinyldihydrolipoyl-E2o is transferred to the thiol group of coenzyme A (CoA), forming the all-important succinyl-CoA. Here, we report mechanistic studies of enzymatic transthioesterification on OGDHc.

Genome wide analysis of rare copy number variations in alcohol abuse or dependence.

Genetics plays an important role in alcohol abuse/dependence. Its heritability has been estimated as 45-65%. Rare copy number variations (CNVs) have been confirmed as relevant genetic factors in other neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, epilepsy, or Tourette syndrome.

Engineering CotA Laccase for Acidic pH Stability Using Spore Display.

spores can be used for protein display to engineer protein properties. This method overcomes viability and protein-folding concerns associated with traditional protein display methods. Spores remain viable under extreme conditions and the genotype/phenotype connection remains intact.

Bacillus subtilis spore display of laccase for evolution under extreme conditions of high concentrations of organic solvent.

Protein libraries were displayed on the spore coat of Bacillus subtilis, and this method was demonstrated as a tool for directed evolution under extreme conditions. Escherichia coli, yeast, and phage display suffer from protein folding, and viability issues. On the other hand, spores avoid folding concerns by the natural sporulation process, and they remain viable under harsh chemical and physical environments.

Investigation of the donor and acceptor range for chiral carboligation catalyzed by the E1 component of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex.

The potential of thiamin diphosphate (ThDP)-dependent enzymes to catalyze C-C bond forming (carboligase) reactions with high enantiomeric excess has been recognized for many years. Here we report the application of the E1 component of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex in the synthesis of chiral compounds with multiple functional groups in good yield and high enantiomeric excess, by varying both the donor substrate (different 2-oxo acids) and the acceptor substrate (glyoxylate, ethyl glyoxylate and methyl glyoxal). Major findings include the demonstration that the enzyme can accept 2-oxovalerate and 2-oxoisovalerate in addition to its natural substrate 2-oxoglutarate, and that the tested acceptors are also acceptable in the carboligation reaction, thereby very much expanding the repertory of the enzyme in chiral synthesis.

Assignment of function to histidines 260 and 298 by engineering the E1 component of the Escherichia coli 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex; substitutions that lead to acceptance of substrates lacking the 5-carboxyl group.

The first component (E1o) of the Escherichia coli 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHc) was engineered to accept substrates lacking the 5-carboxylate group by subjecting H260 and H298 to saturation mutagenesis. Apparently, H260 is required for substrate recognition, but H298 could be replaced with hydrophobic residues of similar molecular volume. To interrogate whether the second component would allow synthesis of acyl-coenzyme A derivatives, hybrid complexes consisting of recombinant components of OGDHc (o) and pyruvate dehydrogenase (p) enzymes were constructed, suggesting that a different component is the "gatekeeper" for specificity for these two multienzyme complexes in bacteria, E1p for pyruvate but E2o for 2-oxoglutarate.

Directed evolution of CotA laccase for increased substrate specificity using Bacillus subtilis spores.

Directed evolution is an effective strategy to engineer and optimize protein properties, and microbial cell-surface display is a successful method to screen protein libraries. Protein surface display on Bacillus subtilis spores is demonstrated as a tool for screening protein libraries for the first time. Spore display offers advantages over more commonly utilized microbe cell-surface display systems, which include gram-negative bacteria, phage and yeast.

Narrowing laccase substrate specificity using active site saturation mutagenesis.

The laccase CotA from Bacillus subtilis was converted from a generalist, an enzyme with broad specificity, to a specialist, an enzyme with narrowed specificity. Laccases are members of the multicopper oxidase family and have many applications in biotechnology. To date, it has not been demonstrated that substrate specificity can be tapered for a laccase.

Fluorescence activated cell sorting for enzymatic activity.

Directed evolution is a reliable method for protein engineering and as a tool for investigating structure/function relationships. A key for a successful directed evolution experiment is oftentimes the screen. Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) is powerful high-throughput screening approach to isolate and identify mutants from large protein libraries.

Colorimetric high-throughput assay for alkene epoxidation catalyzed by cytochrome P450 BM-3 variant 139-3.

Cytochrome P450 BM-3 variant 139-3 is highly active in the hydroxylation of alkanes and fatty acids (AGlieder, ET Farinas, and FH Arnold, Nature Biotech 2002;20:1135-1139); it also epoxidizes various alkenes, including styrene. Here the authors describe a colorimetric, high-throughput assay suitable for optimizing this latter activity by directed evolution. The product of styrene oxidation by 139-3, styrene oxide, reacts with the nucleophile gamma-(4-nitrobenzyl)pyridine (NBP) to form a purple-colored precursor dye, which can be monitored spectrophotometrically in cell lysates.

Laboratory evolution of a soluble, self-sufficient, highly active alkane hydroxylase.

We have converted cytochrome P450 BM-3 from Bacillus megaterium (P450 BM-3), a medium-chain (C12-C18) fatty acid monooxygenase, into a highly efficient catalyst for the conversion of alkanes to alcohols. The evolved P450 BM-3 exhibits higher turnover rates than any reported biocatalyst for the selective oxidation of hydrocarbons of small to medium chain length (C3-C8). Unlike naturally occurring alkane hydroxylases, the best known of which are the large complexes of methane monooxygenase (MMO) and membrane-associated non-heme iron alkane monooxygenase (AlkB), the evolved enzyme is monomeric, soluble, and requires no additional proteins for catalysis.

Directed enzyme evolution.

Laboratory evolutionists continue to generate better enzymes for industrial and research applications. Exciting developments include new biocatalysts for enantioselective carbon-carbon bond formation and fatty acid production in plants. Creative contributions to the repertoire of evolutionary methods will ensure further growth in applications and expand the scope and complexity of biological design problems that can be addressed.

Cost-effective whole-cell assay for laboratory evolution of hydroxylases in Escherichia coli.

Cytochrome P450 BM-3 from Bacillus megaterium catalyzes the subterminal hydroxylation of medium- and longchain fatty acids at the omega-1, omega-2, and omega-3 positions. A continuous spectrophotometric assay for P450 BM-3 based on the conversion of p-nitrophenoxycarboxylic acids (pNCA) to omega-oxycarboxylic acids and the chromophore p-nitrophenolate was reported recently. However, this pNCA assay procedure contained steps that limited its application in high throughput screening, including expression of P450 BM-3 variant F87A in 4-ml cultures, centrifugation, resuspension of the cell pellet, and cell lysis.

The de novo design of a rubredoxin-like Fe site.

A redox center similar to that of rubredoxin was designed into the 56 amino acid immunoglobulin binding B1 domain of Streptococcals protein G. The redox center in rubredoxin contains an iron ion tetrahedrally coordinated by four cysteine residues, [Fe(S-Cys)4](-1),(-2). The design criteria for the target site included taking backbone movements into account, tetrahedral metal-binding, and maintaining the structure and stability of the wild-type protein.

Photoinduced DNA Cleavage Reactions by Designed Analogues of Co(III)-Bleomycin: The Metalated Core Is the Primary Determinant of Sequence Specificity.

A 2,4'-bithiazole group has been covalently attached to the Co(III) complex of a designed ligand PMAH that mimics the metal-binding locus of the antitumor drug bleomycin (BLM). The deprotonated PMA(-) ligand binds Co(III) via five nitrogens located in primary and secondary amines, a pyrimidine and an imidazole ring, and a peptide moiety. The 2,4'-bithiazole group is tethered to the [Co(PMA)](2+) unit via an imidazole that is connected to the bithiazole moiety with a (CH(2))(3) spacer.