Distant Non-Obvious Mutations Influence the Activity of a Hyperthermophilic Phosphoglucose Isomerase.

The cupin-type phosphoglucose isomerase (PfPGI) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon catalyzes the reversible isomerization of glucose-6-phosphate to fructose-6-phosphate. We investigated PfPGI using protein-engineering bioinformatics tools to select functionally-important residues based on correlated mutation analyses. A pair of amino acids in the periphery of PfPGI was found to be the dominant co-evolving mutation.

Monascus ruber as cell factory for lactic acid production at low pH.

A Monascus ruber strain was isolated that was able to grow on mineral medium at high sugar concentrations and 175g/l lactic acid at pH 2.8. Its genome and transcriptomes were sequenced and annotated.

Functional and structural characterization of a thermostable acetyl esterase from Thermotoga maritima.

TM0077 from Thermotoga maritima is a member of the carbohydrate esterase family 7 and is active on a variety of acetylated compounds, including cephalosporin C. TM0077 esterase activity is confined to short-chain acyl esters (C2-C3), and is optimal around 100°C and pH 7.5.

Crystal structure and biochemical properties of a novel thermostable esterase containing an immunoglobulin-like domain.

Comparative analysis of the genome of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima revealed a hypothetical protein (EstA) with typical esterase features. The EstA protein was functionally produced in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. It indeed displayed esterase activity with optima at or above 95 degrees C and at pH 8.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of an esterase with a novel domain from the hyperthermophile Thermotoga maritima.

A predicted esterase (EstA) with an unusual new domain from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima has been cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The purified protein was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique in the presence of lithium sulfate and polyethylene glycol 8000. Selenomethionine-substituted EstA crystals were obtained under the same conditions and three different-wavelength data sets were collected to 2.