RESUMEN
Leucine aminopeptidase from Vibrio proteolyticus is a broad specificity N-terminal aminopeptidase that is widely used in pharmaceutical processes where the removal of N-terminal residues in recombinant proteins is required. We previously reported the expression of a heterologous construction of the mature protein fused to a 6-histidine tag that presents a reasonable refolding rate for its use at industrial level. Here, we investigate this recombinant leucine aminopeptidase (rLAP) to explain the gain of activity observed when incubated at 37 °C after its production. Unfolding transitions of rLAP as a function of urea concentration were monitored by circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence (FL) spectroscopy exhibiting single transitions by both techniques. Free energy change for unfolding measured by CD and FL spectroscopy are 2.8 ± 0.4 and 3.7 ± 0.4 kcal mol(-1), respectively. Thermal stability conformation of rLAP is 2.6 ± 0.1 and 6.1 kcal mol(-1) for CD and Nano-Differential Scanning Calorimetry (Nano-DSC), respectively. Enzyme activity was assessed with L-leucine-p-nitroanilide (L-pNA) as substrate. The catalytic efficiency was 3.87 ± 0.10 min(-1) µM(-1) at 37 °C and pH 8.0. Kinetic and conformation studies show differences between the enzyme native and rLAP; however rLAP is selective and specific to remove N-terminal groups from amino acids.
Asunto(s)
Leucil Aminopeptidasa/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Activación Enzimática , Estabilidad de Enzimas , Cinética , Leucil Aminopeptidasa/metabolismo , Conformación Proteica , Replegamiento Proteico/efectos de los fármacos , Desplegamiento Proteico/efectos de los fármacos , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Termodinámica , Urea/farmacología , Vibrio/enzimologíaRESUMEN
We investigated the use of atpA gene sequences as alternative phylogenetic and identification markers for vibrios. A fragment of 1322 bp (corresponding to approximately 88% of the coding region) was analysed in 151 strains of vibrios. The relationships observed were in agreement with the phylogeny inferred from 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. For instance, the Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio halioticoli, Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio splendidus species groups appeared in the atpA gene phylogenetic analyses, suggesting that these groups may be considered as separate genera within the current Vibrio genus. Overall, atpA gene sequences appeared to be more discriminatory for species differentiation than 16S rRNA gene sequences. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities above 97% corresponded to atpA gene sequences similarities above 80%. The intraspecies variation in the atpA gene sequence was about 99% sequence similarity. The results showed clearly that atpA gene sequences are a suitable alternative for the identification and phylogenetic study of vibrios.
Asunto(s)
ATPasas de Translocación de Protón Bacterianas/genética , Técnicas de Tipificación Bacteriana , Filogenia , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , Vibrio/clasificación , Vibrio/enzimología , Vibrionaceae/clasificación , ATPasas de Translocación de Protón Bacterianas/metabolismo , ADN Bacteriano/análisis , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , ARN Ribosómico 16S/genética , Especificidad de la Especie , Vibrio/genética , Vibrionaceae/enzimología , Vibrionaceae/genéticaRESUMEN
From healthy and diseased penaeid shrimp from Asia and the Americas, 25 luminous and 2 non-luminous bacterial strains were isolated, and 14 were phenotypically identified as Vibrio harveyi; 9 isolates produced significant mortalities (45 to 80%) in Artemia franciscana nauplii at inoculation densities of 10(5) to 10(6) CFU ml(-1) compared to the controls (unchallenged nauplii). The maximum number of bacteria ingested (bioencapsulated) by the Artemia nauplii varied from less than 10 to 10(3) CFU nauplius(-1) and no significant relationship was observed between the density of bacteria inoculated, the amount of bacteria ingested, and naupliar mortality. Significant correlations were obtained between naupliar mortality and production of proteases, phospholipases or siderophores, but not between mortality and lipase production, gelatinase production, hydrophobicity or hemolytic activity. The results suggest that virulence of the strains tested was more related to the production of particular exoenzymes than to the measured colonization factors.
Asunto(s)
Artemia/microbiología , Vibrio/patogenicidad , Animales , Recuento de Colonia Microbiana , Endopeptidasas/metabolismo , Mediciones Luminiscentes , Mortalidad , Fosfolipasas/metabolismo , Sideróforos/metabolismo , Vibrio/enzimología , VirulenciaRESUMEN
The aim of the study was to characterize feather-degrading bacteria isolated from poultry industry waste. A Vibrio sp. strain kr2 producing a high keratinolytic activity when cultured on native feather-containing broth was isolated. The bacterium grew with an optimum at pH 6.0 and 30 degrees C, where maximum featherdegrading activity was also observed. Keratinase production was similar at both 25 and 30 degrees C, while the maximum concentration of soluble protein was reached at 30 degrees C. Reduction of disulphide bridges was also observed, increasing with cultivation time. The keratinase of strain kr2 was active on azokeratin, azocasein, benzoyl-arginine-p-nitroanilide and Ala-Ala-p-nitroanilide as substrates. The amino acid composition of the feather hydrolysate was determined, presenting similarities with that reported for feather lysate, feather meal and raw feathers. A novel feather-degrading bacterium was isolated and characterized, showing high keratinolytic activity. Complete feather degradation was achieved during cultivation. Strain kr2 shows potential for use for biotechnological processes involving keratin hydrolysis.
Asunto(s)
Plumas/microbiología , Queratinas/química , Vibrio/enzimología , Aminoácidos/análisis , Animales , Benzoilarginina-Nitroanilida/química , Caseínas/química , Plumas/química , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Hidrólisis , Residuos Industriales , Oxidorreductasas/química , Oxidorreductasas actuantes sobre Donantes de Grupos Sulfuro , Péptido Hidrolasas/química , Aves de Corral/microbiología , Temperatura , Vibrio/aislamiento & purificaciónRESUMEN
The virulence factors of Vibrio vulnificus are not yet well understood. So far, many hydrolytic enzymes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of this micro-organism. The present research was carried out in order to study the presence of some of these enzymes in 133 V. vulnificus strains isolated from 45 seafood samples. The results showed that 100% of these strains were positive for the production of lecithinase and lipase (Tween-80), 99.2% for caseinolytic protease, 96.9% for DNase, 65.4% for mucinase and 46.6% for elastase. None of the strains was positive for the production of collagenase and 96% were haemolytic against sheep blood cells. In relation to colony morphology on brain heart infusion (BHI) agar and nutrient agar, 59.4% of strains showed opaque morphology on BHI agar and 57.9% on nutrient agar, 10.5% presented translucent morphology on both agars and 30.1 and 31.6% of strains showed a mixture of opaque and translucent morphology on BHI agar and nutrient agar, respectively. None of the translucent colonies was virulent to mice. Therefore, opacity was a useful marker for potential virulence. Of 45 food samples contaminated with V. vulnificus, 29 (64.4%) presented strains lethal to adult mice.
Asunto(s)
Alimentos Marinos/microbiología , Vibrio/patogenicidad , Animales , Recuento de Colonia Microbiana , Medios de Cultivo , Enzimas/metabolismo , Microbiología de Alimentos , Ratones , Vibrio/enzimología , Vibrio/crecimiento & desarrollo , Vibrio/aislamiento & purificación , VirulenciaRESUMEN
The phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) from Vibrio costicola catalyzed a 14CO2-oxaloacetate exchange reaction with an unusual nucleotide specificity. ATP gave the higher apparent catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km, 6.78), followed by GTP (1.30), CTP (0.87) and ITP (0.66). Maximal activity required a divalent cation; CdCl2 and MgCl2 synergistically activated the enzyme, when added in the presence of MnCl2. The sigmoidal saturation curve for MnCl2 (apparent n 2.11) was converted into a hyperbola by 0.01 mM CdCl2 (apparent n 1). The results suggest a double role of the divalent cation in the reaction mechanism, namely as part of the MeATP2- substrate and as free Me2+. Mn2+ would be the best for the first, and Cd2+ for the second role. Preincubation with 0.01 mM CdCl2 increased the activity of the enzyme assayed with MgATP2- through an increase in Vmax; addition of CdCl2 to the reaction mixture elicited further activation, through a 17-fold decrease in the apparent Km for MgATP2-. These results, together with the biphasic curve of activation by CdCl2 when used alone, suggest the existence of two different sites for free Cd2+ on the enzyme.
Asunto(s)
Dióxido de Carbono/metabolismo , Cationes Bivalentes/farmacología , Oxaloacetatos/metabolismo , Fosfoenolpiruvato Carboxiquinasa (GTP)/metabolismo , Vibrio/enzimología , Adenosina Trifosfato/metabolismo , Cadmio/farmacología , Cloruro de Cadmio , Radioisótopos de Carbono , Cloruros/farmacología , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Activación Enzimática , Calor , Cinética , Cloruro de Magnesio/farmacología , Compuestos de Manganeso/farmacología , Fosfoenolpiruvato Carboxiquinasa (GTP)/efectos de los fármacos , Técnica de Dilución de Radioisótopos , Ribonucleótidos/metabolismo , Especificidad por SustratoRESUMEN
Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) was purified to homogeneity from the moderately halophilic bacterium Vibrio costicola. The enzyme is monomeric, with an Mr of 62,000, as determined by the Svedberg equation, by using values of s0(20,w) 4.4 x 10(-13) s, D20,w 6.13 x 10(-7) cm2.s-1 and v 0.719 cm3.g-1. Compared with other, non-halophilic, PEPCKs, the enzyme from V. costicola had a significantly lower total content of hydrophobic amino acids. The contents of glycine and serine were higher in the V. costicola enzyme (16.7 and 10.22% respectively) than in the non-halophilic PEPCKs (6.8-9.6% and 4.67-6.28% respectively). These results resemble those obtained by De Médicis & Rossignol [(1979) Experientia 35, 1546-1547] with the pyruvate kinase from V. costicola, and agree with the proposal by Lanyi [(1974) Bacteriol. Rev. 38, 272-290] of partial replacement of hydrophobic amino acids by glycine and serine to maintain the balance between hydrophobic and hydrophilic forces in halophilic enzymes. In agreement with this 'halophilic' characteristic, the PEPCK was somewhat stabilized by 1 M-KCl or -NaCl and by 20% (v/v) glycerol, and its oxaloacetate-decarboxylation and 14CO2-oxaloacetate-exchange reactions were activated by KCl and NaCl up to 1 M, whereas the fixation of CO2 on PEP had a maximum at 0.025-0.05 M salt. These facts suggest that the salts, at concentrations probably physiological for the bacterium, increase the formation of the complex of oxaloacetate and ATP with the enzyme, and the liberation of the products, PEP and ADP, thus favouring PEP synthesis.