Comparative proteome analysis reveals four novel polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) granule-associated proteins in Ralstonia eutropha H16.

Identification of proteins that were present in a polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) granule fraction isolated from Ralstonia eutropha but absent in the soluble, membrane, and membrane-associated fractions revealed the presence of only 12 polypeptides with PHB-specific locations plus 4 previously known PHB-associated proteins with multiple locations. None of the previously postulated PHB depolymerase isoenzymes (PhaZa2 to PhaZa5, PhaZd1, and PhaZd2) and none of the two known 3-hydroxybutyrate oligomer hydrolases (PhaZb and PhaZc) were significantly present in isolated PHB granules. Four polypeptides were found that had not yet been identified in PHB granules. Three of the novel proteins are putative α/ß-hydrolases, and two of those (A0671 and B1632) have a PHB synthase/depolymerase signature. The third novel protein (A0225) is a patatin-like phospholipase, a type of enzyme that has not been described for PHB granules of any PHB-accumulating species. No function has been ascribed to the fourth protein (A2001), but its encoding gene forms an operon with phaB2 (acetoacetyl-coenzyme A [CoA] reductase) and phaC2 (PHB synthase), and this is in line with a putative function in PHB metabolism. The localization of the four new proteins at the PHB granule surface was confirmed in vivo by fluorescence microscopy of constructed fusion proteins with enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP). Deletion of A0671 and B1632 had a minor but detectable effect on the PHB mobilization ability in the stationary growth phase of nutrient broth (NB)-gluconate cells, confirming the functional involvement of both proteins in PHB metabolism.

Chromatography, mass spectrometry, and molecular modeling studies on ammodytoxins.

The ammodytoxins (Atxs) are neurotoxic phospholipases which occur in Vipera ammodytes ammodytes (Vaa) snake venom. There are three Atx isoforms, A, B, and C, which differ in only five amino acid positions at the C-terminus but differ substantially in their toxicity. The objective of this study was to establish an analytical method for unambiguous identification of all three isoforms and to use the method to assess a procedure for purification of the most toxic phospholipase, AtxA, from the venom. Isolation procedure for AtxA consisted of isolation of Atx-cross-reactive material (proteins recognized by anti-Atx antibodies), by use of an affinity column, then cation exchange on CIM (Convective Interaction Media) disks. The purification procedure was monitored by means of reversed-phase chromatography (RPC) and mass spectrometry (MS). Although previous cation exchange of the pure isoforms enabled separate elution of AtxA from B and C, separation of AtxA from Atxs mixture was not accomplished. RPC was not able to separate the Atx isoforms, whereas an MS based approach proved to be more powerful. Peptides resulting from tryptic digestion of Atxs which enable differentiation between the three isoforms were successfully detected and their sequences were confirmed by post-source decay (PSD) fragmentation. Separation of Atx isoforms by ion-exchange chromatography is most presumably prevented by Atxs heterodimer formation. The tendency of Atxs to form homodimers and heterodimers of similar stability was confirmed by molecular modeling.

Purification and molecular characterization of phospholipase, antigen 5 and hyaluronidases from the venom of the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina).

The aim of this study was to purify potential allergenic components of Vespa velutina venom, the yellow legged Asian Hornet, and perform a preliminary characterization of the purified proteins. Starting from the whole venom of V.velutina, several chromatographic steps allowed to purify the phospholipase (named Vesp v 1), as well as the antigen 5 (Vesp v 5, the only allergenic component described as such so far). The two hyaluronidase isoforms found (Vesp v 2A and Vesp v 2B) cannot be separated from each other, but they are partially purified and characterized. Purity of the isolated proteins in shown by SDSPAGE, as well as by the results of the N-terminal sequencing. This characterization and nLC-MS/MS data provide most of the sequence for Vesp v 1 and Vesp v 5 (72 and 84% coverage, respectively), confirming that the whole sequences of the isolated natural components match with the data available in public transcriptomic databases. It is of particular interest that Vesp v 1 is a glycosylated phospholipase, a fact that had only described so far for the corresponding allergen components of Dolichovespula maculata and Solenopsis invicta. The availability of the complete sequences of Vespa velutina components permits comparison with homologous sequences from other Hymenoptera. These data demonstrate the higher similarity among the species of the genera Vespa and Vespula, in comparison to Polistes species, as it is especially observed with the hyaluronidases isoforms: the isoform Vesp v 2A only exists in the former genera, and not in Polistes; in addition, the most abundant isoform (Vesp v 2B) exhibits 93% sequence identity with the Ves v 2 isoform of Vespula vulgaris. Finally, the isolated components might be useful for improving the diagnosis of patients that could be allergic to stings of this invasive Asian hornet, as it has been the case of an improved diagnosis and treatment of other Hymenoptera-sensitized patients.

Characterization of all the lipolytic activities in pancreatin and comparison with porcine and human pancreatic juices.

Porcine pancreatic extracts (PPE), also named pancreatin, are commonly used as a global source of pancreatic enzymes for enzyme replacement therapy in patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. They are considered as a good substitute of human pancreatic enzymes and they have become a material of choice for in vitro models of digestion. Nevertheless, while the global PPE contents in lipase, protease and amylase activities are well characterized, little is known about individual enzymes. Here we characterized the lipase, phospholipase, cholesterol esterase and galactolipase activities of PPE and compared them with those of porcine (PPJ) and human (HPJ) pancreatic juices. The phospholipase to lipase activity ratio was similar in PPJ and HPJ, but was 4-fold lower in PPE. The galactolipase and cholesterol esterase activities were found at lower levels in PPJ compared to HPJ, and they were further reduced in PPE. The enzymes known to display these activities in HPJ, pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 (PLRP2) and carboxylester hydrolase/bile salt-stimulated lipase (CEH/BSSL), were identified in PPJ using gel filtration experiments, SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS analysis. The galactolipase and cholesterol esterase activities of PPE indicated that PLRP2 and CEH/BSSL are still present at low levels in this enzyme preparation, but they were not detected by mass spectrometry. Besides differences between porcine and human enzymes, the lower levels of phospholipase, galactolipase and cholesterol esterase activities in PPE are probably due to some proteolysis occurring during the production process. In conclusion, PPE do not provide a full substitution of the lipolytic enzymes present in HPJ.

Multiple extracellular phospholipase activities from Prevotella intermedia.

Enzyme preparations obtained from Prevotella intermedia culture supernatants were partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion-exchange column chromatography. Hydrolytic activities were revealed by an assay that uses silicic acid thin layer chromatography to separate the products derived from (14)C-labeled phosphatidyl-choline (PC) hydrolysis. These products were then measured by liquid scintillation spectrometry after iodine visualization. The assays revealed linearity of substrate depletion and product formation with respect to time and protein concentration up to 30 min of incubation. The products had retention times consistent with lyso-phospholipids and phosphoryl-choline. These data strongly suggests the presence of both phospholipase A (PL-A) and phospholipase C (PL-C) activities.

Rolling blackout, a newly identified PIP2-DAG pathway lipase required for Drosophila phototransduction.

The rolling blackout (rbo) gene encodes an integral plasma membrane lipase required for Drosophila phototransduction. Photoreceptors are enriched for the RBO protein, and temperature-sensitive rbo mutants show reversible elimination of phototransduction within minutes, demonstrating an acute requirement for the protein. The block is activity dependent, indicating that the action of RBO is use dependent. Conditional rbo mutants show activity-dependent depletion of diacylglycerol and concomitant accumulation of phosphatidylinositol phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate within minutes of induction, suggesting rapid downregulation of phospholipase C (PLC) activity. The RBO requirement identifies an essential regulatory step in G-protein-coupled, PLC-dependent inositol lipid signaling mediating activation of TRP and TRPL channels during phototransduction.

Rational Design Strategy as a Novel Immobilization Methodology Applied to Lipases and Phospholipases.

Immobilization of lipases and phospholipases, mainly on water-insoluble carriers, helps in their economic reusing and in the development of continuous bioprocesses. Design of efficient lipase and phospholipase-immobilized systems is rather a difficult task. A lot of research work has been done in order to optimize immobilization techniques and procedures and to develop efficient immobilized systems. We conceived a new strategy for the rational design of immobilized derivatives (RDID) in favor of the successful synthesis of optimal lipase and phospholipase-immobilized derivatives, aiming the prediction of the immobilized derivative's functionality and the optimization of load studies. The RDID strategy begins with the knowledge of structural and functional features of synthesis components (protein and carrier) and the practical goal of the immobilized product. The RDID strategy was implemented in a software named RDID1.0. The employment of RDID allows selecting the most appropriate way to prepare immobilized derivatives more efficient in enzymatic bioconversion processes and racemic mixture resolution.

Characterization of a Novel Thermostable Enzyme from Thermus sp. 2.9 with Phospholipase and Acyltransferase Activities.

Phospholipases are classified in different enzyme families according to the ester bond they cleave within phospholipids. The use of phospholipases in industrial processes has prompted the search for new enzymes with differential properties. A gene encoding a novel phospholipase (PLP_2.9) was identified in the genome of the thermophilic strain Thermus sp. 2.9. The analysis of the primary sequence unveiled a patatin-like domain. The alignment of the amino acid sequence of PLP_2.9 to other bacterial patatin-related proteins showed that the four blocks characteristic of this type of phospholipases and the amino acids representing the catalytic dyad are conserved in this protein. PLP_2.9 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the purified enzyme was characterized biochemically. PLP_2.9 hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl palmitate at alkaline pH over a wide range of temperatures (55-80°C), showing high thermostability. PLP_2.9 displayed phospholipase A and acyltransferase activities on egg yolk phosphatidylcholine. Due to its high thermostability, PLP_2.9 has potential applications as a catalyst in several industrial processes.

Comparative analysis of proteinase, phospholipase, hydrophobicity and biofilm forming ability in Candida species isolated from clinical specimens.

Candida species are the commensal organisms of human and animal mucosa that cause a wide range of debilitating diseases in immunocompromised patients and other susceptible individuals. The present study aimed to investigate the ability of clinical isolates of various Candida species to produce proteinase and phospholipase, hydrophobicity and biofilm forming ability that assumed to have a vital role in Candida pathogenicity. Eighty-four Candida strains belonged to Candida albicans (44.1%), C. glabrata (5.9%), C. guilliermondii (5.9%), C. krusei (10.8%), C. parapsilosis (26.2%), and C. tropicalis (7.1%) were examined for proteinase and phospholipase production, cell surface hydrophobicity and biofilm forming ability. The production of proteinase and phospholipase was detected in 81 (96.4%) and 79 (94.1%) of the strains, respectively. C. albicans showed the highest proteinase and phospholipase activity (mean Pz values of 0.42±0.25 and 0.72±0.28) and biofilm formation ability (0.66±0.22). C. parapsilosis had the highest hydrophobicity (42.97±16.1), which showed a good correlation with biofilm formation ability. A considerable percentage of non-albicans Candida strains produced significant amounts of proteinase and phospholipase with a good ability of biofilm formation in vitro. Taken together, our results further substantiated that enzymatic activity, hydrophobicity and the ability for biofilm formation are important virulence factors which may be account for pathogenicity of various Candida species distributed in albicans and non-albicans groups.

Isolation of human eosinophil phospholipase D.

Phospholipase D preferentially contained in human eosinophil polymorphonuclear leukocytes as compared to other leukocytes was isolated by sequential asion and cation exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The purified eosinophil enzyme specifically liberated choline from I-alpha-phosphatidyl choline with a pH optimum of 4.5-6.0 and exhibited a pI of 5.8-6.2 on polyacrylamide-gel isoelectric focusing, which are properties shared by phospholipase D from plant sources; however, its apparent mol wt of 60,000 is approximately one-half that of the plant enzymes. Eosinophil and cabbage phospholipase D inactivated a partially purified rat platelet-activating factor (PAF) in a time- and dose-dependent reaction. The cleavage of this PAF activity was attributed to the inherent phospholipase D activity of the eosinophil enzyme since the two activities chromatographed together at each purification step, and there was apparent reciprocal inhibition of choline-generating activity by PAF and of PAF-inactivating activity by phosphatidyl choline. Thus, possible regulatory functions of the eosinophil in immediate hypersensitivity reactions include inactivation of a PAF by phospholipase D as well as degradation of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis by arylsulfatase B.

The effect of phospholipase C on human blood platelets.

The effect of phospholipase C (EC 3.1.4.3) on human blood platelets has been studied. Phospholipase C from Bacillus cereus was purified to homogeneity as judged by analytical and sodium dodecyl sulphate disc gel electrophoresis and by immunoelectrophoresis. Human platelets isolated from platelet-rich plasma by gel filtration or by centrifugation and washing were incubated with phospholipase C. A loss of 20-45% of the total platelet phospholipid was observed, whereas 88% was hydrolyzed when platelet homogenates were submitted to identical enzyme treatment. Intact platelets lost 50-75% phosphatidylethanolamine, 20-50% phosphatidylcholine, and 20-25% phosphatidylserine. Sphingomyelin was not a substrate for the enzyme under the conditions used. The platelets contained no detectable endogenous phospholipase C activity. The loss of phospholipid was not accompanied by aggregation of the platelets, nor did the platelets lose their ability to aggregate with ADP or thrombin. Total platelet factor 3 releasable by freezing and thawing was reduced. Measurements of releasable platelet factor 4 and the efflux of serotonin showed that no release reaction was triggered even when up to 45% of the total phospholipid in the platelets was hydrolyzed. When sphingomyelinase was added together with, before, or after phospholipase C, aggregation occurred. Sphingomyelinase alone gave no aggregation. The gel-filtered platelets also aggregated upon addition of purified phospholipase C from Clostridium perfringens. The distribution of phospholipids in the platelet membrane is discussed.

Partial characterization and purification of a rabbit granulocyte factor that increases permeability of Escherichia coli.

Recently we reported that rapid killing of Escherichia coli by granulocytes or granulocyte fractions is accompanied by an equally rapid and discrete increase in permeability of the microbial envelope (Beckerdite, Mooney, Weiss, Franson, and Elsbach. 1974. J. Exp. Med. 140: 396-409). Most of this permeability-increasing activity (PI) is found in a crude granule preparation. PI is quantitatively recovered in a 23,000-g supernatant fraction (Sup II) after sulfuric acid extraction of granulocyte homogenates prepared in water. PI is nondialyzable, destroyed by pronase and trypsin, stable at 4degreesC for at least 2 mo, and destroyed by heating at 94degreesC. Anionic substances, such as heparin sulfate and isolated E. coli lipopolysaccharide, bind to and inhibit PI. PI has been purified up to 1,000-fold from homogenate in a yield of 50percent by acid extraction and carboxymethyl-Sephadex chromatography. Such purified fractions have bactericidal activity that equals that of disrupted granulocytes and Sup II, are similarly enriched with respect to granule-associated phospholipase, and protease activities. Whereas E. coli, sensitive to PI, binds or inactivates solubilized PI, a resistant strain of Serratia marcescens does not. Binding of PI to sensitive microorganisms seems to be necessary for expression of its biological activity since both the apparent binding to and the biological effect of PI on E. coli are completely blocked by 10-20 mM Mg2+ or Ca2+. Mg2+ or Ca2+ can reverse the effect on E. coli permeability produced by Sup II or the carboxymethyl-Sephadex fraction but not that produced by granulocyte homogenate. The close association of bactericidal, phospholipase A2, and permeability-increasing activities towards several gram-negative bacterial species suggests that they may be related.

Phospholipases A1 and A2 in subcellular fractions and plasma membranes of Krebs II ascites cells.

A method is described for the localization and characterization of phospholipases A1 and A2 (EC3.1.1.4) in Krebs II ascites cells, particularly in the plasma membranes. Cells were lysed with a Dounce homogenizer in an isotonic sucrose medium. Plasma membranes sediment with mitochondria and lysosomes during subcellular fractionation and are finally isolated on a continuous sucrose gradient. The membranes are localized at two levels in the gradient, at densities of 1.06 and 1.15, in which 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) activity exhibits a 9- and 21-fold purification, respectively. Total contamination by endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, and mitochondria is 17 percent for the low-density membrane fraction and 25 percent for the high-density fraction. The phospholipases A present in Krebs II cells are active at pH 4.0 and pH 7.5. At the 2 pH values, they have A1 and A2 specificities. The intracellular distribution of acidic forms is comparable to that of acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), while neutral forms are localized like lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27). A small proportion of neutral phospholipase A2 has the same repartition on the sucrose gradient as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide diaphorase (EF 1.6.4.3), an endoplasmic reticulum marker, and as 5'-nucleotidase, a plasma membrane marker.

Structures of Azemiops feae venom phospholipases and cys-rich-secretory protein and implications for taxonomy and toxinology.

The Azemiops snakes are pit-less and phylogenetically located at the Crotalinae and Viperinae divergence. cDNAs encoding five Azemiops venom phospholipase (sPLA2) molecules were cloned and sequenced; their signal-peptides were similar to those of crotalid sPLA2s. Based on their calculated pI-values and residue-49 substitutions, they were designated as Af-E6, Af-N49a, Af-N49a1, Af-N49a2, and Af-N49b, respectively. The first three isoforms, comprising 3-4% of the venom proteins, were purified by reversed-phase HPLC. Af-E6 is catalytically active and has >80% sequence-similarity to other Glu(6)-PLA2 (a pitviper venom-marker). Results of phylogenetic analyses reveal that acidic Af-N49a and Af-N49a1 are rather unique and loosely linked with crotalid PLA2s, while Af-N49b is related to the viperid PLA2s with Ser(1) substitution. Notably, the Asn(49)-substitutions in these molecules imply catalytic-independent mechanisms. The 3D-models of Af-E6 and Af-N49a have surface electropotential maps similar to each other and to those of antiplatelet PLA2s, while the Af-N49b model is similar to basic and myotoxic sPLA2 molecules. From Azemiops feae and four other Viperidae, we cloned five novel Cys-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs). Azemiops CRISP and natriuretic-peptide precursors share more sequence similarities with those of crotalid venoms than with viperid venoms, further supporting the theory that Azemiops are sister taxons to pit vipers, especially Tropedolaemus.

A simple and high yield purification of Crotalus adamanteus phospholipases A2.

A new, high yield, procedure for the purification of the phospholipases A2 of Crotalus adamanteus venom is described. The procedure involves precipitation of the bulk of venom proteins with 50% isopropanol, precipitation of the enzymes from the isopranol soluble material with neodynium chloride, and final purification on DEAE cellulose. An overall yield of approximately 80% is achieved.

Biospecific dye-binding and hydrophobic interaction chromatography as tools for high yield preparation of purified phospholipase A1 from rat liver.

A basically new approach is presented for purifying lysosomal phospholipase A1 (EC 3.1.1.32) from rat liver. This procedure not only simplifies and speeds up the purification process, but also improves the yield in comparison to the most efficient methods reported so far. A high recovery of about 88% was achieved by (1) homogenisation of whole rat liver in a hypotonic medium, (2) acid precipitation, (3) combined dye binding chromatography on triacinyl dyes (Yellow H-A and Red HE-3B) immobilised to agaroses, and (4) combined concanavalin A-Sepharose and phenyl-Sepharose chromatography. Ethylene glycol was required for enzyme stabilisation as well as for enzyme elution in dye-binding and hydrophobic chromatography. In SDS-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis, the purified material showed two major protein bands of 56 and 33 kDa, which amounted to about 85 and 12%, respectively, of the total protein visualised. Under reductive conditions, the 56 kDa protein decomposed completely into three subunits of 30, 21 and 20 kDa. The 33 kDa protein in the non-reduced material seems to be identical with the 30 kDa protein in the reduced material. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis provided strong evidence that the 56 kDa protein is the active form of PLA1. The purified material displayed a specific activity of approximately 7.7 mumol fatty acid released per min per mg of protein using 200 microM phosphatidylethanolamine as a substrate.

Purification of lysophospholipases. Application of a continuous spectrophotometric assay using thioester substrate analogs.

Purification of lysophospholipases was monitored with four analogs of the natural lysophosphatidylcholine substrate, including two analogs with an acylthioester bond. In all chromatographic procedures employed, peaks of enzymatic activity towards each of the substrates were coincidental; moreover, the ratio of thioester to oxyester hydrolysis rates remained essentially constant over a more than 500-fold purification. These findings strongly support the conclusion that the hydrolysis of the thioester substrates truly reflects the specificity of lysophospholipases, thus allowing the use of a convenient spectrophotometric assay for these enzymes.

Purification of pancreatic phospholipase A2 from human duodenal juice.

Phospholipase A2 (EC 3.1.1.4) was purified from delipidated human duodenal juice by hydrophobic and cation exchange chromatography, followed by molecular sieving on an HPLC column. The resulting enzyme preparation of phospholipase A2 had a molecular weight of 14 kDa, a specific activity of 2000 U/mg protein, and an N-terminal amino acid sequence which was characteristic for human pancreatic phospholipase A2.

Effect on sphingomyelin-containing liposomes of phospholipase D from Corynebacterium ovis and the cytolysin from Stoichactis helianthus.

The toxic, sphingomyelin-specific phospholipase D (phosphatidylcholine phosphatidohydrolase EC 3.1.4.4) from Corynebacterium ovis was purified to near homogeneity. It has a molecular weight of 31 000 and a pI of approx. 9.8. Although not cytolytic itself, it protected red cells from hemolysis by staphylococcal sphingomyelinase (beta-hemolysin) and helianthus toxin. The apparently non-enzymatic cytolysin (helianthus toxin) from the sea anemone Stoichactis helianthus also interacts with membrane sphingomyelin. C. ovis and helianthus toxins were compared with regard to their effects on liposome model membranes, and they were found both to produce changes analogous to those in erythrocytes. Only helianthus toxin caused release of trapped glucose marker, but liposomes could be protected from release by pretreatment with C. ovis toxin. Both toxins demonstrated binding to sphingomyelin-containing liposomes, but only the bacterial sphingomyelinase catalyzed the release of choline from these vesicles.

Purification of rat liver mitochondrial phospholipase A2.

Rat liver mitochondrial phospholipase A2 was purified to near homogeneity by a combination of gel-filtration, hydroxyapatite and Matrex gel Blue A column chromatography. The absolute positional specificity of the enzyme for acylester bonds at the sn-2-position was established in experiments with 1-[9,10-3H2]palmitoyl-2-[1-14C]linoleoylphosphatidylethanolamine. Molecular weight estimations revealed Mr values of 15000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and of 9700 gel by gel-filtration over Ultrogel AcA 54 columns. The enzyme is unaffected by diisopropylfluorophosphate and thiol reagents such as 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetamide, but is completely inhibited by the alkylating reagent p-bromophenacylbromide.