Production of Recombinant Zika Virus Envelope Protein by Airlift Bioreactor as a New Subunit Vaccine Platform.

The Zika Virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus of great public health concern, particularly in the Americas after its last outbreak in 2015. There are still major challenges regarding disease control, and there is no ZIKV vaccine currently approved for human use. Among many different vaccine platforms currently under study, the recombinant envelope protein from Zika Virus (rEZIKV) constitutes an alternative option for vaccine development and has great potential for monitoring ZIKV infection and antibody response. This study describes a method to obtain a bioactive and functional rEZIKV using an E. coli expression system, with the aid of a 5-L airlift bioreactor and following an automated fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) protocol, capable of obtaining high yields of approximately 20 mg of recombinant protein per liter of bacterium cultures. The purified rEZIKV presented preserved antigenicity and immunogenicity. Our results show that the use of an airlift bioreactor for the production of rEZIKV is ideal for establishing protocols and further research on ZIKV vaccines bioprocess, representing a promising system for the production of a ZIKV envelope recombinant protein-based vaccine candidate.

RBD and Spike DNA-Based Immunization in Rabbits Elicited IgG Avidity Maturation and High Neutralizing Antibody Responses against SARS-CoV-2.

Neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) are a critical part of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) research as they are used to gain insight into the immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. Among the technologies available for generating nAbs, DNA-based immunization methods are an alternative to conventional protocols. In this pilot study, we investigated whether DNA-based immunization by needle injection in rabbits was a viable approach to produce a functional antibody response. We demonstrated that three doses of DNA plasmid carrying the gene encoding the full-length spike protein (S) or the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 induced a time-dependent increase in IgG antibody avidity maturation. Moreover, the IgG antibodies displayed high cross neutralization by live SARS-CoV-2 and pseudoviruses neutralization assays. Thus, we established a simple, low cost and feasible DNA-based immunization protocol in rabbits that elicited high IgG avidity maturation and nAbs production against SARS-CoV-2, highlighting the importance of DNA-based platforms for developing new immunization strategies against SARS-CoV-2 and future emerging epidemics.

Structural and functional characterization of the glutathione peroxidase-like thioredoxin peroxidase from the fungus Trichoderma reesei.

Glutathione peroxidases (GPx) are a family of enzymes with the ability to reduce organic and inorganic hydroperoxides to the corresponding alcohols using glutathione or thioredoxin as an electron donor. Here, we report the functional and structural characterization of a GPx identified in Trichoderma reesei (TrGPx). TrGPx was recombinantly expressed in a bacterial host and purified using affinity. Using a thioredoxin coupled assay, TrGPx exhibited activity of 28 U and 12.5 U in the presence of the substrates H2O2 and t-BOOH, respectively, and no activity was observed when glutathione was used. These results indicated that TrGPx is a thioredoxin peroxidase and hydrolyses H2O2 better than t-BOOH. TrGPx kinetic parameters using a pyrogallol assay resulted at Kmapp = 11.7 mM, Vmaxapp = 10.9 IU/µg TrGPx, kcat = 19 s-1 and a catalytic efficiency of 1.6 mM-1 s-1 to H2O2 as substrate. Besides that, TrGPx demonstrated an optimum pH ranging from 9.0-12.0 and a half-life of 36 min at 80 °C. TrGPx 3D-structure was obtained in a reduced state and non-catalytic conformation. The overall fold is similar to the other phospholipid-hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidases. These data contribute to understand the antioxidant mechanism in fungi and provide information for using antioxidant enzymes in biotechnological applications.

Structural and functional characterization of the glutathione peroxidase-like thioredoxin peroxidase from the fungus Trichoderma reesei

Glutathione peroxidases (GPx) are a family of enzymes with the ability to reduce organic and inorganic hydroperoxides to the corresponding alcohols using glutathione or thioredoxin as an electron donor. Here, we report the functional and structural characterization of a GPx identified in Trichoderma reesei (TrGPx). TrGPx was recombinantly expressed in a bacterial host and purified using affinity. Using a thioredoxin coupled assay, TrGPx exhibited activity of 28 U and 12.5 U in the presence of the substrates H2O2 and t-BOOH, respectively, and no activity was observed when glutathione was used. These results indicated that TrGPx is a thioredoxin peroxidase and hydrolyses H2O2 better than t-BOOH. TrGPx kinetic parameters using a pyrogallol assay resulted at Kmapp = 11.7 mM, Vmaxapp = 10.9 IU/μg TrGPx, kcat = 19 s−1 and a catalytic efficiency of 1.6 mM−1 s−1 to H2O2 as substrate. Besides that, TrGPx demonstrated an optimum pH ranging from 9.0–12.0 and a half-life of 36 min at 80 °C. TrGPx 3D-structure was obtained in a reduced state and non-catalytic conformation. The overall fold is similar to the other phospholipid-hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidases. These data contribute to understand the antioxidant mechanism in fungi and provide information for using antioxidant enzymes in biotechnological applications.

The molecular structure of an epoxide hydrolase from Trichoderma reesei in complex with urea or amide-based inhibitors.

Epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are enzymes involved in the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous epoxides, and the development of EH inhibitors has important applications in the medicine. In humans, EH inhibitors are being tested in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and show potent anti-inflammatory effects. EH inhibitors are also considerate promising molecules against infectious diseases. EHs are functionally very well studied, but only a few members have its three-dimensional structures characterized. Recently, a new EH from the filamentous fungi Trichoderma reseei (TrEH) was reported, and a series of urea or amide-based inhibitors were identified. In this study, we describe the crystallographic structures of TrEH in complex with five different urea or amide-based inhibitors with resolutions ranging from 2.6 to 1.7 Å. The analysis of these structures reveals the molecular basis of the inhibition of these compounds. We could also observe that these inhibitors occupy the whole extension of the active site groove and only a few conformational changes are involved. Understanding the structural basis EH interactions with different inhibitors might substantially contribute for the study of fungal metabolism and in the development of novel and more efficient antifungal drugs against pathogenic Trichoderma species.

Substrate and inhibitor selectivity, and biological activity of an epoxide hydrolase from Trichoderma reesei.

Epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are present in all living organisms and catalyze the hydrolysis of epoxides to the corresponding vicinal diols. EH are involved in the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous epoxides, and thus have application in pharmacology and biotechnology. In this work, we describe the substrates and inhibitors selectivity of an epoxide hydrolase recently cloned from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei QM9414 (TrEH). We also studied the TrEH urea-based inhibitors effects in the fungal growth. TrEH showed high activity on radioative and fluorescent surrogate and natural substrates, especially epoxides from docosahexaenoic acid. Using a fluorescent surrogate substrate, potent inhibitors of TrEH were identified. Interestingly, one of the best compounds inhibit up to 60% of T. reesei growth, indicating an endogenous role for TrEH. These data make TrEH very attractive for future studies about fungal metabolism of fatty acids and possible development of novel drugs for human diseases.

Structure of a soluble epoxide hydrolase identified in Trichoderma reesei.

Epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are enzymes that have high biotechnological interest for the fine and transformation industry. Several of these enzymes have enantioselectivity, which allows their application in the separation of enantiomeric mixtures of epoxide substrates. Although two different families of EHs have been described, those that have the α/ß-hidrolase fold are the most explored for biotechnological purpose. These enzymes are functionally very well studied, but only few members have three-dimensional structures characterised. Recently, a new EH from the filamentous fungi Trichoderma reseei (TrEH) has been discovered and functionally studied. This enzyme does not have high homology to any other EH structure and have an enatiopreference for (S)-(-) isomers. Herein we described the crystallographic structure of TrEH at 1.7Å resolution, which reveals features of its tertiary structure and active site. TrEH has a similar fold to the other soluble epoxide hydrolases and has the two characteristic hydrolase and cap domains. The enzyme is predominantly monomeric in solution and has also been crystallised as a monomer in the asymmetric unit. Although the catalytic residues are conserved, several other residues of the catalytic groove are not, and might be involved in the specificity for substrates and in the enantioselectivy of this enzyme. In addition, the determination of the crystallographic structure of TrEH might contribute to the rational site direct mutagenesis to generate an even more stable enzyme with higher efficiency to be used in biotechnological purposes.