A quick in vitro pathway from prokaryotic genomic libraries to enzyme discovery.

Screening of prokaryotic genomes in order to identify enzymes with a desired catalytic activity can be performed in vivo in bacterial cells. We propose a strategy of in vitro expression screening of large prokaryotic genomic libraries based on Escherichia coli cell-free transcription-translation systems. Because cell-based expression may be limited by poor yield or protein misfolding, cell-free expression systems may be advantageous in permitting a more comprehensive screen under conditions optimized for the desired enzyme activity. However, monocistronic messages with an improved leader initiation context are typically used for protein production in vitro. Here, we describe successful use of a Pseudoalteromonas genomic DNA library for in vitro expression of DNA fragments carrying multiple open reading frames (ORFs) in the context of their authentic translation initiation sites and regulatory regions. We show that ORFs located far from the 5' and 3' ends of polycistronic transcripts can be expressed at a sufficient level in an in vitro transcription-translation system in order to allow functional screening. We demonstrate the overall cell-free functional screen strategy with the successful selection of an esterase from Pseudoalteromonas.

Investigating the endonuclease activity of four Pyrococcus abyssi inteins.

Among the 14 inteins of the Pyrococcus abyssi genome, 10 harbour the LAGLIDADG motifs of dodecapeptide endonucleases. Four of these were cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to assay their potential endonuclease activity. PabRIR1-2 and PabRIR1-3 are specific endonucleases, named PI-PabI and PI-PabII, respectively, cleaving the sequence spanning their homing site. This is consistent with their size and with the relative positions and sequences of their endonuclease motifs. However, PI-PabI is 10-fold more active than PI-PabII and a discrepancy of the DNA recognition and cleavage mechanisms was observed between the two inteins. In particular, analysis of the DNA cleavage reactions by MALDI-TOF highlighted that while the cleavage of DNA by PI-PabI consists of two steps corresponding to the cleavage of each DNA strand, PI-PabII processes the two DNA strands simultaneously. Furthermore, the two inteins interact differently with DNA. In addition, we did not detect any endonuclease activity for PabLon and PabRIR1-1. Deletions in the intein sequences and mutations in the putative endonuclease motifs probably abolish this activity. Hence, inteins from the same archaebacteria, even if contained in the same host protein, did not evolve uniformly and are presumably at different stages of the invasion cycle.

Characterization of a thermophilic DNA ligase from the archaeon Thermococcus fumicolans.

A PCR protocol was used to identify and sequence a gene encoding a DNA ligase from Thermococcus fumicolans (Tfu). The recombinant enzyme, expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) pLysS, was purified to homogeneity and characterized. The optimum temperature and pH of Tfu DNA ligase were 65 degrees C and 7.0, respectively. The optimum concentration of MgCl2, which is indispensable for the enzyme activity, was 2 mM. We showed that Tfu DNA ligase displayed nick joining and blunt-end ligation activity using either ATP or NAD+, as a cofactor. In addition, our results would suggest that Tfu DNA ligase is likely to use the same catalytic residues with the two cofactors. The ability for DNA ligases, to use either ATP or NAD+, as a cofactor, appears to be specific of DNA ligases from Thermococcales, an order of hyperthermophilic microorganisms that belongs to the euryarchaeotal branch of the archaea domain.

Cell-free protein-based enzyme discovery and protein-ligand interaction study.

Cell-free expression-based screening is sometimes more suitable than cell-based assays for enzyme discovery. The advantage of cell-free systems for expression of toxic, poorly expressed, or insoluble proteins has already been well documented. Cell-free methods can advantageously replace cell-based ones when screening has to be performed on cell lysates prepared from harvested cells, for instance, when dealing with protein-ligand interactions particularly when the latter is hydrophobic. From our experience, cell-free extracts efficient in both transcription and translation can be prepared from potentially any microorganism. Here we present a general method for preparation of cell-free extracts from prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, selection of the best systems, and optimized conditions for specific protein expression. The method allows to select proteins for their ability to bind a selected target, to identify the inhibitors of such binding, or to identify novel enzymatic activities.

Specificities and functions of the recA and pps1 intein genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and application for diagnosis of tuberculosis.

The worldwide recrudescence of tuberculosis and the widespread appearance of antibiotic resistance have strengthened the need for rapid and specific diagnostic tools. The prevailing microbiological identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, which implies the use of in vitro cultures and acid-fast staining microscopy, is time-consuming. Detection of M. tuberculosis directly in clinical samples through PCR amplification of mycobacterium-specific genes, designed to shorten diagnostic delay, demonstrated reliability and high sensitivity. However, the quality of the diagnosis depends on the specificity of the target sequence for M. tuberculosis complex strains. In the present study, we demonstrated the specificity of recA and pps1 inteins for this complex and thus the feasibility of using intein-coding sequences as a new target for PCR diagnosis. Indeed, the recA and pps1 genes of 36 clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis and 10 field strains of M. bovis were found to be interrupted by an intein sequence at the RecA-a and Pps1-b sites, respectively, while a large number of nontuberculous mycobacterial species failed to demonstrate these insertions. Besides, the MtuPps1, which was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, was shown to possess an endonuclease activity. The intein cleaves the 40-bp sequence spanning the intein insertion site Pps1-b in the inteinless pps1 gene. In addition to the PCR amplification of recA and pps1 intein genes as a tool for diagnosis, the specific endonuclease activity could represent a new molecular approach to identify M. tuberculosis.

Penicillin-binding proteins 1a and 1b form independent dimers in Escherichia coli.

We report here that PBP1a can dimerize but does not interact with PBP1b to form PBP1a/PBP1b heterodimers in Escherichia coli. These findings support the idea of a relevant involvement of dimerization of both PBP1a and PBP1b during murein synthesis and suggest the existence of different peptidoglycan synthesis complexes.

Localization of a promoter in the putative internal ribosome entry site of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae TIF4631 gene.

The 5'-region of the TIF4631 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (encoding the translation initiation factor eIF4G1) was reported earlier to harbor a very active internal ribosome entry site (IRES) allowing for internal initiation of translation of TIF4631 mRNA. Here, we report the presence of a promoter in the region -112 to -36 relative to the translation initiation codon of the TIF4631 gene. This promoter stimulates transcription from a start site at position -36 and generates an mRNA that is actively translated in vitro and able to sustain growth of yeast cells in vivo as the only source of eIF4G. The data show that the IRES activity reported earlier is due to this promoter. On the contrary, the presumed IRES represents a strongly inhibitory element for translation in vitro.

Development of a reporter system for the yeast Schwanniomyces occidentalis: influence of DNA composition and codon usage.

In this paper we report on searching for suitable reporters to monitor gene expression and protein secretion in the amylolytic yeast Schwanniomyces occidentalis. Several potential reporter and marker genes, formerly shown to be functional in other yeasts, were cloned downstream from the homologous invertase gene (INV) promoter and their activity was followed in conditions of repression and derepression of the INV promoter. However, neither beta-glucuronidase nor beta-lactamase nor phleomycin resistance-conferring gene, all originating from E. coli, were expressed in S. occidentalis cells to such a level to allow for monitoring of their activity. All the reporter genes tested have a higher percentage of GC (47-62%) in their DNA compared to the DNA composition of S. occidentalis genes that are more AT-rich (36% GC). The codon usage of all the reporter genes also varies from that of 16 so far sequenced S. occidentalis genes. This suggests that an appropriate composition of DNA and a codon usage similar to S. occidentalis genes might be very important parameters for an efficient expression of a heterologous gene in Schwanniomyces occidentalis. Indeed, two genes originating from Staphylococcus aureus, with an AT-content in their DNA similar to that of S. occidentalis, were functionally expressed in S. occidentalis cells. Both a phleomycin resistance-conferring gene and a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase-encoding gene thus represent suitable reporters of gene expression and protein secretion in S. occidentalis. Additionally, we show in this work that the transcription-regulating region and the signal peptide sequence of the S. occidentalis invertase gene were efficient to direct gene expression and subsequent protein secretion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

NMR study of the interaction between Zn(II) ligated bleomycin and Streptoalloteichus hindustanus bleomycin resistance protein.

Bleomycin (Bm), a 1.4 kDa glycopeptide excreted by Streptomyces verticillus, is a natural antibacterial compound used in therapy as antineoplastic drug. To counteract its biological activity, cells have developed several resistance mechanisms, one of these based on proteins able to tightly bind Bm. In this paper, the interaction of Zn(2+)-Bm with the Streptoalloteichus hindustanus Bm resistance protein (ShBle) has been investigated by solution state NMR. Sequential nOe and chemical shift index have shown that the fold of the protein (in absence or presence of Bm) is identical to the previously published X-ray structure. The dimeric nature of ShBle is confirmed by the diffusion tensor as determined by NMR relaxation data. Using isotope filtered nOe experiment, intermolecular nOes between Bm and ShBle have been observed as used for modeling. While the interaction of the Bm metal binding site with ShBle appears to be uniquely defined, several conformations of the bithiazole moieties are compatible with the NMR data. Binding of Bm also induces changes of the local dynamics (stretch N85-G91), as shown by (15)N relaxation data. These results are discussed in the context of several Bm analogues able to interact with ShBle and of the recently published X-rays structures.

The two-step cleavage activity of PI-TfuI intein endonuclease demonstrated by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PI-TfuI, an intein spliced from the DNA polymerase of Thermococcus fumicolans, is a highly specific endonuclease, whose cleavage efficiency and specificity depend on both the substrate topology and the divalent cation used as cofactor. An open circular intermediate was observed during the cleavage of supercoiled DNA by PI-TfuI, suggesting a two-step cleavage of the DNA. We characterized this nicked intermediate and, through the development of a method of analysis of the cleavage reaction based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, we demonstrated that the cleavage of DNA by PI-TfuI indeed results from two cleavage events. One step results in the cleavage of the bottom strand, which is independent of the DNA conformation or choice of the metal ion cofactor. A second step, which is slower, leads to the cleavage of the top strand and governs the specific requirements of PI-TfuI concerning the essential cofactor and the DNA topology. These two steps were shown to be independent in optimal conditions of cleavage. These data give support to the existence of two distinct and independent active sites in the endonuclease domain of the archaeal intein.