• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.937-946
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• 2011

Several isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) were screened for the vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip) effective against sap-sucking insect pests. Screening results were based on $LC_{50}$ values against cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii), one of the dangerous pests of various crop plants including cotton. Among the isolates, the Bt#BREF24 showed promising results, and upon purification the aphidicidal protein was recognized as a binary toxin. One of the components of this binary toxin was identified by peptide sequencing to be a homolog of Vip2A that has been reported previously in other Bacillus spp. Vip2 belongs to the binary toxin group Vip1-Vip2, and is responsible for the enzymatic activity; and Vip1 is the translocation and receptor binding protein. The two genes encoding the corresponding proteins of the binary toxin, designated as vip2Ae and vip1Ae, were cloned from the Bt#BREF24, sequenced, and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. Aphid feeding assay with the recombinant proteins confirmed that these proteins are indeed the two components of the binary toxins, and the presence of both partners is essential for the activity. Aphid specificity of the binary toxin was further verified by ligand blotting experiment, which identified an ~50 kDa receptor in the brush border membrane vesicles of the cotton aphids only, but not in the lepidopteran insects. Our finding holds a promise of its use in future as a candidate gene for developing transgenic crop plants tolerant against sap-sucking insect pests.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1551-1558
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• 2014

The esterase gene Est8 from the thermophilic bacterium Bacillus sp. K91 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The monomeric enzyme exhibited a theoretical molecular mass of 24.5 kDa and an optimal activity around $50^{\circ}C$ at pH 9.0. A model of Est8 was constructed using a hypothetical YxiM precursor structure (2O14_A) from Bacillus subtilis as template. The structure showed an ${\alpha}/{\beta}$-hydrolase fold and indicated the presence of a typical catalytic triad consisting of Ser-11, Asp-182, and His-185, which were investigated by site-directed replacements coupled with kinetic characterization. Asp-182 and His-185 residues were more critical than the Ser-11 residue in the catalytic activity of Est8. A comparison of the amino acid sequence showed that Est8 could be grouped into the GDSL family and further classified as an SGNH hydrolase. Est8 is a new member of the SGNH hydrolase subfamily and may employ a different catalytic mechanism.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.431-439
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• 2014

We report the construction of two Bacillus subtilis expression vectors, pBNS1/pBNS2. Both vectors are based on the strong promoter P43 and the ampicillin resistance gene expression cassette. Additionally, a fragment with the Shine-Dalgarno sequence and a multiple cloning site (BamHI, SalI, SacI, XhoI, PstI, SphI) were inserted. The coding region for the amyQ (encoding an amylase) signal peptide was fused to the promoter P43 of pBNS1 to construct the secreted expression vector pBNS2. The applicability of vectors was tested by first generating the expression vectors pBNS1-GFP/pBNS2-GFP and then detecting for green fluorescent protein gene expression. Next, the mannanase gene from B. pumilus Nsic-2 was fused to vector pBNS2 and we measured the mannanase activity in the supernatant. The mannanase total enzyme activity was 8.65 U/ml, which was 6 times higher than that of the parent strain. Our work provides a feasible way to achieve an effective transformation system for gene expression in B. subtilis and is the first report to achieve B. pumilus mannanase secretory expression in B. subtilis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.545-555
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• 2014

It has been previously demonstrated that laccases exhibit great potential for use in several industrial and environmental applications. In this paper, two laccase isoenzyme genes, lccB and lccC, were cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. The sequence analysis indicated that the lccB and lccC genes consisted of 1,563 and 1,584 bp, and their open reading frames encoded 520 and 527 amino acids, respectively. They had 72.7% degree of identity in nucleotides and 86.7% in amino acids. The expression levels of LccB and LccC were up to 32,479 and 34,231 U/l, respectively. The recombinant laccases were purified by ultrafiltration and $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ precipitation, showing a single band on SDS-PAGE, which had a molecular mass of 58 kDa. The optimal pH and temperature for LccB were 2.0 and $55^{\circ}C$ with 2,2'-azinobis-[ 3-ethylbenzthiazolinesulfonic acid (ABTS) as a substrate, whereas LccC exhibited optimal pH and temperature at 3.0 and $60^{\circ}C$. The apparent kinetic parameters of LccB were 0.43 mM for ABTS with a $V_{max}$ value of 51.28 U/mg, and the Km and $V_{max}$ values for LccC were 0.29 mM and 62.89 U/mg. The recombinant laccases were able to decolorize five types of dyes. Acid Violet 43 (100 g/ml) was completely decolorized by LccB or LccC (2 U/ml), and the decolorization of Reactive Blue KN-R (100 g/ml) was 91.6% by LccC (2 U/ml). Thus, the study characterizes useful laccase isoenzymes from T. versicolor that have the capability of being incorporated into the treatment of similar azo and anthraquinone dyes from dyeing industries.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.251-259
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• 2013

An endoxylanase gene (PoxynA) that belongs to the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 11 was cloned from a xylanolytic strain, Penicillium oxalicum B3-11(2). PoxynA was overexpressed in Trichoderma reesei QM9414 by using a constitutive strong promoter of the encoding pyruvate decarboxylase (pdc). The high extracellular xylanase activities in the fermentation liquid of the transformants were maintained 29~35-fold higher compared with the wild strain. The recombinant POXYNA was purified to homogeneity, and its characters were analyzed. Its optimal temperature and pH value were $50^{\circ}C$ and 5.0, respectively. The enzyme was stable at a pH range of 2.0 to 7.0. Using beechwood as the substrate, POXYNA had a high specific activity of $1,856{\pm}53.5$ IU/mg. In the presence of metal ions, such as $Cu^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$, the activity of the enzyme increased. However, strong inhibition of the enzyme activity was observed in the presence of $Mn^{2+}$ and $Fe^{2+}$. The recombinant POXYNA hydrolyzed birchwood xylan, beechwood xylan, and oat spelt xylan to produce short-chain xylooligosaccharides, xylopentaose, xylotriose, and xylobiose as the main products. This is the first report on the expression properties of a recombinant endoxylanase gene from Penicillium oxalicum. The properties of this endoxylanase make it promising for applications in the food and feed industries.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1293-1298
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• 2018

Phosphomannomutase (ManB) converts mannose-6-phosphate (M-6-P) to mannose-1-phosphate (M-1-P), which is a key metabolic precursor for the production of GDP-D-mannose used for production of glycoconjugates and post-translational modification of proteins. The aim of this study was to express the manB gene from Escherichia coli in Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris NZ9000 and to characterize the encoded enzyme. The manB gene from E. coli K12, of 1,371 bp and encoding 457 amino acids (52 kDa), was cloned and overexpressed in L. lactis NZ9000 using the nisin-controlled expression system. The enzyme was purified by Ni-NTA column chromatography and exhibited a specific activity of 5.34 units/mg, significantly higher than that of other previously reported ManB enzymes. The pH and temperature optima were 8.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. Interestingly, the ManB used in this study had two substrate specificity for both mannose-1-phosphate and glucose-1-phosphate, and the specific activity for glucose-1-phosphate was 3.76 units/mg showing 70% relative activity to that of mannose-1-phosphate. This is the first study on heterologous expression and characterization of ManB in lactic acid bacteria. The ManB expression system constructed in this study canbe used to synthesize rare sugars or glycoconjugates.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.214-219
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• 1998

Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was conducted to obtain the gene encoding glucose oxidase(GOD) from Aspergillus niger(ATCC 2110) and the DNA sequence determined was coincided with published GOD sequence from A. niger. Recombinant transforming vector containing GOD and hygromycin B(hyg.B) resistant gene(hph) was constructed and used for further transformation of A. niger ATCC 2110. Selectivity of hyg.B against A. niger differed depending on which media were used i.e., nutrient-rich media such as potato dextrose agar(PDA) and complete medium(CM) showed only 50% growth inhibition at 400 $\mu$m ml$^-1$ of hyg.B while the minimal media inhibited mycelial growth completely at 200 $\mu$m ml$^-1$ of hyg.B. Twenty to sixty putative transformants were isolated from the hyg.B-containing minimal top agar, transferred successively onto alternating selective and nonselective media for a mitotic stability of hyg.B resistance and, then, single-spored. Among the stable transformants, the transformant(GOD1-6) grown by flask culture showed the considerable increase of extracellular GOD activity, which was estimated to the degree of 50% - 100% comparing to that of wild type. Transformation of tGOD1-6 was resulted from integration of the vectors into heterologous as well as homologous regions of the A. niger genome. Southern blot analysis revealed that there were two independent integrations of vector into fungal genome and one into the GOD gene due to homologous recombination. In addition, GOD activity and sodium gluconate production when tGOD1-6 was fed-batch fermented were enhanced 11 fold and 2.25 fold, respectively, compared to that of the wild type.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.184-190
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• 2004

The influences of impeller types on morphology and protein expression were investigated in a submerged culture of Aspergillus oryzae. The impeller types strongly affected mycelial morphology and protein production in batch and fed-batch fermentations. Cells that were cultured by propeller agitation grew in the form of a pellet, whereas cells that were cultured by turbine agitation grew in a freely dispersed-hyphal manner and in a clumped form. Pellet-grown cells showed high levels of protein production for both the intracellularly heterologous protein (${\beta}$-glucuronidase) and the extracellularly homologous protein (${\alpha}$-amylase). The feeding mode of the carbon source also influenced the morphological distribution and protein expression in fed-batch fermentation of A. oryzae. Pulsed-feeding mainly showed high protein expression and homogeneous distribution of pellet whereas continuous feeding resulted in less protein expression and heterogeneous distribution with pellet and dispersed-hyphae. The pellet growth with propeller agitation paralleling with the pulsed-feeding of carbon source showed a high level of protein production in the submerged fed-batch fermentation of recombinant A. oryzae.

• BMB Reports
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.186-193
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• 2002

The acid-bible subunit (ALS) associates with the insulinlike growth factor (IGF)-I or II, and the IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in order to form a 150-kD complex in the circulation. This complex may regulate the serum IGFs by restricting them in the vascular system and promoting their endocrine actions. Little is known about how ALS binds to IGFBP3, which connects the IGFs to ALS. Xenopus oocyte was utilized to study the function of ALS in assembling IGFs into the ternary complexes. Xenopus oocyte was shown to correctly translate in vitro transcribed mRNAs of ALS and IGFBP3. IGFBP3 and ALS mRNAs were injected in a mixture, and their products were immunoprecipitated by antisera against ALS and IGFBP3. Contrary to traditional reports that ALS interacts only with IGF-bound IGFBP3, this study shows that ALS is capable of forming a binary complex with IGFBP3 in the absence of IGF When cross-linked by disuccinimidyl suberate, the band that represents the ALS-IGFBP3 complex was evident on the PAGE. IGFBP3 movement was monitored according to the distribution between the hemispheres. Following a localized translation in the vegetal hemisphere, IGFBP3 remained in the vegetal half in the presence of ALS. However, the mutant IGFBP3 freely diffused into the animal half, despite the presence of ALS, which is different from the wild type IGFBP3. This study, therefore, suggests that ALS may play an important role in sequestering IGFBP3 polypeptides via the intermolecular aggregation. Studies using this heterologous model will lead to a better understanding of the IGFBP3 and ALS that assemble into the ternary structure and circulate the IGF system.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2009

Insect cells such as Spodoptera frugiperda Clone 9 (Sf9) cells are widely chosen as the host for heterologous expression of a mammalian sugar transport protein using the baculovirus expression system. Characterization of the expressed protein is expected to include assay of its function, including its ability to transport sugars and to bind inhibitory ligands such as cytochalasin B. It is therefore very important first to establish the transport characteristics and other properties of the endogenous sugar transport proteins of the host insect cells. However, very little is known of the transport characteristics of Sf9 cells, although their ability to grow on TC-100 medium strongly suggested the presence of endogenous glucose transport system. In order to investigate the substrate and inhibitor recognition properties of the Sf9 cell transporter, the ability of pentoses to inhibit 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2dGlc) transport was investigated by measuring inhibition constants $(K_i)$. To determine the time period over which of sugar into the Sf cells was linear, the uptake of 2dGlc 0.1mM extracellular concentration was measured over periods ranging from 30 seconds to 30 minutes. The uptake was linear for at least 2 minutes at the concentration, implying that uptake made over a 1 minute time course would reflect initial rates of the sugar uptake. The data have also revealed the existence of a saturable transport system for pentose uptake by the insect cells. The transport was inhibited by D-xylose and D-ribose, although not as effective as hexoses. However, L-xylose had a little effect on 2dGlc transport in the Sf9 cells, indicating that the transport is stereoselective. Unlike the human erythrocyte-type glucose transport system, D-ribose had a somewhat greater apparent affinity for the Sf9 cell transporter than D-xylose. It is therefore concluded that Sf9 cells contain an endogenous sugar transport activity that in some aspects resembled the human erythrocyte-type counterpart, although the Sf9 and human transport systems do differ in their affinity for cytochalasin B.