• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1457-1466
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• 2018

In the present study, the stabilizing effect of four different biological osmolytes on Bacillus licheniformis ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transpeptidase (BlGGT) was investigated. BlGGT appeared to be stable under temperatures below $40^{\circ}C$, but the enzyme retained less than 10% of its activity at $60^{\circ}C$. The tested osmolytes exhibited different degrees of effectiveness against temperature inactivation of BlGGT, and sucrose was found to be the most effective among these. The use of circular dichroism spectroscopy for studying the secondary structure of BlGGT revealed that the temperature-induced conformational change of the protein molecule could be prevented by the osmolytes. Consistently, the molecular structure of the enzyme was essentially conserved by the osmolytes at elevated temperatures as monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy. Sucrose was further observed to counteract guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl)-and urea-induced denaturation of BlGGT. Taken together, we observed evidently that some well-known biological osmolytes, especially sucrose, make a dominant contribution to the structural stabilization of BlGTT.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 1997

Alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. S-1 secretes a large amount (approximately 80% of total pullulanase activity) of an extracellular pullulanase (PUL-E). The pullulanase exists in two forms: a precursor form (PUL-I: $M_r$ 180,000), and a processed form (PUL-E: $M_r$ 140,000). Two forms were purified to homogeneity and their properties were compared. PUL-I was different in molecular weight, isoelectric point, $NH_2$-terminal amino acid sequence, and stabilities over pH and temperature ranges. The catalytic activities of PUL-I were also distinguishable in the $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values for various substrates, and in the specific activity for pullulan hydrolysis. PUL-E showed 10-fold higher specific activities than PUL-I. However. PUL-I is immunologically identical to PUL-E, suggesting that PUL-I is initially synthesized and proteolytically processed to the mature form of PUL-E. Processing was inhibited by PMSF, but not by pepstatin, suggesting that some intracellular serine proteases could be responsible for processing of the PUL-I. PUL-I has a different conformational structure for antibody recognition from that of PUL-E. It is also postulated that the translocation of alkaline pullulanase(AP) in the bacterium possibly requires processing of the $NH_2$-terminal region of the AP protein. Processing of the precursor involves a conformational shift. resulting in a mature form. Therefore. precursor processing not only cleaves the signal peptide, but also induces conformational shift. allowing development of active form of the enzyme.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.92-96
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• 2006

Enzymes in organic media afford many advantages such as chiral synthesis and resolution, modification of fats and oils and production of biodegradable polymers. However, the nature of solvents influences the activity and stability of enzymes, and the presence of organic solvents always constitute a risk of enzyme inactivation. Heat-shock protein Hsp90, one of the molecular chaperone, was applied for understanding of enzyme inactivation and for increasing of enzyme stability in water-miscible organic solvent. Hsp90 showed stabilization effect on HRP in the 30％ of DMSO, in the 30％ and 50％ of dioxane. Hsp90 also showed reactivation effect on the inactivated HRP by water-miscible organic solvent such as dioxane and DMSO. In addition, structural analysis using fluorescence spectrophotometry and circular dichroism showed that exposure of HRP in water-miscible organic solvent caused appreciable conformational changes and enzyme inactivation, and the unfolded HRP by water-miscible organic solvent was refolded by Hsp90.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2008

The present study was aimed to elucidate the mechanism of stabilization of tubulin by deuterium oxide ($D_2O$). Rate of decrease of tryptophan fluorescence during aging of tubulin at 4$^{\circ}C$ and 37$^{\circ}C$ was significantly lower in $D_2O$ than in $H_2O$. Circular dichroism spectra of tubulin after incubation at 4$^{\circ}C$, suggested that complete stabilization of the secondary structure in D2O during the first 24 hours of incubation. The number of available cysteine measured by DTNB reaction was decreased to a lesser extent in $D_2O$ than in $H_2O$. . During the increase in temperature of tubulin, the rate of decrease of fluorescence at 335 nm and change of CD value at 222 nm was lesser in $D_2O$. Differential Scanning calorimetric experiments showed that the $T_m$ values for tubulin unfolding in $D_2O$ were 58.6$^{\circ}C$ and 62.17$^{\circ}C$, and in $H_2O$. those values were 55.4$^{\circ}C$ and 59.35$^{\circ}C$.