• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.925-935
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• 2014

A cold-adapted carbohydrate esterase, CEST, belonging to the carbohydrate esterase family 6, was cloned from Microbulbifer thermotolerans DAU221. CEST was composed of 307 amino acids with the first 22 serving as a secretion signal peptide. The calculated molecular mass and isoelectric point of the mature enzyme were 31,244 Da and pH 5.89, respectively. The catalytic triad consisted of residues Ser37, Glu192, and His281 in the conserved regions: GQSNMXG, QGEX(D/N), and DXXH. The three-dimensional structure of CEST revealed that CEST belongs to the ${\alpha}/{\beta}$-class of protein consisted of a central six-stranded ${\beta}$-sheet flanked by eight ${\alpha}$-helices. The recombinant CEST was purified by His-tag affinity chromatography and the characterization showed its optimal temperature and pH were $15^{\circ}C$ and 8.0, respectively. Specifically, CEST maintained up to 70% of its enzyme activity when preincubated at $50^{\circ}C$ or $60^{\circ}C$ for 6 h, and 89% of its enzyme activity when preincubated at $70^{\circ}C$ for 1 h. The results suggest CEST belongs to group 3 of the cold-adapted enzymes. The enzyme activity was increased by $Na^+$ and $Mg^{2+}$ ions but was strongly inhibited by $Cu^+$ and $Hg^{2+}$ ions, at all ion concentrations. Using p-nitrophenyl acetate as a substrate, the enzyme had a $K_m$ of 0.278 mM and a $k_{cat}$ of $1.9s^{-1}$. Site-directed mutagenesis indicated that the catalytic triad (Ser37, Glu192, and His281) and Asp278 were essential for the enzyme activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1260-1268
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• 2014

Screening of a gene library from Paenibacillus sp. PBS-2 generated in Escherichia coli led to the identification of a clone with lipolytic activity. Sequence analysis showed an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 378 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 42 kDa. The esterase displayed 69% and 42% identity with the putative ${\beta}$-lactamases from Paenibacillus sp. JDR-2 and Clostridium sp. BNL1100, respectively. The esterase contained a Ser-x-x-Lys motif that is conserved among all ${\beta}$-lactamases found to date. The protein PBS-2 was produced in both soluble and insoluble forms when E. coli cells harboring the gene were cultured at $18^{\circ}C$. The enzyme is a serine protein and was active against p-nitrophenyl esters of $C_2$, $C_4$, $C_8$, and $C_{10}$. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were pH 9.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. Relative activity of 55% remained at up to $5^{\circ}C$ with an activation energy of 5.84 kcal/mol, which indicates that the enzyme is cold-adapted. Enzyme activity was inhibited by $Cd^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Hg^{2+}$ ions. As expected for a serine esterase, activity was inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. The enzyme was remarkably active and stable in the presence of commercial detergents and organic solvents. This cold-adapted esterase has potential as a biocatalyst and detergent additive for use at low temperatures.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2013

The gene encoding an esterase from Photobacterium sp. MA1-3 was cloned in Escherichia coli using the shotgun method. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence (948 bp) corresponded to a protein of 315 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 35 kDa and a pI of 6.06. The deduced protein showed 74% and 68% amino acid sequence identities with the putative esterases from Photobacterium profundum SS9 and Photobacterium damselae, respectively. Absence of a signal peptide indicated that it was a cell-bound protein. Sequence analysis showed that the protein contained the signature G-X-S-X-G included in most serine-esterases and lipases. The MA1-3 esterase was produced in both soluble and insoluble forms when E. coli cells harboring the gene were cultured at $18^{\circ}C$. The enzyme was a serine-esterase and was active against $C_2$, $C_4$, $C_8$ and $C_{10}$ p-nitrophenyl esters. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were pH 8.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. Relative activity remained up to 45% even at $5^{\circ}C$ with an activation energy of 7.69 kcal/mol, which indicated that it was a cold-adapted enzyme. Enzyme activity was inhibited by $Cd^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Hg^{2+}$ ions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1245-1252
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• 2012

Acinetobacter venetians V28 was isolated from the intestine of righteye flounder, Poecilopsetta plinthus caught in Vietnam seawater, and the esterase gene was cloned using a shotgun method. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence (1,017 bp) corresponded to a protein of 338 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 37,186. The esterase had 87% and 72% identities with the lipases of A. junii SH205 and A. calcoaceticus RUH2202, respectively. The esterase contained a putative leader sequence, as well as the conserved catalytic triad (Ser, His, Asp), consensus pentapeptide GXSXG, and oxyanion hole sequence (HG). The protein from the strain V28 was produced in both a soluble and an insoluble form when the Escherichia coli cells harboring the gene were cultured at $18^{\circ}C$. The maximal activity of the purified enzyme was observed at a temperature of $40^{\circ}C$ and pH 9.0 using p-NP-caprylate as substrate; however, relative activity still reached to 70% even at $5^{\circ}C$ with an activation energy of 3.36 kcal/mol, which indicated that it was a cold-adapted enzyme. The enzyme was a nonmetallo-protein and was active against p-nitrophenyl esters of $C_4$, $C_8$, and $C_{14}$. Remarkably, this enzyme retained much of its activity in the presence of commercial detergents and organic solvents. This cold-adapted esterase will be applicable as catalysts for reaction in the presence of organic solvents and detergents.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1484-1489
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• 2014

A novel esterase gene, est01, was successfully unearthed from a biogas digester microbiota metagenomic library. The 1,194 bp est01 gene encodes a protein of 44,804 Da (designated Est01). The amino acid sequence of Est01 shows only moderate (33%) identity to a lipase/esterase. Phylogenetic analysis and biochemical characterization confirmed that Est01 is a new member of family VIII esterases. The purified Est01 from recombinant Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) showed high hydrolytic activity against short-chain fatty acid esters, suggesting that it is a typical carboxylesterase rather than a lipase. Furthermore, the Est01 was even active at $10^{\circ}C$ (43% activity remained), with the optimal temperature at $20^{\circ}C$, and had a broad pH range from 5.0 to 10.0, with the optimal pH of 8.0. These properties suggest that Est01 is a cold-adaptive esterase and could have good potential for low-temperature hydrolysis application.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2009

Esterase EM2L8 gene isolated from deep sea sediment was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and the esterase activity of the cell-free extract was assayed using p-nitrophenyl butyrate-spectrophotometric method. Its optimum temperature was $40-45^{\circ}C$ and 45% activity of the maximum activity was retained at $15^{\circ}C$. The activation energy at $15-45^{\circ}C$ was calculated to be 4.9 kcal/mol showing that esterase EM2L8 was a typical cold-adapted enzyme. Enzyme activity was maintained for 6 h and 4 weeks at $30^{\circ}C$ and $4^{\circ}C$, respectively. When each ethanol, methanol, and acetone was added to the reaction mixture to 15% concentration, enzyme activity was maintained. In the case of DMSO, enzyme activity was kept up to 40% concentration. (S)-4-Chloro-3-hydroxy butyric acid is a chiral intermediate for the synthesis of Atorvastatin, a hyperlipemia drug. When esterase EM2L8 (40 U) was added to buffer solution (1.2 mL, pH 9.0) containing ethyl-(R,S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyrate (38 mM), it was hydrolyzed into 4-chloro-3-hydroxy butyric acid with a rate of $6.8\;{\mu}mole/h$. The enzyme hydrolyzed (S)-substrate more rapidly than (R)-substrate. When conversion yield was 80%, e.e.s value was 40%. When DMSO was added, hydrolysis rate increased to $10.4\;{\mu}mole/h$. The plots of conversion yield vs e.e.s in the presence or absence of DMSO were almost same, implying that the reaction enantioselectivity was not changed by the addition of DMSO. Taken together, esterase EM2L8 had high activity and stability at low temperatures as well as in various organic solvents/aqueous solutions. These properties suggested that it could be used as a biocatalyst in the synthesis of useful pharmaceuticals.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1502-1510
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• 2018

Organic solvent-tolerant (OST) enzymes are widely applied in various industries for their activity and stability in organic solvents, for their higher substrate solubility, and for their greater stero-selectivity. However, the criteria for identifying OST enzymes largely remain undefined. In this study, we compared the amino acid composition of 19 OST esterases with that of 19 non OST esterases. OST esterases have increased the ratio of Ala and Arg residues and decreased the ratio of Asn, Ile, Tyr, Lys, and Phe residues. Based on our amino acid composition analysis, we cloned a carboxylesterase (EstSP2) from a psychrophilic bacterium, Sphingomonas glacialis PAMC 26605, and characterized its recombinant protein. EstSP2 is a substrate specific to p-nitrophenyl acetate and hydrolyzed aspirin, with optimal activity at $40^{\circ}C$; at $4^{\circ}C$, the activity is approximately 50% of its maximum. As expected, EstSP2 showed tolerance in up to 40% concentration of polar organic solvents, including dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, and ethanol. The results of this study suggest that selecting OST esterases based on their amino acid composition could be a novel approach to identifying OST esterases produced from bacterial genomes.