In vivo directed evolution for thermostabilization of Escherichia coli hygromycin B phosphotransferase and the use of the gene as a selection marker in the host-vector system of Thermus thermophilus

An in vivo-directed evolutionary strategy was used to obtain a thermostabilized Escherichia coli hygromycin B phosphotransferase, using a host-vector system of Thermus thermophilus. Introduction of the mutant gene containing two amino acid substitutions, S52T and W238C, which was previously reported by Cannio et al. [J. Bacteriol., 180, 3237-3240 (1998)], did not confer hygromycin resistance on T. thermophilus cells at 55 degrees C; however, five spontaneously-generated independent mutants were obtained by selection of the transformants at this temperature. Each mutant gene contained one amino acid substitution of either A118V or T246A. Further selection with increasing temperature, at 58 degrees C and then 61 degrees C, led to acquisition of three more substitutions: D20G, S225P and Q226L. These mutations cumulatively influenced the maximum growth temperature of the T. thermophilus transformants in the presence of hygromycin; T. thermophilus carrying a mutant gene containing all the five substitutions was able to grow at up to 67 degrees C. This mutant gene, hph5, proved useful as a selection marker in the T. thermophilus host-vector system, either on the plasmid or by genome integration, at temperatures up to 65 degrees C.     

Isolation and structural analysis of efficient autonomously replicating sequences (ARSs) of the yeast Candida utilis

The industrially important yeast Candida utilis is widely used in production of food and medical materials, but its host-vector system has not been well developed. We screened for compact and efficient ARSs to construct practically useful vectors. The C. utilis strain AHU3053 was found to be efficiently transformed by the conventional lithium acetate method and was used as the host. The C. utilis IAM4264 genomic library was constructed by inserting the partial Sau3AI digests in pRI51, which has a kanMX gene expressible in C. utilis. By examining 98 C. utilis G418-resistant transformants, five plasmids had the highest ARS activity. By trimming of the inserts, the 1490 and 552 bp fragments with transformation activity of over 10(3)/microg DNA were obtained from ARS3 and ARS4, respectively. Although several sequences identical to S. cerevisiae ARS consensus sequences (ACSs) were found in ARS3 and ARS4, our deletion analysis indicated that these were not essential for the activity. Because the minimal functional ARS fragment was also several-fold larger than that of S. cerevisiae, the C. utilis ARSs have some unique characteristics resembling the Sz. pombe ARSs. These ARSs were functional in other C. utilis strains tested and useful for constructing practical vectors.     

Isolation of the Cryptococcus humicolus URA3 gene encoding orotidine-5'-phosphate decarboxylase and its use as a selective marker for transformation

A transformation system for a yeast, Cryptococcus humicolus, was constructed. As a selectable marker, the URA3 gene encoding orotidine-5'-phosphate decarboxylase (OMPdecase) was isolated from a C. humicolus genomic DNA library, and the equivalent cDNA was cloned. The coding region encompasses a polypeptide of 269 amino acids interrupted by two introns, which were located at the same positions as observed in the equivalent genes of some filamentous fungi. The deduced amino acid sequence showed significant homology to those of OMPdecases from other fungal species. Although no canonical TATA and CHAT sequences and polyadenylation sequence are in the flanking regions, two C + T-rich sequences are observed in the 5'-flanking region. The cDNA of the URA3 gene of C. humicolus was able to complement functionally the ura3 mutation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As a host, five uracil auxotrophic mutants were isolated by the selection of ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenized cells on 5-fluoroorotic acid. Three of them could be transformed to Ura+ phenotype with a linearized URA3-harboring vector using electroporation, and the best transformation frequency was 14 transformants per microg of DNA. Southern blot analysis of five independent transformants showed the integration of the vector into the host chromosomal DNA at the URA3 locus in one transformant, and also the integration at ectopic sites and the modified extrachromosomal forms in others.     

高生物量富硒产朊假丝酵母菌株的选育

从5株优良的发酵酵母菌中筛选出耐硒和富硒能力较好的产朊假丝酵母,采用耐酸驯化和梯度浓度的耐硒驯化增加菌株的抗性。研究表明,产朊假丝酵母Ⅰ的富硒能力更好。在此基础上,经复合诱变、亚硒酸钠抗性平板初筛和摇瓶复筛,筛选出生物量和含硒量都较高的菌株D-5,再将突变株D-5进行紫外诱变,筛选出1株高生物量和高含硒量的菌株U-16,其菌株生物量为5.86 g/L,总硒量为1 575.40 μg/g,有机硒量为1 500.90 μg/g,其有机硒占胞内总硒比重的95.26%。与出发菌株相比,筛选菌株的生物量提高了67.90%,有机硒量增加了95.95%。     

Expression of GFP using Pichia pastoris vectors with zeocin or G‐418 sulphate as the primary selectable marker

Pichia pastoris is a popular host organism for expressing heterologous proteins, and various expression vectors for this yeast are currently available. Recently, vectors containing novel dominant antibiotic resistance markers have become a strong and developing field of research for this methylotropic yeast strain. We have developed new P. pastoris expression vectors, the pPICKanMX6 and pPICKanMX6α series. These vectors were constructed by replacing the zeocin resistance gene of the pPICZA, B, C and pPICZαA, B and C vectors with the Tn903 kan^R marker from pFA6a KanMX6, which confers G‐418 sulphate resistance in P. pastoris. The limits of antibiotic resistance in two transformant yeast strains were investigated, and the selection marker was shown to be stably retained. To demonstrate their usefulness, a gene encoding hexa‐histidine‐tagged green fluorescent protein (GFPH6) was cloned into one of the new vectors and GFP expression examined in P. pastoris cells. The protein expression levels using the pPICKanMX6B vector were comparable with that using the original plasmid, based on zeocin resistance as seen by yeast cell fluorescence. Moreover, GFPH6 was able to be isolated by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) from lysates of both yeast strains. A model reporter construct has been used to demonstrate successful recombinant protein expression and its subsequent purification using these new vectors. Corresponding vectors can now also be engineered with foreign gene expression under the control of various different promoters, to increase the flexibility of P. pastoris as a cellular factory for heterologous protein production. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isolation and sequence of the MIG1 homologue from the yeast Candida utilis

The Mig1p repressor from the food yeast Candida utilis has been isolated using a homologous PCR hybridization probe. This probe was amplified with two sets of degenerate primers designed on the basis of highly conserved motifs in the DNA-binding region (zinc-finger domain) from yeast Mig1p and fungi CreA repressors. The cloned gene was sequenced and found to encode a polypeptide of 345 amino acids which shows significant identity with other yeast and fungus repressors in the DNA-binding domain and also with the yeast Mig1 proteins in the C-terminal region (effector domain). The MIG1 repressor gene from C. utilis was able to complement functionally the mig1 mutation of S. cerevisiae. The sequence presented here has been deposited in the EMBL data library under Accession No. AJ277830.     

菊粉酶基因克隆表达与油脂的组分分析

为了实现解脂亚罗威亚酵母（Yarrowia lipolytica）直接利用菊粉进行油脂生产,将外切菊粉酶基因INU1与表达质粒pINA1317连接,在解脂亚罗威亚酵母（Y. lipolytica）ACA-DC尿嘧啶缺陷突变菌株中表达。以尿嘧啶缺陷型筛选作为筛选标记获得转化子C37,经过培养菊粉酶酶活达到37.15 U/mL。在2 L发酵罐中,转化子C37以菊粉为底物进行发酵,油脂产量和细胞干质量分别为49%和14 g/L。脂肪酸分析结果显示棕榈酸、硬脂酸和油酸总和占总脂肪酸的92%以上,其中油酸含量高达59%,表明通过菊粉酶基因在解脂亚罗威亚酵母中的表达,实现了以菊粉为底物一步发酵产单细胞油脂。     

羟酸还原异构酶基因多拷贝重组酵母的构建

利用PCR技术扩增出啤酒工业酵母QY的羟酸还原异构酶基因ILV5 ,在酵母YS5 8中表达时 ,羟酸还原异构酶活力提高 2～ 3倍。将ILV5基因与铜抗性基因插入到YEp3 5 2载体中得到重组质粒 pLZ -5C ,转化QY ,通过铜抗性筛选转化子 ,所得转化子的羟酸还原异构酶的活力明显高于对照菌株QY ,在发酵测试中 ,转化子产生双乙酰的量比原始菌株降低了 60 %。     

常温常压等离子体诱变选育高产L-异亮氨酸谷氨酸棒杆菌

以谷氨酸棒杆菌（Corynebacterium glutamicum）23798为原始菌株,对其进行常温常压等离子体（ARTP）诱变,以磺胺胍抗性和氨基酸与茚三酮特异显色为筛选标记,以期得到高产L-异亮氨酸的诱变谷氨酸棒杆菌,并对其遗传稳定性进行研究。结果表明,原始菌株23798经过ARTP诱变处理180 s后,经0.4 mg/mL磺胺胍抗性筛选、多孔板高通量筛选、发酵培养复筛,选育出一株高产L-异亮氨酸诱变谷氨酸棒杆菌（Corynebacterium glutamicum）B1。该菌株在摇瓶中发酵培养48 h,L-异亮氨酸产量达18.5 g/L,比原始菌株提高62.03%,且遗传性状稳定。     

一株发酵木薯酒糟的热带假丝酵母菌株的分离及营养分析

采用富集培养方法分离到一株对木薯酒糟具有良好发酵性能的耐高温酵母菌株WHCZ.经形态、生理生化及分子分类鉴定为热带假丝酵母.氨基酸分析结果表明,该菌株的总氨基酸和必需氨基酸含量均高于产朊假丝酵母1807.对木薯酒糟的发酵试验结果表明,该菌株对木薯酒糟液的COD去除率比产朊假丝酵母更高;接种酵母菌株WHCZ后,经33℃摇床培养24h,木薯酒糟固形物的粗蛋白含量由原糟的12.48％升至19.6％,粗蛋白含量提高了57.77％.     

DNA transformations of Candida tropicalis with replicating and integrative vectors.

The alkane-assimilating yeast Candida tropicalis was used as a host for DNA transformations. A stable ade2 mutant (Ha900) obtained by UV-mutagenesis was used as a recipient for different vectors carrying selectable markers. A first vector, pMK16, that was developed for the transformation of C. albicans and carries an ADE2 gene marker and a Candida autonomously replicating sequence (CARS) element promoting autonomous replication, was compatible for transforming Ha900. Two transformant types were observed: (i) pink transformants which easily lose pMK16 under non-selective growth conditions; (ii) white transformants, in which the same plasmid exhibited a higher mitotic stability. In both cases pMK16 could be rescued from these cells in Escherichia coli. A second vector, pADE2, containing the isolated C. tropicalis ADE2, gene, was used to transform Ha900. This vector integrated in the yeast genome at homologous sites of the ade2 locus. Different integration types were observed at one or both ade2 alleles in single or in tandem repeats.     

Nucleic Acid, Fiber and Nutrient Composition of Inactive Dried Food Yeast Products

Nucleic acid, ammino acid, dietary fiber, mineral and vitamin composition of six commercial inactive dried food yeasts was studied. Products A and B (autolyzed extract) were produced from Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown on cane- and/or beet molasses. Four products were produced from Candida utilis grown on calcium lignosulfate/wood sugars (C), sulfite waste liquor (D) and ethyl alcohol (E and F, autolyzed form). Levels of nucleic acids, protein, most amino acids, folacin and panthothenic acid were higher in C. utilis products than in S. cerevisiae products. Differences between dietary fiber, most minerals and biotin contents of the two species of yeast were, however, small. Autolysis and/or growth on different substrates affected levels of nucleic acids, dietary fiber and most nutrients.     

常用抗生素对益生菌存活率影响的研究

研究了9种抗生素对产朊假丝酵母、枯草芽孢杆菌、嗜酸乳杆菌存活率的影响。结果表明,对3种益生菌存活率影响都较小的抗生素有3种,占所研究抗生素总量的1/3。对产朊假丝酵母有影响的抗生素有1种,占所研究抗生素总量的1/9;对枯草芽孢杆菌有影响的抗生素有6种,占所研究抗生素总量的2/3;对嗜酸乳杆菌有影响的抗生素有6种,占所研究抗生素总量的2/3。以上可以看出,枯草芽孢杆菌和嗜酸乳杆菌受到抗生素影响的几率较大,产朊假丝酵母受抗生素影响的几率较小。     

Directed evolution of an aminoalcohol dehydrogenase for efficient production of double chiral aminoalcohols

The aminoalcohol dehydrogenase (AADH) of Rhodococcus erythropolis MAK154, which can be used as a catalyst for the stereoselective reduction of (S)-1-phenyl-1-keto-2-methylaminopropane to d-pseudoephedrine (dPE), is inhibited by the accumulation of dPE in the reaction mixture, limiting the yield of dPE. To improve this weak point of the enzyme, random mutations were introduced into aadh, and a mutant enzyme library was constructed. The mutant library was screened with a color detectable high-throughput screening method to obtain the evolved enzymes showing the activity in the presence of a high concentration of dPE. Two mutant enzymes showed higher tolerability to dPE than the wild type enzyme. Each of these enzymes had a single amino acid substitution in a different position (G73S and S214R), and a third mutant enzyme carrying both of these amino acid substitutions was constructed. Escherichia coli transformant cells, which express mutant AADHs, showed activity in the presence of 100mg/ml dPE. A kinetic parameter analysis of the wild type and mutant enzymes was carried out. As compared with the wild type enzyme, the mutant enzymes carrying the S214R amino acid substitution or both the S214R and G73S substitutions showed higher k(cat) values, and the mutant enzymes carrying the G73S amino acid substitution or both the G73S and S214R substitutions showed higher K(m) values. These results suggest that the Ser214 residue plays an important role in enzyme activity, and that the Gly73 residue participates in enzyme-substrate binding.     

Non‐homologous end joining‐mediated functional marker selection for DNA cloning in the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus

The cloning of DNA fragments into vectors or host genomes has traditionally been performed using Escherichia coli with restriction enzymes and DNA ligase or homologous recombination‐based reactions. We report here a novel DNA cloning method that does not require DNA end processing or homologous recombination, but that ensures highly accurate cloning. The method exploits the efficient non‐homologous end‐joining (NHEJ) activity of the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus and consists of a novel functional marker selection system. First, to demonstrate the applicability of NHEJ to DNA cloning, a C‐terminal‐truncated non‐functional ura3 selection marker and the truncated region were PCR‐amplified separately, mixed and directly used for the transformation. URA3⁺ transformants appeared on the selection plates, indicating that the two DNA fragments were correctly joined by NHEJ to generate a functional URA3 gene that had inserted into the yeast chromosome. To develop the cloning system, the shortest URA3 C‐terminal encoding sequence that could restore the function of a truncated non‐functional ura3 was determined by deletion analysis, and was included in the primers to amplify target DNAs for cloning. Transformation with PCR‐amplified target DNAs and C‐terminal truncated ura3 produced numerous transformant colonies, in which a functional URA3 gene was generated and was integrated into the chromosome with the target DNAs. Several K. marxianus circular plasmids with different selection markers were also developed for NHEJ‐based cloning and recombinant DNA construction. The one‐step DNA cloning method developed here is a relatively simple and reliable procedure among the DNA cloning systems developed to date. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A second pectin lyase gene (pel2) from Aspergillus oryzae KBN616: its sequence analysis and overexpression, and characterization of the gene products

A second pectin lyase gene, designated pel2, was isolated from a shoyu koji mold Aspergillus oryzae KBN616 and characterized. The structural gene comprised 1306 bp with three introns. The ORF encoded 375 amino acids with a signal peptide of 19 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed high similarity to those of A. oryzae Pel1, Aspergillus niger pectin lyases and Glomerella cingulata Pn1A. The pel2 gene was overexpressed under the control of the promoter of the A. oryzae TEF1 gene for purification and enzymatic characterization of its gene product. The gene product exhibited two molecular masses of 48 and 44 kDa due to different degrees of glycosylation. Both proteins had the same pH optimum of 6.0 and temperature optimum of 50 degrees C.     

Physiological role of the D-amino acid oxidase gene, DAO1, in carbon and nitrogen metabolism in the methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii

A methylotrophic yeast, Candida boidinii, exhibits D-amino acid oxidase activity (DAO, EC 1.4.3.3) during its growth on D-alanine as a sole carbon or a nitrogen source. The structural gene (DAO1), encoding DAO, was cloned from a genomic library of C. boidinii. The 1035-bp gene encoded 345 amino acids and the predicted amino acid sequence showed significant similarity to those of DAOs from other organisms. The DAO1 gene was disrupted in the C. boidinii genome by one-step gene disruption. The DAO1-deleted strain did not grow on D-alanine as a carbon source but did grow on D-alanine as a sole nitrogen source (with glucose as the carbon source). These results suggested that, while DAO is critically involved in growth on D-alanine as a carbon source, there should be another enzyme system which metabolizes D-alanine as a nitrogen source in C. boidinii. We also showed that the three C-terminal amino acid sequence of DAO, -AKL was necessary and sufficient for the import of DAO into peroxisomes.     

Influence of autochthonous Argentine goat lactobacillus in ripening of slurry cheese models

Three indigenous lactobacilli isolated from autochthonous Argentinean goat cheeses were evaluated in models of ripening of semihard goat cheeses made under microbiologically controlled conditions. Batches A, B and C were manufactured with single strain of Lactobacillus plantarum ETC17, Lactobacillus rhamnosus ETC14 and Lactobacillus casei ETC19, respectively. Lactobacilli counts showed higher values on batch C until ripening on day 18. Chemical composition did not show differences between batches. Batch C showed a higher decrease in pH on day 1, higher liberation of nitrogen water-soluble cheese extracts and higher free amino acids content up to day 18. Amino acid distribution was analysed by studying the main components.     

Use of the gfp gene in monitoring bacteriocin-producing Lactobacillus plantarum N014, a potential starter culture in nham fermentation

Lactobacillus plantarum N014 is a bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria originally isolated from nham, a traditional Thai fermented sausage, and in the process of development to be used as a starter culture for nham fermentation. During the fermentation process, there is a need to identify the starter culture among several naturally occurring bacteria. In this study, a new plasmid carrying the gfp (green fluorescent protein) gene was constructed based on pGKV210, an Escherichia coli/ Lactococcus shuttle vector containing an erythromycin resistance marker. The gfp gene derived from pGFPuv was placed under the control of an L-lactate dehydrogenase promoter and then inserted at the EcoRI site of pGKV210, leading to pN014-GFP. The novel plasmid was used to transform L. plantarum N014, which is a bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria isolated from nham. The resulting transformant, L. plantarum N014-GFP+, was brightly fluorescent and harbored the expected plasmid. A plasmid stability test revealed that pN014-GFP was stable after 100 generations of growth under nonselective pressure. L. plantarum N014-GFP+ and its parent strain were shown to be very similar in growth rate, bacteriocin production, and lactate production. L. plantarum N014-GFP+ was able to survive in a nham model. The survival clones were still fluorescent and harbored pN014-GFP.