Synthetic Activity of Recombinant Whole Cell Biocatalysts Containing 2-Deoxy-D-ribose-5-phosphate Aldolase from Pectobacterium atrosepticum.

In nature 2-deoxy-D-ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) catalyses the reversible formation of 2-deoxyribose 5-phosphate from D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and acetaldehyde. In addition, this enzyme can use acetaldehyde as the sole substrate, resulting in a tandem aldol reaction, yielding 2,4,6-trideoxy-D-erythro-hexapyranose, which spontaneously cyclizes. This reaction is very useful for the synthesis of the side chain of statin-type drugs used to decrease cholesterol levels in blood. One of the main challenges in the use of DERA in industrial processes, where high substrate loads are needed to achieve the desired productivity, is its inactivation by high acetaldehyde concentration. In this work, the utility of different variants of Pectobacterium atrosepticum DERA (PaDERA) as whole cell biocatalysts to synthesize 2-deoxyribose 5-phosphate and 2,4,6-trideoxy-D-erythro-hexapyranose was analysed. Under optimized conditions, E. coli BL21 (PaDERA C-His AA C49M) whole cells yields 99 % of both products. Furthermore, this enzyme is able to tolerate 500 mM acetaldehyde in a whole-cell experiment which makes it suitable for industrial applications.

Rhodococcus strains as source for ene-reductase activity.

Rhodococcus strains are ubiquitous in nature and known to metabolise a wide variety of compounds. At the same time, asymmetric reduction of C=C bonds is important in the production of high-valued chiral building blocks. In order to evaluate if Rhodococci can be used for this task, we have probed several Rhodococcus rhodochrous and R. erythropolis strains for ene-reductase activity. A series of substrates including activated ketones, an aldehyde, an imide and nitro-compound were screened using whole cells of seven Rhodococcus strains. This revealed that whole cells of all Rhodococcus strains showed apparent (S)-selectivity towards ketoisophorone, while most other organisms show (R)-selectivity for this compound. Three putative ene-reductases from R. rhodochrous ATCC 17895 were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. One protein was purified and its biocatalytic and biochemical properties were characterised, showing typical (enantioselective) properties for class 3 ene-reductases of the old yellow enzyme family.

Biocatalytic approaches applied to the synthesis of nucleoside prodrugs.

Nucleosides are valuable bioactive molecules, which display antiviral and antitumour activities. Diverse types of prodrugs are designed to enhance their therapeutic efficacy, however this strategy faces the troublesome selectivity issues of nucleoside chemistry. In this context, the aim of this review is to give an overview of the opportunities provided by biocatalytic procedures in the preparation of nucleoside prodrugs. The potential of biocatalysis in this research area will be presented through examples covering the different types of nucleoside prodrugs: nucleoside analogues as prodrugs, nucleoside lipophilic prodrugs and nucleoside hydrophilic prodrugs.

Enzymatic hydration activity assessed by selective spectrophotometric detection of alcohols: a novel screening assay using oleate hydratase as a model enzyme.

Hydroxy fatty acids (HFAs) are high-added-value compounds, which are incorporated in polymers, lubricants, emulsifiers and stabilizers and have potential medicinal use. In nature, HFAs are regio-specifically synthesized by several enzymes, including P450 monooxygenases, lipoxygenases, hydratases, 12-hydroxylases, and diol synthases. The growing demand for HFAs warrants the development of simple and efficient analytical methods that enable high-throughput detection of the hydroxylated product in the presence of its unsaturated precursor. Herein a novel high-throughput assay for the detection of alcohols is described using oleate hydratase (OHase, EC 4.2.1.53) from Elizabethkingia meningoseptica as the model enzyme. The developed assay is based on the selective spectrophotometric detection of alkyl nitrites formed upon the reaction between the hydroxyl group and nitrous acid. The assay proved to discriminate between unsaturated fatty acids as well as small cyclic and acyclic unsaturated alkenes and their corresponding alcohols. Lower detection limits were 1.5-3 mM with excellent Z'-factors. Enzymatic reactions using OHase with oleic acid resulted in somewhat lower Z-factors for various enzyme preparations. This small scale assay can enable fast discovery of new microorganisms or improved enzymes from mutant libraries and will be useful for biocatalytic strategies involving fatty acid (de)hydrating enzymes.

A comparative study on phosphotransferase activity of acid phosphatases from Raoultella planticola and Enterobacter aerogenes on nucleosides, sugars, and related compounds.

Natural and modified nucleoside-5'-monophosphates and their precursors are valuable compounds widely used in biochemical studies. Bacterial nonspecific acid phosphatases (NSAPs) are a group of enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of phosphoester bonds, and some of them exhibit phosphotransferase activity. NSAP containing Enterobacter aerogenes and Raoultella planticola whole cells were evaluated in the phosphorylation of a wide range of nucleosides and nucleoside precursors using pyrophosphate as phosphate donor. To increase the productivity of the process, we developed two genetically modified strains of Escherichia coli which overexpressed NSAPs of E. aerogenes and R. planticola. These new recombinant microorganisms (E. coli BL21 pET22b-phoEa and E. coli BL21 pET22b-phoRp) showed higher activity than the corresponding wild-type strains. Reductions in the reaction times from 21 h to 60 min, from 4 h to 15 min, and from 24 h to 40 min in cases of dihydroxyacetone, inosine, and fludarabine, respectively, were obtained.

Biological production of monoethanolamine by engineered Pseudomonas putida S12.

Pseudomonas putida S12 was engineered for the production of monoethanolamine (MEA) from glucose via the decarboxylation of the central metabolite L-serine, which is catalyzed by the enzyme L-serine decarboxylase (SDC). The host was first evaluated for its tolerance towards MEA as well as its endogenous ability to degrade this alkanolamine. Growth inhibition was observed at MEA concentrations above 100 mM, but growth was never completely arrested even at 750 mM of MEA. P. putida S12 was able to catabolize MEA in the absence of ammonia, but deletion of the eutBC genes that encode ethanolamine ammonia-lyase (EAL) enzyme sufficed to eliminate this capacity. For the biological production of MEA, the sdc genes from Arabidopsis thaliana (full-length and a truncated version) and Volvox carteri were expressed in P. putida S12. From 20 mM of glucose, negligible amounts of MEA were produced by P. putida S12 ΔeutBC expressing the sdc genes from A. thaliana and V. carteri. However, 0.07 mmol of MEA was obtained per g of cell dry weight of P. putida S12 ΔeutBC expressing the truncated variant of the A. thaliana SDC. When the medium was supplemented with L-serine (30 mM), MEA production increased to 1.25 mmol MEA g⁻¹ CDW, demonstrating that L-serine availability was limiting MEA production.

Biocatalysed halogenation of nucleobase analogues.

The synthesis of halogenated nucleosides and nucleobases is of interest due to their chemical and pharmacological applications. Herein, the enzymatic halogenation of nucleobases and analogues catalysed by microorganisms and by chloroperoxidase from Caldariomyces fumago has been studied. This latter enzyme catalysed the chlorination and bromination of indoline and uracil. Pseudomonas, Citrobacter, Aeromonas, Streptomyces, Xanthomonas, and Bacillus genera catalysed the chlorination and/or bromination of indole and indoline. Different products were obtained depending on the substrate, the biocatalyst and the halide used. In particular, 85% conversion from indole to 5-bromoindole was achieved using Streptomyces cetonii.

Synthesis of 9-beta-d-arabinofuranosylguanine by combined use of two whole cell biocatalysts.

Unlike the preparation of other purine nucleosides, transglycosylation from a pyrimidine nucleoside and guanine is difficult because of the low solubility of this base. Thus, another strategy, based on the coupled action of two whole cell biocatalyzed reactions, transglycosylation and deamination, was used. Enterobacter gergoviae and Arthrobacter oxydans were employed to synthesize 9-beta-d-arabinofuranosylguanine (AraG), an efficient anti leukemic drug.

Arthrobacter oxydans as a biocatalyst for purine deamination.

Deaminases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of amino groups of nucleosides or their bases. Because these enzymes play important roles in nucleotide metabolism, they are relevant targets in anticancer and antibacterial therapies. Mammalian deaminases are commercially available but the use of bacterial whole cells, especially as biocatalysts, is continuously growing because of their economical benefits. Moreover, deaminases are useful for the preparative chemoenzymatic transformation of nucleoside and base analogues into a variety of derivatives. The purine deaminase activities of Arthrobacter oxydans, a gram-positive bacterium utilized widely in bioremediation, were studied. The presence of adenosine, adenine and guanine deaminases was demonstrated and some purine bases and nucleosides were analyzed as substrates. Using A. oxydans whole cells as the biocatalyst, different purine compounds such as the anti-HIV, 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (73%, 2 h) were obtained.

Coupled biocatalysts applied to the synthesis of nucleosides.

Biocatalytic procedures offer a good alternative to the chemical synthesis of nucleosides since biocatalyzed reactions are regio- and stereoselective and afford reduced by-products contents. Among them, enzymatic transglycosylation between a pyrimidine nucleoside and a purine base catalyzed by nucleoside phosphorylases or microorganisms that contain them, has attracted considerable attention. In addition, the combination to other enzymatic steps has been explored. In this work we investigate the coupled action of nucleoside phosphorylases with other enzymatic activities: deaminase and phosphopentomutase. Unlike the preparation of other purine nucleosides, transglycosylation from a pyrimidine nucleoside and guanine is difficult because of the low solubility of this base. Therefore, another strategy, based on microbial transglycosylation followed by deamination, is here explored. The direct use of furanose 1-phosphate, the intermediate in the transglycosylation reaction, is an attractive alternative when pyrimidine nucleosides are not available. Its preparation from the more stable furanose 5-phosphate and phosphopentomutase is here applied to different sugars and bases.