Characterization of the extended substrate spectrum of the class A ß-lactamase CESS-1 from Stenotrophomonas sp. and structure-based investigation into its substrate preference.

OBJECTIVES: Stenotrophomonas spp. intrinsically resistant to many ß-lactam antibiotics are found throughout the environment. CESS-1 identified in Stenotrophomonas sp. KCTC 12332 is an uncharacterized class A ß-lactamase. The goal of this study was to reveal biochemical and structural characteristics of CESS-1. METHODS: The hydrolytic activities of CESS-1 towards penicillins (penicillin G and ampicillin), cephalosporins (cephalexin, cefaclor, and cefotaxime), and carbapenems (imipenem and meropenem) was spectrophotometrically monitored. Structural information on E166Q mutants of CESS-1 acylated by cefaclor, cephalexin, or ampicillin were determined by X-ray crystallography. RESULTS: CESS-1 displayed hydrolytic activities toward penicillins and cephalosporins, with negligible activity toward carbapenems. Although cefaclor, cephalexin, and ampicillin have similar structures with identical R1 side chains, the catalytic parameters of CESS-1 toward them were distinct. The kcat values for cefaclor, cephalexin, and ampicillin were 1249.6 s-1, 204.3 s-1, and 69.8 s-1, respectively, with the accompanying KM values of 287.6 µM, 236.7 µM, and 28.8 µM, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CESS-1 was able to discriminate between cefaclor and cephalexin with a single structural difference at C3 position: -Cl (cefaclor) and -CH3 (cephalexin). Structural comparisons among three E166Q mutants of CESS-1 acylated by cefaclor, cephalexin, or ampicillin, revealed that cooperative positional changes in the R1 side chain of substrates and their interaction with the ß5-ß6 loop affect the distance between Asn170 and the deacylating water at the acyl-enzyme intermediate state. This is directly associated with the differential hydrolytic activities of CESS-1 toward the three structurally similar ß-lactam antibiotics.

Degradation of tetracycline, oxytetracycline & ampicillin by purified multiple copper oxidase like laccase from Stentrophomonas sp. YBX1.

Multiple copper oxidase (MCO) like laccase is widely distributed in higher plant, fungi and bacteria. This study identified MCO like laccase producing bacterium isolated from a wastewater treatment plant based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis, and they were further confirmed by phylogenetic reconstruction. Biochemical and gene characterization of MCO like laccase from Stenotrophomonas sp. YBX1 is presented. Purification of MCO like laccase was carried out by ion exchange HQ Trap column and followed by gel filtration spheracryl S-100 column. The purified MCO like laccase from Stenotrophomonas sp. YBX1 shows a total activity of 1252 units and specific activity 391.2 U/mg and protein concentration 0.32 mg/mL. In SDS PAGE, the approximate molecular mass was found at 66 kDa and further confirmed from an MS spectrum of MALDI-TOF. The purified MCO like laccase is capable of degradation of antibiotics such as tetracycline completely, whereas oxytetracycline (78%) and ampicillin (62%) degraded within 96 min without any redox mediators at pH 5 and 30 ºC. Its degradation pathway was based on identification of metabolites by LC-MS spectrum. The enzymatic degradation may be used in advanced treatment of antibiotics containing wastewater.

Production, purification and evaluation of biodegradation potential of PHB depolymerase of Stenotrophomonas sp. RZS7.

There are numerous reports on poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) depolymerases produced by various microorganisms isolated from various habitats, however, reports on PHB depolymerase production by an isolate from plastic rich sites scares. Although PHB has attracted commercial significance, the inefficient production and recovery methods, inefficient purification of PHB depolymerase and lack of ample knowledge on PHB degradation by PHB depolymerase have hampered its large scale commercialization. Therefore, to ensure the biodegradability of biopolymers, it becomes imperative to study the purification of the biodegrading enzyme system. We report the production, purification, and characterization of extracellular PHB depolymerase from Stenotrophomonas sp. RZS7 isolated from a dumping yard rich in plastic waste. The isolate produced extracellular PHB depolymerase in the mineral salt medium (MSM) at 30°C during 4 days of incubation under shaking. The enzyme was purified by three methods namely ammonium salt precipitation, column chromatography, and solvent purification. Among these purification methods, the enzyme was best purified by column chromatography on the Octyl-Sepharose CL-4B column giving optimum yield (0.7993 Umg-1mL-1). The molecular weight of purified PHB depolymerase was 40 kDa. Studies on the assessment of biodegradation of PHB in liquid culture medium and under natural soil conditions confirmed PHB biodegradation potential of Stenotrophomonas sp. RZS7. The results obtained in Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) study and Gas Chromatography Mass-Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis confirmed the biodegradation of PHB in liquid medium by Stenotrophomonas sp. RZS7. Changes in surface morphology of PHB film in soil burial as observed in Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) analysis confirmed the biodegradation of PHB under natural soil environment. The isolate was capable of degrading PHB and it resulted in 87.74% biodegradation. A higher rate of degradation under the natural soil condition is the result of the activity of soil microbes that complemented the biodegradation of PHB by Stenotrophomonas sp. RZS7.

Crystal structure of oleate hydratase from Stenotrophomonas sp. KCTC 12332 reveals conformational plasticity surrounding the FAD binding site.

Unsaturated fatty acids are toxic to various bacteria, causing their death or growth inhibition. To prevent this toxicity, unsaturated fatty acids should be converted into saturated fatty acids via hydrogenation reaction, which is the complete reduction of double bonds on the carbon chain. In a recent report, we observed that Stenotrophomonas sp. KCTC 12332 exhibited a high biotransformation activity of oleic acid (OA) in 10-hydroxystearic acid and identified the gene encoding oleate hydratase (OhySt) by complete genomic analysis. In the present study, to further investigate the structural features of OhySt, the recombinant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli, and then purified and crystallized. Biochemical assay showed that OhySt produces 10-hydroxystearic acid in a flavin adenosine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent manner, indicating that it requires FAD as a cofactor. The OhySt structure, which is determined in its apo state, allows for a structural comparison with the previously reported FAD bound structure of oleate hydratase. The comparison of structures indicates remarkable conformational change of the loop region surrounding the FAD molecule upon binding of FAD. This change forces one of the important catalytic residues into position for catalysis.

Isolation and molecular characterization of novel glucarpidases: Enzymes to improve the antibody directed enzyme pro-drug therapy for cancer treatment.

Repeated cycles of antibody-directed enzyme pro-drug therapy (ADEPT) and the use of glucarpidase in the detoxification of cytotoxic methotrexate (MTX) are highly desirable during cancer therapy but are hampered by the induced human antibody response to glucarpidase. Novel variants of glucarpidase (formal name: carboxypeptidase G2, CPG2) with epitopes not recognized by the immune system are likely to allow repeated cycles of ADEPT for effective cancer therapy. Towards this aim, over two thousand soil samples were collected and screened for folate hydrolyzing bacteria using folate as the sole carbon source. The work led to the isolation and the characterization of three new glucarpidase producing strains, which were designated as: Pseudomonas lubricans strain SF168, Stenotrophomonas sp SA and Xenophilus azovorans SN213. The CPG2 genes of Xenophilus azovorans SN213 (named Xen CPG2) and Stenotrophomonas sp SA (named Sten CPG2) were cloned and molecularly characterized. Both Xen CPG2 and Sten CPG2 share very close amino acid sequences (99%); we therefore, focused on the study of Xen CPG2. Finally, we demonstrated that a polyclonal antibody raised against our new CPG2, Xen CPG2, does not react with the CPG2 from Pseudomonas sp. strain RS-16 (Ps CPG2) that are currently in clinical use. The two enzymes, therefore could potentially be used consecutively in the ADEPT protocol to minimize the effect of the human antibody response that hampers current treatment with Ps CPG2. The identified novel CPG2 in this study will, therefore, pave the way for safer antibody directed enzyme pro-drug therapy for cancer treatment.

Bioinformatics Analysis and Characterization of Highly Efficient Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)-Degrading Enzymes from the Novel PVA Degrader Stenotrophomonas rhizophila QL-P4.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is used widely in industry, and associated environmental pollution is a serious problem. Herein, we report a novel, efficient PVA degrader, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila QL-P4, isolated from fallen leaves from a virgin forest in the Qinling Mountains. The complete genome was obtained using single-molecule real-time (SMRT) technology and corrected using Illumina sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis revealed eight PVA/vinyl alcohol oligomer (OVA)-degrading genes. Of these, seven genes were predicted to be involved in the classic intracellular PVA/OVA degradation pathway, and one (BAY15_3292) was identified as a novel PVA oxidase. Five PVA/OVA-degrading enzymes were purified and characterized. One of these, BAY15_1712, a PVA dehydrogenase (PVADH), displayed high catalytic efficiency toward PVA and OVA substrate. All reported PVADHs only have PVA-degrading ability. Most importantly, we discovered a novel PVA oxidase (BAY15_3292) that exhibited higher PVA-degrading efficiency than the reported PVADHs. Further investigation indicated that BAY15_3292 plays a crucial role in PVA degradation in S. rhizophila QL-P4. Knocking out BAY15_3292 resulted in a significant decline in PVA-degrading activity in S. rhizophila QL-P4. Interestingly, we found that BAY15_3292 possesses exocrine activity, which distinguishes it from classic PVADHs. Transparent circle experiments further proved that BAY15_3292 greatly affects extracellular PVA degradation in S. rhizophila QL-P4. The exocrine characteristics of BAY15_3292 facilitate its potential application to PVA bioremediation. In addition, we report three new efficient secondary alcohol dehydrogenases (SADHs) with OVA-degrading ability in S. rhizophila QL-P4; in contrast, only one OVA-degrading SADH was reported previously.IMPORTANCE With the widespread application of PVA in industry, PVA-related environmental pollution is an increasingly serious issue. Because PVA is difficult to degrade, it accumulates in aquatic environments and causes chronic toxicity to aquatic organisms. Biodegradation of PVA, as an economical and environment-friendly method, has attracted much interest. To date, effective and applicable PVA-degrading bacteria/enzymes have not been reported. Herein, we report a new efficient PVA degrader (S. rhizophila QL-P4) that has five PVA/OVA-degrading enzymes with high catalytic efficiency, among which BAY15_1712 is the only reported PVADH with both PVA- and OVA-degrading abilities. Importantly, we discovered a novel PVA oxidase (BAY15_3292) that is not only more efficient than other reported PVA-degrading PVADHs but also has exocrine activity. Overall, our findings provide new insight into PVA-degrading pathways in microorganisms and suggest S. rhizophila QL-P4 and its enzymes have the potential for application to PVA bioremediation to reduce or eliminate PVA-related environmental pollution.

Gene cloning of an efficiency oleate hydratase from Stenotrophomonas nitritireducens for polyunsaturated fatty acids and its application in the conversion of plant oils to 10-hydroxy fatty acids.

Hydroxy fatty acids are used as precursors of lactones and dicarboxylic acids, as starting materials of polymers, and as additives in coatings and paintings. Stenotrophomonas nitritireducens efficiently converts cis-9 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to 10-hydroxy fatty acids. However, gene encoding enzyme involved in this conversion has not been identified to date. We purified a putative fatty acid double-bond hydratase from S. nitritireducens by ultrafiltration and HiPrep DEAE FF and Resource Q ion exchange chromatographies. Peptide sequences of the purified enzyme were obtained by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Sequence of the partial gene encoding this putative fatty acid double-bond hydratase was determined by degenerate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the peptide sequences. The remaining gene sequence was identified by rapid amplification of cDNA ends using cDNA of S. nitritireducens as a template, and the full-length gene was cloned subsequently. The expressed enzyme was identified as an oleate hydratase by determining its kinetic parameters toward unsaturated fatty acids. S. nitritireducens oleate hydratase showed higher activity toward PUFAs compared with other available oleate hydratases. This suggested that the enzyme could be used effectively to convert plant oils to 10-hydroxy fatty acids because these oils contained unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid (OA) and linoleic acid (LA) and PUFAs such as α-linolenic acid and/or γ-linolenic acid. The enzyme converted soybean oil and perilla seed oil hydrolyzates containing 10 mM total unsaturated fatty acids, including OA, LA, and ALA, to 8.87 and 8.70 mM total 10-hydroxy fatty acids, respectively, in 240 min. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the biotechnological conversion of PUFA-containing oils to hydroxy fatty acids. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 74-82. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characterization of an alkaline ß-agarase from Stenotrophomonas sp. NTa and the enzymatic hydrolysates.

An extracellular agarase from marine bacterium Stenotrophomonas sp. NTa was purified to homogeneity. By size exclusion chromatography and SDS-PAGE analysis, the enzyme was determined to be a homodimer with monomeric molecular mass of 89.0 kDa. The optimal temperature and pH of strain NTa agarase were 40 °C and 10.0, respectively. It exhibited striking stability across a wide pH range of 5.0-11.0. Agarase from Stenotrophomonas sp. NTa had a relatively good resistance against the detected inhibitors, detergents and urea denaturant. The Km and Vmax for agar were 11.3mg/ml and 25.4 U/mg, respectively. Thin layer chromatography analysis, mass spectrometry, and enzyme assay using p-nitrophenyl-α/ß-D-galactopyranoside revealed that strain NTa agarase was a ß-agarase that degraded agarose into neoagarobiose, neoagarotetraose and neoagarohexaose as the predominant products, as well as a small amount of 3,6-anhydro-α-L-galactose. This is the first to present evidence of agarolytic activity in strain from genus Stenotrophomonas.

Enhancement of the catalytic efficiency and thermostability of Stenotrophomonas sp. keratinase KerSMD by domain exchange with KerSMF.

In this study, we enhanced the catalytic efficiency and thermostability of keratinase KerSMD by replacing its N/C-terminal domains with those from a homologous protease, KerSMF, to degrade feather waste. Replacement of the N-terminal domain generated a mutant protein with more than twofold increased catalytic activity towards casein. Replacement of the C-terminal domain obviously improved keratinolytic activity and increased the k(cat)/K(m) value on a synthetic peptide, succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide, by 54.5%. Replacement of both the N- and C-terminal domains generated a more stable mutant protein, with a Tm value of 64.60 ± 0.65°C and a half-life of 244.6 ± 2 min at 60°C, while deletion of the C-terminal domain from KerSMD or KerSMF resulted in mutant proteins exhibiting high activity under mesophilic conditions. These findings indicate that the pre-peptidase C-terminal domain and N-propeptide are not only important for substrate specificity, correct folding and thermostability but also support the ability of the enzyme to convert feather waste into feed additives.

Carbapenemase producing bacteria in the food supply escaping detection.

Carbapenem antimicrobials are critically important to human health and they are often the only remaining effective antibiotics for treating serious infections. Resistance to these drugs mediated by acquired carbapenemase enzymes is increasingly encountered in gram-negative bacteria and is considered a public health emergency. Animal origin food products are recognized as a potential source of resistant organisms, although carbapenem resistance has only recently been reported. In western countries there are active resistance surveillance programs targeting food animals and retail meat products. These programs primarily target beef, pork and poultry and focus exclusively on E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter spp. and Enterococcus spp. This global surveillance strategy does not capture the diversity of foods available nor does it address the presence of resistance gene-bearing mobile genetic elements in non-pathogenic bacterial taxa. To address this gap, a total of 121 seafood products originating in Asia purchased from retail groceries in Canada were tested. Samples were processed using a taxa-independent method for the selective isolation of carbapenem resistant organisms. Isolates were characterized by phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing, PCR and DNA sequencing. Carbapenemase producing bacteria, all blaOXA-48, were isolated from 4 (3.3%) of the samples tested. Positive samples originated from China (n=2) and Korea (n=2) and included squid, sea squirt, clams and seafood medley. Carbapenemase producing organisms found include Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas and Myroides species. These findings suggest that non-pathogenic bacteria, excluded from resistance surveillance programs, in niche market meats may serve as a reservoir of carbapenemase genes in the food supply.

[Isolation, identification and characterization of an agarase-producing marine bacterial strain Stenotrophomonas sp. NTa].

OBJECTIVE: To identify and characterize a marine bacterial strain producing agarase. METHODS: The agarase-producing bacterium was isolated from coastal sediments in Xiamen using agar as the sole carbon source. The strain was identified by the analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequence, phenotype and biochemical reactions. Agarase activity was determined by dinitrosalicylic acid method, and the category of agarase was assayed using chromogenic substrate. At last, the characteristics of agarase were determined. RESULTS: The results of the 16S rRNA phylogenetic, phenotypic and biochemical analyses showed that: the agar-degrading bacterium NTa belonged to the genus Stenotrophomonas sp.. The strain could produce extracellular agarases, including alpha-agarase and beta-agarase. The optimum temperature and pH of strain NTa agarase were 40 degrees C and 7.0, respectively. The enzymatic activity was stable below 30 degrees C. It also showed stability over a pH range between 7.0 and. 0. Ca2+ could activate agarase activity, and Na+, K+ and Mg2+ had no significant influence. However, Ag', Ba2 , Fe2' , Mn2', Cu2', Zn2+ and Fe3' inhibited the enzyme activity. The enzymatic activity of stain NTa agarase was inhibited by EDTA. The agarase had good resistance to some inhibitors, detergents and denaturant. CONCLUSION: Stenotrophomonas sp. NTa is a new type of agarase-producing strain, which can produce both alpha-agarase and beta-agarase and has potential applications in the production of agaro-oligosaccharide.

Stenotrophomonas comparative genomics reveals genes and functions that differentiate beneficial and pathogenic bacteria.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the number of human infections caused by opportunistic pathogens has increased dramatically. Plant rhizospheres are one of the most typical natural reservoirs for these pathogens but they also represent a great source for beneficial microbes with potential for biotechnological applications. However, understanding the natural variation and possible differences between pathogens and beneficials is the main challenge in furthering these possibilities. The genus Stenotrophomonas contains representatives found to be associated with human and plant host. RESULTS: We used comparative genomics as well as transcriptomic and physiological approaches to detect significant borders between the Stenotrophomonas strains: the multi-drug resistant pathogenic S. maltophilia and the plant-associated strains S. maltophilia R551-3 and S. rhizophila DSM14405T (both are biocontrol agents). We found an overall high degree of sequence similarity between the genomes of all three strains. Despite the notable similarity in potential factors responsible for host invasion and antibiotic resistance, other factors including several crucial virulence factors and heat shock proteins were absent in the plant-associated DSM14405T. Instead, S. rhizophila DSM14405T possessed unique genes for the synthesis and transport of the plant-protective spermidine, plant cell-wall degrading enzymes, and high salinity tolerance. Moreover, the presence or absence of bacterial growth at 37°C was identified as a very simple method in differentiating between pathogenic and non-pathogenic isolates. DSM14405T is not able to grow at this human-relevant temperature, most likely in great part due to the absence of heat shock genes and perhaps also because of the up-regulation at increased temperatures of several genes involved in a suicide mechanism. CONCLUSIONS: While this study is important for understanding the mechanisms behind the emerging pattern of infectious diseases, it is, to our knowledge, the first of its kind to assess the risk of beneficial strains for biotechnological applications. We identified certain traits typical of pathogens such as growth at the human body temperature together with the production of heat shock proteins as opposed to a temperature-regulated suicide system that is harnessed by beneficials.

Purification and characterization of a cold active alkaline protease from Stenotrophomonas sp., isolated from Kashmir, India.

A Psychrotolerant alkaline protease producing bacterium IIIM-ST045 was isolated from a soil sample collected from the Thajiwas glacier of Kashmir, India and identified as Stenotrophomonas sp. on the basis of its biochemical properties and 16S ribosomal gene sequencing. The strain could grow well within a temperature range of 4-37°C however, showed optimum growth at 15°C. The strain was found to over-produce proteases when it was grown in media containing lactose as carbon source (157.50 U mg(-1)). The maximum specific enzyme activity (398 U mg(-1)) was obtained using soya oil as nitrogen source, however, the inorganic nitrogen sources urea, ammonium chloride and ammonium sulphate showed the lowest production of 38.9, 62.2 and 57.9 U mg(-1). The enzyme was purified to 18.45 folds and the molecular weight of the partially purified protease was estimated to be ~55 kDa by SDS-PAGE analysis. The protease activity increased as the increase in enzyme concentration while as the optimum enzyme activity was found when casein (1% w/v) was used as substrate. The enzyme was highly active over a wide range of pH from 6.5 to 12.0 showing optimum activity at pH 10.0. The optimum temperature for the enzyme was 15°C. Proteolytic activity reduced gradually with higher temperatures with a decrease of 56% at 40°C. The purified enzyme was checked for the removal of protein containing tea stains using a silk cloth within a temperature range of 10-60°C. The best washing efficiency results obtained at low temperatures indicate that the enzyme may be used for cold washing purposes of delicate fabrics that otherwise are vulnerable to high temperatures.

Biodegradation of shrimp processing bio-waste and concomitant production of chitinase enzyme and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine by marine bacteria: production and process optimization.

A total of 250 chitinolytic bacteria from 68 different marine samples were screened employing enrichment method that utilized native chitin as the sole carbon source. After thorough screening, five bacteria were selected as potential cultures and identified as; Stenotrophomonas sp. (CFR221 M), Vibrio sp. (CFR173 M), Phyllobacteriaceae sp. (CFR16 M), Bacillus badius (CFR198 M) and Bacillus sp. (CFR188 M). All five strains produced extracellular chitinase and GlcNAc in SSF using shrimp bio-waste. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the ability of these marine bacteria to adsorb onto solid shrimp bio-waste and to degrade chitin microfibers. HPLC analysis of the SSF extract also confirmed presence of 36-65 % GlcNAc as a product of the degradation. The concomitant production of chitinase and GlcNAc by all five strains under SSF using shrimp bio-waste as the solid substrate was optimized by 'one factor at a time' approach. Among the strains, Vibrio sp. CFR173 M produced significantly higher yields of chitinase (4.8 U/g initial dry substrate) and GlcNAc (4.7 µmol/g initial dry substrate) as compared to other cultures tested. A statistically designed experiment was applied to evaluate the interaction of variables in the biodegradation of shrimp bio-waste and concomitant production of chitinase and GlcNAc by Vibrio sp. CFR173 M. Statistical optimization resulted in a twofold increase of chitinase, and a 9.1 fold increase of GlcNAc production. These results indicated the potential of chitinolytic marine bacteria for the reclamation of shrimp bio-waste, as well as the potential for economic production of chitinase and GlcNAc employing SSF using shrimp bio-waste as an ideal substrate.

Isolation and initial characterization of a novel type of Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase activity from a marine microorganism.

A novel type of Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase (BVMO) has been found in a marine strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophila strain PML168 that was isolated from a temperate intertidal zone. The enzyme is able to use NADH as the source of reducing power necessary to accept the atom of diatomic oxygen not incorporated into the oxyfunctionalized substrate. Growth studies have establish that the enzyme is inducible, appears to serve a catabolic role, and is specifically induced by one or more unidentified components of seawater as well as various anthropogenic xenobiotic compounds. A blast search of the primary sequence of the enzyme, recovered from the genomic sequence of the isolate, has placed this atypical BVMO in the context of the several hundred known members of the flavoprotein monooxygenase superfamily. A particular feature of this BVMO lies in its truncated C-terminal domain, which results in a relatively small protein (357 amino acids; 38.4 kDa). In addition, metagenomic screening has been conducted on DNA recovered from an extensive range of marine environmental samples to gauge the relative abundance and distribution of similar enzymes within the global marine microbial community. Although low, abundance was detected in samples from many marine provinces, confirming the potential for biodiscovery in marine microorganisms.

Stenotrophomonas interspecies differentiation and identification by gyrB sequence analysis.

Stenotrophomonas species are found commonly in environmental and clinical samples; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an important opportunistic pathogen of humans. Traditional phenotyping protocols, as well as genotyping by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, do not reliably distinguish the species of Stenotrophomonas. Sequence analyses of two targeted PCR-amplified regions of the gyrB gene, which encodes the ß-subunit of DNA gyrase, enabled resolution and identification of these species. Most type strains of the different species of Stenotrophomonas exhibited more than 7% dissimilarity in the gyrB gene sequences. Among these, strains identified as the same species exhibited sequence dissimilarities up to 4.6% and 5.9% for the two regions, respectively. Strains identified as S. maltophilia, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities > 99.0%, were grouped within a 'S. maltophilia complex'; these organisms exhibited gyrB similarities as low as 93%. Many of these strains possessed genomic DNA similarities with the type strain of S. maltophilia CCUG 5866(T) below 70%. These data, including gyrB sequence comparisons, indicate that strains identified as S. maltophilia may comprise distinct, new species.

Genetic engineering of Stenotrophomonas strain YC-1 to possess a broader substrate range for organophosphates.

In this work, Stenotrophomonas sp. strain YC-1, a native soil bacterium that produces methyl parathion hydrolase (MPH), was genetically engineered to possess a broader substrate range for organophosphates (OPs). A surface anchor system derived from the truncated ice nucleation protein (INPNC) from Pseudomonas syringae was used to target organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) onto the cell surface of strain YC-1, reducing the potential substrate uptake limitation. The surface localization of INPNC-OPH was verified by cell fractionation, Western blot, proteinase accessibility, and immunofluorescence microscopy. No growth inhibition was observed for the engineered strain, and suspended cultures retained almost 100% activity over a period of 2 weeks. Concomitant expression of OPH in strain YC-1 resulted in a recombinant strain capable of simultaneously degrading diethyl and dimethyl OPs. A mixture of six OP pesticides (0.2 mM each) could be degraded completely within 5 h. The broader substrate specificity in combination with the rapid degradation rate makes this engineered strain a promising candidate for in situ remediation of OP-contaminated sites.

Purification and characterization of 3-ketovalidoxylamine A C-N lyase produced by Stenotrophomonas maltrophilia.

A soluble 3-ketovalidoxylamine A C-N lyase from Stenotrophomonas maltrophilia was purified to 367.5-fold from the crude enzyme, with a yield of 16.4% by column chromatography on High S IEX, Methyl HIC, High Q IEX, and Sephadex G 100. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 34 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the enzyme was a neutral protein having an isoelectric point value at pH 7.0. The optimal pH of 3-ketovalidoxylamine A C-N lyase was around 7.0. The enzyme was stable within a pH range of 7.0-10.5. The optimal temperature was found to be near 40 degrees C, and the enzyme was sensitive to heat. The enzyme was completely inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and it was reversed by Ca2+. The product, p-nitroaniline, inhibited the enzyme activity significantly at low concentration. The enzyme has C-N lyase activity and C-O lyase activity, and need 3-keto groups. The apparent K (m) value for p-nitrophenyl-3-ketovalidamine was 0.14 mM.

Simultaneous degradation of organophosphates and 4-substituted phenols by Stenotrophomonas species LZ-1 with surface-displayed organophosphorus hydrolase.

Organophosphorous hydrolase (OPH) was expressed onto the surface of a Stenotrophomonas species (LZ-1), capable of simultaneously degrading 4-substituted phenols, using the N- and C-terminal domains of ice nucleation protein (INPNC) as an anchoring motif for the first time. The engineered strain LZ-1 could degrade p-nitrophenyl-substituted organophosphates as well as their hydrolytic product, PNP, rapidly. Especially, addition of 4-CP (below 0.8 mM) significantly accelerated the complete degradation of above organophosphates (47.1, 34.0, and 40% reduction of time of paraoxon, parathion, and methyl-parathion, respectively) through the accelerated degradation of PNP due to enhanced cell growth supported by 4-CP as the carbon source. OPH could be surface-displayed at a high level without inhibition of cell growth and OPH activity in the presence of 4-CP. In soil samples, strain LZ-1 could also remove these compounds successfully. Functional display of heterologous proteins on the surface of indigenous bacteria could provide a promising technology for effective bioremediation of sites contaminated with mixed organic pollutants.

Metabolism of acenaphthylene via 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene and catechol by Stenotrophomonas sp. RMSK.

Stenotrophomonas sp. RMSK capable of degrading acenaphthylene as a sole source of carbon and energy was isolated from coal sample. Metabolites produced were analyzed and characterized by TLC, HPLC and mass spectrometry. Identification of naphthalene-1,8-dicarboxylic acid, 1-naphthoic acid, 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene, salicylate and detection of key enzymes namely 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene dioxygenase, salicylaldehyde dehydrogenase and catechol-1,2-dioxygenase in the cell free extract suggest that acenaphthylene metabolized via 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene, salicylate and catechol. The terminal metabolite, catechol was then metabolized by catechol-1,2-dioxygenase to cis,cis-muconic acid, ultimately forming TCA cycle intermediates. Based on these studies, the proposed metabolic pathway in strain RMSK is, acenaphthylene --> naphthalene-1,8-dicarboxylic acid --> 1-naphthoic acid --> 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene --> salicylic acid --> catechol --> cis,cis-muconic acid.