• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.35-42
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• 2008

Vibrio vulnificus produces siderophores, low-molecular-weight iron-chelating compounds, to obtain iron under conditions of iron deprivation. To identify genes associated with the biosynthesis of siderophore in V. vulnificus MO6-24/O, we screened clones with mini-Tn5 random insertions for those showing decreased production of siderophore. Among 6,000 clones screened, nine such clones were selected. These clones contain the transposon inserted in VV2_0830 (GenBank accession number) that is a homolog of a nonribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS). There is an another NRPS module, VV2_0831, 49-bp upstream to VV2_0830. We named these two genes vvs (Vibrio vulnificus siderophore synthase) A and B, respectively. Mutation of either vvsA or vvsB showed a decreased production of siderophore. The expression of an NRPS-lux fusion was negatively modulated by the presence of iron, and the regulation was dependent on Fur (ferric uptake regulator). However, the expression of the NRPS genes was still not fully derepressed in the iron-rich condition, even in furnull mutant cells, suggesting that some other unknown factors are involved in the regulation of the genes. We also demonstrated that the NRPS genes are important for virulence of the pathogen in a mice model.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.359-365
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• 2011

Cyanobacterial strains of the genus Spirulina have recently been identified as an excellent source of sulfolipids, some of which possess anti-HIV properties. Thus, to investigate the distribution of sufolipid biosynthesis pathways in Spirulina, a genetic screening/phylogentic study was performed. Five different strains of Spirulina [Spirulina (Jiangmen), Spirulina sp., S. platensis, S. maxima, and Spirulina seawater] sourced from different locations were initially classified via 16S rDNA sequencing, and then screened for the presence of the sulfolipid biosynthesis genes sqdB and sqdX via a PCR. To assess the suitability of these strains for human consumption and safe therapeutic use, the strains were also screened for the presence of genes encoding nonribosomal peptide synthases (NRPSs) and polyketide synthases (PKSs), which are often associated with toxin pathways in cyanobacteria. The results of the 16S rDNA analysis and phylogenetic study indicated that Spirulina sp. is closely related to Halospirulina, whereas the other four Spirulina strains are closely related to Arthrospira. Homologs of sqdB and sqdX were identified in Spirulina (Jiangmen), Spirulina sp., S. platensis, and the Spirulina seawater. None of the Spirulina strains screened in this study tested positive for NRPS or PKS genes, suggesting that these strains do not produce NRP or PK toxins.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.67-71
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• 1996

The plasmid pK8 was constructed to verify the existence of an adenylate domain in peptide synthetase by using pGC12. 1.2 kb fragment, coding tyrocidine synthetase 1 (123 kDa) was deleted, and 79.6 kDa one was expressed in Escherichia coli XL1-blue. The truncated multienzyme activated phenylalanine and substrate analogues with comparable kinetics as the over expressed synthetase. ATP-[$^{32}P$]PPi exchange reaction was measured for the enzyme assay.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제61권1호
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• pp.83-91
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• 2018

박테리아와 진균의 유전체 정보 탐색을 통하여 이차대사 생합성을 지정하는 다수의 잠재 유전자군을 찾을 수 있으며, 유전체 정보를 기반으로 특정 유전자의 발현을 활성화하여 잠재 유전자군의 생성물을 추론하고, 해당 물질의 생물학적 기능을 연구하는 것이 가능하다. 동아시아 지역에서 잘 알려진 식용 사상진균 홍국에 대하여 몇 몇 유전체 정보가 공개되어있으며, 본 연구에서는 Monascus purpureus ${\Delta}MpPKS5$ 균주에서 polyketide synthase-nonribosomal peptide synthase 유전자 Mpfus1 상단에 Aspergillus gpdA 프로모터를 삽입하는 방식으로 이 유전자의 발현을 활성화하였다. Mpfus1 유전자군은 2-pyrrolidone/conjugated polyene 구조를 갖는 물질의 생합성 유전자군들과 높은 유사성을 보이며, 이들 화합물 그룹에서 진균 독소인 fusarin이 잘 알려져 있다. ${\Delta}MpPKS5$ 균주는 홍국 azaphilone 색소 생산 능력이 소실된 균주이며 색소 및 자외선 흡수 특성을 보이는 화합물들의 동정에 적절한 균주이다. Mpfus1 활성화는 균사체가 노란색을 띠도록 유도하며, 균사체의 methanol 추출액은 365 nm에서 최대 흡광도를 보임을 확인할 수 있었다. 해당 추출액의 HPLC 분석을 통하여 다수의 화합물들이 포함되어 있음을 확인할 수 있었으며 이를 통하여 MpFus1 효소의 생성물이 대사적, 화학적으로 불안정함을 추론할 수 있다. Mpfus1 활성화 균주 추출물을 LC-MS로 분석하여 MpFus1 생성물의 구조를 유추하여 Mpfus1 유전자군이 fusarin의 탈메틸 유사체 생합성을 지정하는 것으로 제안할 수 있었다. 본 연구는 홍국 균주에서 유전체 기반-미지 화합물 발굴 연구의 예를 제시하고 홍국 균주에서 새로운 생리활성의 동정 가능성을 시사하여 준다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.427-433
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• 2008

The cephabacins produced by Lysobacter lactamgenus are ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotics composed of a cephem nucleus, an acetate residue, and an oligopeptide side chain. In order to understand the precise implication of the polyketide synthase (PKS) module in the biosynthesis of cephabacin, the genes for its core domains, ${\beta}$-ketoacyl synthase (KS), acyltransferase (AT), and acyl carrier protein (ACP), were amplified and cloned into the pET-32b(+) expression vector. The sfp gene encoding a protein that can modify apo-ACP to its active holo-form was also amplified. The recombinant KS, AT, apo-ACP, and Sfp overproduced in the form of $His_6$-tagged fusion proteins in E. coli BL21(DE3) were purified by nickel-affinity chromatography. Formation of stable peptidyl-S-KS was observed by in vitro acylation of the KS domain with the substrate [L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Ala-L-$^3H$-Arg] tetrapeptide-S-N-acetylcysteamine, which is the evidence for the selective recognition of tetrapeptide produced by nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) in the NRPS/PKS hybrid. In order to confirm whether malonyl CoA is the extender unit for acetylation of the peptidyl moiety, the AT domain, ACP domain, and Sfp protein were treated with $^{14}C$-malonyl-CoA. The results clearly show that the AT domain is able to recognize the extender unit and decarboxylatively acetylated for the elongation of the tetrapeptide. However, the transfer of the activated acetyl group to the ACP domain was not observed, probably attributed to the improper capability of Sfp to activate apo-ACP to the holo-ACP form.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.310-317
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• 1998

Peptide synthetases are large multifunctional enzyme complexes that catalyze the nonribosomal synthesis of a structurally diverse family of peptide antibiotics. These enzymes are composed of functionally independent domains with independent enzymatic activities. Their specific linkage order of domains forms the protein template that defines the sequence of the incorporated amino acids. Within each domain, several motifs of highly conserved sequences have been identified from the sequence alignment of the various peptide synthetases ［30］. Taking advantage of the conserved nucleotide sequence of Core 1 and Core 2, we designed PCR primers to amplify the peptide synthetase genes from three different gram-positive bacterial strains. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the amplified PCR products from those three strains showed significant homology to various peptide synthetase genes, suggesting that the PCR products are parts of peptide synthetase genes. Therefore, this rapid and efficient PCR technique can be used for the isolation of peptide synthetase genes from various strains.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제14권8호
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• pp.4086-4092
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• 2013

Mycosporine-like 아미노산(MAAs)은 UV 흡수물질이며, 다양한 해양생물들은 MAAs의 합성과 축적을 통하여 환경 자외선의 직 간접적인 영향을 감소시키는 기능을 진화시켜 왔다. 이 연구에서 우리는 radiofrequency(RF) 발생장치를 제작하였고, 이를 미세조류 배양에 적용하였다. $0.35{\pm}0.05$ mHz의 RF를 Chlamydomonas sp. 배양기에 공급하였고, 정해진 시간(0, 0.5, 1 및 2 시간)에 시료를 채취하였다. MAAs 생합성 관련 유전자인 dehydroquinate synthase homolog (DHQS-like)와 nonribosomal peptide synthetase homolog (NRPS-like) 유전자를 Chlamydomonas sp.로부터 클로닝하였고, RF 노출에 대한 유전자 발현을 qRT-PCR을 이용하여 분석하였다. 연구결과 RF에 노출된 Chlamydomonas sp.의 DHQS-like와 NRPS-like 유전자의 발현은 노출 1시간에 각각 1.46 배 및 1.19 배 증가하였다. 이러한 결과는 DHQS-like와 NRPS-like 유전자가 Chlaydomonas sp.의 MAAs 생합성을 진단할 수 있는 좋은 바이오마커 후보가 될 수 있음을 의미한다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권7호
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• pp.1015-1025
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• 2015

The development of diverse polymyxin derivatives is needed to solve the toxicity and resistance problems of polymyxins. However, no platform has generated polymyxin derivatives by genetically engineering a polymyxin synthetase, which is a nonribosomal peptide synthetase. In this study, we present a two-step approach for the construction of engineered polymyxin synthetases by substituting the adenylation (A) domains of polymyxin A synthetase, which is encoded by the pmxABCDE gene cluster of Paenibacillus polymyxa E681. First, the seventh L-threonine-specific A-domain region in pmxA was substituted with the L-leucine-specific A-domain region obtained from P. polymyxa ATCC21830 to make polymyxin E synthetase, and then the sixth D-leucine-specific A-domain region (A_6-D-Leu-domain) was substituted with the D-phenylalanine-specific A-domain region (A_6-D-Phe-domain) obtained from P. polymyxa F4 to make polymyxin B synthetase. This step was performed in Escherichia coli on a pmxA-containing fosmid, using the lambda Red recombination system and the sacB gene as a counter-selectable marker. Next, the modified pmxA gene was fused to pmxBCDE on the chromosome of Bacillus subtilis BSK4dA, and the resulting recombinant strains BSK4-PB and BSK4-PE were confirmed to produce polymyxins B and E, respectively. We also succeeded in constructing the B. subtilis BSK4-PP strain, which produces polymyxin P, by singly substituting the A_6-D-Leu-domain with the A_6-D-Phe-domain. This is the first report in which polymyxin derivatives were generated by genetically engineering polymyxin synthetases. The two recombinant B. subtilis strains will be useful for improving the commercial production of polymyxins B and E, and they will facilitate the generation of novel polymyxin derivatives.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제51권6호
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• pp.716-726
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• 2013

가수분해 효소(혹은 아실전이효소)를 이용한 알콜과 아민의 아실반응은 에스터의 가수분해 반응(hydrolysis, deacylation)과 더불어 효소를 이용한 유기합성 반응에서 이미 잘 확립된 기술로서, 산업체에서 제약의 합성이나 고분자의 합성에서 널리 응용되고 있다. 이러한 효소를 이용한 아실화 반응은 주로 열역학적인 제한으로 인해 그동안 대부분이 주로 유기용매에서 이루어지고 있다. 최근 들어서, 수용액에서 아실화반응을 전이효소를 이용하여 효율적으로 할 수 있다는 보고와 함께 그 반응 기제에 대한 연구들이, X-ray 구조와 이러한 반응을 가능하게 하는 효소의 단백질 서열 비교 연구, 그리고 계산 화학에 의한 효소의 설계 연구등을 통해 새롭게 밝혀지고 있다. 본 총설에서는 효소를 이용한 아실화반응을 유기용매와 수용액에서의 수행함에 있어서 장단점을 비교해 보면서, 앞으로의 전망도 함께 제시하고자 한다. 특별히 다양한 천연물들의 구조 변화에 아실화 반응 생체촉매를 사용할 수 있는 가능성에 대해 살펴볼 것이다.