Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis in Thermus thermophilus: Purification and biochemical properties of PHA synthase

Pantazaki, AA; Tambaka, MG; Langlois, V; Guerin, P; Kyriakidis, DA

HERO ID

4943581

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2003

Language

English

PMID

14674696

HERO ID 4943581
In Press No
Year 2003
Title Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis in Thermus thermophilus: Purification and biochemical properties of PHA synthase
Authors Pantazaki, AA; Tambaka, MG; Langlois, V; Guerin, P; Kyriakidis, DA
Journal Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
Volume 254
Issue 1-2
Page Numbers 173-183
Abstract The biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) was studied, for the first time, in the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus. Using sodium gluconate (1.5% w/v) or sodium octanoate (10 mM) as sole carbon sources, PHAs were accumulated to approximately 35 or 40% of the cellular dry weight, respectively. Gas chromatographic analysis of PHA isolated from gluconate-grown cells showed that the polyester (M-w:480,000 g. mol(-1)) was mainly composed of 3-hydroxydecanoate (3HD) with a molar fraction of 64%. In addition, 3-hydroxyoctanoate (3HO), 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) and 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) occurred as constituents. In contrast, the polyester (M-w:391,000 g mol(-1)) from octanoate-grown cells was composed of 24.5 mol% 3HB, 5.4 mol% 3HO, 12.3 mol% 3-hydroxynonanoate (3HN), 14.6 mol% 3HD, 35.4 mol% 3-hydroxyundecanoate (3HUD) and 7.8 mol% 3-hydroxydodecanoate (3HDD). Activities of PHA synthase, a beta-ketothiolase and an NADPH-dependent reductase were detected in the soluble cytosolic fraction obtained from gluconate-grown cells of T. thermophilus. The soluble PHA synthase was purified 4271-fold with 8.5% recovery from gluconate-grown cells, presenting a K-m of 0.25 mM for 3HB-CoA. The optimal temperature of PHA synthase activity was about 70degreesC and acts optimally at pH near 7.3. PHA synthase activity was inhibited 50% with 25 muM CoA and lost all of its activity when it was treated with alkaline phosphatase. T. thermophilus PHA synthase, in contrary to other reported PHA synthases did not exhibit a lag phase on its kinetics, when low concentration of the enzyme was used. Incubation of PHA synthase with 1 mM N-ethyl-maleimide inhibits the enzyme 56%, indicating that cysteine might be involved in the catalytic site of the enzyme. Acetyl phosphate (10 mM) activated both the native and the dephosphorylated enzyme. A major protein (55 kDa) was detected by SDS-PAGE. When a partially purified preparation was analyzed on native PAGE the major band exhibiting PHA synthase activity was eluted from the gel and analyzed further on SDS-PAGE, presenting the first purification of a PHA synthase from a thermophilic microorganism.
Doi 10.1023/A:1027373100955
Pmid 14674696
Wosid WOS:000186411300020
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Keyword polyhydroxyalkanoic acids (PHAs); synthase; beta-ketothiolase; NADPH-dependent reductase; Thermus thermophilus
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