Development of a thermostable firefly luciferase

Firefly luciferase forms the basis of a wide range of analytical techniques. However, the enzyme is unstable and rapidly loses activity even at room temperature. This leads to losses in sensitivity and precision in analytical applications and also severely limits the fieldability of devices incorporating luciferase-based technologies. A number of point mutations have previously been identified that significantly increase the thermostability of the enzyme. We show here that when such mutations are combined they can have an additive effect on the stabilisation of the enzyme. As such, we have constructed a luciferase mutant containing four point mutations, relative to the wildtype enzyme, resulting in remarkably greater thermostability.     

Talaromyces thermophilus β-d-Xylosidase: Purification, Characterization and Xylobiose Synthesis

When grown on wheat bran as the only carbon source, the filamentous fungus Talaromyces thermophilus produces large amounts of beta-xylosidase activity. The presence of glucose drastically decreases the beta-xylosidase production level. The beta-xylosidase of T. thermophilus was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, and gel filtration (high-performance liquid chromatography). The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 97 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration. The enzyme activity was optimum at 50 degrees C and pH 7. The apparent Michaelis constant K(m) of the beta-xylosidase was 2.37 mM for p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xylopyranoside, with a V(max) of 0.049 micromol min(-1) per milligram protein. Enzyme activity was inhibited by Cu(2+), Hg(2+), and Zn(2+) and activated by Ca(2+), Mn(2+), and Co(+) at a concentration of 5 mM. At high xylose concentration, this enzyme catalyses the condensation reaction leading to xylobiose production.     

Importance of C-Terminal Region for Thermostability of GH11 Xylanase from Streptomyces lividans

The amino acid sequences of xylanase B (XlnB) and xylanase C (XlnC) from Streptomyces lividans show significant homology. However, the temperature optima and stabilities of the two enzymes are quite different. XlnB exhibits an optimum temperature of 40 °C and retains 50% of its maximum activity at 43 °C, whereas the corresponding values for XlnC are 60 and 70 °C. To analyze these properties further, as well as to study the effect of the exchange of homologous segments in the C-terminal region, four chimeras designated as BSC, BFC, CSB, and CFB were constructed by substituting segments from the C-terminal homologous region of XlnB gene with that of XlnC and in turn substituting XlnC gene with that of XlnB. The purified chimeric enzymes were characterized with respect to pH/temperature activity, stability, and kinetic parameters. Most of enzymatic properties of chimeras were admixtures of those of the two parents. The chimeric enzymes were optimally active at 45–55 °C and pH 7.0. Both K _m and k _cat values of chimeric enzymes for p-nitrophenyl-β-d-cellobioside were admixtures of both parental enzymes, except that the k _cat value of chimeric BFC (2.79 s⁻¹) was higher than that of parental XlnC (1.99 s⁻¹). Notably, thermal stability of chimeric BSC and BFC was increased by 25 and 13 °C separately, as compared to one of parental XlnB, whereas the thermal stability of chimeric CSB and CFB was decreased by 23 and 21 °C, respectively, as compared to another parental XlnC. These results suggest that homologous C-terminal region in S. lividans GH11 xylanase appears to play an important role in determining enzyme characteristics, and exchanging of different segments of gene in this region might significantly alter or improve the enzymatic properties such as thermal stability.     

3-甲氧基二苯胺-4-重氮盐的制备及其光、热分解性质

３－甲氧基二苯胺－４－重氮盐（ＭＤＤＳ）与甲醛或４,４－二甲氧次甲基二苯醚的缩合物用作阴图ＰＳ版感光剂,Ｈｏｅｃｈｓｔ等公司［１～５］已有很多专利．可能是出于商业利益,关于ＭＤＤＳ的制备方法未见报道．我们［６］从苯胺钾与３－甲氧基氯苯出发,制备了这...     

BaO对Pd/Al2O3催化性能的影响

以 Pd(C2 H3O2 ) 2 为前身 ,制备了系列 Ba O- Al2 O3复合氧化物负载钯的催化剂 .用质量滴定法 ,测定了复合载体的零电荷点 (pzc) .结果表明 ,体系的 pzc随 Ba O含量的增加而增大 ,在 5 %～ 10 %之间存在一拐点 ,并与XRD所测 Ba O在 Al2 O3上的单层分散阈值相对应 .复合载体在制备中发生固相反应 ,所生成的 Ba Al2 O4可以阻止 Al2 O3的相变 ,并极大地提高载体的热稳定性 ,其中 5 % Ba O的作用最为明显 .Ba O的引入 ,增强了 Pd/Al2 O3对 CO的氧化能力 ,同时 ,提高了其热稳定性     

Clone,Purification and Characterization of Thermostable Aminopeptidase ST1737 from Sulfolobus tokodaii

The aminopeptidase gene from thermophilic archaea Sulfolobustokodaii was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 codon-plus(DE3). To overexpress the aminopeptidase, the vector pET32a was constructed, in which the target gene was fused with the genes of histidine-tag and thioredoxin(Trx). The expressed protein was purified using Ni²⁺-column affinity chromatography and ion exchange chromatography and cleft with enterokinase(EK) to obtain the purified aminopeptidase(ST1737). The biochemical and enzymic properties of the expressed ST1737 were characterized. The results show that its optimal pH and temperature are 8 and 80 ℃, respectively. The half-life of ST1737(0.2 mg/mL) is about 85 h at 90 ℃, indicating that the enzyme exhibits an excellent thermostability. The activity of ST1737 could still maintain over 85% after its treatment at 25 ℃ in different buffers with a pH range of from 6.0 to 10.5 for 24 h, demonstrating that ST1737 is stable in neutral or slight alkali environment. The enzyme shows a high activity for the substrates, such as unmodified peptide Asp-Ala, while the pNPC₈ shows an optimal esterase substrate specificity. These results indicate that the enzyme is a bifunctional enzyme, and different from the aminopeptidase reported before.     

Construction of zinc–organic frameworks by flexible aliphatic dicarboxylates plus 2-(1H-imidazolyl-1-methyl)-1H-benzimidazole ligand

Three new Zn(II) complexes, [Zn(ox)(imb)] (1), [Zn₂(mal)₂(imb)₂] (2), and [Zn(suc)(imb)]·H₂O (3) (imb = 2-(1H-imidazolyl-1-methyl)-1H-benzimidazole, H₂ox = oxalic acid, H₂mal = malonic acid, H₂suc = succinic acid), have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Complex 1 is a 3-D framework with a 4-connected diamond topology with the topological notation of 6⁶. Complex 2 exhibits 2-D layers with (6,3) networks. Complex 3 displays a 3-D framework constructed through unusual 2-D → 3-D parallel interpenetration of corrugated 2-D (6,3) networks. IR spectra, PXRD patterns, thermogravimetric curves, and photoluminescence spectra are addressed.     

Syntheses,crystal structures,and fluorescent properties of two d10 metal complexes based on 2-(benzoimidazol-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole and 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate

Two d¹⁰ metal complexes, {[Zn(Hbtc)(bmt)]·DMF·5H₂O} _n (1) and {[Cd(Hbtc)(bmt)]·0.5DMF·0.5H₂O} _n (2) (H₃btc?=?1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, bmt?=?2-((benzoimidazol-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole), have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions by employing bmt and H₃btc. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows that Zn(II) ions are connected by bmt with bidentate-bridging coordination and by 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate with bis-monodentate coordination leading to the 2D structure of 1. Complex 2 exhibits a 2D layer structure, in which bmt coordinate tridentate-bridging to Cd(II) and 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylates coordinate to Cd(II) unidentate/chelating. Photoluminescence and thermogravimetric analyses of the two complexes are investigated.