Name: defining substrate specificities for lipase and phospholipase candidates
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This work was supported by grants from Consejo Nacional de Ciencias y Tecnolog&#237;a-M&#233;xico (CONACyT-Mexico) (82614, 153998, 253549, and 178359&#160;in Investigaci&#243;n Cient&#237;fica B&#225;sica as well as 118 in Investigaci&#243;n en Fronteras de la Ciencia) and from Direcci&#243;n General de Asuntos de Personal Acad&#233;mico-Universidad Nacional Aut&#243;noma de M&#233;xico (DGAPA-UNAM; PAPIIT IN202616, IN203612).

1. Clone and Overexpress Structural Gene for Predicted Lipase
<ol>
	<li>Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)14 and specific oligonucleotides (Table 1)15, amplify the gene of interest (smc01003, smc00930, or smc00171), predicted to code for a lipase or phospholipase, from the genomic DNA of the host organism (i.e., S. meliloti).
	<ol>
		<li>Introduce specific restriction sites (with the designed sequence of the oligonucleotides). Digest...

<ol>
	<li>Nelson, D. L., Cox, M. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry. , (2013).</li><li>Jaeger, K. E., Eggert, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lipases+for+biotechnology.">Lipases for biotechnology.</a> Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 13 (4), 390-397 (2002).</li><li>Dowhan, W., Bogdanov, M., Mileykovskaya, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+roles+of+lipids+in+membranes.">Functional roles of lipids in membranes.</a> Biochemistry of Lipids, Lipoproteins and Membranes. , 1-37 (2008).</li><li>Dowhan, W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+basis+for+membrane+phospholipid+diversity:+why+are+there+so+many+lipids?.">Molecular basis for membrane phospholipid diversity: why are there so many lipids?.</a> Annu. Rev. Biochem. 66, 199-232 (1997).</li><li>De Rudder, K. E. E., Thomas-Oates, J. E., Geiger, O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rhizobium+meliloti+mutants+deficient+in+phospholipid+N-methyltransferase+still+contain+phosphatidylcholine.">Rhizobium meliloti mutants deficient in phospholipid N-methyltransferase still contain phosphatidylcholine.</a> J. Bacteriol. 179, 6921-6928 (1997).</li><li>Geiger, O., R&#246;hrs, V., Weissenmayer, B., Finan, T. M., Thomas-Oates, J. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+regulator+gene+phoB+mediates+phosphate+stress-controlled+synthesis+of+the+membrane+lipid+diacylglyceryl-N,N,N-trimethylhomoserine+in+Rhizobium+(Sinorhizobium)+meliloti.">The regulator gene phoB mediates phosphate stress-controlled synthesis of the membrane lipid diacylglyceryl-N,N,N-trimethylhomoserine in Rhizobium (Sinorhizobium) meliloti.</a> Mol. Microbiol. 32 (1), 63-73 (1999).</li><li>Klug, R. M., Benning, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Two+enzymes+of+diacylglyceryl-O-4'-(N,N,N,-trimethyl)homoserine+biosynthesis+are+encoded+by+btaA+and+btaB+in+the+purple+bacterium+Rhodobacter+sphaeroides.">Two enzymes of diacylglyceryl-O-4'-(N,N,N,-trimethyl)homoserine biosynthesis are encoded by btaA and btaB in the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides.</a> Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 98 (10), 5910-5915 (2001).</li><li>Zavaleta-Pastor, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sinorhizobium+meliloti+phospholipase+C+required+for+lipid+remodeling+duringphosphorus+limitation.">Sinorhizobium meliloti phospholipase C required for lipid remodeling duringphosphorus limitation.</a> Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 107 (1), 302-307 (2010).</li><li>Pech-Canul, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=FadD+is+required+for+utilization+of+endogenous+fatty+acids+released+from+membrane+lipids.">FadD is required for utilization of endogenous fatty acids released from membrane lipids.</a> J. Bacteriol. 193 (22), 6295-6304 (2011).</li><li>Banerji, S., Flieger, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Patatin-like+proteins:+a+new+family+of+lipolytic+enzymes+present+in+bacteria?.">Patatin-like proteins: a new family of lipolytic enzymes present in bacteria?.</a> Microbiology. 150 (Pt 3), 522-525 (2004).</li><li>Sahonero-Canavesi, D. X., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fatty+acid-releasing+activities+in+Sinorhizobium+meliloti+include+unusual+diacylglycerol+lipase.">Fatty acid-releasing activities in Sinorhizobium meliloti include unusual diacylglycerol lipase.</a> Environ. Microbiol. 17 (9), 3391-3406 (2015).</li><li>Fischer, M., Pleiss, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Lipase+Engineering+Database:+a+navigation+and+analysis+tool+for+protein+families.">The Lipase Engineering Database: a navigation and analysis tool for protein families.</a> Nucl. Acid. Res. 31 (1), 319-321 (2003).</li><li>Sigrist, C. J. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=New+and+continuing+developments+at+PROSITE.">New and continuing developments at PROSITE.</a> Nucleic Acids Res. 41 (Database issue), D344-D347 (2013).</li><li>Lorenz, T. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Polymerase+Chain+Reaction:+Basic+Protocol+Plus+Troubleshooting+and+Optimization+Strategies.">Polymerase Chain Reaction: Basic Protocol Plus Troubleshooting and Optimization Strategies.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (63), e3998 (2012).</li><li>Untergasser, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Primer3+-+new+capabilities+and+interfaces.">Primer3 - new capabilities and interfaces.</a> Nucl. Acids Res. 40 (15), e115 (2012).</li><li>Studier, F. W., Rosenberg, A. H., Dunn, J. J., Dubendorff, J. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Use+of+T7+RNA+polymerase+to+direct+expression+of+cloned+genes.">Use of T7 RNA polymerase to direct expression of cloned genes.</a> Methods Enzymol. 185, 60-89 (1990).</li><li>Miller, J. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Experiments in Molecular Genetics. , (1972).</li><li>Desjardins, P., Hansen, J. B., Allen, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microvolume+Protein+Concentration+Determination+using+the+NanoDrop+2000c+Spectrophotometer.">Microvolume Protein Concentration Determination using the NanoDrop 2000c Spectrophotometer.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (33), e1610 (2009).</li><li>Bligh, E. G., Dyer, W. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+rapid+method+for+total+lipid+extraction+and+purification.">A rapid method for total lipid extraction and purification.</a> Can. J. Biochem. Physiol. 37 (8), 911-917 (1959).</li><li>Molecular Dynamics. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Phosphorimager SI User&#180;s Guide. , (1994).</li><li>Dixon, M., Webb, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Enzymes: Third Edition. , (1979).</li><li>Rudolph, A. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Expression,+characterization,+and+mutagenesis+of+the+Yersinia+pestis+murine+toxin,+a+phospholipase+D+superfamily+member.">Expression, characterization, and mutagenesis of the Yersinia pestis murine toxin, a phospholipase D superfamily member.</a> J. Biol. Chem. 274 (17), 11824-11831 (1999).</li><li>Kato, S., Yoshimura, T., Hemmi, H., Moriyama, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Biochemical+analysis+of+a+novel+lipolytic+enzyme+YvdO+from+Bacillus+subtilis.">Biochemical analysis of a novel lipolytic enzyme YvdO from Bacillus subtilis.</a> Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 74 (4), 701-706 (2010).</li><li>Peppelenbosch, M. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Kinome+profiling.">Kinome profiling.</a> Scientifica (Cairo). , (2012).</li><li>Manafi, M., Kneifel, W., Bascomb, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fluorogenic+and+chromogenic+substrates+used+in+bacterial+diagnostics.">Fluorogenic and chromogenic substrates used in bacterial diagnostics.</a> Microbiol. Rev. 55 (3), 335-348 (1991).</li><li>Kuznetsova, E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enzyme+genomics:+Application+of+general+enzymatic+screens+to+discover+new+enzymes.">Enzyme genomics: Application of general enzymatic screens to discover new enzymes.</a> FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 29 (2), 263-279 (2005).</li><li>Scopes, R. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Protein Purification, Principles and Practice. , (2010).</li><li>Geiger, O., Lopez-Lara, I. M., Sohlenkamp, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phosphatidylcholine+biosynthesis+and+function+in+bacteria.">Phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis and function in bacteria.</a> Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1831 (3), 503-513 (2013).</li></ol>

Over the past 20 years, genomes of many organisms have been sequenced and although a wealth of genome sequence data has been generated, functional interpretation is lagging behind and therefore hampers our understanding of genome function. Gene functions in genomes are often assigned based on similarity to genes of known function or occurrence of conserved motifs. However, the precise function of a given gene is often not known. Especially, predicted structural genes for enzymes cannot be easily explored by omic techniqu...

Glycerol-based lipids such as triacylglycerols and (glycero)phospholipids constitute important and probably the best-known lipid classes1. Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are fats or oils, which usually function as storage lipids, and therefore as potential energy and carbon sources. TAGs can be degraded by lipases, which are frequently secreted by the producing organism to digest external TAGs and make them available as carbon sources. Also, lipases have been widely studied over the years due to their important biotechnological applications2.
Due to their amphiphilic nature and their near-cylindric shape, (glycero)phospholipids exhibit membrane-forming properties and usually constitute the major lipidic components of a bilayered membrane3. In simple microorganisms, such as the bacterium Escherichia coli, only three major head group variants, phosphatidylglycerol (PG), cardiolipin (CL), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) are encountered, although one should be aware that each one of them can be substituted with a considerable number of different fatty acyl chains at the sn-1 or sn-2 position giving rise to a large number of different molecular species4. Other bacteria might have other phospholipids in addition or instead. For example, Sinorhizobium meliloti, a soil bacterium, which is able to form a nitrogen-fixing root nodule symbiosis with the legume alfalfa (Medicago sativa), contains in addition to PE a second zwitterionic phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC)5. Also, lipids not containing phosphorus or glycerol might be amphiphilic and form part of the cellular membrane. For example, upon phosphorus-limiting growth conditions, in S. meliloti, (glycero)phospholipids are largely replaced by membrane lipids that do not contain phosphorus, i.e., sulfolipids, ornithine lipids, and diacylglyceryl trimethylhomoserine (DGTS)6. In bacteria, DGTS is formed from diacylglycerol (DAG) in a two-step pathway7 but the source for DAG generation was not clear. Pulse-chase experiments suggested that PC might be a precursor for DGTS8 and using the methodology described in this manuscript we could identify a phospholipase C (PlcP, SMc00171) that is formed under phosphorus-limiting conditions and which can convert PC into DAG and phosphocholine8.
In a separate study, we discovered that an acyl-CoA synthetase (FadD)-deficient mutant of S. meliloti or of Escherichia coli accumulated free fatty acids when entering stationary phase of growth9. Although these fatty acids seemed to be derived from membrane lipids, the precise source for the free fatty acids or the enzyme(s) liberating them were not known. Again, employing the strategy outlined in this manuscript, two patatin-like10 (phospho)lipases (SMc00930 and SMc01003) that contributed to the formation of free fatty acids in S. meliloti11 were predicted. Surprisingly, SMc01003 used DAG as substrate converting it to monoacylglycerol and finally glycerol and free fatty acids11. Therefore, SMc01003 is a DAG lipase (DglA).
Although a number of algorithms exist for predicting potential (phospho)lipases12,13, their precise function and physiological role is usually not known. Here we outline a protocol, to clone and overexpress predicted or potential (phospho)lipases. This manuscript explains how enzyme assays can be developed and optimized for the overexpressed (phospho)lipase by using artificial chromogenic substrates. We provide examples how with an optimized enzyme assay the real (phospho)lipase substrate can be encountered and how these findings might enrich our understanding of microbial physiology.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Chloroform</td>
			<td>JT Baker</td>
			<td>9180-03</td>
			<td>TLC analysis &#38; Lipid extraction</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Methanol</td>
			<td>JT Baker</td>
			<td>9070-03</td>
			<td>TLC analysis &#38; Lipid extraction</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Acetic Acid</td>
			<td>JT Baker</td>
			<td>9507-05</td>
			<td>TLC analysis &#38; Lipid extraction</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hexanes</td>
			<td>JT Baker</td>
			<td>9309-02</td>
			<td>TLC analysis &#38; Lipid extraction</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Diethylether</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>32203</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>bidistilled water</td>
			<td>&#160;ANY</td>
			<td>&#160;NA</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tris Base</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>T-1503</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HCl</td>
			<td>Baker</td>
			<td>9535-02</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaCl</td>
			<td>Baker</td>
			<td>3624-01</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X-100</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>X-100</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LB broth</td>
			<td>ANY</td>
			<td>NA</td>
			<td>Bacterial growth, 10g tryptone + 5g yeast extract + 10g NaCl per liter of bidistilled water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>tryptone</td>
			<td>Becton Dickinson and Company</td>
			<td>211705</td>
			<td>Bacterial growth</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>yeast extract</td>
			<td>Becton Dickinson and Company</td>
			<td>212750</td>
			<td>Bacterial growth</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TY broth</td>
			<td>ANY</td>
			<td>NA</td>
			<td>Bacterial growth, 8g tryptone + 3g yeast extract + 66mg CaCl2 2 H20 per liter of bidistilled water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CaCl2 2 H2O</td>
			<td>Baker</td>
			<td>1332-01</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>isopropyl-&#946;-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG)</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>15529-019</td>
			<td>Bacterial growth</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Diethanolamine</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>D-8885</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MnCl2</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>221279</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phospholipase A2 snake venom</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P0790</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phospholipase C Clostridium perfingrens</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P7633</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bis-p-nitrophenyl phosphate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>07422AH</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>p-nitrophenyl stearate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>N3627</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>p-nitrophenyl dodecanoate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>61716</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>p-nitrophenyl decanoate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>N0252</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>p-nitrophenyl palmitate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>N2752</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>p-nitrophenyl butyrate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>N9876</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>p-nitrophenyl octanoate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>21742</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Acetic Acid, sodium salt [1-14C]</td>
			<td>Perkin Elmer</td>
			<td>NEC084</td>
			<td>Bacterial growth</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)</td>
			<td>JT Baker</td>
			<td>9224-01</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Aluminium HPTLC silica gel 60 plates. Silica gel HPTLC plates size 20 x 20 cm, 25 sheets.</td>
			<td>Merck</td>
			<td>105547</td>
			<td>TLC analysis &#38; Lipid extraction</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spectrometer UV/VIS Lambda 35</td>
			<td>Perkin Elmer</td>
			<td>NA</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Storm 820 Phosphorimager</td>
			<td>Molecular Dynamics</td>
			<td>NA</td>
			<td>Photostimulable Luminescence scanner&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Multipurpose Scintillation Counter</td>
			<td>Beckman Coulter</td>
			<td>NA</td>
			<td>Radioactivity Quantification</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>French Pressure Cell</td>
			<td>ThermoSpectronic</td>
			<td>NA&#160;</td>
			<td>Breakage of cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>chromatography paper 3MM Chr</td>
			<td>Whatman</td>
			<td>3030917</td>
			<td>TLC analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021our</td>
			<td>reference 34</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>studied strain</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS Competent cells</td>
			<td>Novagen</td>
			<td>69451</td>
			<td>protein expression strain</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>pET9a vector</td>
			<td>Novagen</td>
			<td>69431</td>
			<td>protein expression vector</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>pET17b vector</td>
			<td>Novagen</td>
			<td>69663</td>
			<td>protein expression vector</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>sterile polystyrene round-bottom tube (14 ml) Falcon</td>
			<td>Becton Dickinson</td>
			<td>352057</td>
			<td>radiolabeling of bacterial cultures</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes (1.5 ml)</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>30125.15</td>
			<td>Enzymatic assays</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>D9135</td>
			<td>lipid standard</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L-&#945;-phosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoyl</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P6267</td>
			<td>lipid standard</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DL-&#945;-monopalmitin</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>M1640</td>
			<td>lipid standard</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>palmitic acid</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P0500</td>
			<td>lipid standard</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

defining substrate specificities for lipase and phospholipase candidates

Microorganisms produce a wide spectrum of (phospho)lipases that are secreted in order to make external substrates available for the organism. Alternatively, other (phospho)lipases may be physically associated with the producing organism causing a turnover of intrinsic lipids and frequently giving rise to a remodeling of the cellular membranes. Although potential (phospho)lipases can be predicted with a number of algorithms when the gene/protein sequence is available, experimental proof of the enzyme activities, substrate specificities, and potential physiological functions has frequently not been obtained. This manuscript describes the optimization of assay conditions for prospective (phospho)lipases with unknown substrate specificities and how to employ these optimized conditions in the search for the natural substrate of a respective (phospho)lipase. Using artificial chromogenic substrates, such as p-nitrophenyl derivatives, may help to detect a minor enzymatic activity for a predicted (phospho)lipase under standard conditions. Having encountered such a minor enzymatic activity, the distinct parameters of an enzyme assay can be varied in order to obtain a more efficient hydrolysis of the artificial substrate. After having determined the conditions under which an enzyme works well, a variety of potential natural substrates should be assayed for their degradation, a process that can be followed employing distinct chromatographic methods. The definition of substrate specificities for new enzymes, often provides hypotheses for a potential physiological role of these enzymes, which then can be tested experimentally. Following these guidelines, we were able to identify a phospholipase C (SMc00171) that degrades phosphatidylcholine to phosphocholine and diacylglycerol, in a crucial step for the remodeling of membranes in the bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti upon phosphorus-limiting conditions of growth. For two predicted patatin-like phospholipases (SMc00930 and SMc01003) of the same organism, we could redefine their substrate specificities and clarify that SMc01003 is a diacylglycerol lipase.

Activity of PC-specific Phospholipase C SMc00171 with Bis-p-nitrophenyl Phosphate
Cell-free extracts obtained from E. coli BL21(DE3) x pLysS, which had smc00171 expressed, were studied for their ability to hydrolyze bis-p-nitrophenyl phosphate esters, using a spectrophotometric enzymatic assay, measuring the p-NP formed. No hydrolytic...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates at JoVE.com

Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates

Many predicted (phospho)lipases are poorly characterized with regard to their substrate specificities and physiological functions. Here we provide a protocol to optimize enzyme activities, search for natural substrates, and propose physiological functions for these enzymes.

Microorganisms produce a wide spectrum of (phospho)lipases that are secreted in order to make external substrates available for the organism. ...

The overall goal of this procedure is to accelerate the detection of physiological substrates for potential lipases and phosopholipases. This method can help answer key questions in the Entomology field, such as how phospholipases contribute to lipid remodeling in biological membranes. The main advantage of this technique is that the optimization of enzymatic activity and the search for the natural substrate for the enzyme can be performed independently.Though this method can provide insight into substrate specificity of bacterial lipases and phospholipases, it can also be modified to study hydrolases of any other model organisms. We first had the idea for this method when we searched for an enzyme activity that could degrade the intrinsic membrane lipid phosphatidylcholine inorhizobium meliloti. To prepare cell-free protein extracts, defrost bacterial cell suspensions and store them on ice.Then, pass the cell suspensions three times through a cold pressure cell at 20, 000 pounds per square inch. Remove the in-tact cells and cell debris by centrifugation at 5, 000 times g for 30 minutes, at four degrees Celsius. After centrifugation, prepare aliquots of 100 and 500 microliters from the supernatant for subsequent analysis.Set up the previously-optimized enzyme assay using the pipetting schemes tabulated in the text protocol. For an initial coverage of distinct enzyme activities, use artificial substrates that yield a colored product upon hydrolysis, such as para-nitrophenol or PNP derivatives. Follow the time course for an increase of absorbance at 405 nanometers, due to the formation of PNP in a spectrophotometer at 30 degrees Celsius over a five-minute period.Finally, perform calculations as described in the text protocol. For radio labeling of lipids, prepare an overnight pre-culture of an organism of interest in five milliliters of the desired culture medium and grow at 30 degrees Celsius. From the pre-culture, inoculate into 20 millimeters of fresh medium in a 100-millimeter culture flask, to obtain an initial optical density at 620 nanometers of 0.3 for the culture.Next, transfer a one-milliliter aliquot of the culture to a 14-milliliter sterile polystyrene round bottom tube under sterile conditions. Add one microcurie of 114 c acetate to the one-milliliter culture. Then, incubate the liquid culture under agitation at 30 degrees Celsius for a period of 24 hours.At the end of the incubation period, transfer the culture to a 1.5 milliliter microcentrifuge tube and centrifuge at 12, 000 times g at room temperature for five minutes. Resuspend the pellet in 100 microliters of water. At this point, store the cell suspension at minus 20 degrees Celsius or immediately continue with the extraction of polar lipids.To perform the extraction of polar lipids, add 375 microliters of a two to one methanol to chloroform solution to the 100 microliters of aqueous cell suspension. Vortex the sample for 30 seconds before incubating for five minutes at room temperature. Following incubation, centrifuge for five minutes at 12, 000 times g at room temperature.Then, transfer the supernatant to a new 1.5 milliliter microcentrifuge tube. Next, add 125 microliters of chloroform and 125 microliters of water to the supernatant. After vortexing for 30 seconds, centrifuge the sample for one minute at 12, 000 times g at room temperature.Transfer the lower chloroform phase to a fresh tube. Then, dry the solution with a stream of nitrogen gas. Dissolve the dried lipids in 100 microliters of chloroform to methanol solution.For separation of neutral polar lipids by thin layer chromatography, apply three microliter aliquots of the lipid samples, on a high performance thin-layer chromatography silica gel aluminum sheet, starting two centimeters from the edges of the plate. If multiple samples are analyzed in one-dimensional chromatography, keep a distance of at least 1.5 centimeters between the different sample application spots. Transfer the mobile phase to a TLC developing chamber, internally coated with chromatography paper.Cover with a glass plate to let the chamber saturate for 30 minutes. Transfer the HPTLC Silica Gel aluminum sheet with the dried lipid samples to the chamber. Allow the plate to develop for 30 minutes in a closed chamber before removing the plate.Then, let the solvents dry off in a flow hood for two hours. Once the developed TLC sheet is dry, incubate it with a photostimulable luminescence screen in a closed cassette for three days. Then, expose the incubated screen to a PSL scanner and acquire a virtual image of the separated radio-labeled lipids.To determine diacylglycerol, or DAG, lipase activity, first add 5, 000 CPM of 14 C-labeled DAG to a 1.5 milliliter microcentrifuge tube. Also, add a solution of Triton X-100 to the tube and mix by vortex. Dry the solution under a stream of nitrogen.For a final 100 microliter assay, add Tris-HCl buffer, a sodium chloride solution, and bi-distilled water. Vortex for five seconds. Initiate the reaction by adding five microliters of enzyme to the solution.Incubate the solution at 30 degrees Celsius for four hours. Stop the reaction by the addition of 250 microliters of methanol and 125 microliters of chloroform, before extracting lipids as described earlier in this video. Proceed to analyze neutral polar lipids by 1DTLC and subsequent PSL imaging as before.Although the predicted phosopholipase SMc01003 shows activity with artificial para-nitrophenol acyl esters, the activity is only double or triple of the background activity present in cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli, in which no foreign gene had been expressed. This indicates that para-nitrophenyl acyl esters don't seem to be good substrates for SMc01003. Whereas cell-free extracts of E.Coli cannot degrade diacylglycerol, extracts of strains in which the predicted phospholipase, SMc01003, had been expressed, caused a degradation of diacylglycerol.Though SMc01003 was predicted to be a phospholipase, it is actually a diacylglycerol lipase that degrades diacylglycerol to monoacylglycerol and one fatty acid. It then degrades monoacylglycerol further to glycerol and another fatty acid. Once mastered, this technique can be done in a few weeks if it's performed properly.After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to optimize enzyme activities of lipases and phospholipases, and how to continue with the search for their physiological substrates. A crucial advantage of this procedure is that the optimization of the enzyme activity can be separated from the search for the natural enzyme substrate. Don't forget that working with organic solvents or radioactive substances can be extremely hazardous and the required precautions should always be taken while performing this procedure.

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