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).

<ol>
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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. 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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. 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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. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

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...

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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. ...

defining-substrate-specificities-for-lipase-phospholipase

Research

JoVE Journal

Biochemistry

14.9K Views.  Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. 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.

Video: Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates

High-throughput Screening of Carbohydrate-degrading Enzymes Using Novel Insoluble Chromogenic Substrate Assay Kits

Carbohydrates active enzymes (CAZymes) have multiple roles in vivo and are widely used for industrial processing in the biofuel, textile, detergent, paper and food industries. A deeper understanding of CAZymes is important from both fundamental biology and industrial standpoints. Vast numbers of CAZymes exist in nature (especially in microorganisms) and hundreds of thousands have been cataloged and described in the carbohydrate active enzyme database (CAZy). However, the rate of discovery of putative enzymes has outstripped our ability to biochemically characterize their activities. One reason for this is that advances in genome and transcriptome sequencing, together with associated bioinformatics tools allow for rapid identification of candidate CAZymes, but technology for determining an enzyme's biochemical characteristics has advanced more slowly. To address this technology gap, a novel high-throughput assay kit based on insoluble chromogenic substrates is described here. Two distinct substrate types were produced: Chromogenic Polymer Hydrogel (CPH) substrates (made from purified polysaccharides and proteins) and Insoluble Chromogenic Biomass (ICB) substrates (made from complex biomass materials). Both CPH and ICB substrates are provided in a 96-well high-throughput assay system. The CPH substrates can be made in four different colors, enabling them to be mixed together and thus increasing assay throughput. The protocol describes a 96-well plate assay and illustrates how this assay can be used for screening the activities of enzymes, enzyme cocktails, and broths.

A high-throughput assay for enzyme screening is described. This multiplexed ready-to-use assay kit comprises of pre-chosen Chromogenic Polymer Hydrogel (CPH) substrates and complex Insoluble Chromogenic Biomass (ICB) substrates. Target enzymes are polysaccharide degrading endo-enzymes and proteases.

Carbohydrates active enzymes (CAZymes) have multiple roles in vivo and are widely used for industrial processing in the biofuel, textile, detergent, paper ...

Biochemical and Structural Characterization of the Carbohydrate Transport Substrate-binding-protein SP0092

Development of new antimicrobials and vaccines for Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) are necessary to halt the rapid rise in multiple resistant strains. Carbohydrate substrate binding proteins (SBPs) represent viable targets for the development of protein-based vaccines and new antimicrobials because of their extracellular localization and the centrality of carbohydrate import for pneumococcal metabolism, respectively. Described here is a rationalized integrated protocol to carry out a comprehensive characterization of SP0092, which can be extended to other carbohydrate SBPs from the pneumococcus and other bacteria. This procedure can aid the structure-based design of inhibitors for this class of proteins. Presented in the first part of this manuscript are protocols for biochemical analysis by thermal shift assay, multi angle light scattering (MALS), and size exclusion chromatography (SEC), which optimize the stability and homogeneity of the sample directed to crystallization trials and so enhance the probability of success. The second part of this procedure describes the characterization of the SBP crystals using a tunable wavelength anomalous diffraction synchrotron beamline, and data collection protocols for measuring data that can be used to resolve the crystallized protein structure.

A streamlined protocol for performing an extensive biochemical and structural characterization of a carbohydrate substrate binding protein from Streptococcus pneumoniae is presented.

Development of new antimicrobials and vaccines for Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) are necessary to halt the rapid rise in multiple resistant ...

Fractionation for Resolution of Soluble and Insoluble Huntingtin Species

The accumulation of misfolded proteins is central to pathology in Huntington's disease (HD) and many other neurodegenerative disorders. Specifically, a key pathological feature of HD is the aberrant accumulation of mutant HTT (mHTT) protein into high molecular weight complexes and intracellular inclusion bodies composed of fragments and other proteins. Conventional methods to measure and understand the contributions of various forms of mHTT-containing aggregates include fluorescence microscopy, western blot analysis, and filter trap assays. 
However, most of these methods are conformation specific, and therefore may not resolve the full state of mHTT protein flux due to the complex nature of aggregate solubility and resolution.
For the identification of aggregated mHTT and various modified forms and complexes, separation and solubilization of the cellular aggregates and fragments is mandatory. Here we describe a method to isolate and visualize soluble mHTT, monomers, oligomers, fragments, and an insoluble high molecular weight (HMW) accumulated mHTT species. HMW mHTT tracks with disease progression, corresponds with mouse behavior readouts, and has been beneficially modulated by certain therapeutic interventions1. This approach can be used with mouse brain, peripheral tissues, and cell culture but may be adapted to other model systems or disease contexts.

A method is described for fractionation of insoluble and soluble mutant huntingtin species from mouse brain and cell culture. The method described is useful for characterization and quantification of huntingtin protein flux and aids in analyzing protein homeostasis in disease pathogenesis and in the presence of perturbations

The accumulation of misfolded proteins is central to pathology in Huntington's disease (HD) and many other neurodegenerative disorders. Specifically, a ...

Purification and Reconstitution of TRPV1 for Spectroscopic Analysis

Polymodal ion channels transduce multiple stimuli of different natures into allosteric changes; these dynamic conformations are challenging to determine and remain largely unknown. With recent advances in single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) shedding light on the structural features of agonist binding sites and the activation mechanism of several ion channels, the stage is set for an in-depth dynamic analysis of their gating mechanisms using spectroscopic approaches. Spectroscopic techniques such as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and double electron-electron resonance (DEER) have been mainly restricted to the study of prokaryotic ion channels that can be purified in large quantities. The requirement for large amounts of functional and stable membrane proteins has hampered the study of mammalian ion channels using these approaches. EPR and DEER offer many advantages, including determination of the structure and dynamic changes of mobile protein regions, albeit at low resolution, that might be difficult to obtain by X-ray crystallography or cryo-EM, and monitoring reversible gating transition (i.e., closed, open, sensitized, and desensitized). Here, we provide protocols for obtaining milligrams of functional detergent-solubilized transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) that can be labeled for EPR and DEER spectroscopy.

This article describes specific methods to obtain biochemical quantities of detergent-solubilized TRPV1 for spectroscopic analysis. The combined protocols provide biochemical and biophysical tools that can be adapted to facilitate structural and functional studies for mammalian ion channels in a membrane-controlled environment.

Polymodal ion channels transduce multiple stimuli of different natures into allosteric changes; these dynamic conformations are challenging to determine ...

Defining Hsp33's Redox-regulated Chaperone Activity and Mapping Conformational Changes on Hsp33 Using Hydrogen-deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry

Living organisms regularly need to cope with fluctuating environments during their life cycle, including changes in temperature, pH, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and more. These fluctuations can lead to a widespread protein unfolding, aggregation, and cell death. Therefore, cells have evolved a dynamic and stress-specific network of molecular chaperones, which maintain a "healthy" proteome during stress conditions. ATP-independent chaperones constitute one major class of molecular chaperones, which serve as first-line defense molecules, protecting against protein aggregation in a stress-dependent manner. One feature these chaperones have in common is their ability to utilize structural plasticity for their stress-specific activation, recognition, and release of the misfolded client. 
In this paper, we focus on the functional and structural analysis of one such intrinsically disordered chaperone, the bacterial redox-regulated Hsp33, which protects proteins against aggregation during oxidative stress. Here, we present a toolbox of diverse techniques for studying redox-regulated chaperone activity, as well as for mapping conformational changes of the chaperone, underlying its activity. Specifically, we describe a workflow which includes the preparation of fully reduced and fully oxidized proteins, followed by an analysis of the chaperone anti-aggregation activity in vitro using light-scattering, focusing on the degree of the anti-aggregation activity and its kinetics. To overcome frequent outliers accumulated during aggregation assays, we describe the usage of Kfits, a novel graphical tool which allows easy processing of kinetic measurements. This tool can be easily applied to other types of kinetic measurements for removing outliers and fitting kinetic parameters. To correlate the function with the protein structure, we describe the setup and workflow of a structural mass spectrometry technique, hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, that allows the mapping of conformational changes on the chaperone and substrate during different stages of Hsp33 activity. The same methodology can be applied to other protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions.

One of the most challenging stress conditions that organisms encounter during their lifetime involves the accumulation of oxidants. During oxidative stress, cells heavily rely on molecular chaperones. Here, we present methods used to investigate the redox-regulated anti-aggregation activity, as well as to monitor structural changes governing the chaperone function using HDX-MS.

Living organisms regularly need to cope with fluctuating environments during their life cycle, including changes in temperature, pH, the accumulation of ...

Sampling and Pretreatment of Tooth Enamel Carbonate for Stable Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Analysis

Stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of human and animal tooth enamel carbonate has been applied in paleodietary, paleoecological, and paleoenvironmental research from recent historical periods back to over 10 million years ago. Bulk approaches provide a representative sample for the period of enamel mineralization, while sequential samples within a tooth can track dietary and environmental changes during this period. While these methodologies have been widely applied and described in archaeology, ecology, and paleontology, there have been no explicit guidelines to aid in the selection of necessary lab equipment and to thoroughly describe detailed laboratory sampling and protocols. In this article, we document textually and visually, the entire process from sampling through pretreatment and diagenetic screening to make the methodology more widely available to researchers considering its application in a variety of laboratory settings.

Stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of human and animal tooth enamel carbonate has been used as a proxy for individual diet and environmental reconstruction. Here, we provide a detailed description and visual documentation of bulk and sequential tooth enamel sampling as well as pretreatment of archaeological and paleontological samples.

Stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of human and animal tooth enamel carbonate has been applied in paleodietary, paleoecological, and ...

Detection of Phospholipase C Activity in the Brain Homogenate from the Honeybee

The honeybee is a model organism for evaluating complex behaviors and higher brain function, such as learning, memory, and division of labor. The mushroom body (MB) is a higher brain center proposed to be the neural substrate of complex honeybee behaviors. Although previous studies identified genes and proteins that are differentially expressed in the MBs and other brain regions, the activities of the proteins in each region are not yet fully understood. To reveal the functions of these proteins in the brain, pharmacologic analysis is a feasible approach, but it is first necessary to confirm that pharmacologic manipulations indeed alter the protein activity in these brain regions.
We previously identified a higher expression of genes encoding phospholipase C (PLC) in the MBs than in other brain regions, and pharmacologically assessed the involvement of PLC in honeybee behavior. In that study, we biochemically tested two pharmacologic agents and confirmed that they decreased PLC activity in the MBs and other brain regions. Here, we present a detailed description of how to detect PLC activity in honeybee brain homogenate. In this assay system, homogenates derived from different brain regions are reacted with a synthetic fluorogenic substrate, and fluorescence resulting from PLC activity is quantified and compared between brain regions. We also describe our evaluation of the inhibitory effects of certain drugs on PLC activity using the same system. Although this system is likely affected by other endogenous fluorescence compounds and/or the absorbance of the assay components and tissues, the measurement of PLC activity using this system is safer and easier than that using the traditional assay, which requires radiolabeled substrates. The simple procedure and manipulations allow us to examine PLC activity in the brains and other tissues of honeybees involved in different social tasks.

To test the inhibitory effects of pharmacologic agents on phospholipase C (PLC) in different regions of the honeybee brain, we present a biochemical assay to measure PLC activity in those regions. This assay could be useful for comparing PLC activity among tissues, as well as among bees exhibiting different behaviors.

The honeybee is a model organism for evaluating complex behaviors and higher brain function, such as learning, memory, and division of labor. The mushroom ...

Measuring and Interpreting Oxygen Consumption Rates in Whole Fly Head Segments

Regulated metabolic activity is essential for the normal functioning of living cells. Indeed, altered metabolic activity is causally linked with the progression of cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration, and aging to name a few. For instance, changes in mitochondrial activity, the cell&#39;s metabolic powerhouse, have been characterized in many such diseases. Generally, the oxygen consumption rates of mitochondria were considered a reliable readout of mitochondrial activity and measurements in some of these studies were based on isolated mitochondria or cells. However, such conditions may not represent the complexity of a whole tissue. Recently, we have developed a novel method that enables the dynamic measurement of oxygen consumption rates from whole isolated fly heads. By utilizing this method, we have recorded lower oxygen consumption rates of the whole head segment in young versus aged flies. Secondly, we have discovered that lysine deacetylase inhibitors rapidly alter the oxygen consumption in the whole head. Our novel technique may therefore aid in uncovering new properties of various drugs, which may impact metabolic rates. Furthermore, our method may give a better understanding of metabolic behavior in an experimental setup that more closely resembles physiological states.

Measuring alterations in metabolic rates is central to understanding the progression of various diseases and aging. Here, we present a novel technique to measure whole head oxygen consumption that more closely resembles the physiological state and may aid in revealing novel drugs that modify mitochondrial activity.

Regulated metabolic activity is essential for the normal functioning of living cells. Indeed, altered metabolic activity is causally linked with the ...

Fully Processed Recombinant KRAS4b: Isolating and Characterizing the Farnesylated and Methylated Protein

Protein prenylation is a key modification that is responsible for targeting proteins to intracellular membranes. KRAS4b, which is mutated in 22% of human cancers, is processed by farnesylation and carboxymethylation due to the presence of a &#39;CAAX&#39; box motif at the C-terminus. An engineered baculovirus system was used to express farnesylated and carboxymethylated KRAS4b in insect cells and has been described previously. Here, we describe the detailed, practical purification and biochemical characterization of the protein. Specifically, affinity and ion exchange chromatography were used to purify the protein to homogeneity. Intact and native mass spectrometry was used to validate the correct modification of KRAS4b and to verify nucleotide binding. Finally, membrane association of farnesylated and carboxymethylated KRAS4b to liposomes was measured using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy.

Prenylation is an important modification on peripheral membrane binding proteins. Insect cells can be manipulated to produce farnesylated and carboxymethylated KRAS4b in quantities that enable biophysical measurements of protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions

Protein prenylation is a key modification that is responsible for targeting proteins to intracellular membranes. KRAS4b, which is mutated in 22% of human ...

Extraction and Purification of FAHD1 Protein from Swine Kidney and Mouse Liver

Fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase domain-containing protein 1 (FAHD1) is the first identified member of the FAH superfamily in eukaryotes, acting as oxaloacetate decarboxylase in mitochondria. This article presents a series of methods for the extraction and purification of FAHD1 from swine kidney and mouse liver. Covered methods are ionic exchange chromatography with fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), preparative and analytical gel filtration with FPLC, and proteomic approaches. After total protein extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation and ionic exchange chromatography were explored, and FAHD1 was extracted via a sequential strategy using ionic exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. This representative approach may be adapted to other proteins of interest (expressed at significant levels) and modified for other tissues. Purified protein from tissue may support the development of high-quality antibodies, and/or potent and specific pharmacological inhibitors.

This protocol describes how to extract fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase domain-containing protein 1 (FAHD1) from swine kidney and mouse liver. The listed methods may be adapted to other proteins of interest and modified for other tissues.