Laccases (EC 1.10.3.2) are multi-copper oxidases that catalyse the one-electron oxidation of a broad range of compounds including substituted phenols, arylamines and aromatic thiols to the corresponding radicals. Owing to their broad substrate range, copper-containing laccases are versatile biocatalysts, capable of oxidizing numerous natural and non-natural industry-relevant compounds, with water as the sole by-product. In the present study, 10 of the 11 multi-copper oxidases, hitherto considered to be laccases, from fungi, plant and bacterial origin were compared. A substrate screen of 91 natural and non-natural compounds was recorded and revealed a fairly broad but distinctive substrate spectrum amongst the enzymes. Even though the enzymes share conserved active site residues we found that the substrate ranges of the individual enzymes varied considerably. The EC classification is based on the type of chemical reaction performed and the actual name of the enzyme often refers to the physiological substrate. However, for the enzymes studied in this work such classification is not feasible, even more so as their prime substrates or natural functions are mainly unknown. The classification of multi-copper oxidases assigned as laccases remains a challenge. For the sake of simplicity we propose to introduce the term “laccase-like multi-copper oxidase” (LMCO) in addition to the term laccase that we use exclusively for the enzyme originally identified from the sap of the lacquer tree Rhus vernicifera.
We have cloned hTid-1, a human homolog of the Drosophila tumor suppressor protein Tid56, by virtue of its ability to form complexes with the human papillomavirus E7 oncoprotein. The carboxyl terminal cysteine-rich metal binding domain of E7 is the major determinant for interaction with hTid-1. The carboxyl terminus of E7 is essential for the functional and structural integrity of E7 and has previously been shown to function as a multimerization domain. The hTid-1 protein is a member of the DnaJ-family of chaperones. Its mRNA is widely expressed in human tissues, including the HPV-18-positive cervical carcinoma cell line HeLa and human genital keratinocytes, the normal host cells of the HPVs. The hTid-1 gene has been mapped to the short arm of chromosome 16. The large tumor antigens of polyomaviruses encode functional J-domains that are important for viral replication as well as cellular transformation. The ability of HPV E7 to interact with a cellular DnaJ protein suggests that these two viral oncoproteins may target common regulatory pathways through J-domains.
Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius Squalene Hopene Cyclase was evolved to a biocatalyst suitable for (À)-Ambrox production at industrial scale. One round of random mutagenesis led to the identification of three variants with (E,E)-homofarnesol conversion properties improved about 1.5-to 10-fold over that of the wild type enzyme. Eight distinct amino acid mutations were identified overall; only one mutation was at the active site of the enzyme. Each of the three variants contained only two or three mutations over the 631 amino acids of the Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius Squalene Hopene Cyclase polypeptide chain. Mutations responsible for improved (E,E)-homofarnesol conversion were identified. Investigations on reaction conditions led to the selection of one variant, with which reaction parameters were optimized towards process-relevant conditions. A whole cell biotransformation process is presented in which Escherichia coli cells producing an improved Squalene Hopene Cyclase variant allows the conversion of 125 g/L (E,E)homofarnesol in 72 hours. The developed process for the production of the fragrance ingredient (À)-Ambrox as Ambrofix expands the biocatalysis toolbox by setting out a general basis for biocatalytic Squalene Hopene Cyclase cyclization reactions at industrial scale.
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