A model for interfacial activation in lipases from the structure of a fungal lipase-inhibitor complex

Lipases are hydrolytic enzymes which break down triacylglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerols. They have been classified as serine hydrolases owing to their inhibition by diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate. Lipase activity is greatly increased at the lipid-water interface, a phenomenon known as interfacial activation. X-ray analysis has revealed the atomic structures of two triacylglycerol lipases, unrelated in sequence: the human pancreatic lipase (hPL)4, and an enzyme isolated from the fungus Rhizomucor (formerly Mucor) miehei (RmL). In both enzymes the active centres contain structurally analogous Asp-His-Ser triads (characteristic of serine proteinases), which are buried completely beneath a short helical segment, or 'lid'. Here we present the crystal structure (at 3 A resolution) of a complex of R. miehei lipase with n-hexylphosphonate ethyl ester in which the enzyme's active site is exposed by the movement of the helical lid. This movement also increases the nonpolarity of the surface surrounding the catalytic site. We propose that the structure of the enzyme in this complex is equivalent to the activated state generated by the oil-water interface.     

Structure of human pancreatic lipase

Pancreatic lipase (triacylglycerol acyl hydrolase) fulfills a key function in dietary fat absorption by hydrolysing triglycerides into diglycerides and subsequently into monoglycerides and free fatty acids. We have determined the three-dimensional structure of the human enzyme, a single-chain glycoprotein of 449 amino acids, by X-ray crystallography and established its primary structure by sequencing complementary DNA clones. Enzymatic activity is lost after chemical modification of Ser 152 in the porcine enzyme, indicating that this residue is essential in catalysis, but other data are more consistent with a function in interfacial recognition. Our structural results are evidence that Ser 152 is the nucleophilic residue essential for catalysis. It is located in the larger N-terminal domain at the C-terminal edge of a doubly wound parallel beta-sheet and is part of an Asp-His-Ser triad, which is chemically analogous to, but structurally different from, that in the serine proteases. This putative hydrolytic site is covered by a surface loop and is therefore inaccessible to solvent. Interfacial activation, a characteristic property of lipolytic enzymes acting on water-insoluble substrates at water-lipid interfaces, probably involves a reorientation of this flap, not only in pancreatic lipases but also in the homologous hepatic and lipoprotein lipases.     

A serine protease triad forms the catalytic centre of a triacylglycerol lipase

True lipases attach triacylglycerols and act at an oil-water interface; they constitute a ubiquitous group of enzymes catalysing a wide variety of reactions, many with industrial potential. But so far the three-dimensional structure has not been reported for any lipase. Here we report the X-ray structure of the Mucor miehei triglyceride lipase and describe the atomic model obtained at 3.1 A resolution and refined to 1.9 A resolution. It reveals a Ser..His..Asp trypsin-like catalytic triad with an active serine buried under a short helical fragment of a long surface loop.     

Ser-His-Glu triad forms the catalytic site of the lipase from Geotrichum candidum

The Ser-His-Asp triad is a well known structural feature of the serine proteases. It has also been directly observed in the catalytic sites of two lipases, whose high-resolution three-dimensional structures have been determined 1,2. Lipases show a wide variety of sizes, substrate and positional specificities, and catalytic rates 3. They achieve maximal catalytic rates at oil-water interfaces. The fungus Geotrichum candidum produces several different forms of lipases, two of which have been purified to homogeneity 4,5. Two lipase genes have been identified, cloned and sequenced 6,7. Both code for proteins of 544 amino acids with a total relative molecular mass of about 60,000 (Mr 60K). The two forms are 86% identical. Their isoelectric points differ slightly, being between 4.3 and 4.6. About 7% of the total Mr is carbohydrate. Until now, only a low resolution structure of GCL has been reported 8, but no high resolution structure has followed. We now report the three-dimensional structure of a lipase from G. candidum (GCL) at 2.2 A resolution. Unlike the other lipases and serine proteases, the catalytic triad of GCL is Ser-His-Glu, with glutamic acid replacing the usual aspartate. Although the sequence similarity with the other two lipases is limited to the region near the active-site serine, there is some similarity in their three-dimensional structures. The GCL is also an alpha/beta protein with a central mixed beta sheet whose topology is similar to that of the N-terminal domain of human pancreatic lipase. As in the other lipases 1,2, the catalytic site is buried under surface loops. Sequence comparisons with proteins from the cholinesterase family suggest that they also contain the Ser-His-Glu triad.     

链霉菌酯酶研究进展

酯酶是一类催化酯键水解和形成的酶类,主要包括脂肪酶和羧酸酯酶.作为生物催化剂,酯酶具有重要的应用价值并被广泛应用于工业领域.链霉菌富含丰富的、生物学特性多样的酯酶.本文对链霉菌酯酶的表达及分泌调节、酶学性质及晶体结构、筛选及发酵生产三个方面进行了综述,以期引起人们对于链霉菌酯酶研究的兴趣.     

Interfacial reaction between the oxidized SiC particles and Al-Mg alloys

The interfacial reactions of oxidized SiC particles reinforced Al-Mg matrix composites were investigated by the field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), TEM and X-ray diffraction. It was found that the nanoscale MgO forms initially due to the interfacial reaction, then whether it reacts with molten Al continuously or not depends on the content of Mg in the matrix and its covering densification at the surface of particles. When there is not enough Mg in the matrix for the formation of dense MgO layer, MgO will transform into MgAl₂O₄ crystal owing to the continuous reaction with SiO₂ and molten Al. When dense MgO layer forms at the surface of the particles due to the affluence of Mg for the initial reaction, it will protect the inner SiC from the attack of molten Al. However, the reaction products of both MgO and MgAl₂O₄ are thermo-stable phases at the surface of the particles under high temperature. The results clarify the interfacial reaction route and they are of great value to the control of the interfacial reactions and their interfacial design of the composites.     

Structure of a serpin-protease complex shows inhibition by deformation

The serpins have evolved to be the predominant family of serine-protease inhibitors in man. Their unique mechanism of inhibition involves a profound change in conformation, although the nature and significance of this change has been controversial. Here we report the crystallographic structure of a typical serpin-protease complex and show the mechanism of inhibition. The conformational change is initiated by reaction of the active serine of the protease with the reactive centre of the serpin. This cleaves the reactive centre, which then moves 71 A to the opposite pole of the serpin, taking the tethered protease with it. The tight linkage of the two molecules and resulting overlap of their structures does not affect the hyperstable serpin, but causes a surprising 37% loss of structure in the protease. This is induced by the plucking of the serine from its active site, together with breakage of interactions formed during zymogen activation. The disruption of the catalytic site prevents the release of the protease from the complex, and the structural disorder allows its proteolytic destruction. It is this ability of the conformational mechanism to crush as well as inhibit proteases that provides the serpins with their selective advantage.     

Application of ring-opening metathesis polymerization in study of polymer molecular weight-mediated catalytic properties of immobilized lipase

Recently, significant efforts have been devoted into the study of the effect of hydrophobic supports on the catalytic properties of immobilized lipases. It seems that immobilization lipases on hydrophobic supports is a simple and efficient method to improve the catalytic activity of lipases. In this study, the hydrophobic poly(N-propyl-norbornene-exo-2,3-dicarboximide)s with well-controlled molecular weight were synthesized by the living ring-opening metathesis polymerization, and the lipases from Pseudomonas sp. were then immobilized on these hydrophobic polymer supports through the physical adsorption. The immobilized lipases exhibited higher activity and enantioselectivity for the transesterification of 2-octanol than those of free lipases. Furthermore, we investigated the polymer molecular weight-mediated catalytic properties of immobilized lipases. It was found that the catalytic activity and E value of the immobilized lipases increased with the increase of the polymer molecular weight. At the polymeric molecular weight of about 40kDa, the highest E value (58 at 54.2% of conversion, enantiomeric excess = 99%) was reached. After the molecular weight of polymers getting higher than 40 kDa, catalytic activity and E value of the immobilized lipase decreased. Supported by the Stake Key Development Program of Basic Research of China (Grant No.2007CB808000) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 50773028, and 20803028).     

脂肪酶基因结构和氨基酸序列的比较

采用PCGENE6 8软件系统对真菌脂肪酶基因和氨基酸序列进行了分析。真核生物中多数结构基因中含有内含子 ,但真菌脂肪酶基因几乎有一大半的是连续的 ;对于有内含子的基因 ,不同脂肪酶基因所含内含子数目各异。所有脂肪酶一级结构中都包含Gly X1 Ser X2 Gly保守序列 ,在真菌脂肪酶中该序列更保守 ;Ser、Asp/Glu和His3个氨基酸残基组成了真菌脂肪酶的活性中心 ;大多数真菌脂肪酶是糖蛋白 ,但也有一些不含糖基的脂肪酶 ,主要取决于脂肪酶一级结构中是否存在糖基化识别序列。     

Snapshots of tRNA sulphuration via an adenylated intermediate

Uridine at the first anticodon position (U34) of glutamate, lysine and glutamine transfer RNAs is universally modified by thiouridylase into 2-thiouridine (s2U34), which is crucial for precise translation by restricting codon-anticodon wobble during protein synthesis on the ribosome. However, it remains unclear how the enzyme incorporates reactive sulphur into the correct position of the uridine base. Here we present the crystal structures of the MnmA thiouridylase-tRNA complex in three discrete forms, which provide snapshots of the sequential chemical reactions during RNA sulphuration. On enzyme activation, an alpha-helix overhanging the active site is restructured into an idiosyncratic beta-hairpin-containing loop, which packs the flipped-out U34 deeply into the catalytic pocket and triggers the activation of the catalytic cysteine residues. The adenylated RNA intermediate is trapped. Thus, the active closed-conformation of the complex ensures accurate sulphur incorporation into the activated uridine carbon by forming a catalytic chamber to prevent solvent from accessing the catalytic site. The structures of the complex with glutamate tRNA further reveal how MnmA specifically recognizes its three different tRNA substrates. These findings provide the structural basis for a general mechanism whereby an enzyme incorporates a reactive atom at a precise position in a biological molecule.     

Molecular structure of an aspartic proteinase zymogen, porcine pepsinogen, at 1.8 A resolution

The only well-understood mechanism of zymogen activation is that of the serine proteinases, in which proteolytic cleavage leads to conformational changes resulting in a functional active site. A different mechanism is now unveiled by the crystal structure of pepsinogen. Salt bridges that stabilize the positioning of the N-terminal proenzyme segment across the active site of pepsin are disrupted at low pH, releasing the amino-terminal segment and thereby exposing the catalytic apparatus and the substrate-binding sites.     

表面活性物质对液液传质的影响Ⅰ．对单液滴传质的影响

选择四种具有不同互溶度的液液体系，研究表面活性剂的加入对单液滴传质系数的影响。结合界面张力的测定结果，探讨互溶度、界面活性与传质系数的关系。结果表明，互溶度与界面活性、传质系数的降低之间存在着对应关系，对于低界面张力、部分互溶的体系，界面张力不是决定表面活性物质对液滴传质系数影响程度的主要因素。     

Stability of expression-linked surface antigen gene in Trypanosoma equiperdum

African trypanosomes evade clearance in immune-competent hosts by periodically replacing their major surface glycoprotein with an antigenically different glycoprotein. Expression of many of these variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) is associated with the duplication and transposition of silent basic copy genes (BCs) into unlinked genomic expression sites. The new expression-linked VSG gene copies (ELCs) are oriented with their 3' ends proximal to chromosome telomeres. Other VSG genes are activated without the production of an ELC. The 3' ends of these VSG genes are near chromosome telomeres both when they are active and when they are inactive. Recently, we have shown that activation of the VSG-1 gene in the BoTaR (Bordeaux trypanozoon antigen repertoire) serodeme of Trypanosoma equiperdum involves the duplication and transposition of a telomeric BC gene into one of at least three unlinked telomeric sites. Here we show that the VSG-1 ELC is inactivated but not eliminated in some antigenic variants derived from a VSG-1 expressor. In addition, a subsequent variant that again expresses VSG-1 has not reactivated the residual VSG-1 ELC (R-ELC), but instead contains a new, active VSG-1 ELC in an unlinked telomeric site. These results show that the simple presence of an ELC in a potential expression site is not sufficient for its expression.     

改性聚对苯撑苯并双噁唑纤维增强聚酰亚胺复合材料的摩擦磨损性能

分别采用稀土溶液（RES）和偶联剂对聚对苯撑苯并双噁唑（PBO）纤维进行表面改性处理,并评价了改性前后PBO与热塑性聚酰亚胺（TPI）复合材料的冲击性能和摩擦磨损性能.结果表明,RES和偶联剂都能够提高PBO纤维与TPI基体之间的界面结合性能,从而提高PBO/TPI复合材料的冲击性能和摩擦磨损性能,而且RES改性处理的方法更有效,在相同的试验条件下,经过RES处理的PBO/TPI复合材料的冲击性能和摩擦磨损性能最优.这是由于经RES改性处理后PBO纤维表面O/C的比率较大,表明RES改性处理PBO纤维表面的含氧活性官能团浓度较高,从而有效提高了纤维与树脂基体之间的结合性能.     

Structural snapshots of the mechanism and inhibition of a guanine nucleotide exchange factor

Small GTP-binding (G) proteins are activated by GDP/GTP nucleotide exchange stimulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Nucleotide dissociation from small G protein-GEF complexes involves transient GDP-bound intermediates whose structures have never been described. In the case of Arf proteins, small G proteins that regulate membrane traffic in eukaryotic cells, such intermediates can be trapped either by the natural inhibitor brefeldin A or by charge reversal at the catalytic glutamate of the Sec7 domain of their GEFs. Here we report the crystal structures of these intermediates that show that membrane recruitment of Arf and nucleotide dissociation are separate reactions stimulated by Sec7. The reactions proceed through sequential rotations of the Arf.GDP core towards the Sec7 catalytic site, and are blocked by interfacial binding of brefeldin A and unproductive stabilization of GDP by charge reversal. The structural characteristics of the reaction and its modes of inhibition reveal unexplored ways in which to inhibit the activation of small G proteins.     

制备条件对LaMnO3催化氧化碳黑活性的影响

通过改变煅烧温度、煅烧时间和前驱体溶液pH值,在不同条件下用溶胶凝胶法制备了LaMnO3钙钛矿型催化剂。使用BET、XRD等实验手段对催化剂进行了表征测试,利用热重分析仪对催化剂催化氧化碳黑的活性开展了程序升温氧化实验研究,并用Coats-Redfern方法进行了反应动力学分析。实验结果表明,煅烧温度对LaMnO3钙钛矿催化剂的形成起到关键作用,973K煅烧的催化剂可以获得最大的反应活性;煅烧时间对钙钛矿的形成也有一定影响,煅烧超过6h的催化剂活性较高;前驱体溶液pH值呈碱性时,可以获得最大的催化剂表面积以及表面活性位密度,从而提高催化剂的整体活性。     

Structure of a bacterial ribonuclease P holoenzyme in complex with tRNA

Ribonuclease (RNase) P is the universal ribozyme responsible for 5'-end tRNA processing. We report the crystal structure of the Thermotoga maritima RNase P holoenzyme in complex with tRNA(Phe). The 154?kDa complex consists of a large catalytic RNA (P RNA), a small protein cofactor and a mature tRNA. The structure shows that RNA-RNA recognition occurs through shape complementarity, specific intermolecular contacts and base-pairing interactions. Soaks with a pre-tRNA 5' leader sequence with and without metal help to identify the 5' substrate path and potential catalytic metal ions. The protein binds on top of a universally conserved structural module in P RNA and interacts with the leader, but not with the mature tRNA. The active site is composed of phosphate backbone moieties, a universally conserved uridine nucleobase, and at least two catalytically important metal ions. The active site structure and conserved RNase P-tRNA contacts suggest a universal mechanism of catalysis by RNase P.     

Cleavage of pre-tRNAs by the splicing endonuclease requires a composite active site

Splicing is required for the removal of introns from a subset of transfer RNAs in all eukaryotic organisms. The first step of splicing, intron recognition and cleavage, is performed by the tRNA-splicing endonuclease, a tetrameric enzyme composed of the protein subunits Sen54, Sen2, Sen34 and Sen15. It has previously been demonstrated that the active sites for cleavage at the 5' and 3' splice sites of precursor tRNA are contained within Sen2 and Sen34, respectively. A recent structure of an archaeal endonuclease complexed with a bulge-helix-bulge RNA has led to the unexpected hypothesis that catalysis requires a critical 'cation-pi sandwich' composed of two arginine residues that serve to position the RNA substrate within the active site. This motif is derived from a cross-subunit interaction between the two catalytic subunits. Here we test the role of this interaction within the eukaryotic endonuclease and show that catalysis at the 5' splice site requires the conserved cation-pi sandwich derived from the Sen34 subunit in addition to the catalytic triad of Sen2. The catalysis of pre-tRNA by the eukaryotic tRNA-splicing endonuclease therefore requires a previously unrecognized composite active site.     

主被动耦合防/除冰技术及能耗控制研究进展

随着航空工业的不断发展,对于飞机表面防/除冰技术提出了更高效、更低能耗、更大面积的需求。从现有主动防/除冰技术和被动防/除冰技术出发,主要具体介绍了电热除冰、压电除冰、超疏水表面和低界面韧性涂层等技术。简要介绍了不同技术的除冰机理,总结了各项技术的研究现状,并对比分析了各类防/除冰技术的优势与不足。虽然各项技术均有良好的防/除冰效果,但仍然受到能耗高、效率低、除冰不彻底等问题的限制。而主被动耦合除冰技术能有效地综合各自的技术优势,同时补足各自的劣势,表现出更加优异的除冰效果,近年来相关研究受到广泛关注,其中重点介绍了超疏水表面耦合电热除冰技术。面对飞机大面积、高效、快速、低能的表面防除冰需求,考虑到压电除冰的低能耗和低界面韧性涂层在大面积积冰条件下的优势,提出低界面韧性涂层耦合压电材料除冰技术具有重要的研究意义。