scholarly journals Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GlpD) reporter enzyme assay for Escherichia coli

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine Huber ◽  
Jörg Soppa

Abstract Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GlpD) is a recently introduced reporter enzyme for E. coli [1]. GlpD calalyzes the oxidation of Glycerin-3-phosphate (G3P) to dihydroxyacetone-phosphate (DHAP). The oxidation is coupled to the reduction of the artificial yellow substrate tetrazol-3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromid (MTT) to a blue-violet formazan, which is mediated by the electron carrier phenazin-methanosulfate (PMS). This leads to an increase in absorption at 570 nm, which is measured to quantify the GlpD activity. To avoid background, it is best to use an E. coli strain with a deletion of the chromosomal glpD gene, which is available e.g. at the Keio collection [2]. The glpD gene can be used for transcriptional fusions, e.g. to characterize promoters, and also for translational fusions, e.g. to study translational regulation. The assay was adapted to the microtiter plate format to enable the parallel handling of a large number of samples. The “procedure” (see below) describes an application with the glpD gene in a translational fusion with the gene of interest cloned under the control of the inducible arabinose promoter PBAD.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine Huber ◽  
Jörg Soppa

Abstract The beta-Glucuronidase (GusA) is a long-known reporter enzyme for many different species [1]. The E. coli gusA gene is often used in plant research because plants lack an endogenous gusA gene. In E. coli, the transcript of the gusA gene is more stable than that of the highly used reporter gene beta-galactosidase (lacZ) [2]. The GusA activity can be determined using the artificial substrate p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranosid (pNPG). pNPG is converted to glucoronic acid and para-nitrophenol (pNP), which can be quantified spectrometrically at 405 nm. To avoid background, it is best to use an E. coli strain with a deletion of the chromosomal gusA gene, which is available e.g. at the Keio collection [3]. The gusA gene can be used for transcriptional fusions, e.g. to characterize promoters, and also for translational fusions, e.g. to study translational regulation. The assay was adapted to the microtiter plate format to enable the parallel handling of a large number of samples. The “procedure” (see below) describes an application with the gusA gene in a translational fusion with the gene of interest cloned under the control of the inducible arabinose promoter PBAD.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine Huber ◽  
Jörg Soppa

Abstract The dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is routinely used a reporter enzyme for H. volcanii. The DHFR catalyzes the reduction of dihydrofolate to tetrahydrofolate and the concomitant oxidation of NADPH to NADP+. This leads to a reduction of extinction at 340 nm, which is measured to quantify the DHFR activity. To avoid background, it is best to use an H. volcanii strain with a deletion of the chromosomal dhfr gene, which is available upon request ([email protected]). However, the expression level of the chromosomal dhfr gene is very low, so that it is also possible to use the wildtype strain and subtract the DHFR background level. The assay was adapted to the microtiter plate format to enable the parallel handling of a large number of samples. The “procedure” (see below) describes an application with the dhfr gene in a translational fusion with the gene of interest.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Knorrscheidt ◽  
Pascal Püllmann ◽  
Eugen Schell ◽  
Dominik Homann ◽  
Erik Freier ◽  
...  

Directed evolution requires the screening of enzyme libraries in biological matrices. Available assays are mostly substrate or enzyme specific. Chromatographic techniques like LC and GC overcome this limitation, but require long analysis times. The herein developed multiple injections in a single experimental run (MISER) using GC coupled to MS allows the injection of samples every 33 s resulting in 96-well microtiter plate analysis within 50 min. This technique is implementable in any GC-MS system with autosampling. Since the GC-MS is far less prone to ion suppression than LCMS, no chromatographic separation is required. This allows the utilisation of an internal standards and the detection of main and side-product. To prove the feasibility of the system in enzyme screening, two libraries were assessed: i) YfeX library in an E. coli whole cell system for the carbene-transfer reaction on indole revealing the novel axial ligand tryptophan, ii) a library of 616 chimeras of fungal unspecific peroxygenase (UPO) in S. cerevisiae supernatant for hydroxylation of tetralin resulting in novel constructs. The data quality and representation are automatically assessed by a new R-script.


Genetics ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-12
Author(s):  
Eric Alani ◽  
Nancy Kleckner

ABSTRACT We have made constructs that join the promoter sequences and a portion of the coding region of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae HIS4 and GAL1 genes and the E. coli lacZ gene to the sixth codon of the S. cerevisiae URA3 gene (encodes orotidine-5′-phosphate (OMP) decarboxylase) to form three in frame protein fusions. In each case the fusion protein has OMP decarboxylase activity as assayed by complementation tests and this activity is properly regulated. A convenient cassette consisting of the URA3 segment plus some immediately proximal amino acids of HIS4C is available for making URA3 fusions to other proteins of interest. URA3 fusions offer several advantages over other systems for gene fusion analysis: the URA3 specified protein is small and cytosolic; genetic selections exist to identify mutants with either increased or decreased URA3 function in both yeast (S. cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe) and bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium); and a sensitive OMP decarboxylase enzyme assay is available. Also, OMP decarboxylase activity is present in mammals, Drosophila and plants, so URA3 fusions may eventually be applicable in these other organisms as well.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon J. Moore ◽  
Yonek B. Hleba ◽  
Sarah Bischoff ◽  
David Bell ◽  
Karen M. Polizzi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background  A key focus of synthetic biology is to develop microbial or cell-free based biobased routes to value-added chemicals such as fragrances. Originally, we developed the EcoFlex system, a Golden Gate toolkit, to study genes/pathways flexibly using Escherichia coli heterologous expression. In this current work, we sought to use EcoFlex to optimise a synthetic raspberry ketone biosynthetic pathway. Raspberry ketone is a high-value (~ £20,000 kg−1) fine chemical farmed from raspberry (Rubeus rubrum) fruit. Results  By applying a synthetic biology led design-build-test-learn cycle approach, we refactor the raspberry ketone pathway from a low level of productivity (0.2 mg/L), to achieve a 65-fold (12.9 mg/L) improvement in production. We perform this optimisation at the prototype level (using microtiter plate cultures) with E. coli DH10β, as a routine cloning host. The use of E. coli DH10β facilitates the Golden Gate cloning process for the screening of combinatorial libraries. In addition, we also newly establish a novel colour-based phenotypic screen to identify productive clones quickly from solid/liquid culture. Conclusions  Our findings provide a stable raspberry ketone pathway that relies upon a natural feedstock (L-tyrosine) and uses only constitutive promoters to control gene expression. In conclusion we demonstrate the capability of EcoFlex for fine-tuning a model fine chemical pathway and provide a range of newly characterised promoter tools gene expression in E. coli.


2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (7) ◽  
pp. 3468-3474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gyeong Tae Eom ◽  
Jae Kwang Song ◽  
Jung Hoon Ahn ◽  
Yeon Soo Seo ◽  
Joon Shick Rhee

ABSTRACT The ABC transporter (TliDEF) from Pseudomonas fluorescens SIK W1, which mediated the secretion of a thermostable lipase (TliA) into the extracellular space in Escherichia coli, was engineered using directed evolution (error-prone PCR) to improve its secretion efficiency. TliD mutants with increased secretion efficiency were identified by coexpressing the mutated tliD library with the wild-type tliA lipase in E. coli and by screening the library with a tributyrin-emulsified indicator plate assay and a microtiter plate-based assay. Four selected mutants from one round of error-prone PCR mutagenesis, T6, T8, T24, and T35, showed 3.2-, 2.6-, 2.9-, and 3.0-fold increases in the level of secretion of TliA lipase, respectively, but had almost the same level of expression of TliD in the membrane as the strain with the wild-type TliDEF transporter. These results indicated that the improved secretion of TliA lipase was mediated by the transporter mutations. Each mutant had a single amino acid change in the predicted cytoplasmic regions in the membrane domain of TliD, implying that the corresponding region of TliD was important for the improved and successful secretion of the target protein. We therefore concluded that the efficiency of secretion of a heterologous protein in E. coli can be enhanced by in vitro engineering of the ABC transporter.


2009 ◽  
Vol 55 (12) ◽  
pp. 2171-2179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Chalbot ◽  
Henrik Zetterberg ◽  
Kaj Blennow ◽  
Tormod Fladby ◽  
Inge Grundke-Iqbal ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The phospholipase A2 (PLA2) family comprises multiple isoenzymes that vary in their physicochemical properties, cellular localizations, calcium sensitivities, and substrate specificities. Despite these differences, PLA2s share the ability to catalyze the synthesis of the precursors of the proinflammatory mediators. To investigate the potential of PLA2 as a biomarker in screening neuroinflammatory disorders in both clinical and research settings, we developed a PLA2 assay and determined the predominant types of PLA2 activity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Methods: We used liposomes composed of a fluorescent probe (bis-Bodipy® FL C11-PC [1,2-bis-(4,4- difluoro-5,7-dimethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-3-undecanoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine]) and 1,2-dioleoyl-l-α-phosphatidylcholine as a substrate to measure CSF PLA2 activity in a 96-well microtiter plate format. We established the type of CSF PLA2 activity using type-specific inhibitors of PLA2. Results: Using 5 μL CSF per assay, our PLA2 activity assay was reproducible with CVs <15% in 2 CSF samples and for recombinant secretory Ca2+-dependent PLA2 (sPLA2) in concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 1 μmol/L. This PLA2 assay allowed identification of sPLA2 activity in lumbar CSF from healthy individuals 20–77 years old that did not depend on either sex or age. Additionally, CSF sPLA2 activity was found to be increased (P = 0.0008) in patients with Alzheimer disease. Conclusions: Adult human CSF has sPLA2 activity that can be measured reliably with the assay described. This enzyme activity in the CSF is independent of both sex and age and might serve as a valuable biomarker of neuroinflammation, as we demonstrated in Alzheimer disease.


Biochemistry ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1856-1861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn Schuman Jorns ◽  
Gwendolyn B. Sancar ◽  
Aziz Sancar
Keyword(s):  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cody E. Mingle ◽  
Anthony L. Newsome

AbstractUse of potassium persulfate (K2S208) for oxidation of 7.0 mM ABTS to a stable ABTS radical for antioxidant studies was first reported in 1999. A feature of this popular antioxidant assay has been the requirement of an overnight reaction (6 to 12 h) for the formation of a stable ABTS colored radical. It is now reported that when the concentration of ABTS is lowered to 0.7 mM, complete oxidation to the stable cation radical occurs in 30 min, thus circumventing the necessary overnight step. Using this format, it is now possible to accurately assess antioxidant activity based on the potassium persulfate/ABTS format in less than one hour which includes formation time of a stable ABTS radical. This methodology documented the presence of antioxidant properties of plant extracts used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The degree of antioxidant activity was directly related to the extraction method. Greater antioxidant activity was associated with butanol extraction. When incorporated into a microtiter plate format, it supported rapid assessment of multiple determinations of dilutions of plant extracts in less than one hour which included time required for formation of a stable ABTS radical. The ease, improved time prerequisites, and minimal reagent needs with the microtiter plate format, makes this design attractive. It would prove of particular interest to individuals engaged in both smaller and high-volume throughput antioxidant assays of food and health products, and other biological fluids and tissues.


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