Dataset Information

The in situ observation of the temperature and pressure stability of recombinant Aspergillus aculeatus pectin methylesterase with Fourier transform IR spectroscopy reveals an unusual pressure stability of beta-helices.

ABSTRACT: The stability of recombinant Aspergillus aculeatus PME (pectin methylesterase), an enzyme with high beta-helix content, was studied as a function of pressure and temperature. The conformational stability was monitored using FTIR (Fourier transform IR) spectroscopy whereas the functional enzyme stability was monitored by inactivation studies. Protein unfolding followed by amorphous aggregation, which makes the process irreversible, was observed at temperatures above 50 degrees C. This could be correlated to the irreversible enzyme inactivation observed at that temperature. Hydrostatic pressure greater than 1 GPa was necessary to induce changes in the enzyme's secondary structure. No enzyme inactivation was observed at up to 700 MPa. Pressure increased PME stability towards thermal denaturation. At 200 MPa, temperatures above 60 degrees C were necessary to cause significant PME unfolding and loss of activity. These results may be relevant for an understanding of the extreme stability of amyloid fibrils for which beta-helices have been proposed as a structural element.

SUBMITTER: Dirix C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1316296 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The in situ observation of the temperature and pressure stability of recombinant Aspergillus aculeatus pectin methylesterase with Fourier transform IR spectroscopy reveals an unusual pressure stability of beta-helices.

Dirix Carolien C Duvetter Thomas T Loey Ann Van AV Hendrickx Marc M Heremans Karel K

The Biochemical journal 20051201 Pt 3

The stability of recombinant Aspergillus aculeatus PME (pectin methylesterase), an enzyme with high beta-helix content, was studied as a function of pressure and temperature. The conformational stability was monitored using FTIR (Fourier transform IR) spectroscopy whereas the functional enzyme stability was monitored by inactivation studies. Protein unfolding followed by amorphous aggregation, which makes the process irreversible, was observed at temperatures above 50 degrees C. This could be co ...[more]

PMID: 16050809

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Project description:BACKGROUND: Pectin methylesterases (PMEs) catalyze the demethylesterification of homogalacturonans in the cell wall; their activity is regulated in part by pectin methylesterase inhibitors (PMEIs). PME activity may result in either rigidification or loosening of the cell wall, depending on the mode of demethylesterification. The activity of PMEs in the middle lamella is expected to affect intrusive elongation of phloem fibers, and their adhesion to adjacent cells. Length and extractability of phloem fibers are qualities important for their industrial uses in textiles and composites. As only three flax PMEs had been previously described, we were motivated to characterize the PME and PMEI gene families of flax. RESULTS: We identified 105 putative flax PMEs (LuPMEs) and 95 putative PMEIs (LuPMEIs) within the whole-genome assembly. We found experimental evidence for the transcription of 77/105 LuPMEs and 83/95 LuPMEIs, and surveyed the transcript abundance of these in 12 different tissues and stages of development. Six major monophyletic groups of LuPMEs could be defined based on the inferred relationships of flax genes and their presumed orthologs from other species. We searched the LuPMEs and LuPMEIs for conserved residues previously reported to be important for their tertiary structure and function. In the LuPMEs, the most highly conserved residues were catalytic residues while in the LuPMEIs, cysteines forming disulfude bridges between helices ?2 and ?3 were most highly conserved. In general, the conservation of critical residues was higher in the genes with evidence of transcript expression than in those for which no expression was detected. CONCLUSIONS: The LuPMEs and LuPMEIs comprise large families with complex patterns of transcript expression and a wide range of physical characteristics. We observed that multiple PMEs and PMEIs are expressed in partially overlapping domains, indicative of several genes acting redundantly during most processes. The potential for functional redundancy was highlighted also by the phylogenetic analyses. We were able to identify a subset of PME and PMEIs that appeared particularly relevant to fiber development, which may provide a basis for the improvement of key traits in industrial feedstocks and a better understanding of the physiological roles of PMEs and PMEIs in general.

Dataset Information

The in situ observation of the temperature and pressure stability of recombinant Aspergillus aculeatus pectin methylesterase with Fourier transform IR spectroscopy reveals an unusual pressure stability of beta-helices.

Publications

The in situ observation of the temperature and pressure stability of recombinant Aspergillus aculeatus pectin methylesterase with Fourier transform IR spectroscopy reveals an unusual pressure stability of beta-helices.

Similar Datasets

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