Two ternary sol-gel matrices, an octyltriethoxysilane-based aliphatic matrix and a phenyltriethoxysilane (PTEOS)-based aromatic matrix, were used to immobilize a methanol-stable variant of lipase from Geobacillus stearothermophilus T6 for the synthesis of biodiesel from waste oil. Superior thermal stability of the mutant versus the wildtype in methanol was confirmed by intrinsic protein fluorescence measurements. The influence of skim milk and soluble E. coli lysate proteins as bulking and stabilizing agents in conjunction with sol-gel entrapment were investigated. E. coli lysate proteins were better stabilizing agents of the purified lipase mutant than skim milk, as evidenced by reverse engineering of the aromatic-based system. This was also shown for commercial Candida antarctica lipase B (CaLB) and Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL). Uniform, dense, and nonaggregated particles imaged by scanning electron microscopy and a small particle size of 13 mum pertaining to the system comprising PTEOS and E. coli lysate proteins correlated well with high esterification activity. Combining protein and immobilization engineering resulted in a durable biocatalyst with efficient recycling ability and high biodiesel conversion rates.
Title: Structural insights into methanol-stable variants of lipase T6 from Geobacillus stearothermophilus Dror A, Kanteev M, Kagan I, Gihaz S, Shahar A, Fishman A Ref: Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology, 99:9449, 2015 : PubMed
Enzymatic production of biodiesel by transesterification of triglycerides and alcohol, catalyzed by lipases, offers an environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to the chemically catalyzed process while using low-grade feedstocks. Methanol is utilized frequently as the alcohol in the reaction due to its reactivity and low cost. However, one of the major drawbacks of the enzymatic system is the presence of high methanol concentrations which leads to methanol-induced unfolding and inactivation of the biocatalyst. Therefore, a methanol-stable lipase is of great interest for the biodiesel industry. In this study, protein engineering was applied to substitute charged surface residues with hydrophobic ones to enhance the stability in methanol of a lipase from Geobacillus stearothermophilus T6. We identified a methanol-stable variant, R374W, and combined it with a variant found previously, H86Y/A269T. The triple mutant, H86Y/A269T/R374W, had a half-life value at 70 % methanol of 324 min which reflects an 87-fold enhanced stability compared to the wild type together with elevated thermostability in buffer and in 50 % methanol. This variant also exhibited an improved biodiesel yield from waste chicken oil compared to commercial Lipolase 100L(R) and Novozyme(R) CALB. Crystal structures of the wild type and the methanol-stable variants provided insights regarding structure-stability correlations. The most prominent features were the extensive formation of new hydrogen bonds between surface residues directly or mediated by structural water molecules and the stabilization of Zn and Ca binding sites. Mutation sites were also characterized by lower B-factor values calculated from the X-ray structures indicating improved rigidity.
Title: Protein Engineering by Random Mutagenesis and Structure-Guided Consensus of Geobacillus stearothermophilus Lipase T6 for Enhanced Stability in Methanol Dror A, Shemesh E, Dayan N, Fishman A Ref: Applied Environmental Microbiology, 80:1515, 2014 : PubMed
The abilities of enzymes to catalyze reactions in nonnatural environments of organic solvents have opened new opportunities for enzyme-based industrial processes. However, the main drawback of such processes is that most enzymes have a limited stability in polar organic solvents. In this study, we employed protein engineering methods to generate a lipase for enhanced stability in methanol, which is important for biodiesel production. Two protein engineering approaches, random mutagenesis (error-prone PCR) and structure-guided consensus, were applied in parallel on an unexplored lipase gene from Geobacillus stearothermophilus T6. A high-throughput colorimetric screening assay was used to evaluate lipase activity after an incubation period in high methanol concentrations. Both protein engineering approaches were successful in producing variants with elevated half-life values in 70% methanol. The best variant of the random mutagenesis library, Q185L, exhibited 23-fold-improved stability, yet its methanolysis activity was decreased by one-half compared to the wild type. The best variant from the consensus library, H86Y/A269T, exhibited 66-fold-improved stability in methanol along with elevated thermostability (+4.3 degrees C) and a 2-fold-higher fatty acid methyl ester yield from soybean oil. Based on in silico modeling, we suggest that the Q185L substitution facilitates a closed lid conformation that limits access for both the methanol and substrate excess into the active site. The enhanced stability of H86Y/A269T was a result of formation of new hydrogen bonds. These improved characteristics make this variant a potential biocatalyst for biodiesel production.
