The world's first wiki where authorship really matters (Nature Genetics, 2008). Due credit and reputation for authors. Imagine a global collaborative knowledge base for original thoughts. Search thousands of articles and collaborate with scientists around the globe.

wikigene or wiki gene protein drug chemical gene disease author authorship tracking collaborative publishing evolutionary knowledge reputation system wiki2.0 global collaboration genes proteins drugs chemicals diseases compound
Hoffmann, R. A wiki for the life sciences where authorship matters. Nature Genetics (2008)
 
 
 
 
 

Tailoring the substrate specificity of the beta-glycosidase from the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.

The substrate specificity of the thermophilic beta-glycosidase (lacS) from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus (SSbetaG), a member of the glycohydrolase family 1, has been analysed at a molecular level using predictions from known protein sequences and structures and through site-directed mutagenesis. Three critical residues were identified and mutated to create catalysts with altered and broadened specificities for use in glycoside synthesis. The wild-type (WT) and mutated sequences were expressed as recombinant fusion proteins in Escherichia coli, with an added His(6)-tag to allow one-step chromatographic purification. Consistent with side-chain orientation towards OH-6, the single Met439-->Cys mutation enhances D-xylosidase specificity 4.7-fold and decreases D-fucosidase activity 2-fold without greatly altering its activity towards other D-glycoside substrates. Glu432-->Cys and Trp433-->Cys mutations directed towards OH-4 and -3, respectively, more dramatically impair glucose (Glc), galactose (Gal), fucose specificity than for other glycosides, resulting in two glycosidases with greatly broadened substrate specificities. These include the first examples of stereospecificity tailoring in glycosidases (e.g. WT-->W433C, k(cat)/K(M) (Gal):k(cat)/K(M) (mannose (Man))=29.4:1-->1.2:1). The robustness and high utility of these broad specificity SSbetaG mutants in parallel synthesis were demonstrated by the formation of libraries of beta-glycosides of Glc, Gal, xylose, Man in one-pot preparations at 50 degrees C in the presence of organic solvents, that could not be performed by SSbetaG-WT.[1]

References

  1. Tailoring the substrate specificity of the beta-glycosidase from the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. Corbett, K., Fordham-Skelton, A.P., Gatehouse, J.A., Davis, B.G. FEBS Lett. (2001) [Pubmed]
 
WikiGenes - Universities