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J M Guisán

Publications and source records attributed to J M Guisán.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Solid phase proteomics: dramatic reinforcement of very weak protein-protein interactions.

Very weak protein-protein interactions may play a critical role in cell physiology but they are not easily detectable in "in vitro" experiments. To detect these weak interactions, we have developed a strategy that included: (a) design of a rapid and very effective crosslinking of protein-protein complexes with poly-functional reagents; (b) selective adsorption of very large proteins on lowly activated ionic exchangers, based on the need of a multipoint physical adsorption to incorporate the proteins into the matrix; (c) purification by selective adsorption of protein-protein complexes formed by strong protein-protein interactions, via selective adsorption of the complexes on lowly activated ionic exchangers via multi-protein physical adsorption and leaving the non-associated proteins in the solution; (d) reinforcement of very weak protein-protein interactions by selective adsorption of the complex on lowly activated ionic exchange supports via a synergetic cooperation of the weak protein-protein interaction plus the interactions of both proteins with the support enabling the almost full shifting of the equilibrium towards the association position; (e) control of the aggregation state of proteins like BSA, formed by weak protein-protein interactions. In this last case, it seems that the interaction of the protein molecules placed on the borders of the aggregate with the groups on the support partially stabilizes the whole aggregate, although, some molecules of the aggregate cannot interact with the support. The size of the aggregates may be defined by controlling the concentration of ionised groups on the support: the less activated the supports are, the bigger the complexes. In this way, solid-phase proteomics could be a very interesting tool to detect weak protein-protein interactions.

Adsorption↗

Detection of polyclonal antibody against any area of the protein-antigen using immobilized protein-antigens: the critical role of the immobilization protocol.

Antigens immobilized on solid supports may be used to detect or purify their corresponding antibodies (Ab) from serum. Direct immobilization of antigens on support surfaces (through short spacer arms) may promote interesting stabilizing effects on the immobilized antigen. However, the proximity of the support may prevent the interaction of some fractions of polyclonal Ab with some regions of the antigen (those placed in close contact with the support surface). Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was immobilized on agarose by different protocols of multipoint covalent immobilization involving different regions of the antigen surface. Glyoxyl-agarose, BrCN-agarose, and glutaraldehyde-agarose were used as activated supports. Each HRP-immobilized preparation was much more stable than the soluble enzyme, but it was only able to adsorb up to 60-70% of a mixture of polyclonal anti-HRP antibodies. On the other hand, HRP was also immobilized on agarose through a very long, flexible, and hydrophilic spacer arm (dextran). This immobilized HRP was hardly stabilized, but it was able to adsorb 100% of the polyclonal anti-HRP. The absence of steric hindrances seems to play a critical role favoring the complete recognition of all classes of polyclonal Ab. Another solution to achieve a complete adsorption of polyclonal Ab on immobilized-stabilized antigens has been also reached by using a mixture of the differently immobilized and stabilized HRP-agarose preparations. In this case, an improved storage and operational stabilities of the immobilized antigens can be combined with the complete adsorption of any class of antibody.

Adsorption↗

Preparation of inert magnetic nano-particles for the directed immobilization of antibodies.

Various activated supports (cyanogen bromide, glutaraldehyde, epoxy-chelates, primary amino) were evaluated for the immobilization of IgG anti-horseradish peroxidase. Cyanogen bromide and glutaraldehyde supports greatly reduced the recognition capacity of the antigen, probably due to the incorrect orientation of the antibody on the support. Hetero-functional epoxy-chelate and immobilization by the sugar chain on primary amino groups had little effect on high recognition of the antigen (near to the theoretically expected value). However, the immobilization by the sugar chain resulted in a higher adsorption rate of horseradish peroxidase, possibly due to a favourable orientation on a flexible spacer arm). Antibodies immobilized on aminated surfaces showed two major drawbacks. Firstly, the biological activity of the immobilized antibody sharply decreased over several days when stored at low ionic strength, although this effect could be partially reversed by incubation at high ionic strength. Secondly, a high level of non-specific proteins adsorption on the support surface was observed. Both problems could be successfully resolved by controlling the coating of the support with aldehyde-aspartic-dextran. We propose that the loss of biological activity was related to the ionic adsorption of the immobilized antibody on the support surface, leading to a blocking of the recognition areas. This optimized protocol was applied to the immobilization of IgG anti-horseradish peroxidase from rabbit on magnetic nano-particles. A 10 microg preparation of nano-particles was able to capture more than 75% of the 0.1 microgram of recombinant horseradish peroxidase present in 10 L of crude protein extract (1g/L) from Escherichia coli.

Antibodies↗

Modulation of penicillin acylase properties via immobilization techniques: one-pot chemoenzymatic synthesis of Cephamandole from Cephalosporin C.

The modulation of penicillin G acylase (PGA) properties via immobilization techniques has been performed studying the acylation of 7-aminocephalosporanic acid with R-mandelic acid methyl ester. PGA from Escherichia coli, immobilized onto agarose activated with glycidol (glyoxyl-agarose), has been used for the design of a novel one-pot synthesis of Cephamandole in aqueous medium and without isolation of intermediates, through three consecutive biotransformations catalyzed by D-amino acid oxidase, glutaryl acylase and PGA.

Biochemistry↗

Essential role of the concentration of immobilized ligands in affinity chromatography: purification of guanidinobenzoatase on an ionized ligand.

Guanidinobenzoatase, a plasma protein with possible application as a 'tumor marker', has been fully purified by one-step affinity chromatography. The affinity matrix was prepared by 'controlled' immobilization of an enzyme inhibitor (agmatine) onto commercial agarose gels containing carboxyl moieties activated as N-hydroxysuccinimide esters. In this way, agmatine becomes immobilized through an amido bond and preserves an ionized guanidino moiety. Different matrices with different concentration of ligands were prepared in order to evaluate their properties as affinity supports. Interestingly, matrices with a very low concentration of immobilized ligands (2 microlmol/ml, corresponding to the modification of only 5% of active groups in the commercial resins) exhibited a low capacity for unspecific adsorption of proteins (as anion-exchange resins) and displayed also a high capacity for specific adsorption of our target protein. On the other hand, when affinity matrices possessed a moderate concentration of agmatine (10 micromol/ml of gel or higher), two undesirable phenomena were observed: (a) the matrix behaves as a very good anionic exchange support able to non-specifically adsorb most of plasma proteins and (b) the specific adsorption of our target protein becomes much lower. The latter phenomenon could be due to steric hindrances promoted by the interaction between each individual immobilized ligand and the corresponding binding pocket in the target protein. These hindrances could also be promoted by the presence of a fairly dense layer of immobilized ligands covering the support surface, thus preventing interactions between immobilized ligands and partially buried protein-binding pockets. In this way, a successful affinity purification (23.5% yield, x220 purification factor, a unique electrophoretic band) could be achieved by combination of three approaches: (i) the use of affinity matrices possessing a very low density of immobilized ligands, (ii) performing affinity adsorption at high ionic strength and (iii) performing specific desorption with substrates or substrate analogues.

Adsorption↗

Multifunctional epoxy supports: a new tool to improve the covalent immobilization of proteins. The promotion of physical adsorptions of proteins on the supports before their covalent linkage.

Multifunctional supports containing epoxy groups are here proposed as a second generation of activated supports for covalent immobilization of enzymes following the epoxy chemistry on any type of support (hydrophobic or hydrophilic ones) under very mild experimental conditions (e.g., low ionic strength, neutral pH values, and low temperatures). These multifunctional supports have been easily prepared by modifying a small fraction (10-20%) of the epoxy groups contained in commercial epoxy supports. In this way, additional groups that were able to physically adsorb proteins (e.g., cationic or anionic groups, metal chelate, phenyl boronate) are generated on the support surface. The covalent immobilization of proteins on these supports proceeds via their initial physical adsorption on the supports (via different structural features). Then, "intramolecular" covalent linkages between some nucleophilic groups of the adsorbed enzyme (e.g., amino, thiol, or hydroxy groups) and the dense layer of nearby epoxy groups on the support are established. This two-step covalent immobilization dramatically improves the very low reactivity of epoxy groups toward nonadsorbed proteins. In this way, all other relevant practical advantages of epoxy groups for protein immobilization (their high stability and their ability to form very strong linkages with several nucleophilic enzyme residues with minimal chemical modification) can be an object of universal exploitation. The use of these new multifunctional supports exhibits important advantages regarding immobilization of enzymes previously adsorbed on hydrophobic homofunctional epoxy supports: (i) hydrophilic supports can also be used for immobilization of industrial enzymes; (ii) immobilization can also be carried out at low ionic strength; (iii) every protein contained in crude extracts from Escherichia coli and Acetobacter turbidans can be immobilized by sequentially using a set of different supports; (iv) in most cases, each enzyme has been immobilized on different supports, orientated through different structural features and very likely involving different areas of its surface. For example, three industrial enzymes (penicillin G acylase, lipase, and beta-galactosidase) could be immobilized through different strategies yielding immobilized derivatives with very different activities. The best derivatives preserved 75-100% of activity corresponding to the soluble enzymes used for immobilization, while in some cases a particular immobilization protocol promoted the full inactivation of the enzyme.

Acetobacter↗

A kinetic study of synthesis of amoxicillin using penicillin G acylase immobilized on agarose.

We present a kinetic model for the synthesis of amoxicillin from p-hydroxyphenylglycine methyl ester and 6-aminopenicillanic acid, catalyzed by penicillin G acylase immobilized on agarose, at 25 degrees C. Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters (with and without inhibition) were obtained from initial velocity data (pH 7.5 and 6.5). Amoxicillin synthesis reactions were used to validate the kinetic model after checking mass transport effects. A reasonable representation of this system was achieved under some operational conditions, but the model failed under others. Nevertheless, it will be useful whenever a simplified model is required, e.g., in model-based control algorithms for the enzymatic reactor.

Amoxicillin↗

Selective adsorption of poly-His tagged glutaryl acylase on tailor-made metal chelate supports.

A poly-His tag was fused in the glutaryl acylase (GA) from Acinetobacter sp. strain YS114 cloned in E. coli yielding a fully active enzyme. Biochemical analyses showed that the tag did not alter the maturation of the chimeric GA (poly-His GA) that undergoes a complex post-translational processing from an inactive monomeric precursor to the active heterodimeric enzyme. This enzyme has been used as a model to develop a novel and very simple procedure for one-step purification of poly-His proteins via immobilized metal-ion affinity chromatography on tailor-made supports. It was intended to improve the selectivity of adsorption of the target protein on tailor-made chelate supports instead of performing a selective desorption. The rate and extent of the adsorption of proteins from a crude extract from E. coli and of pure poly-His tagged GA on different metal chelate supports was studied. Up to 90% of proteins from E. coli were adsorbed on commercial chelate supports having a high density of ligands attached to the support through long spacer arms, while this adsorption becomes almost negligible when using low ligand densities, short spacer arms and Zn2+ or Co2+ as cations. On the contrary, poly-His GA adsorbs strongly enough on all supports. A strong affinity interaction between the poly-His tail and a single chelate moiety seems to be the responsible for the adsorption of poly-His GA. By contrast, multipoint weak interactions involving a number of chelate moieties seem to be mainly responsible for adsorption of natural proteins. By using tailor-made affinity supports, a very simple procedure for one-step purification of GA with minimal adsorption of host proteins could be performed. Up to 20 mg of GA were adsorbed on each ml of chelate support while most of accompanying proteins were hardly adsorbed on such supports. Following few washing steps, the target enzyme was finally recovered (80% yield) by elution with 50 mM imidazole with a very high increment of specific activity (up to a 120 purification factor).

Acinetobacter↗

Regioselective hydrolysis of peracetylated alpha-D-glycopyranose catalyzed by immobilized lipases in aqueous medium. A facile preparation of useful intermediates for oligosaccharide synthesis.

Penta-O-acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyranose was selectively deacetylated in aqueous media by lipases from Candida cilindracea (CCL) adsorbed on octyl-agarose support. Enzymatic hydrolyses was regioselective at the 4-position under neutral pH and towards the 6 position under acidic conditions. This enzymatic approach allows the one step synthesis of 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoses 1, a useful intermediate in oligosaccharide synthesis.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗

Use of dextrans as long and hydrophilic spacer arms to improve the performance of immobilized proteins acting on macromolecules.

New dextran-agarose supports, suitable for covalent immobilization of enzymes and proteins acting on macromolecular substrates, were prepared. The thick internal fibers of agarose gels were covered by a low-density layer of long, flexible, hydrophilic, and inert dextran molecules. Rennin and protein A were immobilized on these novel supports and the resulting derivatives exhibited a very high capacity for biological recognition of soluble macromolecular substrates. Caseinolytic activity of this immobilized enzyme was 15-fold higher than activity of directly immobilized rennin, through short spacer arms, on agarose gels. Similarly, the new derivatives of immobilized protein A were able to adsorb up to 2 molecules of immunoglobulin per each molecule of immobilized protein A. When the immobilized proteins were secluded away from the support surface by using these new long and hydrophilic spacer arms, they exhibit minimal steric hindrances that could be promoted by the proximity of the support surface.

Adsorption↗

Immobilization of lipases by selective adsorption on hydrophobic supports.

The preparation of immobilized derivatives of lipases that may be useful to develop industrial processes of organic synthesis is an exciting field of research in which three main features have to be simultaneously considered: (a) immobilized derivatives have to be compatible with very different reaction requirements (e.g. continuous adjustment of pH with concentrated alkali, use of aqueous media or organic solvents, etc.); (b) Sometimes, some activity/stability properties of lipases should be improved during immobilization; and (c) because of a complex mechanism of action, lipases are poorly active in the absence of hydrophobic interfaces. In this paper, we will review different approaches for lipase immobilization mainly related to the further use of immobilized derivatives to carry out enantio and regioselective hydrolysis in high water-activity systems. Special emphasis is paid to the selective adsorption of lipases on tailor-made strongly hydrophobic support surfaces. This new immobilization procedure is based on the assumption that the large hydrophobic area that surrounds the active site of lipases is the one mainly involved in their adsorption on strongly hydrophobic solid surfaces. Thus, lipases recognize these surfaces similarly to those of their natural substrates and they suffer interfacial activation during immobilization. This immobilization method permits: (a) promote a dramatic hyper-activation of most of lipases after their immobilization. That is, adsorbed lipases show very enhanced esterase activity in the absence of additional hydrophobic interfaces; (b) promote highly selective adsorption of lipases, at very low ionic strength, from impure protein extracts. That is, we can associate immobilization and purification of lipases; (c) promote interesting improvements of enantioselectivity after immobilization; and (d) promote a strong but reversible immobilization that enables us to recover these expensive supports after inactivation of immobilized lipases.

Adsorption↗

Reactivation strategies by unfolding/refolding of chymotrypsin derivatives after inactivation by organic solvents.

Immobilized enzyme derivatives, in organic media at neutral pH and moderate temperatures, should be mainly and perhaps uniquely inactivated by promotion of conformational changes on their 3D structure. Subsequent irreversible inactivation mechanisms (intermolecular aggregations, chemical modifications, thiol-disulfide exchanges) are thus impossible. However, simple reincubation in aqueous medium of enzymes previously inactivated by solvents usually yields significant but slow and incomplete reactivations. Disruption of incorrect protein structures by denaturing agents (urea, guanidine) is proposed as a new strategy to get rapid, complete and technologically feasible reactivations. By using multipoint immobilized chymotrypsin derivatives, we have evaluated the possibility of unfolding and further refolding of native (non-inactivated) derivatives by different denaturing conditions. After unfolding in 8 M guanidine, derivatives were quickly and completely refolded up to 100% of catalytic activity in 10 minutes. Besides, successive cycles of unfolding and refolding could be exactly reproduced. Finally we checked the possibility to reactivate chymotrypsin derivatives inactivated by dioxane. Simple reincubations in aqueous media yielded a poor reactivation even after 24 hours. However, unfolding in 8 M guanidine enabled complete reactivation in less than 2 hours. From this point of view, by working under 'chemically inert conditions' (moderate pH and temperatures), fully dispersed covalently immobilized enzyme derivatives seem to behave as almost everlasting catalysts despite the very deleterious effect of organic media.

Animals↗

Proteolytic degradation of the RGD-binding and non-RGD-binding conformers of human platelet integrin glycoprotein IIb/IIIa: clues for identification of regions involved in the receptor's activation.

The human integrin glycoprotein (GP)IIb/IIIa plays a central role in haemostasis as an inducible receptor for fibrinogen and other RGD-containing adhesive proteins at the platelet plasma membrane. Expression of the fibrinogen receptor on platelet activation involves conformational changes in the quaternary structure of GPIIb/IIIa. Little is known, however, about the nature of this conformational transition. Given that isolated GPIIb/IIIa contains a mixture of RGD-binding and non-RGD-binding heterodimers, we used limited proteolysis as a tool for investigating the structural differences between the two conformers. Comparison of their fragmentation patterns shows that, whereas in the non-RGD-binding form of GPIIb/IIIa the N-terminal half of the heavy chain of GPIIb (GPIIbH) and the central region of GPIIIa are cleaved by endoproteinase Arg-C, these domains associate tightly with one another in the RGD-binding GPIIb/IIIa and are thus protected from proteolysis. In addition, the C-terminal half of GPIIb becomes more susceptible to degradation in the non-RGD-binding GPIIb/IIIa conformer. Our interpretation, in the context of available structural and functional data, is that a major relative reorientation of the GPIIbH and GPIIIa extracellular domains takes place along the subunit interface during the conformational transition of the platelet integrin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Industrial design of enzymic processes catalysed by very active immobilized derivatives: utilization of diffusional limitations (gradients of pH) as a profitable tool in enzyme engineering.

We have developed integrated studies of enzyme reaction engineering for the hydrolysis of penicillin G catalysed by very active penicillin G acylase (PGA) derivatives. We have studied the distinct effect of a key variable (pH) on different industrial parameters (e.g. activity/stability parameters). In this way we have demonstrated, in contrast with that proposed by other authors, that the generation of gradients of pH inside the porous structure of very active enzyme derivatives may be not a problem but a 'very profitable tool' to improve the whole set of industrial parameters. In this way we can establish two distinct 'optimal pH values': (i) the one inside the particle of the biocatalyst and (ii) the one in the bulk solution. The use of an external pH of 8.0 associated with the promotion of a controlled decrease in internal pH (e.g. around a mean value of 5.5) was very useful to simultaneously obtain interesting values of all industrial parameters: (i) very high hydrolytic yields (higher than 97%); (ii) a very important increase on the stability of PGA derivatives (higher than a 50-fold factor); and (iii) a very small decrease in operational activity (approximately 15%) as compared with the one of soluble enzyme at pH 8.0 with no diffusional hindrances.

Biotechnology↗

Preparation of activated supports containing low pK amino groups. A new tool for protein immobilization via the carboxyl coupling method.

A method for the preparation of new aminated agarose gels containing monoaminoethyl-N-aminoethyl structures, MANA-agarose gels, has been developed. These gels contain primary amino groups with a very low pK value (6.8). In addition to that, we have been able to prepare very highly activated gels (e.g., 10% agarose gels containing up to 200 mu Eq of primary amines per milliliter). These two properties make these activated supports suitable for performing novel and interesting methods for protein immobilizations via very mild carbodiimide activation of carboxy groups. For example, very effective coupling reactions can be performed at pH 5.0-6.0 in the presence of low concentrations of activating agent, e.g., 1 mM. By using a model industrial enzyme, beta-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae, we have been able to demonstrate the excellent prospects of these novel activated supports.

Enzymes, Immobilized↗

Effect of thermodynamic water activity on amino-acid ester synthesis catalyzed by agarose-chymotrypsin in 3-pentanone.

Chymotrypsin linked to agarose beads by multi-point covalent attachment catalyzes synthesis of Ac-Trp-OEt in 3-pentanone even when the thermodynamic water activity (aw) of the system is reduced to as low as 0.4. If fully hydrated catalyst is added to the reaction mixture before removal of water, product is formed linearly once aw has stabilized. The initial rate is reduced from that if aw is kept close to 1 (0.47 mmol s-1 (kg enzyme)-1), to 50% (aw 0.9), 25% (aw 0.4) and < 1% (aw 0.25). The large drop between aw of 1 and 0.9 probably reflects the effects of water removal on the agarose gel structure. Catalyst partly dried (even only to aw 0.86) before adding to the organic phase is inactive. At reduced aw, the equilibrium (when reached) is shifted in favor of the ester, as expected.

Amino Acids↗

Additional stabilization of penicillin G acylase-agarose derivatives by controlled chemical modification with formaldehyde.

We have tested the effect of chemical modifications with formaldehyde on the activity/stability of immobilized derivatives of the enzyme penicillin G acylase (PGA). These derivatives were previously stabilized through enzyme-support multipoint covalent attachment. We carried out very different chemical treatments of our derivatives by testing the effect of different variables which control the intensity and the nature of these amine-formaldehyde reactions. The variables tested were: formaldehyde concentration, pH, time, and temperature. We also developed a colorimetric titration of the free amine groups on immobilized PGA in order to evaluate the extension of the reaction between formaldehyde and the amine groups of the enzyme. As a consequence of these studies, we have been able to get additional stabilizations of our previously stabilized-immobilized derivatives: e.g. a factor of 24-fold was achieved in terms of stabilization against irreversible thermal inactivation. The integrated effect of additional chemical modification plus previous multipoint covalent attachment has allowed us to prepare PGA derivatives which are 50,000 more thermostable than native PGA as well as most of the commercial PGA derivatives.

Amines↗