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Publications (3)10.15 Total impact

  • Article: Template-based modeling of a psychrophilic lipase: conformational changes, novel structural features and its application in predicting the enantioselectivity of lipase catalyzed transesterification of secondary alcohols.
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    ABSTRACT: In order to fully explore the structure-function relationship of a Proteus lipase (LipK107) that was screened from the soil in our previous study, we have modeled the three-dimensional (3-D) structures of the enzyme in its active and inactive conformations on the basis of crystal structures of Burkholderia glumae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipases in the present study. Both homology models suggested that LipK107 possessed a catalytic triad (Ser79-Asp232-H254), an oxyanion hole (Leu13 and Gln80) which was used to stabilize the reaction tetrahedral intermediates, and a lid substructure that controlled the access of the substrate to the active site. The existence of the lid was further verified by carrying out the interfacial activation experiment. The conformational change of LipK107 which was caused by lid opening action was predicted by superimposing the two theoretical models for the first time. Finally, both 3-D structures were used to predict the enantioselectivity of LipK107 when the enzyme was used to catalyze the resolution of racemic 1-phenylethanol. Lid-open model of LipK107 identified the R-enantiomer as the preferred enantiomer, while lid-closed mode showed that the S-enantiomer was more favored. However, only the lid-open conformational model could led to predictions that agreed with the following the experimental result of real biocatalysis reaction of 1-phenylethanol.
    Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 12/2010; 1804(12):2183-90. · 4.66 Impact Factor
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    Article: Structure-based substrate screening for an enzyme.
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    ABSTRACT: Nowadays, more and more novel enzymes can be easily found in the whole enzyme pool with the rapid development of genetic operation. However, experimental work for substrate screening of a new enzyme is laborious, time consuming and costly. On the other hand, many computational methods have been widely used in lead screening of drug design. Seeing that the ligand-target protein system in drug design and the substrate-enzyme system in enzyme applications share the similar molecular recognition mechanism, we aim to fulfill the goal of substrate screening by in silico means in the present study. A computer-aided substrate screening (CASS) system which was based on the enzyme structure was designed and employed successfully to help screen substrates of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB). In this system, restricted molecular docking which was derived from the mechanism of the enzyme was applied to predict the energetically favorable poses of substrate-enzyme complexes. Thereafter, substrate conformation, distance between the oxygen atom of the alcohol part of the ester (in some compounds, this oxygen atom was replaced by nitrogen atom of the amine part of acid amine or sulfur atom of the thioester) and the hydrogen atom of imidazole of His224, distance between the carbon atom of the carbonyl group of the compound and the oxygen atom of hydroxyl group of Ser105 were used sequentially as the criteria to screen the binding poses. 223 out of 233 compounds were identified correctly for the enzyme by this screening system. Such high accuracy guaranteed the feasibility and reliability of the CASS system. The idea of computer-aided substrate screening is a creative combination of computational skills and enzymology. Although the case studied in this paper is tentative, high accuracy of the CASS system sheds light on the field of computer-aided substrate screening.
    BMC Bioinformatics 09/2009; 10:257. · 2.75 Impact Factor
  • Article: Improving the catalytic activity of lipase LipK107 from Proteus sp. by site-directed mutagenesis in the lid domain based on computer simulation
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    ABSTRACT: The capacity of lipase LipK107 from Proteus sp. catalyzing the kinetic resolution of racemates was investigated. The resolution of racemic 1-phenylethanol in organic medium was selected as model reaction. The conversion was dramatically dependent on the water content and the LipK107 showed high activity in a wide range of water content without appreciable loss of enzyme enantiodiscrimination. Besides, the chain length of acyl donor also had a significant effect on the conversion, and the highest enantioselectivity was achieved when methyl palmitate was used. Based on the analysis of computer model structure of LipK107, different mutations were introduced into the lid region. Each derivative of LipK107 was expressed, purified, and assessed of the activity. According to the prediction, using mutants E130L + K131I and T138V as catalyst, respectively, the conversions of 1-phenylethanol improved greatly with a slight increase of enantiodiscrimination. In addition, the effects of hydrophobicity and electrostatic of the lid on lipase activity were determined. This work indicated that the modification of the lid might considerably enhance the activity and improve the yield of catalytic reactions, which could apply to other lipases. The computer simulations would make the process of identifying amino acids for substitution efficiently.Graphical abstractResearch highlights▶ Based on analysis of computer model structure of LipK107, mutations were introduced. ▶ The activity of LipK107 enhanced dramatically according to the prediction. ▶ Effects of hydrophobicity and electrostatic of lid on lipase activity were determined. ▶ The modification of the lid could considerably enhance the lipase activity.
    Journal of Molecular Catalysis B Enzymatic 68:286-291. · 2.73 Impact Factor