Identification and characterization of a novel extracellular polyhydroxyalkanoate depolymerase in the complete genome sequence of Undibacterium sp. KW1 and YM2 strains

PLoS One. 2020 May 5;15(5):e0232698. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232698. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a biodegradable polymer that is synthesized by a wide range of microorganisms. One of the derivatives of PHA, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH) has flexible material properties and low melting temperature. We have previously demonstrated that PHBH is degradable in a freshwater environment via the formation of biofilm on the surface of the PHBH film. Undibacterium sp. KW1 and YM2, which were isolated from the biofilm present on the PHBH film in the freshwater sample, were shown to have PHBH-degrading activity. In this study, the complete genome sequence of KW1 and YM2 revealed that the extracellular PHA depolymerase gene, designated as phaZUD, was present in their chromosomes. Sequence analysis revealed that PhaZUD contained four domains: a signal peptide, catalytic domain, linker domain, and substrate-binding domain. Escherichia coli harboring a PhaZUD-expressing plasmid showed PHBH-degrading activity in LB medium containing 1 wt% PHBH powder. The recombinant His-tagged PhaZUD from KW1 and YM2 was purified from the culture supernatant and shown to have PHBH-degrading activity at the optimum temperature of 35 and 40°C, respectively. When the degradation product in the PHBH solution was treated with PhaZUD and assayed by LC-TOF-MS, we detected various oligomer structures, but no more than pentamers, which consist of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyhexanoate. These results demonstrated that PhaZUD may have an endo-type extracellular PHA depolymerase activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Caproates / metabolism
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / chemistry
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / genetics
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / metabolism*
  • Oxalobacteraceae / chemistry
  • Oxalobacteraceae / genetics
  • Oxalobacteraceae / metabolism*
  • Polyhydroxyalkanoates / metabolism*
  • Whole Genome Sequencing

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Caproates
  • Polyhydroxyalkanoates
  • 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases
  • poly(3-hydroxyalkanoic acid) depolymerase

Grants and funding

T.M. reports a grant from the Kaneka Corporation (Hyogo, Japan), during the conduct of the study; and S.S. is an employee of the Kaneka Corporation. The funder provided support in the form of salaries for author SS, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.